spaceAmata entered the classroom with a gentle smile, eager to start the new term. She assumed her typical stance, sitting on the edge of her desk, back straight, and looked over the classroom a moment before beginning."Hello, everyone, I'm Amata Harlowe, and I'll be your Mythology professor. You can call me Professor Harlowe. Now, when you arrive in my class, the first thing you should do is copy down the day's notes from the board. I'll give you a few minutes to do that, and then we'll begin a discussion on the lesson's subject. I'd like you all to know that this lesson operates mostly on a discussion basis. That is, I will give the information that the lesson covers, and then I'll open the floor for discussion. Any student who contributes will earn house points, provided that their contribution is not offensive or rude or disruptive. Please respect your fellow students and their opinions, even if you don't agree with them."
spaceAmata paused, giving them a moment to let that sink in. Not that she expected problems from any of them, but one could never be too sure, after all. After a decent pause, she began a short lecture."Our first lesson is on Beedle the Bard. If you could all please copy the notes on the board, I've included most of the important information there. One of the most important things to know about the Bard is that he was a controversial figure in his time, and is still considered to be one by some. His views were ahead of their time, radical for the period. Can anyone tell me why, or offer up any interesting information on the Bard? Or, if you have a question, feel free to ask."She waited, her demeanor expectant and curious. It was always interesting to hear what the newest batch of students thought of the lessons. This first topic had been cleverly selected to allow her to get a feel for them and their beliefs and opinions. Thus far, she hadn't had any students who seemed to follow a strictly purist leaning, for which she was grateful. She doubted very much if she'd be able to keep her attitude professional if a student tried to argue the finer points of pureblood superiority with her.
xxxx× × ×xxxxLesson 1 - Beedle the Bardxxxx× × ×xxxx (( Notes Under Spoiler ))
Beedle the Bard:
x Born in Yorkshire in the 15th century. x Author of many of the wizarding world’s most well-known and famous folktales. x Little is known of the man or his personal life. x Many of his tales sparked controversy due to his apparently high opinion of non-magical folk and treatment of wizards who valued pure bloodlines or ambitious designs. x He mistrusted all forms of Dark Magic and believed that wizards were far from immune to the lure of those worst traits of humankind. x His stories were unusual in that in them, the heroes were rarely those with the strongest magic, but rather those who possessed traits such as kindness, common sense, and ingenuity. x There are various parallels between Beedle and the famous muggle playwright William Shakespeare, both of whom are referred to as ‘The Bard.’ Less informed readers are often of the incorrect belief that they were actually one and the same person.
Detractors:
x Many people at the time believed that the Bard's tales were dangerous. x Some saw them as pro-muggle, anti-wizard propaganda, that was meant to teach magical children that muggles were better than them. x In reality, the purpose of the stories was to teach children to place value, not on their magical heritage or prowess, but on how good of a person they were. x Interestingly, there was one notable opponent to Beedle the Bard who was not offended by his stories themselves, but rather the 'violent' and 'unsettling' way they were presented. x Beatrix Bloxam adapted his stories into the infamous 'Toadstool Tales', a series meant to make the stories more appropriate and palatable for young children. Instead, it made them vomit.
The Stories:
x The Fountain of Fair Fortune: Enclosed in a magical garden lays The Fountain of Fair Fortune, a magical fountain whose waters are believed to cure the aliment of any bathe in its waters. Three witches, suffering from poverty, illness and heartbreak, travel with an unfortunate knight to seek its blessing. x The Wizard and the Hopping Pot: A kindly old wizard, who uses his magic to help the non-magical folk of a nearby village, passes away, leaving his blood purist son as their only assistance in times of trouble. The son, however, has little interest in helping the muggles. He is punished for his hard headedness by a magical pot, which his father enchanted to become afflicted with anything those in the village are afflicted with. x The Warlock's Hairy Heart: A warlock becomes convinced that love is a true weakness, and seeking to become powerful and without any weaknesses, locks his heart away so that he can never fall in love.
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 8:07 pm
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spaceAmata entered the classroom with a gentle smile, eager to start the new term. She assumed her typical stance, sitting on the edge of her desk, back straight, and looked over the classroom a moment before beginning."Hello, everyone, in case you've forgotten over the Summer holiday, I'm Professor Harlowe, and this is fourth year Mythology. If you're in the wrong class, feel free to quietly exit while everyone is watching me and won't notice."She grinned impishly at her students."Now then, you should all remember the rules and such from last year, so I'll only go over the most important ones very quickly: You come in, you copy the notes, then we open the floor for discussion. Contributions will earn you house points. However, it should be noted that a lot of what is covered in this class can be somewhat controversial. That said, I will not tolerate anyone who is rude or belittling to their classmates, no matter what subject you might disagree with them on. Respect is key to an enlightening and stimulating conversation, so keep your minds open."
