Showing posts with label divinations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label divinations. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

The Word Box: Unusual Divinations I-X

More unusual divinations and magics!  Really, I just want to see someone use these.  Or at least one of these.

Just make sure you're not doing a moromancy (a foolish divination) or a pseudomancy (a false or fake divination.)







ichnomancy - ( )


         Divination using footprints




ichthyomancy - ( )


        Divination or magic involving fish




iconomancy - ( )


         Divination using icons




idolomancy - ( )



 Divination using idols




keraunoscopia - ( )



  Divination using thunder




knissomancy - ( )



  Divination using burning incense




lithomancy - ( )

           Divination by stones





logomancy - ( )



Divination by words or by speech




macromancy - ( )



  Divination by studying the largest object in the area




maculomancy - ( )



  Divination by spots




margaritomancy - ( )



  Divination using pearls




mathemancy - ( )



  Divination using mathematics




meconomancy - ( )


  Divination by sleep or magic using sleep




meteoromancy - ( )



  Divination using meteors




metopomancy - ( )



  Divination using a person's forehead




micromancy - ( )



  Divination by studying the smallest object in the area




narcomancy - ( )



  Divination by sleep or magic using sleep




necromancy - ( )


  Divination using black magic or the dead




necyomancy - ( )



  Divination involving summoning the devil




odontomancy - ( )


           Divination using teeth




oenomancy - ( )



  Divination by wine




omoplatoscopy - ( )


  Divination involving a shoulder blade which has been charred or cracked from a fire




oneiromancy - ( )


  Divination by dreams, or interpreting dreams




onimancy - ( )



  Divination using fingernails




onomancy - ( )



  Divination using a name or the letters in a name




onychomancy - ( )



  Divination using fingernails




oomancy - ( )


  Divination or magic using eggs




ophiomancy - ( )



  Divination by snakes or serpents




ornithomancy - ( )



  Divination using birds' flight and cries




oryctomancy - ( )


  Divination by studying excavated objects




ossomancy - ( )


  Divination using bones
 




osteomancy - ( )



  Divination using bones




pegomancy - ( )



Fortunetelling using the bubbles in a fountain




pessomancy - ( )


Divination using stones or rocks




phyllomancy - ( )



Magic using leaves or foretelling one's future from leaves




physiognomancy - ( )



Divination using a person's face




psephomancy - ( )



Divination by drawing marked stones from a container




psychomancy - ( )



Divination by talking to the dead




pyromancy - ( )



Divination using fire or magic involving fire




rhabdomancy - ( )


  Divination using a stick or rod, such as dowsing for water




rhapsodomancy - ( )



  The art of predicting the future using poetry




scapulimancy - ( )



  Divination involving a shoulder blade which has been charred or cracked from a fire




scatomancy - ( )



  Magic or divination using excrement




schematomancy - ( )



  Divination using the appearance of people




sciomancy - ( )



  Divination by talking to the dead




selenomancy - ( )



  Divination using the moon




sideromancy - ( )



  1 Foretelling the future by studying the stars
 




sideromancy - ( )



  2. Divination using straw burned on hot metal




spasmatomancy - ( )



  Divination using convulsions or twitching of one's limbs
 




spatilomancy - ( )


  Divination using animal droppings
 




spatulamancy - ( )



  Divination involving the shoulder blades of animals




spheromancy - ( )



  Divination using a crystal sphere




spodomancy - ( )


  Divination using ashes




stichomancy - ( )



  Divination using random lines from a book or the Bible




sycomancy - ( )



  Divination using figs




theomancy - ( )


  Using gods or oracles to foretell the future




theriomancy - ( )



  Divination using animals or their movement




topomancy - ( )


  Divination using the shape of the land




trochomancy - ( )



  Divination by studying wheel tracks




tyromancy - ( )


  Divination or magic using cheese




uranomancy - ( )



  Divination by consulting the heavens




urimancy - ( )



  Magic or fortunetelling using urine




xenomancy - ( )



Divination by using the first stranger to be found




xylomancy - ( )



Divination using a piece of wood or magic using wood

I've seen -mancy added to many words to pertain to magic as well as divination.  Necromancy, for example, is the well-known school of magic of villains everywhere (and occasionally heroes, as well, depending on the story...)

Tell me about the unusual magic your characters use. 

Monday, August 29, 2011

The Word Box: Unusual Divinations A-H

Running through the Grandiloquent Dictionary, I came across ailuromancy - divination by studying a cat's jump.
Thus begins the Word Box: a writer's toolkit for unusual words that just beg to be included in a story.

Today's theme?  Strange divinations.  (Note that all of these are brought to you by Grandiloquent.)

aeromancy -( )

 Divination using the air

ailuromancy -( )

 Divination by studying a cat's jump

alectryomancy -( )

 Magic using corn
 

aleuromancy -( )

 Divination using flour

alphitomancy -( )

 Divination using barley meal

ambulomancy -( )

 Divination by walking

anthomancy -( )

 Divination using flowers

anthracomancy -( )

 Divination using burning coals

anthropomancy -( )

 Magic or divination using people, or foretelling the future using the entrails of a sacrificed person

armomancy -( )

 Divination involving the shoulder blades of animals

astragalomancy -( )

 Divination using dice

augury -( )

 Divination using bird's flight

austromancy -( )

 Divination using the wind

bibliomancy - ( )

 Divination using books or Bible passages

botanomancy - ( )

 Divination using plants

brontomancy - ( )

 Divination by or magic involving thunder

catoptomancy - ( )

 Divination using a mirror or several mirrors

catoptromancy - ( )

 Divination based on how a face appears when viewed in a mirror underwater

ceneromancy - ( )

 Divination using ashes

cephalomancy - ( )

 Divination by boiling a head, usually that of a donkey

ceraunomancy - ( )

 Divination by or magic using thunderbolts

cleidomancy - ( )

 Divination using a key

cleromancy - ( )

 Divination involving dice

conchomancy - ( )

 Divination using shells

crithomancy - ( )

 Divination by spreading flour or dough over a sacrificed animal

cromnyomancy - ( )

 Magic or divination using an onion

capnomancy - ( )

 Divination by smoke

dririmancy - ( )

  Divination by dripping blood

demonomancy - ( )

  Divination by demons

extispicy - ( )

  Divination using entrails

enoptromancy - ( )

  Divination using a mirror

gastromancy - ( )

  Divination using a crystal ball

geloscopy - ( )

  Divination involving laughter

graptomancy - ( )

  Divination using hand writing

gyromancy - ( )

  Divination involving walking in a circle until you fall down

halomancy - ( )

  Divination or magic using salt

haruspication - ( )

  Divination using entrails

hieromancy - ( )

  Divination using entrails

hematomancy - ( )

  Divination using blood

hippomancy - ( )

  Divination by horses, or by the neighing of horses

hydromancy - ( )

  Divination by water of magic involving water

hypnomancy - ( )

  Divination by hypnosis

On Wednesday, we'll continue the list of unusual divinations.  Is anyone else disturbed by the number of words for "divination by entrails"?