Elanthian Divination: Giantman

Elanthian Divination: Giantman is an Official GemStone IV Document, and it is protected from editing.

Giantmen

Nomadic are the clans of the Giantmen and their secrets run deep. History is shared by oral recitation and their lores are their own. Methods of Divination among the clans can vary, with some experiencing visions, as in the case of Oracle Urutei Meigeath, while others can utilize simple means of divination by using a rod that will guide them to water.

Ikarrak

One particular method of Divination is something called Ikarrak - simply put Vision Rock - and is employed by certain members of the Ariame Clan. This art is taught by the pairing of a mentor with an apprentice and follows various stages as any other craft does. Those interested, or those gifted as is usually the case, are paired with their mentor at a relatively young age and begin minor tasks that will guide them on a path to understanding the runestones. The apprentice learns through observation, study, and the completion of tasks set forth by the mentor. The process can take many years and be filled with tasks whereby the apprentice never knows if they have achieved their mastery until they are specifically given that title.

Indeed, in this unit, there is no rank other than mentor and apprentice. When an apprentice is finally given the title of mentor it can frequently be said that the bond between the pairing has grown to such a degree that the apprentice will only accept the title of mentor when his or her own is no longer able to complete the task of divination. It is only then that the apprentice will become the mentor and take on an apprentice of their own, while frequently providing care for their own mentor in the case of old age.

Part of learning this art is not confined to the ability to memorize what each rune on the stones means but in the ability to create the runes and their place in clan life. Typically, the mentor will provide services for the band they travel with that range from inscribing runes on items of value to blessing and then, of course, the service of divination.

Typically, and most frequently, the runestones are found contained in a basket woven of natural, yet stiff, material. Fronds, river reeds, sea grasses, and other pliable but firm items are used in its creation and then dyed to colors that are appealing to the practitioner. The stones are also natural and it can be understood that a mentor and apprentice will search their entire lives for smooth stones that are uniform to one another. Once a set of forty-two identical or nearly identical stones is accumulated they are painted with symbols that fall into four categories - Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.

Translation of the stones varies very little amongst the Ariame Clan, though many of the other clans have either their own complete set of translations or an adaptation of the base translation that the Ariame use. And while there are forty-two stones painted for this use, it is not confined to only forty-two translations, for if the rune is drawn upside-down, or inverted as the practitioner's favor, then there is a completely different meaning for the stone. This allows that there is a grand total of eighty-four possible outcomes for one basket.

However, to further complicate the matter, the runestones are never drawn alone. Depending upon the elemental magics used to bond a basket to its owner, the runestones are frequently drawn in groups of three, six, and nine. Each of these groups is read as a whole and not alone.