spaceAmata paused, giving them a moment to let that sink in. Not that she expected problems from any of them, but one could never be too sure, after all. After a decent pause, she gave an introduction."As we are moving past the tradition of storytelling, and into the study of proper Mythology, the first lesson of the year pertains to the difference between mythology and history, legend and fact. If you'll copy down the notes on the board, we can begin."The sound of quills scratching lasted for a while, given that the notes on this particular subject were a bit on the wordy side. She waited until it began to slow and quiet, and then launched into the lecture proper."History is considered to be the study of factual information regarding the past and it's events. Mythology, on the other hand, is the study of stories and tales that were, at one point, believed to be history, but are no longer so. The reasons a story can go from history to myth are numerous. For instance, as the generation who lived through an event dies, the story can lose or change details that there is no one around to remember or correct, until the secondhand recollection of the event only marginally resembles what actually happened. Or, something can be proven wrong or fictitious by study, though this is something of a murky area."She paused, pursing her lips. This was one of the more confusing things about her area of study, and incidentally, one of her favorites."It is, after all, rather difficult to proven emphatically that something does not exist, or that something did not happen. Muggle myths are an excellent example of this; many creatures they believe to be mythological are in fact very real, and known to the magical world. Creatures such as mermaids have been 'proven' fake, through explanations of supposed sightings (stating mermaids are really manatees seen from a distance, claims that the sailors who spotted them were hallucinating, or that they were a mirage), and the debunking of countless fabricated 'mermaid' corpses. However, the only thing that has actually been proven by any of this is that mermaids known to muggles have been fake, not that mermaids do not actually exist."
spaceShe shifted her weight from one hip to the other, crossing her legs and resting her hands on her knee, fingers laced together."Our own existence is another example; while there is some belief of magic in the muggle world, for the most part, with the advancement of scientific study, we have been 'proven' impossible in the eyes of many. We, then, are myths. And there are a good many 'myths' in muggle culture that are history, unknown as such to them because the presence of magic during the events has made them unable to take it as truth. And, one might think that magical accounts of history are therefore more accurate, since obviously, we do not lack belief in muggles. But, wizard culture has been largely closed off to the muggle world, and thus lacks attention to detail for them. The truth of history lies somewhere between the two, with neither side truly understanding. Thus, we have myths."She smiled widely at her students."And now, I'm opening the floor to discussion. Questions and comments are welcome, and worth house points."She waited patiently; hopefully, she hadn't bored them to death with her little lecture/rant. She knew she tended to ramble, and exposure to Grayson had only made it worse over the years. Having someone who listened so intently, and who responded just as enthusiastically, tended to make you forget that some people found this sort of thing dull.
xxxx× × ×xxxxLesson 1 - The Difference Between History and Mythologyxxxx× × ×xxxx (( Notes Under Spoiler ))
Definition of History:
x A branch of knowledge that records and explains past events
Definition of Mythology:
x An allegorical narrative xA body of myths, IE xxxxThe myths dealing with the gods, demigods, and legendary heroes of a particular people xxxxA pattern of beliefs expressing often symbolically the characteristic or prevalent attitudes in a group or culture xA branch of knowledge that deals with myth xA popular belief or assumption that has grown up around someone or something
Explaining the Difference:
x 'History' at its core is accepted as fact. That which is 'historical' is assumed to have happened in the past, with little room for argument. Events are recorded as they occur, or evidence of past events are discovered, and the findings are recorded and taken as a factual account of an event or era or culture. xMythology, on the other hand, is widely believed to be a story, having either been disproved by science and historical fact, or belief in the truth of it having been forgotten or let go of as time progressed. xxxxThe difference between Mythology, and Fiction, then, is that a Myth was, at some point in history, taken as fact, and Fiction has more or less always been known to be untrue. Myths are works of fiction, but they were believed to be truth at some point.
Blurring the Lines:
x Myths of ancient cultures typically stemmed from a desire to explain that which ancient peoples lacked the ability to explain. xAs time has progressed, many have been either disproved through study, or the cultures that believed them have lost touch with that belief. xxxxFor instance, it is technically impossible to prove the existence of one set of ancient gods over the other, or to prove that any particular set of deities does or does not exist at all, but most modern peoples accept that the gods of their ancestors are myths, not fact. xxxxLikewise, muggle study of science has proven, to the best of its ability, that certain myths are simply not true. xThere was a time when all so-called myths were taken as fact; therefore, it can be assumed that, in the future, that which we consider history might be proven myth as well. xLikewise, history is recorded and written by man, and is therefore subject to subjective interpretations and, in some cases, heavy editing via exaggeration and omission. History is accepted as fact, but it can often be just as unreliable as mythology is.
spaceAmata entered the classroom with a gentle smile, eager to start the new term. She assumed her typical stance, sitting on the edge of her desk, back straight, and looked over the classroom a moment before beginning."Hello, everyone, in case you've forgotten over the Summer holiday, I'm Professor Harlowe, and this is fourth year Mythology. If you're in the wrong class, feel free to quietly exit while everyone is watching me and won't notice."She grinned impishly at her students."Now then, you should all remember the rules and such from last year, so I'll only go over the most important ones very quickly: You come in, you copy the notes, then we open the floor for discussion. Contributions will earn you house points. However, it should be noted that a lot of what is covered in this class can be somewhat controversial. That said, I will not tolerate anyone who is rude or belittling to their classmates, no matter what subject you might disagree with them on. Respect is key to an enlightening and stimulating conversation, so keep your minds open."
