Fortune Telling Skilll

by **Alija** on January 26th, 2015, 5:44 pm

I'm thinking of developing the fortune telling skill. What kind of methods should I include? I'm already researching Runecasting, Taromancy, Tasseography, Crystallomancy and Cold reading. Any other suggestions? I know there are loads, of but think I should limit it.

I'm also not exactly sure on how it would work? Any suggestions?

Thanks!

by **Caelum** on January 26th, 2015, 6:26 pm

Afternoon.

Throwing in some haruspicy (I think that's the word for augery via entrails of sacrificed animals) and palmistry would be excellent. I have come across both of these practices in play using the fortune telling skill.

Additionally, I don't think the types of fortune telling in the skill should be limited. I think that a number of examples of types of fortune telling should be provided, perhaps a note stating that there are others as well as variations in different regions. To limit the fortune telling skill to very specific methods would be to cripple the creative nature of the art. This is not a magic where perhaps such limitations may prove necessary.

It's fantastic that you're tackling this skill. I can't wait to see what you do with it.

by **Alija** on January 26th, 2015, 7:20 pm

Thanks! Can't believe I forgot palmistry! And no, I wasn't going to limit it, just limit the ones I was going to describe in greater detail! Don't think I phrased it quite right!
And thanks again!

by **Jashkataal** on January 26th, 2015, 10:18 pm

Hi Alija,

I think it's great you're working on this and I'm excited to see your view of this interesting skill. I'd totally echo Caelum's words that this needs to be a open-ended skill with many many possibilities. But I don't think it would be feasible to do an in depth write up on each branch of the skill like you said.

Though I would like to see something of how different branches of the discipline, if you will, for example pyromancy or your example of tasseography tie into a culture/race. Do the Konti prefer to practice hydromancy or crystal-gazing (crystallomancy) as apposed to – and this is just off the top of my head as an example – the Isur maybe have a history of pyromancy or vice versa (maybe these races sought out insight with tools that were not so common place in their environment or cultures.)

Did the Drykas horse-herders practice palmistry because of their nomadic lifestyle or were the campfire embers only to be touched by the elder with the sight (phromancy)? There's a lot of wiggle room and I think more than a few of the races have a nice chunk of development in them to feel out how maybe their people practice Fortune Telling.

I think one of the biggest challenges of this skill is figuring out its modus operandi. We know from established lore that Divination (the gnosis) works by way of interaction and viewing of the Chavic Records (the Chavena). And it a precise thing; the past, present and future are seen with nearly crystal clarity – if one has the requisite number of marks – save maybe the context but even that resolves itself more than a little. Regardless. How does Fortune Telling relate and – most importantly – contrast to the divine magic of Divination? Perhaps figuring that out will give you a direction for exactly how the skill works, from at least an OOC point of view.

Does the branch (pyromance, tasseography or hyrdromancy) of Fortune Telling serve as a tool, or intermediary to translate the knowledge of the Chavena to someone who can not see directly the Chavic Records? Think along of the lines of Auristics, and how it can not see the Djed itself but an emanation there of.

Or

Does, again, the branch of Fortune Telling serve as a tool to translate the knowledge contained in the ambient djed – as djed composes all things and is everywhere – for the one performing fortune telling?

Other than that, I would just shy away from Taromancy, as it directly references divination by Tarot Cards something we have here on Earth and that were developed through our history. I think maybe trying to figure out a Mizahar tarot would be fun but the propensity to mirror it to our own version would be too great. It may not be as creative a thing as it could be if developed from scratch.

Looking forward to your work.

~Jashkataal.

by **Alija** on January 27th, 2015, 7:48 pm

In fact, if anyone wants to collaborate or help develop this, just PM me or something! I think I could use the help!

by **Emissary** on January 30th, 2015, 5:10 pm

Hey guys, I just wanted to pop in here real quick.

Two things I noticed that could really use mention.

One, Tarot exists in Mizahar and is one of the primary forms of fortune telling I have seen used. Decks are on the price list.

Two, please keep in mind that fortunetelling is a mundane skill and not a magic. We need to be extremely careful when saying a skill interfaces with djed on its own. At the same time, something like auristics can certainly be used to help with fortune telling and that is a magic.

All of these ways of telling fortunes are derived from the real world and none of them are fantasy. I cannot stress that enough, not a single item on this list is not from real life.

As an aside, I have a fortune teller PC and the way I write her is that it is a belief. That she sees these signs and attempts to derive meaning from them, but she knows very well that she could misinterpret the signs and be wrong. But if another PC shows up they are fully welcome to not believe in the skill regardless of my PC's skill level. In others, I highly stress against making fortune telling a true 'seeing' ability, because that would be Divination. Also I would really like to see a mention of Augury.

More importantly, Alija take your time. There is plenty of time to write this article and the only timeline made is by you. Don't get stressed out when you haven't even begun yet.

by **Alija** on May 31st, 2015, 8:15 pm

Hey guys!
I thought I'd give this a bump to let you know that I am still working on this (kinda) and I really want to develop it further.

It's just that recently I've been quite busy, and this has fallen behind (as well as losing my work several times) but now I have a bit more spare time and want to get this going again.

I'm just going through the process of deciding what actually to write about. Before this I've just been brainstorming and researching fortune telling, both in real life and what I could in mizahar. What sort of things would you expect to be found in this lore? Thanks!

by **Alija** on October 4th, 2015, 4:59 pm

Hey guys! I was hoping for a bit of input on race/city outlooks on fortune telling, such as how it might have developed, how it is seen and what methods are often used? It would be great to have experts on various cities tell me what they know rather than coming up with it myself (which I am happy to do, and expect I will have to!)

Thanks!

by **Kiva** on December 26th, 2015, 8:26 pm

OOC
I am by far, no expert in how my favorite race views storytelling, but I had some ideas on which techniques, perhaps the Myrians favor. The most common type of fortune telling would be likely "the throwing of bones", like you've written. I was looking up some articles I could refer you to to help you with your write up, but wasn't sure how in depth you wanted to take the section. I was reading over your draft so far and think you have a solid grasp but I wonder if it could be expanded upon.

Another race I was thinking of was the Chaktawe. Being in the desert and a very spiritual bunch, astromancy makes sense to me (plenty of stars in the desert at night), augery (from their faith in Eywaat) and maaaybe, pyromancy. I imagine at night when the Chaktawe are around a fire, and the light reflects off the black pools of their eyes while they listen to a fortune teller is a really fun experience. They come off as a bunch of people who would take it quite seriously, perhaps only asking when they feel they have no other options, or that it is a problem their guardian cannot lead them through.

-Kiva