Wizard's Oracle

This spell enables the wizard to contact powers or intelligences in the Ethereal or Astral Planes and request information in the form of questions that can be answered “yes” or “no.” The wizard may ask one such question for every level of experience. The being or beings contacted are truthful and answer to the best of their ability, but they are not omniscient and may not be able to answer difficult questions. Unlike the priest spell commune, which assumes that the caster is in contact with an outer planar divinity or its agent, wizard's oracle places the wizard in contact with a power closely associated with one particular location or concern.

For example, a wizard may discover that a swamp oracle knows everything there is to know about occurrences in the swamp, but speculations about the political situation of a kingdom 500 miles away may be out of its ken. Many powers structure their answers to serve their own ends.

Oracle powers are notoriously cryptic and reclusive. Should a caster attempt to cast this spell more than once per week, the power simply refuses to come. Such powers are not patient, and a caster who hesitates, engages in side discussions with companions, or pauses to do something else is likely to irritate it, causing it to leave.

The material component is a small fire sprinkled with exotic, aromatic oils worth no less than 100 gp per question to be asked.