spaceAmata paused, giving them a moment to let that sink in. Not that she expected problems from any of them, but one could never be too sure, after all. After a decent pause, she gave an introduction."Now then, we'll be starting this year off with something that is both myth, and history, and which you should all be at least marginally familiar with; the story of The Chamber of Secrets. If you'll copy down the notes on the board, we can begin."As her students settled in, she watched them, somewhat eager to start the lesson. Today's subject was of a rather gruesome nature, but it fell handily in under the header of mythology thanks to misinformation and whispered rumors, and she found the whole thing rather fascinating. As such, it was one of her favorite lessons, regardless of how morbid it might be, or how recent its history was."Now, you must recall, there was a time when no one knew of the Chamber; it was a rumor, whispered through the halls of Hogwarts, passing from ear to ear, without any real confirmation. The three remaining founders tried for many years to locate the Chamber, but it was never found. So, it was believed to be a myth. As years passed, it became an obscure legend, its story stretched and edited and altered. A few brave souls attempted to locate the Chamber, spent years trying to find it, but to no avail. Then, one day, the message appeared, written in blood; "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened." The blood was barely dry before the first victim was claimed, and suddenly, students were dropping left and right, being found paralyzed by their housemates, their professors. Eventually, a culprit was caught, and expelled, but not before the death of a young student. Fifty years passed in silence, and the monster rumored to live in the Chamber lay dormant. Then, again on the wall, the same message, written in blood. Again, students began to be found paralyzed. This time, though, there was a savior; Harry Potter and his friend Ronald Weasley located and braved the dangers of the Chamber to end the terror. They slew the monster, and the castle was saved... or so the stories say."She gave her students a gentle smile and waited a moment so that the lecture could sink in, and then asked,"Anyone have any thoughts? Questions?"She waited patiently. This lesson differed from her usual ones in that much of what had previously been legend was now mostly confirmed; it also had a happier ending. But, there was always the chance that something could happen... and besides, what good horror story ended with 'and they all lived happily ever after'?
xxxx× × ×xxxxLesson 1 - The Chamber of Secretsxxxx× × ×xxxx (( Notes Under Spoiler ))
Salazar Slytherin:
x Professor Salazar Slytherin was a pure-blood wizard of medieval times. He was a Parselmouth (a wizard with the rare ability to speak with snakes) and skilled at Legilimency. He was one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the former best friend of Godric Gryffindor, a fellow founder. Slytherin didn't trust Muggle-born students, and he expressed his opinion not to accept them at Hogwarts. However, when the other Hogwarts founders didn't agree, Slytherin created the Chamber of Secrets, concealing a basilisk inside. Afterwards he left the school, never to return. He died sometime in the Middle Ages.
The Chamber:
x Hogwarts founder Salazar Slytherin was famous for his belief that magical learning should be kept within the realms of magical families, and that any child born to muggle should remain a muggle, regardless of whether or not they showcased any magical talent. When he failed to convince the other founders of this ideal, he decided to create a safeguard, so that whenever the school became overrun with those he deemed unworthy, his lineage could purge the school of their presence. He created the Chamber of Secrets, which was said to be hidden away, so that only the Heir of Slytherin could ever find it, and house a monster which only the heir could control. As no one was ever able to locate the Chamber, it was dismissed as a myth. However, in the 1940’s, there was a series of attacks, leading to the paralysis of several muggle born students, culminating in the death of student Myrtle, who now haunts the girl’s bathroom on the second floor, known better to students as Moaning Myrtle. Then student Rubeus Hagrid was blamed for the attacks and expelled, but remained at the school as gamekeeper. Later, in the 1990’s while Harry Potter attended Hogwarts, the Chamber was opened again, and Hagrid was briefly taken to Azkaban prison. It was later proven that the culprit, in both instances of the Chamber being opened, was none other than Tom Riddle, known later in life as Lord Voldemort. The first time, Riddle was a student in attendance at Hogwarts, and was in fact the one who turned Hagrid in. The second time, he was acting through use of a Horcrux and student Ginny Weasley.
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 8:34 pm
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spaceAmata entered the classroom with a gentle smile, eager to start the new term. She assumed her typical stance, sitting on the edge of her desk, back straight, and looked over the classroom a moment before beginning. "Hello, everyone, in case you've forgotten over the Summer holiday, I'm Professor Harlowe, and this is sixth year Mythology. If you're in the wrong class, feel free to quietly exit while everyone is watching me and won't notice." She grinned impishly at her students. "Now then, you should all remember the rules and such from last year, so I'll only go over the most important ones very quickly: You come in, you copy the notes, then we open the floor for discussion. Contributions will earn you house points. However, it should be noted that a lot of what is covered in this class can be somewhat controversial. That said, I will not tolerate anyone who is rude or belittling to their classmates, no matter what subject you might disagree with them on. Respect is key to an enlightening and stimulating conversation, so keep your minds open."
