Eye of the High Places

Rules

Performing the Ritual

Performing this ritual takes at least 2 minutes of roleplaying. The ritual must be performed with a map of the target territory.

Effects

At the completion of the ritual the contributors receive images that reveal information about all significant effects on the territory, or on regions or campaign armies within that territory. The ritual is not limited to magical effects; significant mundane events such as plagues, forest fires or monstrous rampages may also be divined by the magic. The ritual does not divine small-scale enchantments such as Rivers of Gold.

When it examines a significant effect, it may provide any of the following information that is relevant to that effect.

• the realm and magnitude of the effect, especially if it is magical in nature.
• what the effect does, and some details of how it does it.
• how long the effect is likely to last if nothing changes

The ritual may provide information about how the effect has come into being, or suggest actions that might be taken to change or end the effect.

Each contributor receives the same vision. These visions are not symbolic, and generally provide clear details about effects they divine.

If the target territory is under an effect that obscures information such as Drawing the Penumbral Veil, this spell can only penetrate it if it has been performed with a magnitude at least equal to that of the enchantment. Otherwise only the presence, realm and magnitude of the obscuring effect are revealed.

If something within the territory that would otherwise be divined with this ritual is obscured with such an effect, the presence, realm and magnitude of the obscuring effect is revealed but no other information about that effect. Information about other effects in the territory is revealed normally.

Additional Magnitude

You may increase the magnitude of the ritual in order to pierce more powerful rituals of concealment.

OOC Elements

The result of this ritual may be delivered in the form of a written vision, acquired from GOD. In this case, the contributors can study their vision as long as they like, but cannot discuss it or make notes until they have handed the slip back to a referee; at that point they are free to roleplay however they like - they may play through the process of receiving the vision, or act as if they have been in waking trance and the vision has already passed. All information divined by this ritual is correct at the time of casting.

Letting a referee know at least an hour in advance that you plan to perform this ritual and what the target territory will be will make it easier to ensure that the information is ready and will prevent delays.

As with many scrying rituals, a map forms a vital focus.

Description

This ritual is useful for dealing with threats to the Empire, but it can also be used to keep track of important events. This divination is sometimes frustrating for the magicians who master it; it discerns events that are recent and powerful before it analyses lingering effects or those that have been in place for long periods. For example, several attempts have been made to try and uncover the nature of the Black Plateau in Spiral, or to track the Feni settlements in the Marches but the limitations of the magic mean it provides little information about the enduring or low-powered enchantments around these areas.

Where it is at its most useful is in analysing known magical effects on territories (for example, determining the strength of an effect such as Drawing the Penumbral Veil; for gathering information about natural disasters; and for tracking enchantments on armies that might otherwise slip through the net of scouts and agent. When the ritual provides information about how a certain effect might be changed or ended, it usually covers only the most obvious approaches and is by no means exhaustive. For example, if it determines that a lake has been poisoned it might predict that the waters could be cleansed by a potion from an apothecary but will rarely reveal directly that Bloodharrow Philtres would be the most useful potions. While it might suggest that the intervention of an Eternal might resolve the situation, it will rarely directly identify Ylenrith as the one most likely to be able to help.

The visions granted by this ritual always begin by staring down on the target territory from an unimaginable height. Unlike Eyes of the Sun and Moon, where the viewpoint shifts, the vision simply expands to greater and greater magnification, filling the perceptions of the ritualists with more and more and more information. There is always the vague hint that the vision could continue to expand indefinitely, drowning and ultimately annihilating the consciousness of the ritualist if they do not focus on specific pieces of relevant information.

A version of this ritual called The Prismatic Gaze of Aesh tends to present its essential information through the use of colours; deep green and blood red for Spring auras, bright gold and cerulean blue for Summer, polished bronze and steel for Autumn, various shades of grey for Winter, shifting violets and deep blues for Night and steady, clear radiant whites, blues and golds for Day. The intensity of the colour indicates the magnitude of the effect, and closer study causes the aura to expand to provide additional information about its purpose.

Common Elements

This is a divination ritual, and often involves runestones or cards as well as the map which serves as the focus. Mirrors, crystals and other reflective surfaces are often involved, set up around the map to grant new perspectives on the information it contains. Some ritualists carefully pore over the map as the visions unfold, while others focus on expanding their consciousness to gain a 'bird's-eye view' of the area under consideration. The ritual is often performed out-of-doors under the open sky. At night, bright lanterns or lightstones are used to illuminate the map, the ritualists and their environs.

The magical item Strigine Mask is sometimes used to empower this ritual - its magical powers can enhance the ability of a small coven to perform the ritual or provide additional power for overcoming a concealing shroud.

The rune Sular is often used with this ritual, as are scenes in which history or current affairs are discussed with characters such as The Witch or The Doctor; the evocation of the virtues of Wisdom or Vigilance; or of keen-sighted animals such as eagles or hawks; or creatures such as sphinxes.