Information
Gives the caster a vision relevant to his question, or the answer to one yes-or-no question. There are many sorts of divination; each is a separate spell, and requires the appropriate materials (see below). Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Those methods that are linked to a particular element or elements will give more detailed answers if the answer has something to do with that element – e.g., lecanomancy would work better than extispicy for a question about the sea.

Skill modifiers: Standard long-distance modifiers. If repeated questions are asked on the same subject within a day, the “vibes” are muddled; -4 skill for the second question, -8 for the third, and so on. Questions about the past or future are also harder; use the Time modifiers (p. 81).

Cost: 10.
Time to cast: 1 hour unless specified otherwise.
Prerequisites: Skills/G-J/History, and other spells as specified for the particular method of divination.

Time Spent Modifiers Table

Standard Divinations

Cartomancy is divination using the tarot or other fortune-telling cards. The cards, symbolic as they are, rarely give a straightforward yes-or-no answer. The only equipment required is a tarot deck (hand-painted and worth $1,000 at TL3 and below, but mass-produced inexpensively at higher tech levels). Cartomancy is highly personal; any attempt to ask questions about people other than the subject is at -5.
Prerequisites: One spell from each of the four elements.

Crystal-Gazing is the use of a crystal ball (p. 71) or mirror to facilitate a divinatory vision. If it works, the GM describes a scene; it is up to the player to interpret it! The caster may use clear, still water for this divination, but at a -10 to skill.
Prerequisite: Earth Vision or Water Vision.

Dactylomancy is divination by movement of a pointer around a board with all the letters of the alphabet, plus Yes and No. Dactylomantic divinations are usually straightforward, but extremely unsubtle; a complex question (indeed, almost any question that cannot be answered in five words or less) is likely to produce cryptic gibberish.
Prerequisites: One spell from each of the four elements.

Extispicy is divination by examining the entrails of a slaughtered animal (must be at least 20 pounds – no pigeons!). It is illegal in many areas.
Only one question can be asked per animal. Extispicy is most useful in divining matters of life and death: sickness and health, war and peace, victory and defeat – all are good candidates for extispicy. Other matters are more likely to receive vague and unhelpful answers.
Prerequisites: Four Animal spells.

Gastromancy requires a willing subject. The subject is placed in a trance, during which he utters things of a prophetic and cryptic nature.
When the spell is cast, the subject loses 5 FP in addition to the energy spent by the caster, whether or not the spell was successful.
Prerequisites: Hypnotism at 15 or higher and three Mind Control spells.

Geomancy is divination by examining the earth. Geomancy must be practiced outdoors, where the geomancer can examine the lay of the land. Geomancy is very location-specific; any questions that do not pertain to the area where the divination is being performed are at -10.
Prerequisites: Four Earth spells.

Lecanomancy is divination by observing the results of casting objects into water. Like augury, lecanomancy takes different forms in different cultures.
Some diviners pour molten metal into water to observe the shapes the metal takes, while others examine tea leaves or simply throw stones into a pool and observe the ripples. Lecanomancy is invariably vague, and is always subject to a -5 penalty; on the other hand, all time modifiers are halved.
Prerequisites: Four Water spells.

Astrology is divination through examination of the heavens, including weather. Observation of the sky is necessary; the caster must be outside, and is at a -5 penalty unless it is a clear night, away from city lights. Without a reference library (cost $2,000; weight 200 pounds), all rolls are at -5.
Because astrology relies on the predictable movements of the stars, it excels at divinations into the far past or future; no time modifiers apply to astrological divination. If the divination involves an individual, however, his birthplace and birthdate must be known, or all rolls are at -5. All penalties do stack!
Prerequisites: Predict Weather and Astronomy-15+.

Augury is the study of portents or omens. The exact nature of the omens is dependent on the culture of the diviner; ancient Roman priests studied the flight and behavior of birds, for instance. Fantasy cultures might find portents in anything from a feeding bear beside a stream to the movement of a breeze through a willow tree; the common factor is the observation of some natural event. When this divination is cast, the GM must roll against the caster’s Vision in secret. On a failed roll, the roll to cast
the divination is made at -5. Augury is not ideal for divining the past; time modifiers are doubled when using augury to ask questions about past events.
Prerequisites: One spell from each of the four elements.

Numerology, or arithmancy, is divination by the various numbers that define an individual, including those derived from name, birthday and, in contemporary settings, even such things as social security numbers. If the birthday of the subject is unknown, the caster is at a -10 to effective skill.
Prerequisite: Mathematical Ability.

Oneiromancy is the interpretation of the caster’s own dreams. It requires no equipment, but only one question can be asked per night, and there is only a 50% chance that the caster dreams at all! The use of Dreaming skill, or any dream spell, disrupts any attempt at oneiromancy. The GM tells the caster what he dreamed; the player must interpret it. Energy cost is paid on awakening.
Prerequisites: Four Communication and Empathy spells.

Physiognomy is divination by examining and measuring parts of a subject’s body. Different traditions usually focus on a particular body part – hands, feet, head, etc. Physiognomy is only really suited to answering questions about the subject or his fortune; attempts to divine information about absent persons are at -5.
Prerequisites: Four Body Control spells.

Pyromancy is divination by staring into fire or smoke. It may produce a vision, or the caster may hear a voice in the flames. Small amounts of certain rare herbs (value $100 per attempt) must be burned. Questions are at -4 unless something pertaining to the question (e.g., hair of the subject of the divination) is also burned.
Prerequisites: Four Fire spells.

Sortilege is divination through the casting of lots or other objects that reveal information through the pattern in which they fall. The I Ching is a form of sortilege; other cultures have used sortilege by throwing a handful of arrows in the ground to interpret where they fall.
Prerequisites: One spell from each of the four elements.

Symbol-Casting is divination by means of symbol tokens (p. 205). The caster must have a complete set of tokens for his symbolic language, and is at -1 to skill for each stone missing. Mock symbol tokens work perfectly well, but a full set of true tokens gives +2 to skill. A detailed divination takes 30 minutes, or the caster may simply reach into a bag and pull out one or more stones. In the latter case, energy cost is only 1. The GM tells the caster which symbol(s) he drew; it is up to the caster to interpret this, and the symbols drawn on a failed roll will be misleading.
Prerequisite: Symbol Drawing-15 or higher.