spaceAmata paused, giving them a moment to let that sink in. Not that she expected problems from any of them, but one could never be too sure, after all. After a decent pause, she gave an introduction. "Today's lesson will be somewhat similar to the first lesson of your fourth year. However, this time we will be discussing the differences between the mythologies of the muggle and magical worlds. If you'll copy down the notes on the board, we can begin." The sound of quills scratching lasted for a while, given that the notes on this particular subject were a bit on the wordy side. She waited until it began to slow and quiet, and then launched into the lecture proper. "Now, generally speaking, wizards and muggles are separated by a wealth of knowledge that muggles believe to be fictitious, but which the magical community knows to be true. The existence of a good bit of flora and fauna, for instance, such as dragons and devil's snares. However, the wizarding world is not without myths of its own. There are a good many stories passed along in magical households, whispered by the fires and written in books, of which there are no verifiable facts, but were believed to be true at one time. Previous lessons prove that, with discussions on the Quintaped and the consequences of drinking unicorn blood to name a couple." She paused, pursing her lips. She had known a good many witches and wizards over the years who had a sense of arrogance about them, thinking that they were more aware of the reality of the world than muggles, simply because they knew of the existences of the magical world. Nonsense. There were just as many gaps in magical knowledge, maybe more. Considering that muggle gaps were actual blindness, and not an arrogant refusal to even look, she wouldn't be surprised.
space"Now then, for the most part, the differences between muggle and magical myths can be chalked up to how they came into being. Most muggle myths stem from a lack of knowledge on how the universe works, and a desperate need to explain it. For instance, what causes storms? Many ancient cultures believed they were the work of gods, ancient battles among powerful beings. Lightening was a weapon in the hands of some, used to smite enemies. To others, it marked a space consecrated by the god who wielded it, and temples would be erected where it struck." Her expression grew thoughtful, finger tapping at her chin. "Now, it should be noted that ancient witches and wizards had no more understanding of these forces than muggles did. What is called 'muggle mythology' is in fact the mythology of the world, divided among its cultures. Wizarding culture was not separate from that of muggles for most of history, and so the myths were shared. This is a good reason why most magical people lack their own versions of gods and natural laws; the beliefs were shared among muggle and magical alike." Sometimes, when she talked about these things, she wondered how many people she was annoying, or how many would like to argue with her. She knew that times had changed greatly from years past, but the roots of bigotry were far from dead. "Most myths among wizarding culture, then, are the result, not of creating explanations where the answers to questions were not apparent or understood, but rather of misinformation. Many 'myths' in magical history are rooted in fact, but the details have been lost or changed or muddled over the years. We know that a certain event took place, and the result, but the how and why can often be forgotten. We have the benefit of contact with ghosts, and in more recent centuries, the advent of enchanted portraits, to keep the information fresh, with the participants in events still being present in some form or another to share. However, even provided the subjects are inclined to talk on the subject, as many aren't (such as the Grey Lady and Bloody Baron, for example), this isn't the most reliable method, as I'm sure anyone who has met Sir Cadogan can attest to." Her lips quirked into an amused smile. Sir Cadogan was a treasure, if a particularly bothersome one. She both loved and hated the knight, because he was utterly hilarious... unless she was the one he was pestering with the tales of his Wyvern. "And now, I'm opening the floor to discussion. Questions and comments are welcome, and worth house points." She waited patiently; hopefully, she hadn't bored them to death with her little lecture/rant. She knew she tended to ramble, and exposure to Grayson had only made it worse over the years. Having someone who listened so intently, and who responded just as enthusiastically, tended to make you forget that some people found this sort of thing dull.
xxxx× × ×xxxxLesson 1 The Difference Between Muggle and Magical Mythologyxxxx× × ×xxxx (( Notes Under Spoiler ))
Definition of Mythology:
x An allegorical narrative xA body of myths, IE xxxxThe myths dealing with the gods, demigods, and legendary heroes of a particular people xxxxA pattern of beliefs expressing often symbolically the characteristic or prevalent attitudes in a group or culture xA branch of knowledge that deals with myth xA popular belief or assumption that has grown up around someone or something
Muggle Mythology:
x By and large, Muggle Mythology is made up of the myths and legends specific to ancient cultures, which have largely fallen out of practice and belief. xAn example of this is the myths of Ancient Greece, pertaining to the pantheon of gods and the worship of them. Modern Greek culture, for the most part, no longer believes in the gods of Mount Olympus or believes the stories about them. xThe study of mythology is closely tied to the study of history, but the two are viewed as wholly separate from one another in most respects. xHistory is a factual depiction of what did happen, Mythology is a depiction of the interpretation of the events, oftentimes made by people who had no real understanding of the world and how things happened. xFor instance, history paints a picture of the discovery of how our solar system works, that the Sun is at its center and the Earth, and other planets, revolve around it. There are fixed points in history regarding the discovery of each planet, and of the advancements in knowledge teaching us about their orbits. xMythology's part in this story is found in the sun gods of old. Ancient peoples, not having the understanding of their descendants, came up with all manner of stories to explain the sun, and the stars, and how they and the Earth interacted with one another. xIn Greek Mythology, the god Apollo would bring the sun into the sky each morning with a chariot, journeying across the sky with it each day. Another example, which is not generally considered, is the ancient belief that the sun revolved around the Earth. This was proven incorrect by study, and thus, it is a myth.
