fandomhigh | Destiny & Free Will, Week II [Monday, Period 4]

The class met in the Danger Shop today, as ~~handwavily~~ ordered. The room was set to a giant circle, with plenty of overstuffed pillows for laying on in the center. Along the edges were small round tables, each with two chairs and various items placed upon them.

Once the bell rang, Ghanima looked up from where she was sprawled on the floor playing with some cards and smiled. "Destiny," she began with preamble, dropping the cards and pushing to her feet. "Refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. It is a concept based on the belief that there is a fixed natural order to the universe."

"Destiny may be seen either as a fixed sequence of events that is inevitable and unchangeable, or that individuals choose their own destiny by choosing different paths throughout their life." Ghanima paused to smile at them briefly. "Confusing, isn't it?"

"Many Greek legends and tales teach the futility of trying to outmaneuver an inexorable fate that has been correctly predicted. This form of irony is important in Greek tragedy, as it is in Oedipus Rex or Thornton Wilder's The Bridge of San Luis Rey, where in spite of all the character's attempts otherwise, it does not preclude a horrible fate," she said, wandering the room to pass out a handout on Oedipus.

"Some believe that one's destiny may be ascertained by divination. In the belief systems of many cultures, one's destiny can only be learned about through a shaman, babalawo, prophet, sibyl, saint or seer. In the Shang dynasty in China, turtle bones were thrown ages before the I Ching was codified. Arrows were tossed to read destiny, from Thrace to pagan Mecca. In Yoruba traditional religion, the Ifá oracle is consulted via a string of sixteen cowries or oil-palm nuts whose pattern when thrown on to a wooden tray represents the 256 possible combinations whose named "chapters" are recited and verses interpreted for the client by the babalawo." Ghanima grinned and waved her hand in the international 'blah blah blah' manner. "Every society has their own way of fortelling a future, from worm entrails to crystal balls. My empire put its fate in the hands of a family that can walk the veils of time, forward and back, to see what lies beyond, and now they're stuck with the future that the Mahdi chose. Oracles can be a tricky bunch, and you must always assume that they may have a hidden agenda of their own."

"Today, it's time for you to face your destiny." Ghanima gestured to the tables ringing the room. "Pair up, wander around, and pick a method of divination that speaks to you. Read your own destiny, or that of your partner, and then discuss if you agree or disagree with the results you obtained."

[OOC: OCD UP. Up way-early, so I don't miss it tomorrow.]

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"Some of those look almost like sabacc cards," she observed, "but I bet they don't move."

This might be a bad idea. "Okay, let's see what you come up with."

"Ooookay," George said, taking a look at the cards, frowning a bit, and holding the deck out to Tahiri. "Uh. Cut the deck?" he said, checking the instructions.

"I'm awful at sabacc," Tahiri tried to joke as she cut the deck and tried to get a glimpse at the instructions. "Okay . . ."

George took the bottom half and laid out the top five cards in a row, one of the simpler spreads. "Okay," he repeated, "your cards are the... two of pentacles, the page of wands -- that one's reversed -- the fool, the queen of pentacles, and the four of cups."

He rummaged through the papers, looking at the meanings.

"... Give me a second?"

"Sure, as long as you need," Tahiri agreed, eyeing the suits on the cards and remembering something about Lando knowing how to use a Centran Sabacc deck to do this sort of thing. And Lando was, well. Lando. She decided to think of this exercise in a similar vein. It'd be less bothersome that way.

Taking a further look at the cards, George saw what he thought might be an actual story coming out. "This one," he said, "the two of pentacles -- that one's a message of some kind, in writing, and the page of wands reversed is bad news. The fool means... something about being led astray? The queen of pentacles represents a kind woman, and the four of cups... 'fairy gifts', it says, something like that. So, uh. 'A message in writing brings bad news that leads astray a kind woman with gifts offered under false pretenses.' If that makes sense?"

The thing about divination, Tahiri reminded herself, was that it was easy enough to apply to any situation given enough imagination and vagueness. Still, it was a touch unnerving, and she kind of wished she hadn't done this.

"I guess it makes sense," she allowed carefully. It . . . formed a coherent sentence, at least? The last message she'd gotten that could've been construed as bad news hadn't been in writing, anyway . . .

"Really?" George asked, surprised. "I mean, I know a lot of these are vague, and they could really be applied- And I don't even know if I'm reading them right!"

"Well," Tahiri said, "I can see how it could make sense, anyway. I'm not sure how much it applies to me, though."

Destiny & Free Will, Week II [Monday, Period 4]

Re: Activity: Pair Off!

Re: Activity: Pair Off!

Re: Activity: Pair Off!

Re: Activity: Pair Off!

Re: Activity: Pair Off!

Re: Activity: Pair Off!

Re: Activity: Pair Off!

Re: Activity: Pair Off!

Re: Activity: Pair Off!