Divination bowl
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
- Availability: Therenborough, Muspar'i
- Sect Affinity: Prophets of G'nar Peth
- Must be FILLed with water to function, which must be replaced after a fumble.
Use
For general information on how predictions work see the Prediction article.
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 seer must SHOW the bowl to the target and then GAZE into it as before.
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.
Qualities
Physical Qualities
Potency damage
Potency damage is indicated by the porosity of the sandstone.
- The stone's porosity is reminiscent of mistglass.
- The stone is unbelievably porous.
- The stone is extremely porous.
- The stone is very porous.
- The stone is rather porous.
- The stone has an above average porosity.
- The stone is of average porosity.
- The stone has a below average porosity.
- The stone is rather nonporous.
- The stone is very nonporous.
- The stone is extremely nonporous.
- The stone is completely nonporous.
Duration damage
Duration damage manifests as the smoothness of the bowl's interior.
- The interior of the bowl is perfectly rounded, without the slightest bump or crack.
- The interior of the bowl is perfectly rounded.
- The interior of the bowl is exceptionally well-rounded and smooth.
- The interior of the bowl is very well-rounded.
- The interior of the bowl is well-rounded.
- The interior of the bowl is rounded.
- The interior of the bowl is worn in a few spots.
- The interior of the bowl is no longer round and has a few chips.
- The interior of the bowl is quite bumpy and uneven.
- The interior of the bowl has several cracks and chips.
- The interior of the bowl is marred by cracks and several large chips.
- The interior of the bowl is horrifically chipped and a large crack runs through the center.
Alignment damage
Alignment damage can be determined by the brightness of the sigils.
- The six major sigils radiate brightly, the complex network between them is perfectly illuminated.
- The six major sigils radiate brightly like the sun.
- The six major sigils glow prominently, not unlike gaethzen.
- The six major sigils glow steadily like moonlight.
- The six major sigils twinkle like stars.
- The six major sigils glisten as parts of the sigils fade in and out.
- The six major sigils glow faintly as occasional shadows wind through the network.
- The six major sigils have become quite dim.
- The six major sigils fade in and out.
- The six major sigils struggle to remain illuminated.
- The six major sigils are damaged, giving off only a faint glimmer of light.
- The six major sigils are in terrible shape, stifled and barely luminescent.
Polarity damage
Polarity damage is reflected in the shadows that appear.
- The inner rim instantly forms a perfect circle of shifting Katamba black.
- The inner rim is rapidly eclipsed by the shadows.
- The inner rim rapidly darkens.
- The inner rim ripples as it transitions to darkness.
- The inner rim turns a shadowy black.
- The inner rim fogs over with shadows.
- The inner rim is obscured by shadows plodding their way around its circumference.
- The inner rim leisurely darkens as shadows drift over its surface.
- The inner rim darkens with a noticeable delay.
- The inner rim takes a while before beginning to darken.
- The inner rim eventually grows dim.
- The inner rim takes what feels like an eternity to darken.
Bond Qualities
When you analyze the bowl, you will have a vision about a vessel. This reflects your bond with the bowl.
Potency bond
How full the vessel is with water.
Your mind's eye sees that vessel's water level is terribly low, mostly droplets at the bottom. (1/10)
Your mind's eye sees that vessel's water level just covers the bottom. (2/10)
Your mind's eye sees that vessel's water level is enough to dip your fingers into.(3/10)
Your mind's eye sees that vessel's water level is only about a quarter full.(4/10)
Your mind's eye sees that vessel's water level is less than half full.(5/10)
Duration bond
The stillness of the water.
The surface of the water sloshes violently back and forth. (1/10)
The surface of the water climbs the sides of the vessel as it splashes about.(2/10)
The surface of the water bounces from side to side.(3/10)
The surface of the water undulates within the vessel.(4/10)
The surface of the water is criss-crossed with overlapping ripples.(5/10)
Alignment bond
The clarity of the water.
The liquid within the vessel is tenebrous and murky, blocking out anything beneath the surface. (1/10)
The liquid within the vessel swirls turbid and brown, obstructing the bottom. (Skill 2/10).
The liquid within the vessel looks like cream in coffee.(3/10)
The liquid within the vessel is dark and translucent.(4/10)
Polarity bond
Any debris in the water.
