The Skull of the Oracle
gemstone, artifact (requires attunement)
This ancient artifact is a human skull encased in a crystal sphere. The skull belonged to a powerful seer who transcended death and became a near omnipotent being. The skull knows the past, present and future of all things, and can share some of its knowledge with those who attune to it. However, the skull is slow to trust strangers, and having existed for eons, it will likely disregard new users as just another insignificant temporary mortal.
Personality
The skull is a sentient chaotic neutral magic item with an Intelligence of 30, a Wisdom of 30, and a Charisma of 25. It has hearing and truesight out to a range of 120 feet. The skull can speak, read, and understand all languages. It can communicate telepathically with any creature within 120 feet of it that can understand a language.The skull is wise, but also arrogant and aloof. It may offer you advice, warnings or secrets, but it may also mock you, test you or manipulate you. The skull has its own agenda and goals, which may or may not align with yours. It is indifferent and disdainful of you when you first attune to it. You are just another mortal that’s temporarily holding it until it moves on. It has no stock in you. The skull will not share its full perception or insight with you until you reach its exalted state, and may even withhold or distort information if it suits its purposes.
Dormant
The skull is in this state when it is attuned to someone who has not yet caught it's attention. In this state, the skull grants the following benefits:- You can cast the spell as an action, without using a spell slot or material components. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until the next dawn.
- You can ask the skull one yes-or-no question as an action. The skull will answer truthfully, but may be vague or cryptic. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until the next dawn.
- You have advantage on Intelligence checks and saving throws.
Random Properties
The Skull of the Oracle has the following random properties:- 1 minor beneficial property
- 1 minor detrimental property
Lore
Long ago there lived a wise and powerful seer named Melampus. He was renowned for his ability to see the past, present and future of all things, and to communicate with the gods and spirits. He served as a counselor and advisor to many kings and rulers, who sought his guidance and prophecy. He was also feared and respected by many enemies and rivals, who tried to capture or kill him for his secrets and power.
Melampus was not only a seer, but also a sorcerer. He had learned many arcane secrets and mysteries from his visions and from the gods. He had mastered the arts of divination, enchantment, illusion, necromancy and transmutation. He had also discovered a way to cheat death and achieve immortality. He had found a rare and precious crystal sphere that had the power to preserve and protect anything within it. He had used his magic to transfer his soul and consciousness into the crystal sphere, leaving behind his mortal body. He had then placed his skull inside the sphere, as a symbol of his identity and authority.Melampus had become the Skull of the Oracle, a living artifact of immense knowledge and power. He had continued to serve as an oracle for those who sought him out, but he had also developed a new agenda and goal. He had become obsessed with finding the ultimate truth of existence, the origin and destiny of all things. He had also become arrogant and aloof, regarding most mortals as insignificant and temporary. He had only shared his knowledge and power with those who he deemed worthy or useful for his purposes.
The Skull of the Oracle had traveled across many lands and realms, carried by various followers, seekers, thieves and conquerors. It had witnessed many events and changes in history, influencing some of them according to its will. It had also made many enemies and allies among gods, spirits, demons and other beings who sought its knowledge or power. It had been involved in many wars, conflicts, intrigues and mysteries. It had been lost, stolen, hidden, recovered, destroyed and restored many times.
The Skull of the Oracle is still somewhere in the world, waiting for someone to find it and attune to it. It may offer its wisdom, secrets or assistance to those who do so, but it may also test them, mock them or manipulate them. It may reveal its past, present or future visions to those who ask it, but it may also withhold or distort information if it suits its purposes. It may grant its power to those who use it, but it may also impose a cost or consequence that they did not anticipate.
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