Magical Mythology:
x In general, the mythology of the magical world differs from that of muggles in that there are very few stories that are specific to wizarding culture, or from an attempt to explain the unexplained. xGenerally speaking, magic is very much accepted as the answer to the unexplained, without the need to create godlike figures or invent rules of nature to make mysteries make sense. xMore frequently, myths in magical history come, not from a lack of understanding of events as they happen, but in the facts of an event being lost to time. xFor example, the story of Salazar Slytherin's departure from Hogwarts, and The Chamber of Secrets, is one rife with controversy and misinformation. Theories have abounded as to the details of why Slytherin fell out with his fellow founders, where the chamber was located, and what lay within. xWith the openings of the Chamber in our recent history, much of this information was rediscovered (with the exception of the true nature of Slytherin's departure, which can only be left up to speculation, as their are no sources capable of speaking to the facts that are willing to do so). xHowever, the details even on the most recent events are obscured by a lack of willingness to discuss them, as well as the fear of the spread of certain knowledge (specifically, how to open the chamber). It is likely that, as the years progress, more and more of this information will be warped and lost to time, until the story once again becomes a proper myth.
Similarities:
x Both Muggle and Magical mythology are subject to changing over time. Details are lost to history as the minds that remember them leave this world, and second hand knowledge becomes Sixth hand, fourth hand, and so on. xConsider the spread of rumors across the school; if you asked ten students a question regarding the same rumor, each student would likely have heard a different version, depending on where they heard it from, how many people it had to pass through to get to them, and how reliable each source was. History and Mythology suffer from the same issue, on a much larger scale. The more people tell the story, the fuzzier the details get. xLikewise, while there are a good many creatures believed to be mythical by muggles that are known to be real by wizardkind, there are a good many creatures that even we consider mythical. Gods and goddesses, for instance, are a subject of great debate, and certain publications are famous for telling what are generally regarded as tall tales of encounters with nonexistent creatures.
spaceDrusilla entered the classroom in a daze. She was quite late, she was certain of it. Where did the time go? She'd been so caught up in her cards and runes that she'd completely lost track of it... or perhaps she'd simply stared off into space for a couple of hours. Both were equally possible, after all... except that when she arrived in the classroom and checked the clock, she was actually on time. She frowned; the clock in her office must be wrong, then. She'd have to fix it... if she remembered. Which she probably wouldn't, of course. She blinked a moment, then smiled at her students, her arms sweeping open in a grand gesture. "Hello, my little ducks, and welcome to Divination. I am Professor Somerset. Now then, in this class, you will need to have an open mind, open eyes, and patience. Divination is a powerful art, but difficult. Also, there will be no disrespecting of my craft, or of the abilities of fellow students... now then! With that unpleasantness out of the way, we can begin."
spaceShe paused long enough to let the students absorb her words, and long enough to get just a tad distracted... what was she looking at, though? She scowled for a moment, actively redirecting her mind away from the path it'd tried to wander, and smiled widely again at her students before launching into the lecture. "Divination is an old art, practiced by Magic folk and Muggles alike; though of course, they rarely read the signs correctly, they lack the ability to do so, usually. But you, my young one, can be taught to read the signs and to predict the future. I say predict because, of course, time is a fluid, ever changing thing. Every time you are faced with a choice, you could change the events that were to transpire. And everything is important; choosing something different for lunch; going to bed an hour earlier than usual; even stopping for one second on your way to a lesson to gaze out the window can set and entirely new wave of things in motion than would have had you gone about the usual path. And so, nothing is certain. But, we can always look. We can always search. In the future, we see signs, hints of things to come. Whether or not they are to be is largely up to us. Seeing is the first step." She stopped then, curious. She had, of course, seen this play out, but in different ways each time... how would it happen then?
spaceThe Seer's eyes glazed, and she shifted a bit, her head tilting in an odd manner, rather like a bird's, her eyes unblinking and unseeing. After a moment, she gave her head a light shake, and smiled again. "Where was I? Oh, yes. Searching. Divination is, first and foremost, the art of searching... for the future, for the answer, for the key. And now, I'll have an answer from you, ducky. What, to you, is Divination, and what purpose does it serve?" She waited patiently, eager to hear what her students had to say. It would tell her much about them... but didn't she already know? Sometimes she forgot...
x Divination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic, standardized process or ritual. Used in various forms throughout history, diviners ascertain their interpretations of how a querent should proceed by reading signs, events, or omens, or through alleged contact with a supernatural agency.
