The Signs: An Extradimensional Mysticism
Divine Origins
Separated from the rest of the universe, the connections that the people of Ballustrade had with their gods had become severed. Many of the inhabitants were left searching for some kind of greater purpose or power. It was not until over a decade of being removed, that one merchant in Ballustrade Proper noticed something strange while sweeping his stand. As he swept, he noticed that the dust had separated into a mixture of salt and metal shavings, and that they seemed to be moving on their own. It was the end of the day, but soon enough a crowd began to gather, watching new patterns form with every swing of the broom. It didn't take long until people began to assign meaning to the patterns and symbols that they saw, eventually making a highly detailed catalog over decades of study.
Ethics
There are no ethics inherent in reading the Signs. A mystic may interpret omens and give advice based on it, however it is always up to the person who has approached the mystic to interpret and act on the information given to them. That being said, it is certainly frowned upon to deliberately give false readings, and those caught doing so often face social repercussions from those around them.
Priesthood
Those who have an interest in the Signs may choose to, in their own time, study the catalog of patterns and gain the ability to read them as they are created. They are then considered mystics, and may be approached by the people around them to give readings about life, love, childbirth, or any number of questions they may have. The only thing that separates these mystics from one another, because no one does it for a career, is the number of interpretations and readings that they get correct. A mystic who has a history of accurate interpretations will be approached more often and be offered more in terms of gifts for their time.
Granted Divine Powers
The main signs interpreted by mystics are to do with the nature of births in Ballustrade. It is tradition to have a mystic present at the birth of a child, and to have at least one of the parents throw a handful of salt and metal shavings into a shallow wide bowl. The mystic then interprets the pattern and gives the sign to the child. This sign is then an integral part of the child's identity within the community.
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