The water is terribly foul, with large pieces of floating debris.(1/10)
The water is riddled with suspended bits of dark debris.(2/10)
The water has small pebbles that have sunk to the bottom. (3/10)
The water is sandy.(4/10)
Age and construction qualities
These are identical for all types of tools. See Prediction for a list of both.
Interpretation
A prediction's outcome can be interpreted from:
- The potency is reflected in the temperature of the water.
- The duration is seen in how long the ripples last.
- The skill is reflected in the primary sigils that illuminate during the prediction (see Skill messaging below)
- The polarity is seen in the color of the sigils.
Skill messaging
Magic
| Skill | Sigils |
|---|---|
| Primary Magic | |
| Attunement | Owl and Xibar |
| Arcana | Owl and the Sun |
| Targeted Magic | Owl and the Wolf |
| Augmentation | Owl and the Wolverine |
| Debilitation | Owl and the Shark |
| Utility | Owl and the Wren |
| Warding | Owl and the Lion |
| Sorcery | |
| Astrology | all the sigils |
| Summoning | Owl and the Wolf |
| Theurgy | Owl and the Ox |
Lore
| Skill | Sigils |
|---|---|
| Forging | Wren and the Raven |
| Engineering | Wren and the Ox |
| Outfitting | Wren and the Cat |
| Alchemy | |
| Enchanting | Wren and the Wolf |
| Scholarship | Wren and the Owl |
| Appraisal | |
| Performance | |
| Tactics | |
| Bardic Lore | |
| Empathy | |
| Trading |
Offensive combat
| Skill | Sigils |
|---|---|
| Small Edged | Coyote and the Cat |
| Large Edged | Coyote and the Lion |
| Twohanded Edged | Coyote and the Panther |
| Small Blunt | Coyote and the Weasel |
| Large Blunt | Coyote and the Viper |
| Twohanded Blunt | Coyote and the Shark |
| Slings | Coyote and the Boar |
| Bow | Coyote and the Nightingale |
| Crossbow | Coyote and the Dove |
| Staves | Coyote and the Dolphin |
| Polearms | Coyote and the Unicorn |
| Light Thrown | Coyote and the Wren |
| Heavy Thrown | Coyote and the Raven |
| Brawling | Coyote and the Wolverine |
| Offhand Weapon | Coyote and the Heron |
| Melee Mastery | Coyote and the Ox |
| Missile Mastery | Coyote and the Vulture |
| Expertise | Coyote and the Ram |
Defensive combat
| Skill | Sigils |
|---|---|
| Shield | Phoenix and the Wolverine |
| Light Armor | Phoenix and the Magpie |
| Chain Armor | Phoenix and the Weasel |
| Brigandine | Phoenix and the Viper |
| Plate Armor | Phoenix and the Albatross |
| Defending | Phoenix and the Boar |
| Parry Ability | Coyote and the Cobra |
| Conviction | Phoenix and the Lion |
Survival
| Skill | Sigils |
|---|---|
| Evasion | Phoenix and the Scorpion |
| Athletics | Phoenix, the Lion, and the Dolphin |
| Perception | Phoenix and Xibar |
| Stealth | Phoenix and Katamba |
| Locksmithing | Phoenix and the Raven |
| Thievery | Phoenix and the Panther |
| First Aid | Phoenix and the Unicorn |
| Outdoorsmanship | Phoenix and the Sun |
| Skinning | Phoenix and the Ram |
| Backstab | Phoenix and Katamba |
| Scouting | Phoenix, the Ram, and the Cat |
| Thanatology * | n/a |
- As far as is known, Thanatology predictions are impossible. Attempting an alignment on Thanatology will incur a stun, give an unclean soul, and trigger the following message:
Pain! A concept erupts from the back of your mind, cold and crushing. For a few, sharp moments you experience The End -- the death of stars and the deconstruction of fate as a metaphysical force.
The death of the universe orbits... something. Some force or some entity. Something you cannot see that you have an unconscious need not to.
It sees you.
Notes
- RP verbs that only work or message differently for Pethians: DROOL, KISS, PAT, and WINK.
- Bowls require the second hand to be empty to use them. Furthermore attempting to predict without a free hand will force you to ALIGN again.