Categories of Divination:
xAn omen (also called portent or presage) is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change. Though the word "omen" is usually devoid of reference to the change's nature, hence being possibly either "good" or "bad," the term is more often used in a foreboding sense, as with the word "ominous". The origin of the word is unknown, although it may be connected with the Latin word audire, meaning "to hear." x Cleromancy is a form of divination using sortition, casting of lots, or casting bones or stones, in which an outcome is determined by means that normally would be considered random, such as the rolling of dice, but are sometimes believed to reveal the will of God, or other supernatural entities. x Augury ranks a set of given possibilities. It can be qualitative (such as shapes, proximities, etc.): for example, dowsing (a form of rhabdomancy) developed from this type of divination. Augury is normally considered to specifically refer to divination by studying the flight patterns of birds. x Spontaneous. An unconstrained form of divination, free from any particular medium, and actually a generalization of all types of divination. The answer comes from whatever object the diviner happens to see or hear. Some religions use a form of bibliomancy: they ask a question, riffle the pages of their holy book, and take as their answer the first passage their eyes light upon. Other forms of spontaneous divination include reading auras and New Age methods of feng shui such as "intuitive" and "fuzion"
Purpose of Divination:
x Divination is a means to attempt some form of understanding of events to come. The true purpose of this form of magic is hard to say. It is used by some to plan their day to day activities, and by some to attempt circumventing or ensuring that certain things come to pass. It is a fluid magic and is not understood by many who do not have either the Sight nor the patience to learn to See. In this lesson, you will be taught the methods for Seeing, but in order to be successful, you must believe, and put in a fair amount of effort. It will come easier for some than others; any among you might be a Seer, blind to your talents due to lack of practice. For others, visions and signs will be difficult to see. This is natural, and all it means is that you must try harder.
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:00 pm
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spaceDrusilla sat behind her desk, staring forward, waiting. She watched the clock on the opposite wall, her head bobbing back and forth, left and right, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick tock... her students should be arriving any minute now. As they filed in she sat up straight and gave a smile, her eyes bright. Today's lesson should be easy, particularly compared to some of the others."Hello, duckies, today's lesson is on Astrology, which I'm sure you're all at least a little familiar with, yes? It is the method of using the stars to divine the future. Now, there are several schools of thought on how to do this, of course. You can read about each of them on the board, and in more detail in your books. For now, though, I'd like you each to tell me what your Astrological sign is,"she inquired with a smile."As I'm sure you all know, your sign is supposed to tell a lot about you. It can be used to predict your future, or even to tell things about your personality. So, we'll go around the room and share our signs, and then you can tell me what, if anything, you know about your sign, using any of the zodiacs."She tapped her fingers on her desk, curious. What would she learn about each of them today? It could be interesting, to say the least.
space"I suppose I should start off, yes? My birthday is January 12, which makes me a Capricorn in the Western practice. I've never really found that I fit very well into the general traits associated with my sign, such as ambitious and responsible. However, they are also known for loyalty, which I do value highly, and patience. I find that I must be very patient, given how patient others have to be with me. It's only fair, after all. My approach to friendship is the one area in which I match my sign quite well; I am loyal and would do whatever I needed to in order to help someone I cared about in need... Hm. So, how about you? Does anyone wish to share? Have any questions?"She was quite curious, not just about their signs, but about how well they might match up with them. She'd never thought of herself as suiting her own very well. Sometimes, though, people's signs were almost uncannily well suited. That was always quite interesting to see.
x Astrology comprises several systems of divination based on the premise that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world.
Western Astrology:
x Western astrology is a form of divination based on the construction of a horoscope for an exact moment, such as a person's birth. It uses the tropical zodiac, which is aligned to the equinoctial points. x Western astrology is founded on the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies such as the Sun, Moon and planets, which are analyzed by their movement through signs of the zodiac (twelve spatial divisions of the ecliptic) and by their aspects (based on geometric angles) relative to one another. They are also considered by their placement in houses (twelve spatial divisions of the sky). Astrology's modern representation in western popular media is usually reduced to sun sign astrology, which considers only the zodiac sign of the Sun at an individual's date of birth, and represents only 1/12 of the total chart. x The horoscope visually expresses the set of relationships for the time and place of the chosen event. These relationships are between the seven 'planets', signifying tendencies such as war and love; the twelve signs of the zodiac; and the twelve houses. Each planet is in a particular sign and a particular house at the chosen time, when observed from the chosen place, creating two kinds of relationship. A third kind is the aspect of each planet to every other planet, where for example two planets 120° apart (in 'trine') are in a harmonious relationship, but two planets 90° apart ('square') are in a conflicted relationship. Together these relationships and their interpretations supposedly form "...the language of the heavens speaking to learned men."
Hindu Astrology:
x The earliest Vedic text on astronomy is the Vedanga Jyotisha; Vedic thought later came to include astrology as well. x Hindu natal astrology originated with Hellenistic astrology by the 3rd century BCE, though incorporating the Hindu lunar mansions. The names of the signs (e.g. Greek 'Kpios' for Aries, Hindi 'Kriya'), the planets (e.g. Greek 'Helios' for Sun, astrological Hindi 'Heli'), and astrological terms (e.g. Greek 'apoklima' and 'sunaphe' for declination and planetary conjunction, Hindi 'apoklima' and 'sunapha' respectively) in Varaha Mihira's texts are considered conclusive evidence of a Greek origin for Hindu astrology. The Indian techniques may also have been augmented with some of the Babylonian techniques.
