User:Mozzik/Sandbox

If memory serves, this bowl is tool used by Moon Mages to scry into the future. You remember that bowls carved with such sigils are divination tools used by Moon Mages and preferred by those mages that call themselves the Prophets of G'Nar Peth. Traditionally carved from a single piece of sandstone and etched with the mysterious sigils only Moon Mages seem to understand, scrying bowls are used by mages trained in astrology as a tool for divination. It is said that the first bowls were filled with water from the Garden of G'Nar Peth, though whether that is a legend held by the Prophets themselves or merely a tale told by outsiders is unclear.

Properties

Bowls are a surprisingly elegant tool given their creators. Notable features include:

• Require water to function, which must be replaced after fumbles
• Very low curse rate due to ease of turning predictions
• Prone to significant misreads in power and duration
• Has no age factor, and as such tends to be a durable tool
• Has the least number of qualities of any tool
• Very sluggish bonding, though physical qualities change at a normal rate.
• Understanding skill messages require knowledge of Constellation Jewelry combinations
• Sect Affinity: Prophets of G'nar Peth

Use

Like all prediction tools, before use the mage must know the ALIGN ability (learnable at 4th circle) and have made a successful observation. Furthermore, before the first use, the bowl must be RUBbed to bond it to the user. Syntax is to ALIGN <skill/skill set>, and then to GAZE BOWL. In order to predict on another the mage must SHOW the bowl to the target and then GAZE into it as before. Note: Predicting on others is occasionally buggy with this tool, and best avoided until this issue has been corrected.

Example

You gaze into the bowl, your hand moving around its lip until it completes a full circle. You dip your fingers gently into the ice-cold water and raise them above the bowl. As the drops fall from your fingertips, they cause ripples which race across the surface. The water quickly grows still, leaving no trace of the disturbance. As you gaze into the water, it becomes illuminated by the white of the Owl and the Sun as their carvings glow steadily along the bowl's edge.

Interpretation

1. The method of dipping will vary, but is meaningless.
2. The temperature of the water relates to the magnitude of the prediction; hotter water indicates a stronger prediction.
3. The duration is determined by the duration of the ripples, however only the second line that speaks about how long they exist appears to be relivant.
4. The color of the sigils indicates the polarity. White and blue-white are positive whereas red and red-orange are negative.
5. The sigils indicate the skill by showing the sigils used to create a Constellation Jewelry for the skill. Blue-white or red-orange indicate a trine and that rune should be counted double if three seperate sigils are not shown.
6. Any additional messages have to do with quality changes.

So the example given is a very weak, very short, positive prediction on the magical devices skill.

Qualities

When LOOKed at charts have seven qualities. Known qualities are listed from best to worst. Italics indicate a potential starting value when purchased.

Sigils

The sigils on the bowl are in sharp clarity
The sigils on the bowl are clear, with solid lines
The sigils on the bowl are sharp
The sigils on the bowl are clear
The sigils on the bowl are slightly faded
The sigils on the bowl are fading
The sigils on the bowl are fading and dull

Sigil Bond

Promising chance
Fair chance

Bowl

Round, with a few small cracks
Round and has a few cracks and chips
Round, though a few chips mar it
Mostly round, interrupted by some chips and cracks
Has several cracks and chips

Bowl Bond

Fair chance

Explanation

The exact role of each quality hasn't yet been determined. The bonds are somehow related to the ability of the bowl to turn predictions positive.

Messages

Mass (Power)

a few stars
several stars
a small grouping of stars
most of a constellation
a small constellation
a medium constellation
a large constellation
a small mass of stars
a large mass of stars
a few small constellations

Calander (Duration)

Akroeg
Ka'len
Lirisa
Shorka
Uthmor
Arhat
Moliko
Skullcleaver
Dolefaren
Nissa

Method

Rummage
Scrutinize
Flip
Sort
Search
Peer
Thumb
Inspect
Shuffle
Look
Gaze
Leaf
Peruse
Stock
Glance
Examine
Rifle
Peek
Rake

Influence

a positive influence
a negative influence

Special

a beneficial influence - Critical success, can improve any physical quality.
You feel a strengthening of the bond between you and your charts. - Generic increase in experience
You feel a weakening of your bond with the charts. - Generic weakening in experience
You notice a small error in the charts, and jot a note correcting it for later readings. - Generic physical improvement
Your hand stumbles slightly, smudging the ink on the charts. You try to clean it up, but it's definitely going to leave a mark. - Generic physical damage
A sudden miasma of fear grips you as the future goes very dark. It slowly clears and you look down to see your charts crinkled in your tightened fist. - Fumble, damages any physical quality.
The charts rip violently, leaving them unusable.

Notes

• RP verbs that can be used with mirrors: WAVE, TRACE, SHAKE, TURN, STARE, ROLL, UNROLL. Note: While ROLLed up several verbs act differently, and the charts cannot be used to predict.
• According to GM Lohkrian charts have no critical success message, but this still does good things for the chart. This has never been observed by the author.

Also See

• Vellum Celestial Charts"Moon mage" is not in the list (None, Bard, Barbarian, Cleric, Empath, Moon Mage, Necromancer, Paladin, Ranger, Thief, ...) of allowed values for the "Guild association is" property.