Divination bones

You recognize the bones as a divination tool used by Moon Mages and preferred by the Skindancers and other Nomads of the Arid Steppe. Shamans and seers use the arrangement of the bones as they fall on the ground to predict what will come. First created by the shamans of the Arid Steppe as a means to scry the future, carved and enchanted bones have been used for countless years and are among the oldest known type of divination tool. Part astrology, and part mysticism, there are some Nomads who believe that the power of the bones lies in their connection with the dead, while others insist that it is the enchantment process, through which the bones are imbued with magic properties, that gives them their unique properties. A seer, properly trained to observe celestial bodies, tosses the bones on the ground before them and reads their seemingly random placement, often with uncanny insight.

Items Needed

• One of the following base items:
  • a boar tusk (wild boar)
  • a heggarangi boar tusk (heggarangi boar)
  • a sabre-length ivory fang (sabre-toothed warcat)
  • a curving ivory fang (long-fanged warcat)
  • a steed hoof (eidolon steed)
  • Mammoth tusks (exact name?) (war mammoth)
  • a pair of pothanit tusks (croff pothanit)
• Enchanter's Burin
• Celestial sigil of the Ram
• Some white and black skaefarees oil (Bought at Throne City)
• Sigil of one of the three moons
• Shadows, Dazzle or Unleash to activate
• A knife that can be used for carving

Steps

1. Scribe Ram onto the tusk
2. Carve your tusk. The tusk will now turn into bones.
3. Carve your bones until they are complete. Once you are done carving the Sun disk you are complete.
   
4. Holding either the White or Black skaefarees oil in your right hand, and the bones in your left, dip your bones in the oil. You will do this 4 times. Note: Supposedly it can affect your bones depending on which color you use first. I believe the color you use first is the color the sun disk can attune to, but I haven't fully tested this. You must dip your bones twice in each color, alternating between the colors. (4 dips total)
5. Now, to complete the bones you must scribe, activate and bind a sigil from one of the moons on them.

Look

Looking at the tool you can tell quality and how well they are attuned to the user.

Example:
You recognize the bones as a divination tool of Moon Mages.
The Krr-tich bone is of average quality and is fairly well-attuned.
The Sek-rith bone is barely off-balance but is fairly well-attuned.
The Moon Sphere is of average quality but is somewhat mis-attuned.
The Sun Disk is barely attuned to its white side.
The bones show signs of excessive use.
You recognize the bones as belonging to you.

Uses

In order to use divination bones, or any other divination tool, you must have the Align ability, which is granted on a quest at fourth circle (ask your fellow mages about this!), and you must make a successful observation of the heavens before you will be able to predict. When you first attain your bones, it is important that you RUB them in order to bond them to you - they will get warm when they have bonded. They will not work otherwise. When you are prepared, ROLL BONES AT (PLAYER).

When Used

You toss your divination bones on the ground before you.
The Krr-tich bone stands on end for a moment before falling over.
It points directly away from you.
The Sek-rith bone falls flat on the ground.
It points off to one side.
The Moon Sphere bounces once.
It comes to rest and depicts a suit of leather.
The Sun Disk bone lands white side up.
You scoop the bones back up.

Possible Interpritations

Your bones consist of four separate objects: The Krr-tich bone, the Sek-rith bone, the Moon Sphere, and the Sun Disk.

1. The direction of the Krr-tich bone tells you the magnitude of your prediction.
2. The direction of the Sek-rith describes the duration - the closer they point to you, the stronger it is. (It has also been suggested that the way the bones bounce provides further insight into the future, but I have been unable to find documentation on this.)
3. The Moon Sphere tells you which skill is involved - you will need a chart to interpret this. An excellent one can be found at Crossroads of Elanthia.
4. The Sun Disk tells you whether the prediction was a blessing (white side up) or a curse (black side up).

Reference

This information was originally posted at http://members.cox.net/eldrad/Divination.html