Non-spell based divinitory practices

[Prolix]

It seems to me that having Tarot cards is a little out of context for PlaneShift. I'm not saying it is wrong or could not exist but rather that there might be a more appropriate method. This game is glyph based, glyphs apparently abound in the realm some being of such quality as to focus magical power. To me Ylaiki fortune tellers really ought to read the glyphs which are not powerful enough to have associated spells. Alternatively, if you want a deck of cards to use you should either base them on the octarchal hierarchy including aspects of the leaders and the lands they rule or else have them have representations of the actual glyphs that are in the game and have spells. You would then use essences associated with the glyph (or geo-political unit) to draw answers from.

Sounds like a lot of work, so hop to it

Anyway nothing prevents the use of numerology, phrenology or whatever, this is just my thinking.

[Rigwyn]

I don't think that divination tools ( ie tarot cards ) need to be magical.

Magic 8-balls ( with the blue water and floating message cube ) were not magical .. but one could certainly use one (IRL)  as an aide for making decisions.
Likewise if they were shrewd enough then perhaps they could convince a customer that *their* ball was magical - or that they had some magical ability thats reflected in the results of the ball when shaken.

I think that what really gives a fortune teller *power* is

1. Their ability to convince others that their system works whether it does or not.
2. Their clients desire to believe that the fortune teller is effective

Whether the diviner's ability stems from magic, trickery, psychology  etc.. is debatable.

I certainly would agree that the construction of decoration of such tools should definitely be done in such a way they they fit in with the settings.

[Sarras Volcae]

I agree with Rigwyn

Magic 8-balls ( with the blue water and floating message cube ) were not magical .. but one could certainly use one (IRL)  as an aide for making decisions.

were? magic 8-balls still exist 

[Rigwyn]

You know I cnat tpye Sarras 

[budinski]

I can just see it now, an unfortunate kran phrenologist giving an even more unfortunate lemur a reading. One little muscle spasm for the kran and the lemur's head popping like a zit!

[Sarras Volcae]

........what? 

[Prolix]

Phrenology was a complex process that involved feeling the bumps in the skull to determine an individual's psychological attributes.

Please don't squeeze the charmin' varmin'

 

[gaelfx]

You know, I think this is a really good idea that could easily fit into the 'Various' tab AND, like Rigwyn said, could be somehow affected by a stat (not unlike the magics are) such as Charisma. I wonder, though, about the actual effects it would have in-game, i.e. what benefits does it give to the player and to the player's potential customer(s)? I'm not asking this to be snarky, I just want to know what ideas you have about what could make this a valuable skill because I just can't imagine them myself. I look forward to this discussion!

[zoran]

One way I've seen "divination" work in games is that players can give "predictions" on others. A "prediction" is a mix of effects that can be positive, negative or neutral. The particular mix is random, perhaps slightly nudged towards the intentions of the diviner.

The divination would be RP'ed, and the receiving character's player would then "activate" the prediction under circumstances that match the context given in the divination. The character would then be affected by the mix of effects for a little while.

Here's where the skill level comes in: a better diviner will be able to give more "intense" predictions - whose effects would be greater. Most importantly: he would better identify whether the prediction as a whole was more of a positive or negative nature (good or ill omens), and be able to identify specific effects so that the affected characters could prepare better.

[gaelfx]

That really seems like a reasonable execution of this skill. I like the idea of "vague buffs," it seems that they could enhance the experience of the game adding a little mystery and whimsy to the game, probably great for RP.

[Syenna]

Wait, where do Tarot cards come up in PS?

Getting back on-topic, I don't have much to say on the topic of the 'real' magic that exists in Yliakum, but I do say, if someone wants to play a charlatan with a magical deck of cards, perhaps the characters should be left to decide whether or not their methods actually work. 

[Sangwa]

So, I've got this char that will be using divination stuff. Everyone can use the symbols they want, but I'd like to check if my make any sense. They're pretty subjective, but maybe someone's subjectiveness interests me more than mine. Do criticize. (Didn't use personalities because there are none on PlaneShift: everyone's a hero/sage/mage there.)
Used Lemurs on scenes because they'd be likely to come up with something like this.

1. Red Way Symbol - Mage
Divine beauty, power.

2. Crystal Way Symbol - Priestess
Crystal energy seems good enough to represent purity.

3. Bronze Doors - Empress
A gate to another world.

4. A Lemur Holding An Ulber Tooth - Emperor
Victory over the material, decisiveness.

5. Azure Way Symbol - Hierophant
It's about knowledge.

6. Two Lemurs kissing - Lovers

7. Lemur on a Pterosaur - Charriot

8. Brown Way Symbol - Strenght
It represents your self-reliance or something like that.

9. A Lemur With The Light Glyph - Wanderer

10. A Circle - Fortune Wheel

11. Two Lemurs Standing Side By Side, looking up - Justice

12. Darkness Glyph - The Hanged
Hanging in the darkness, something is between existing in full light or not existing at all.

13. Death Glyph

14. Humanoid Glyph - Temperance
Nature's physical and metaphysical states in one place.

15. Dark Way Symbol - Devil
The urges of oneself.

16. Lightning Glyph - Tower
It symbolizes divine intervention (not usually a pleasant one, though)

17. Meteor Glyph - Star

18. Blue Way Symbol - Moon
The attraction of imagination, tempered by the realm of choices.

19. Azure Crystal - Sun

20.  Hand Glyph - Judgment

21. A Triangle Facing Downward - World

22. A Lemur Laughing While Standing on an Abyss, looking up - Fool

EDIT: Relied less on glyphs, thought about making it Lemury.

[Koios]

I'm still waiting for someone that will let the dice or a flip of a tria decide their life . 
And then a silly norwegian who actually did that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cc_prKBAHs (sorry, no subs. I'll relay the essence of the sillyness if anyone is that interested)  ?