Dragon Bone (Magic Bone)

Dragon bones (or oracle bones, as they are sometimes called) are commonly sold in most apothecaries across Kara-Tur for the relatively low price of 1d6 tael each. However, nearly all of these items are surely fakes, perhaps animal bones or fragments of turtle shells. True dragon bones are the polished and enchanted shoulder blades of Oriental dragons, and they would never be sold so cheaply if properly recognized. One of these enchanted bones can aid a shukenja's casting of divination spells. Theoretically, the dragon's spirit travels between the diviner and a divinity, ensuring an accurate response through its ties with the Celestial Palace. The process involves scratching a question into the surface of the dragon bone with a sharp stylus, then carving a groove next to the query. The next step involves touching the groove with the red-hot point, causing a maze of cracks to spread across the bone's surface. By interpreting the length and pattern of the cracks, a shukenja learns the answer.
A dragon bone adds 10% to the success of augury, doubles the duration of find the path, allows know history to be cast at twice normal distance; adds +1 to rolls on Artifact Table 1-24: Divination Results, and is suggested as a material component in powerful divination spells (to which it adds 10% to the chances of success). The com plex process involved in utilizing a dragon bone takes one turn, which replaces the casting time for all of the above spells. Using this item in casting a spell does not always cause the bone to vanish, be destroyed, or become useless; it may be used a number of times equal to twice the age category of the dragon from which it came (roll 1d12 for random determination). Bones from older dragons have large surface areas on which to carve questions. If a dragon bone is found as part of a hoard, it may have already been used in previous divinations (DM's discretion; 1d4 suggested).
A shukenja of the 10th level or higher may enchant a dragon bone if access to a deceased Oriental dragon's skeleton is possible. Since the requisite bones are taken from a dragon's shoulder blades, a shukenja may create two dragon bones from each dragon. The bones must be cleaned, stained with exotic oils (the ingredients for which cost 20 ch'ien), and polished. Since an Oriental dragon's bones are magical by their very nature, the final enchantment requires but a single casting of holy symbol. The chance that the enchantment “holds” is equal to 70%, plus 1% per level of the caster, the DM should roll this secretly, with 90% being the maximum chance of success. An unsuccessful enchantment results in a worthless item or—on an enchantment roll of 00—cursed dragon bones. A cursed dragon bone functions like its correctly enchanted counterpart but provides false answers, sometimes (10% chance); a warped version of the truth or the direct opposite of the correct answer, often (80% of the time).
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items
Category:Magic Items
Category:Magic Bones