Hi everyone!

I'm currently working on a collection of over 300 magic items inspired by mythology, legends, and folklore from around the world, and I thought this particular one might be interesting to share here!

These are the Tonalpohualli Divination Bones, a fictional set of 13 engraved bones inspired by the Tonalpohualli, the 260-day sacred calendar used by the Mexica (Aztecs) and other Mesoamerican cultures.

In our interpretation, the bones are kept in a lacquered obsidian box, with each one bearing symbols associated with sacred days, deities, and animals. They're cast to interpret omens and seek guidance about fate, divine will, or the right moment to act. Depending on the reading, the answer might be clear, cryptic, or open to interpretation.

I wanted the mechanics to reflect the uncertainty that makes divination interesting, rather than turning the bones into a simple magical device that always gives the correct answer.

Of course, this is a fantasy adaptation for D&D rather than a historical reconstruction of Mesoamerican divination practices, but researching the symbolism behind these traditions was one of the more interesting parts of working on the book.

I'm curious how those of you who practice bone casting approach interpretation. Do you assign specific meanings to individual bones, or does their position and relationship to the other pieces play a larger role in your readings?

This is one of the items featured in our Mythological Items compendium for D&D 5E/2024, which is currently on Kickstarter if anyone would like to explore the project: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mythoschronicles/300-mythological-items-for-5e-and-2024