Chinese and East-Asian Astrology:
x Chinese astrology has a close relation with Chinese philosophy (theory of the three harmonies: heaven, earth and man) and uses concepts such as yin and yang, the Five phases, the 10 Celestial stems, the 12 Earthly Branches, and shichen (時辰 a form of timekeeping used for religious purposes). The early use of Chinese astrology was mainly confined to political astrology, the observation of unusual phenomena, identification of portents and the selection of auspicious days for events and decisions. x The constellations of the Zodiac of western Asia and Europe were not used; instead the sky is divided into Three Enclosures (三垣 sān yuán), and Twenty-eight Mansions (二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù) in twelve Ci (十二次).[88] The Chinese zodiac of twelve animal signs is said to represent twelve different types of personality. It is based on cycles of years, lunar months, and two-hour periods of the day (the shichen). The zodiac traditionally begins with the sign of the Rat, and the cycle proceeds through 11 other animals signs: the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.[89] Complex systems of predicting fate and destiny based on one's birthday, birth season, and birth hours, such as ziping and Zi Wei Dou Shu (simplified Chinese: 紫微斗数; traditional Chinese: 紫微斗數; pinyin: zǐwēidǒushù) are still used regularly in modern day Chinese astrology. They do not rely on direct observations of the stars. x The Korean zodiac is identical to the Chinese one. The Vietnamese zodiac is almost identical to Chinese zodiac except the second animal is the Water Buffalo instead of the Ox, and the fourth animal is the Cat instead of the Rabbit. The Japanese have since 1873 celebrated the beginning of the new year on 1 January as per the Gregorian Calendar. The Thai zodiac begins, not at Chinese New Year, but either on the first day of fifth month in the Thai lunar calendar, or during the Songkran festival (now celebrated every 13–15 April), depending on the purpose of the use.
spaceDrusilla sat behind her desk, staring forward, waiting. She watched the clock on the opposite wall, her head bobbing back and forth, left and right, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick tock... her students should be arriving any minute now. As they filed in she sat up straight and gave a smile, her eyes bright. Today's lesson was getting into one of the more complicated methods of Divination, so she hoped everyone was prepared. And that she could stay on task."Hello, ducks. Today, we'll be doing a basic unit on Palmistry, to prepare you for a more in depth lesson next week. "Palmistry is an old and rather odd form of fortune telling. It is the method of looking at a person's hand and reading the lines to determine what direction their life might take. Emphasis on might, of course, since, as with all forms of Divination, it is a fluid art which is rarely definite. Palmistry is a fairly easy form of Divination for students to begin learning, but it is also one that takes years to master. Its tools are simple, your mind and your hands. Because of this, it is one of the most easily accessible methods of fortune telling. The more practiced you are at the art of Palmistry, the more detailed your readings will become."She stopped then, curious. She had, of course, seen this play out, but in different ways each time... how would it happen then?
spaceThe Seer's eyes glazed, and she shifted a bit, her head tilting in an odd manner, rather like a bird's, her eyes unblinking and unseeing. After a moment, she gave her head a light shake, and smiled again."Where was I? Oh, yes. On the board, you can see notes on the day's lesson. Please copy them down. While you are doing so, think of your own answers for these questions; How can reading the lines on a person's palm tell their future? Is this a feasible method for making a prediction? Any student who contributes anything worthwhile to the discussion will earn House Points."She waited patiently, eager to hear what her students had to say. It would tell her much about them... but didn't she already know? Sometimes she forgot...
x Palmistry, or chiromancy, consists of the practice of evaluating a person's character or future life by "reading" the palm of that person's hand. Various "lines" ("heart line", "life line", etc.) and "mounts" (or bumps) (chirognomy), purportedly suggest interpretations by their relative sizes, qualities, and intersections. In some traditions, readers also examine characteristics of the fingers, fingernails, fingerprints and palmar skin patterns (dermatoglyphics), skin texture and color, shape of the palm, and flexibility of the hand.
Reading the Palm:
x Unlike many other forms of Divination, the purpose of Palmistry is to look into a person's entire life, rather than to isolate particular events. It cannot be used to divine anything specific or answer a specific question. Rather, it tells a person the sort of life they can expect to live. x A reader usually begins by reading the person's 'dominant hand' (the hand he or she writes with or uses the most), which is sometimes considered to represent the conscious mind, whereas the other hand is subconscious. In some traditions of palmistry, the other hand is believed to carry hereditary or family traits, or, depending on the palmist's cosmological beliefs, to convey information about past-life or karmic conditions.
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:16 pm
╓xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx» wнere «xx xxxDivination Classroom xxxxxxxx» wιтн «xx xxxxxxxxxSixth Year Students xxxxxxxxxxxxxx» ғeelιng «xx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAiry xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx╜
spaceDrusilla had placed a single deck of cards before each chair in the classroom today, each deck from her own collection, well-worn and clearly used often. As the students filed in, she smiled widely at each of them."Hello, class! Today we'll be going over Cartomancy, which is a method of Divination using cards. There are many different types of cards that can be used, including some meant specifically for Divination, such as Tarot and Oracle cards. We will focus on learning about Cartomancy with a traditional playing card deck next unit, and break up Tarot into the Major and Minor Arcana the following two."She paused then, expression growing thoughtful for a moment before continuing."Today's focus is an introduction to the art of divining using cards, and the different types of spreads that can be used. There are notes on the board for you all to copy down. If you have any questions or anything you'd like to discuss, feel free. As always, house points will be awarded for participation."She waited patiently, eager to hear what her students had to say. By now, they should all be well enough versed in her lessons that there shouldn't be too much confusion, which was nice, since it tended to confuse her as well when there was.
