Oracle

**Oracles** (先見者, *Senkensha* lit. *Seer*) are people who were chosen by the Vanirs, divine beings that protected the continent of Zenith, to serve as both their proxy and vessel to "guide" the land into harmony.

## History

An **Oracle** refers to a person who serves as a vessel to a Vanir as a result of their powers growing weaker due to their continues use of it to both protect the land of Zenith and guiding the "*fates*" of the people there. In order to preserve both their power and their existence, the Vanir eventually made a deal with selected humans to voluntarily gave their body for them in exchange of their "*blessings*". This resulted in the human vessel being granted the Vanir's powers of "*seeing fates*" and becoming their official mouthpieces for them, thus Oracles are formed.

There are only nine Oracles which corresponds to the number of the Vanirs and they all preside over the land of the Vanir's they are host to. An Oracle is not immortal and thus the position will be succeeded to another to inherit. However, the succession of an Oracle is random as they are chosen by the Vanir's themselves so anyone could be an Oracle as long as they were picked by the Vanirs themselves. This shows that while the role may be hereditary, it is not guaranteed their direct relative will inherited it as seen in the case of Laevatein, who was not chosen as her Kingdom's Oracle following her sister's death.

As stated before, the Oracle's role is to serve as a proxy for the Vanirs whenever there's an important "fate" that would change the land as whole and is their duty to inform them to the people of the Zenith, in particular for the ruling royals of the Kingdoms. Whenever they are doing this, the Vanirs are capable of possessing their hosts at any time; regardless whether its voluntarily or not.

While the Oracle's purpose may seem restricted at first glance, in actuality they are actually given freedom to do whatever they are done and only serves whenever the Vanir's needed at a the most important times. That said, not all Oracle's views their condition as a "*blessing*", as Princess Laegjarn could attest to. Princess Veronica of the Emblan Empire has a negative view of an Oracle as she sees them as nothing more than a "toy" for the Vanirs.

## List of known Oracles

### Múspell

* Laegjarn Ardere Muspell - The First Princess of the Flame Kingdom, Múspell and the general of its army.

### Nifl

* Ylgr Elin Niflheim - The youngest princess of Nifl.

### Embla

* Caecilia Nox Dagheiðr - Former Empress of the Emblan Empire and Princess Veronica's mother.

### Askr

* Astrid Aleinn - Kiran's late mother and a longtime friend of the Askran Royals.
* Kiran Aleinn - A young apothecary living in Utgard Village and was Prince Alfonse's childhood friend.

## Etymology

**Oracle** comes from the latin verb *ōrāre*, meaning "to speak" and properly refers to the priests or priestess uttering the prediction. In extended use, *oracle* may also refer to the *site of the oracle*, and to the oracular utterances themselves, called *khrēsmē* 'tresme' (χρησμοί) in Greek.

An **oracle** is a person or agency considered to provide wise and insightful counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. Oracles were thought to be portals through which the gods spoke directly to people. In this sense they were different from seers (*manteis*, μάντεις) who interpreted signs sent by the gods through bird signs, animal entrails, and other various methods.

## Trivia

* Initially at their inception, all of the Oracles that were chosen were all females. However as time passes, there are males who were chosen as an Oracle thus not restricting it to being a matriarchy. According to the creator, the current Oracles in the story have more males than females.
* According to Loki, Gefn's Oracles are always chosen randomly.