NOTE: This is literally a single custom printed die. Just the one. No box, no instruction manual, no nothing. All you need is the die, the instructions below, and your imagination (it also works well with a tabletop RPG of your choice).

The Oracle Die is made for our tabletop RPG system Aspect Prime. But it works by its own in other systems or as a diversion to pass the time, so we offer it here for anyone who wants to use it for a different system.

If you want to know more about the Oracle Die and its mysterious history, read on brave adventurer.

The Tale of the Oracle Die

What is the Oracle die? How did it come to be? Why do we use it? We will tell you.

It is the tale of a gift, a tool, and a mystery.

The Gift

Over 25 years ago, the Oracle die was given to me by a mysterious woman. She said it had strange magical powers to find the truth, even if one is not ready for it. "Ask it a yes or no question." she told me.

At the time, I was afraid of its power. But the woman entranced me and I could not resist risking my very soul. I asked it a question I had already asked myself many times in my life, and then rolled it. A star appeared. What did this mean?

"It said yes. What was your question?" She asked.

I deflected and lied, "Oh I didn't have one yet. Um. I have one now. Will we play a game today?" I rolled it.

Scales. How was I to interpret this?

"It depends, it says." She was quite confident in this.

"Depends on what?" I asked.

"That is what you must discern."

It turned out that we did play a game, some tabletop gaming with the materials that eventually became Aspect Prime and its core world of Annor.

She taught me to interpret the oracle's symbols.

"The broken heart is a no." She explained.

"Ah, I thought as much." That seemed easy enough. "What about these masks?"

"The die is laughing." She smirked, "It means the answer is dramatic or funny. And the question mark means you are asking the wrong question."

"Ah. Hm. Should I make a golem-making mage?" I rolled it. Tree. What on earth could that mean? I couldn't fathom. "What... does tree mean?"

"It means Tree."

"...I should make a golem-making mage who has a wooden golem?"

"Precisely."

"Ah."

The Tool

The Oracle die is a tool for roleplaying games, especially for the Game Master/Guide/Storyteller. It is part humor, part research device, part creative aid, all Oracle. If a Player asks a question the GM does not know the answer to, such as "Does this door open inwards or outwards?" we can consult the Oracle. However, it must be phrased as a yes or no question.

For example: "Does this door open inwards?"

Star would mean yes, yes it does.

Broken Heart means no, it swings the other way.

Question Mark means that is the wrong question. Perhaps it opens both ways. Or perhaps it slides into a side pocket. Perhaps there is no handle on this side, but it does open inwards.

Scales means it depends on something else. Perhaps on whether or not it is locked. And it is locked. So it doesn't open at all. But if you unlock it, it would swing inwards.

Masks mean a dramatic answer. This might mean yes it does, and something else opens it up towards you just as you reach for it.

Tree... well tree probably means that it is not a door at all but a tangle of roots that looks like a door. Or maybe the door has no hinges and is just there (because it is only wood?). Or perhaps the door is held in place by tree roots.

Above: the Oracle Die, showing all six sides

Perhaps the players are up on the castle ramparts, and there's a guard up ahead. A player asks "Is there something small here I can throw to distract him?"

Star would mean yes, yes there is (a nice fist-sized rock, maybe).

Broken Heart means no, there is nothing to throw.

Question Mark means that is the wrong question, rather is there something here that can throw you? No, nothing you can throw, but there is a catapult.

Scales might mean it depends on whether or not they feel like taking the time to take the door handle off the nearby door. They could throw that.

Masks mean a dramatic answer. This might mean yes there is, and it is a glass bottle, or vial of explosive liquid, or a small rodent, or a squeaky toy that belongs to one of the castle's dogs.

Tree... well tree probably means there is a stick. Or acorn. Whichever makes more sense to you as the Guide.

It is not unlike flipping a coin to answer a question, but it gives us a number of additional potential outcomes to inspire us that we can interpret in whatever way makes the game more interesting.

The Mystery

We had used the Oracle die fairly often since it was gifted, it became a regular part of our gaming. Over time, we learned more about its power. It is dangerous to ask a question you might not like the answer to, so do take care.

Sadly, as all things do, one day it came to an end. Many years ago, we had used it so much the ink had worn off the faces. We tried to stave off its demise with sharpies, but that could only ever be a temporary fix.

We needed a new Oracle. But from whence did it come?

The woman who had granted the gift was nowhere to be found. It seemed this would be a mystery we'd have to unravel ourselves.

It seemed a truly impossible task at the time. The die had no branding, nothing that might indicate its origin.

But the internet might hold clues.

We searched.

A few dice from assorted games had some similar symbols, but none that clearly matched. But most of them were from trivia games of some sort.

So to eBay we went.

Eventually we found a game that looked like it had the right die, but it was already sold. It was an old Soap Opera trivia game. I continued to keep an eye out for for the game, but it seemed quite rare.

Months later I saw it up on another online store. I bought it in an instant and waited patiently for our replacement Oracle to arrive.

The game arrived. But the die was missing. Alas! But here I had more clues, the symbols suddenly made sense. Trivia about Soap Opera broken hearts, the stars of the show, legal troubles (the scales), family trees, and so forth.

Not long after I found another copy which I confirmed did have the die. I of course snatched it up, mystery solved!

Above: the 4th original Oracle Die, shown for illustration purposes only

Of course now you don't have to hunt the internet for a die, here one is for you! We of course redesigned the faces to be nicer looking and they are each one of the primary or secondary colors in case you want to roll for a random color.

Here is what the final die looks like on all six sides.

Above: the Oracle Die, showing all six sides

May the Oracle die add drama, mystery, and many, many, trees to your adventures!

If you want the original Patreon post where you can learn how the Oracle Die fits into the history of our tabletop game Aspect Prime, or you want a paper printable version you can glue together yourself for a test run, you can pop on over here.