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Splatbook #34 - You have the Answer, but what is the Question?

Join DMs Glen, Brian, and Fulongamer as they delve into what seems a not often used or explored aspect of magic: Divination! They start off with the Diviner mage class, then move on to Crystal Balls and the uses of and variations therein. From there they talk about the various ways to gain information through uses of magic, then discuss the Augury spell. Finally they polish off the show with a discussion of the adventure in Dungeon Magazine, Issue #70, Kingdom of the Ghouls.

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Option Package - Specialist Mage: Diviner
Its in the Book - Crystal Balls
Rule Zero - Magical Means of Mining Matters Most Aren't Not Meant To Know
Magic Fingers - Augury
DM's Rag - Dungeon #70; Kingdom of the Ghouls

As an example of the fun you can have if you even have the inkling of a hint that a play session will even offer the opportunity for some form of Divination in play and you want to prepare....

The following has been used in Multiple runs of the Night Below campaign when parties began inquiring about the History of Broken Spire Keep:
[spoiler]The Ballad of Dalraith, Shield of Sir Lothar Parlfrey
He can't remember anything,
Can't tell if this is true or dream.
Deep down inside You feel him scream,
A terrible silence stops thee!

After a battle in the trees,
There, waking up who cannot be!
Though there's not much left to see,
Nothing is real but pain now.

Draw no breath as I live for death
Oh, please gods help me!

Back in the wood that's much too real,
In stalks life that I must feel.
But I can't look forward to reveal,
Look to the time when I lived.

Held by the ring of silvered trees,
Stripped by the hunger I must feed.
Tied by a curse that makes me be,
Cut this life off from me.

With one breath I would wish for death,
Oh, please gods take me!

Now my Lord is gone, I'm just One
Oh, gods help me!
I pray for breath as I bring you death!
Oh, please gods help me!

Darkness,
Imprisoning me,
All that I see,
Absolute horror,
I cannot sleep.
I cannot die.
Trapped in myself,
Body my broken cell.

Myrkul has taken my sight,
Taken my speech,
Taken my hearing.
Taken my arms,
Taken my legs,
Taken my soul,
Left me with life in hell!![/spoiler]
And these are examples of Augury responses done on the fly....
[spoiler]Yea, though He Waddles in the Puddle of Death,
He shall Fear no other Evil, for Thou art with Him.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]Under the sky
Like an oyster's eye
Over the stone
Like a white bleached bone
There in the hall
Where the godess did fall
Under the waves
I cannot see all[/spoiler]

[spoiler]If you dare to break your seal
You will find more Woe than Weal
Eyes within and eyes without
Wait for time to draw you out
M.[/spoiler]

And this set of elements is part of the dungeon dressing of "The Murderhole", the adventure/crawl I wrote up...
[spoiler]This is the item to which the asterisk marks in the wandering monster lists refer. This is a clue for the GM to provide the players so that they can decipher the riddles of the shrines. At the GM’s judgement the clue can be made available beyond the bounds of the wandering monster lists, as a scrap of paper, a dream, a scrawl on the wall, or whatever. Each couplet along with the first is replicated on it's appropriate shrine statue:

Let the rogue as still as stone
Render secrets never known.
Unseen hand and stealthy knife
Answer this the root of strife.
Humbled will the faithful stay
When woe befalls what e’er they say.
Swift as lightning though you be
The ready blade will profit thee.
Turning blows along with eyes,
Twice the secrets, twice the lies.
Every thing you wish in life
Is found when blood is on the knife.[/spoiler]

Hope these can help serve as inspiration for DMs needing to craft functional divination responses. Don't worry that "secrets" may get revealed. Don't hang an albatross on it, hang a plot hook on it.

_________________
FULONGAMER aka Johannes M. Bowers
http://thelostholocronpodcast.info/
It's not My planet Monkey-boy! / I Waste Him With My Bowcaster!
THIS is my LIGHT-Stick!, The next one of you Furry Tree-Hugger Yub-Yub Primitives EVEN TOUCHES me...//FZOOOK!//