Omen

(See also: Omen)

This spell is used to forecast the general fortunes of some major undertaking and determine auspicious and inauspicious events. When the spell is cast, the shukenja calls upon a deity to grant him some sign regarding the proposed action. Although the physical aspect of casting takes very little time, the shukenja must remain in one place and observe the natural events around him for the entire casting time. At the end of this time, he sees some omen – a flight of birds, the appearance of an animal, the fall of a leaf, and so on. that indicates the general fortunes of the undertaking planned.

This spell is commonly used before starting a journey, engaging in a major battle, or attempting some notable feat. The outcome of the spell is determined by two factors. First, the DM should consider the proposed action against information that only he knows. For example, the characters are about to leave a village to punish a group of bandits. The omen spell is cast to determine if this is an auspicious time to go. The DM knows that the village will be snacked by bandits that night, so the result would be an ill omen (since the characters would not encounter the bandits in the surrounding mountains). In situations where the DM has no information on which to base his judgment, 1d10 should be rolled and the Divination Results table consulted.

However, omens are infrequent events, and interpreting them is difficult. Due to the strain this spell places on the caster, it can only be used once per week.