Divination

The magic of foresight and prediction, and of learning and knowing things from far away. It is a magic for communication, spying, and fortune-telling!

## Areas of Study

### Scrying

The art of scrying is that of "seeing," and so is used to see and/or hear a location from far away. A scrying charm set on a surface acts like a camera that you can tune into either with a strong mind or, more easily, with a linked artifact such as a crystal ball, a mirror, or another "screen" surface. Creation of such artifacts is done by Artifice.

An extremely common use of scrying is to enchant the end of a wire or pencil, and then use that to peer around corners or under doorframes.

Some types of scrying will seek out a specific target to try to spy upon them. Most wards will block this sort of intrusion, but if the target is out in an unwarded area, it is possible to try to spy on them. It becomes less difficult if you are familiar with them, have pictures handy, they are willing to be spied upon, and/or have some item of theirs to serve as a connection. It is much more difficult to scry this way, and is left to experts.

### Animal Scouts

This method requires a willing and friendly pet or familiar to serve as a mental link for the caster. By linking with the animal's mind, you are able to experience what it sees and hears when you focus upon the connection. This use is a mix of Divination with Telepology for the telepathic link, and/or Emoturgy if charming an animal needs to also be involved.

(Note: Battle Pets may do this through use of the Pet Scrying feature for familiars, which costs 1 spell point to learn)

### Communication

The magic of speech, messages, and languages through understanding the intended meaning is a form of divination. This area covers such skills as sending a conjured bird to convey a "recorded" verbal message, or reading a hidden message scribed onto a bit of paper or a wall. It can also be used to understand animals or even plants!

For compelling the truth to be spoken requires use of Emoturgy.

### Foresight/Prophecy

The realm of what-ifs and augury is mystical, ever-changing, and often hard to comprehend as fate and the future are mutable, rather than set in stone. It is rarely literal, and often in the form of a riddle or a symbol. While it is possible to make educated guesses at interpretations (for example: "red sky at morning, sailors take warning!" as such is an omen for stormy weather in the middle latitudes), misinterpretations are common, so it is best to take such omens only as possibilities rather than as expectations.

Fortunes can be read in all manner of mediums, from crystal balls, the palm of a hand, the fall of sticks from a container, the shape of clouds, or the lay of the dregs of real tea from within a teacup (bagged tea prevents this!). The study of meteorology is in this domain, as it is predicting the future weather based on signs such as clouds, winds, air masses, and the land. Expert meteorologists are a type of diviner.

Aether arts is related to this type of divination, as spirit guides can often pose exactly this interpretation-reliant style of lessons, riddles, omens, or advice.

### Dowsing

This method of divination is used to track and/or locate things, usually water, using pendulums, rods, or forked sticks. Willow, peach, and hazel branches are often used. Mages are able to search for lost items, lost people, or even things like magic leylines or to locate specific trace signatures, such as a shadow rift, or a fae creature, or an undead.

Artifacts may be developed using this same ability that will sense when a certain thing is nearby. The Academy has such an artifact that senses objects with the energy signature of a Shard if one is nearby.

### Motion or Presence-Sensing Spell Traps

Spell traps can be of any kind, but always require a trigger to set off, and many are are created by use of Divination magic. These spell traps are usually laid over a line or boundary, and may sense motion, life energy, heat, or other discernible presences when they pass through that boundary or step on that space. These spells can be tailored with advanced magic (usually with hairs or other identifying bits) to allow you to omit certain people or things from triggering them.

The simplest of these traps is a utility spell created through the incantation, *"Decipula [Spell Name],"* where the caster inserts the casting word of any other spell that they actually know, which can be cast on that spot. For example, *"Decipula Ignis"* will imbue the boundary to trigger a flamebolt at anyone passes through that space, as long as it may last. The size and duration of such traps depends both on skill and whether artifice is also used to stabilize and empower the spell, keeping it active longer than it would otherwise. It can range anywhere from a 6" circle dot on the floor or a doorknob, to a 1' strip encircling a 50' area.

**These spell traps are never invisible**, however, unless hidden well under an illusion. The creation of such traps requires congealing the spell power into a magical rune, which might even be glowing depending on the caster's experience level and magical talents.

## Mastery Talent

Exceptionally skilled masters of divination have a sixth sense of premonition, granting them increased alertness and reflexes.

## Known Academy Professors

* Dream
* Paws (Tasseomancy: tea reading)
* Others, to be added