x Cartomancy is fortune-telling or divination using a deck of cards. Forms of cartomancy appeared soon after playing cards were first introduced into Europe in the 14th century. Practitioners of cartomancy are generally known as cartomancers, card readers, or simply readers. Cartomancy is one of the oldest of the more common forms of fortune-telling. It is similar to tarot card reading in that various card spreads are used, such as single card, "Destiny Square," and 3 cards. The tarot can also be used in cartomancy. Cartomancy using standard playing cards was the most popular form of providing fortune-telling card readings in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. In English-speaking countries, a standard deck of Anglo-American bridge/poker playing cards (i.e., 52-card, four-suit set) can be used in the cartomancy reading; the deck is often augmented with jokers, and even with the blank card found in many packaged decks. In France, the 32-card piquet playing-card deck was, and still is, most typically used in cartomancy readings, while the 52-card deck was, and still is, also used for this purpose. (A piquet deck is with a 52-card deck with all of the 2s through the 6s removed. This leaves all of the 7s through the 10s, the face cards, and the aces.)
Types of Decks:
x Playing Cards: A traditional deck of playing cards can be used in divination. Interpretations vary, but generally speaking, each suit represents an idea or theme, often the elements. Each card is assigned its own individual meaning, which can be interpreted differently based on the circumstances and the reader. x Tarot: Tarot decks are split between two types of card, 78 belonging to the minor arcana and 22 belonging to the major. The minor arcana, which evolved from traditional 52 card decks, is split into four suits, typically wands, pentacles, swords and cups. Each suit is associated with an element. Every card in the deck has a meaning, which can be interpreted differently depending on the circumstances and the reader's own ideas. x Oracle: Oracle cards are like tarot, but with less structure. There are no suits or rules for them to follow, and most decks have to come with their own individual instructions on how to interpret them. They are usually themed, often with nature themes, such as specific animals or types of flower.
Spreads:
x Cut the Deck: A popular method using any sort of deck. A deck is cut and a single card drawn from the top. It is most often used to determine how high one's luck is running before making a decision, or to answer a yes or no question, making the simplicity of Playing Cards optimal for this method, with red cards meaning 'yes' and black cards meaning 'no,' and the number on the card indicating luck, higher numbers meaning higher luck. x Triptych: Another method which works with any sort of deck. Three cards are laid out, indicating, from left to right, the past, present, and future. The card in each position is interpreted based on the symbols or meaning associated with that card. Some Diviners will also take into account the direction of the card, if it is facing upside down, which would indicate that the card means the opposite of what it would usually. x The Celtic Cross: A complex spread most often associated with Tarot cards. Ten cards are laid out. First, two placed in the 'center', one on top of the other. The bottom card represents the future, and the top card represents what is currently helping or hindering the person. Another card is placed on either side, the left representing the past, and the right the future. One is placed above, representing the conscious mind, and one underneath, representing the subconscious. To the side are placed four more cards in a vertical line. From bottom to top, they represent what you think of yourself, what others think of you, your hopes and fears, and the eventual outcome.
spaceAdalaide watched as her new fourth years entered the classroom, seated behind the desk, what appeared to be a cherry lollipop in her mouth. On the desk, to lessen any suspicion concerning the 'treat', she had a jar of similar looking lollipops, of various flavors, with a small sign indicating that, should they be inclined, students were free to take one. It served a dual purpose; making her own seem less notable, and hopefully endearing herself to the students.
spaceThe blonde smoothed her skirt as she stood to start the lesson, hoping she'd make a good first impression. If the students liked her, rumors were much less likely to fly."Evening, everyone! I'm Professor Adalaide Whitethorne. I assume you all know one another well enough by now, so I won't bother with any sort of lengthy introductions or anything like that. If everyone could just stand up, give me your name and house, we'll be done with it."She hoped she could keep the names straight, but reasoned that it shouldn't be overly difficult if she paid close attention."I'd also like to request that, just for these first couple of weeks, if you could try to keep in the same seats, since it'll make it easier for me to associate names with faces."
spaceOnce the introductions were out of the way, she waved her wand, and a set of instructions appeared on the board."Today, we'll be starting off with the Wit-Sharpening Potion. Its purpose is to help the drinker think more clearly, and it can be used to counteract the affects of a confundus charm. It's a somewhat complex potion, so if you need any help, feel free to ask either myself or one of your classmates. When brewed correctly, the potion should be a dark orange color. The instructions are up for you on the board, supplies are in the cupboard."She watched the students prepare to begin brewing, and moved to sit at her desk. Hopefully, nothing exploded... that did tend to happen in Potions classes on occasion.
xMix in Ginger Root until lime green x Mix Armadillo Bile until blue x Mix Ground Scarab Beetles until red x Remix Armadillo Bile until red liquid is yellow (not dark green) x Remix Ginger Root until the brew is lime green x Mix Armadillo Bile until the potion is purple x Allow potion to simmer for 10 minutes x Add more ginger root until deep purple
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