fandomhigh | Good Omens...And Bad: Prophecy in Theory and Practice, Class 1

Monday, September 4, period 1

As the students enter the classroom, they'll discover two things immediately. First is that there are no traditional desks and chairs. Instead, the room has been arranged like a lounge, with comfortable armchairs and couches, with tables nearby for setting books and such. Second is a long table in the center of the arrangement of seating, filled with food -- teapots that pour whatever the drinker's favorite flavor might be (they even pour coffee if that's the drinker's preference), platters of various types of sweet and savory scones, and a large plate of warm homemade gingersnap cookies. The professor, dressed in neat dark-colored suit (because Wilson told him it made him look more teacher-like), is seated in one of the armchairs and is attempting not to fuss and dither.

"Welcome to Good Omens...And Bad: Prophecy in Theory and Practice. My name is Aziraphale, although since I know that can be quite a lot to have to say repeatedly, I will ask that in class you address me as Mr Phale, or Mr Aziraphale if you are so inclined. I should admit up front that this is my very first attempt at teaching a class, but it's a subject I'm quite fond of, so I have hopes that I may do it justice. I also want to introduce the class to your teaching assistants, Miss Phoebe Halliwell and..." After looking around the room for a moment, Aziraphale indulges his mischievous streak. "Mr John Constantine. Miss Halliwell, Mr Constantine, please stay a few moments after class if you're able."

Lecture:
"Before we can begin a study of any topic, we ought to understand exactly what it is that we're studying. There are numerous definitions of prophecy, so let's talk a bit about the strictest definition, and then what that might mean in a broader sense. Much of the terminology is used interchangeably in common discussion.

I. The definition of prophecy
II. The categories of divination
III. The role of prophecy in daily life

For the purposes of this class, we will use the following definitions:

Prophecy: Information about the future, or a possible future, obtained through mystical means (ie. divination)
Divination: The activity one engages in to produce or procure knowledge about the future (ie. prophesy)

In other words, for this class, prophecy is the result of divination. We will also split the person producing or receiving the prophecy into two categories:

Prophet/Seer: One who receives information about the future in a passive manner, for example by way of religious visions or dreams.
Diviner: One who actively seeks out information about the future by way of the various methods of divination.

As you can see, one can be a prophet or seer without engaging in divination. We'll be discussing both active and passive means of obtaining prophecies in this class."

Information on Class Projects:
I. You will be required to keep a dream journal for the duration of this class. At the end of the term, in place of a final exam, you'll submit the journal along with a five-page paper detailing an interpretation of two of the dreams. All of the information contained in your dream journal will be held in the highest confidentiality, and only I will see the contents of the journal and paper you submit.
II. There will also be a class project, which will be presented at the end of the term. You will need to form groups of three or four, and each group will submit a project proposal no later than September 22. Your project will be made up of two parts:
**Part One: Select a category of prophecy or style of divination from the list provided, and write your own prophecy using the material we cover in class. This does not have to be a "true prophecy" -- you may create one from whole cloth, or use the methods of divination we will discuss to produce one. Part One of the project will be due November 17.
**Part Two: Each project will be assigned to a different group for interpretation. Again, your interpretation does not have to be "true" -- in other words, you do not have to come to the conclusion that was intended by the group writing the prophecy. You simply have to produce a viable interpretation. Extra credit will be given for a "true" interpretation, however. Part Two will be presented by each group on the last day of classes (December 18).

Class Project Options:
Apocalypticism, Dream Interpretation, Birth Prediction or Death Warning, Chosen One, cleromancy, bibliomancy, astrology or numerology, cartomancy, I Ching

Homework:
"Your homework assignment is to begin your dream journal." (OOC: Helpful links for dream journals!)

Office Hours
"I will be keeping office hours on Monday and Thursday mornings, or at other times by appointment. If you need to make an appointment, please see me after class, come by my office during scheduled office hours, or speak with one of our TAs and he or she will coordinate an appointment with me."

[OOC Information about the class:
Classes will generally be posted around 12:00AM, as I work weekdays and having me post the class early in the morning before work would only lead to sadness. The only requirement for your character to pass this class with a B is to sign in for attendance. Any additional RP will count as a plus when I figure grades, and of course anyone who actually writes out and submits the homework, quizzes, or project assignments will get their grades pushed up as well. I hope to make the assignments interesting enough that some of you will want to play them out, and I want the class to be fun but also informative -- anyone who has suggestions or questions is very much encouraged to ping my OOC voicemail (screened) or email me at aziraphale @ earthlink.net.]

Syllabus
Class Roster

[ooc: ~~Please to be waiting for OCD threads.~~ OCD threads now up.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Dawn took copious notes during the lecture, hoping that the information would be useful to beginning Watchers, as well as herself for the final.

Dean looked up from his own notetaking to see Dawn diligently writing away. He leaned over and whispered, "Y'know I don't think we have to take down every word he says."

"It could be important," Dawn whispered back, "better to have too much information than not enough."

"You could leave out a few of the 'thes' and 'buts' at least," Dean suggested.

She pouted. "I guess..."

Dean chuckled. "It'll help keep you from getting writer's cramp," he teased.

Not like she was using her hands for much else. "I could just learn to type," she decided to be stubborn, just because she could, "besides, aren't you going to want thorough notes to borrow?"

"I'm taking notes," Dean protested, gesturing at his own book and the scrawling handwriting taking up most of the page.

Dawn thought she'd seen something that looked like Dean's notes in one of Giles's old texts once. "Uh huh. But yours are missing all the buts and thes."

"Buts and thes are for wimps. I like living dangerously."

"Oooh, you international man of mystery, you," Dawn teased, fluttering her eyelashes at him in an exaggerated fashion.

Dean grinned. "That's me. Winchester. Dean Winchester."

"You need a theme song. And a cool car."

"Maybe I can borrow my Dad's," Dean said. "Car, that is. I don't think he has a theme song."

"Your dad has a cool car?" She asked, a bit doubtfully. John Winchester hadn't struck her as a cool car kind of guy.

"A '67 impala. Black. Mint condition." He grinned. "Dad used to be a mechanic."

Dawn grinned back. "Gonna give me a ride, once you can drive?" She felt no pressing need to drive, and it wasn't particularly high on the Summers skill-o-meter anyway.

"Technically I could drive now," Dean said. "My birth certificate says I'm 18 -- I could get my license any time I wanted. But yeah, first chance I get with a car, shotgun is yours."

"I forget about that," Dawn said. It was weird to think that she and Dean wouldn't have known each other if it hadn't been for the portal. "And cool. I'm not sure I want to drive, but I like cars."

"I can teach you if you ever decide you want to learn," Dean offered. "It's not that difficult."

"Back in Sunnydale, Summerses and cars were un-mixy things," Dawn explained, "but I'll think about it."

"You just didn't have a Winchester to teach you," Dean teased.

"It's your life and car," Dawn shrugged, "but yeah, I could learn." Spike had been planning to teach her, but, well, that wasn't going to work out so well. And Xander was gone from Fandom. "I'm already sixteen."