#divination systems

Was this worth spending the past two hours on? Maybe, maybe not. It was a fun exercise tho. I might work on this some more and include it in the Vex Magic Grimoire. bc I feel Cub would be familiar with these runes and their uses.

If you want to submit a topic you would like me to write on for this blog or my Patreon, sign up for the Ansuz level or above here on my Patreon. From Maleck comes this topic: “There’s a thing I’ve noticed, noticed is the wrong word but will suffice, and I’m wondering if you’ve also noticed and could dig into it. Divination systems. So animisticly speaking, each system will have its own spirit…

Second iteration of the Illager Runes for divination project, and I've refined and changed some of the meanings from my previous set, and created a rune poem to illustrate the meanings.

The rune poem is read in columns. The rune is listed and underneath that, it's corresponding letter. Then the top row of text is the thing the rune is symbolising, and then it's divinatory meaning. Then a little description of what the rune means. I have more straightforward meanings written down as well, describing in more detail what the rune represents, and a longer meaning for how it sits in a reading, but I'll save those for another post.

I took some time to think about what's important in the Illager world. What things would they prioritise knowing or wanting to know about? How would they define their world? And how would they use the runes in the first place? bc the runes themselves make a servicable writing system, and iirc Minecraft Dungeons canonises this.

But also, as a paramilitary-like group of mobs, it would make sense to use the runes to send messages between patrols or other armed groups, with more strategic knowledge or information that uses the meanings of the runes on top of them just being an alphabet. Like, sending messages that tell a patrol where to find a village, or which patrol tower to go to, or where the home mansion is. I kind of want to create a secondary set of markings or runes to use for this purpose, such as yes/no, numbers, distances, that kind of thing. So you can send a message with idk four runes that would otherwise take many more to write out in full.

Then, of course, you have the runes used for divination themselves. This is arguably the most esoteric use for the runes, as it can be used for practical things, but also more spiritual things. I also keep thinking about whether witches would have some secondary meanings on top of these meanings, but idk.

I plan to make some clay runes with these symbols once I've settled on how to draw them by hand, and then test out some readings with them to see how they feel. Some may change as I do that and refine the meanings from there.

Me: so... about that exam tomorrow

Shadowscapes Tarot deck: Fuck. You're fucked. Should'a studied more, huh? I told you this would happen but did you listen NO instead you're sitting here doing readings all night you only have yourself to blame

Wooden Tarot deck: It's okay! There's still time! Plus you study super fast! You'll ace this for sure! DID I EVER TELL YOU HOW AWESOME YOU ARE