Glutomancy as we known now

Divination

Being mostly a nomadic people with heavy ties to trade and commerce. It pays to know what roads to take and if disasters or fortunes are in your future. As such it is believed that this is not only why divination was one of the most used but also the most recorded practices in Glutomancy between even sites and recorded prophecies. Because of this, we were able to determine some trends among divination attempts. Most accounts featured two things: ritualistic objects and a heavy emphasis on the phases of the moon. 

In the accounts, ritualistic objects determined the intricacy and subject matter of the divination. As the prophecies became larger so too were the relics that were recovered. With certain objects being used based on the ‘energies’ they were trying to invoke. Divination about agriculture for small farms might include a simple wooden staff inscribed with a script about nature. Meanwhile, larger prophecies might require a ritualistic altar and golden sticks to interpret. As for the moon's phase, the ritual's time denoted the divination ritual's importance. It is believed that a full moon is only available for powerful Selaikic witches and priestesses as they could handle such magical potency without falling to lunacy outright. 

Reading of Rods

Based on findings from a discovered glutomancy ritual site the following is a supposed ritual that may have been performed there. A divination spell meant to foretell any oncoming ecological disasters. Three Selaikic witches would come together at the altar during the full moon. One would be the interpreter while the remaining two would be the ‘jugglers’. The jugglers would take golden rods, rectangular sticks the size of an average man's forearm painted denoting various script words, letters, and meanings. These rods would be taken by the jugglers and they would begin to bounce the ritual objects between their behinds as the interpreter would chant sacred rites. Once those were complete the other two glutomancers would stop, allowing the rods to fall to the ground. Then the interpreter would come back to the altar where the relics lay and begin ascertaining their prophetic meanings for any and all who had come to the ritual. 

Sub-transfiguration 

Having a large behind is a status symbol within Selaikic culture. As such many tales of glutomancy include the ability of sub-transiguration, the ability to transform parts of themselves, usually their posteriors. The stories that we could translate that involved the use of sub-transfiguration showed the use of predominantly a combination of spices as well as magical sigils and runes across the caster and the intended target. The herbs were consumed whole or even ground to a paste and written onto the body as magic sigils where the contents would be absorbed via the skin, it is actually believed that this is a rudimentary form of alchemy employed to affect the body. Then the sigils were painted across the caster’s body as well as the intended target with the most important ones being those painted on the Selaiki’s bottom itself. These would focus the energies that were conjured honing them to the desired effect. Many a tale showed that if one wasn’t careful and precise with these practices lunacy would most likely occur. These spells would cause a variety of effects that could increase, decrease and even change attributes about themselves with the most drastic changes being that of one's own behinds as that’s where the largest and most important writings would be. 

lover’s seat 

This ritual is based on a story kept in oral tradition. After being translated it was discovered that it may have had its roots in Selaikic magic practices. The lover’s seat is a method of sub transiguration designed to foster ease of companionship between a Selaiki woman and her husband. Approaching a practitioner of the glutomancy arts, they begin the ceremony. Both laid out on beds, the witch would prepare two concoctions for the couple. The Selaiki would have their concoction transcribed with sigils and runes across her body. Meanwhile her husband would ingest his. Once both are completed the husband would be placed atop his wife’s posterior but not rest. For an undisclosed time both are meant to meditate in this position once completed supposedly their souls or energies were intertwined and as a result both would be altered in subtle way. The Selaiki’s shelf would suit her husband’s preferences. He would ind that her shelf would be softer, irmer or even a new quirk to it that he’d ind attractive. Meanwhile the husband’s body would be stronger more resilient and supposedly would make intimacy safer for the two; how so is unclear. Granted, the story this spell is based on did end with Selaiki falling to lunacy and accidentally ending her husband so take this with a grain of salt. 

Commune with spirits

As highly spiritual people, practitioners of glutomancy had an interest in spirits both in understanding the afterlife and in finding old, nearly forgotten knowledge. Out of all the main practices the art of spirit communion is the least known but there are still some trends that were discovered. The few records discovered of this practice revolve around ritualistic dancing as well as objects of desire for the intended spirit. To bring forth the departed burning incense as a token to the dead to call forth an aspect of them to the material plane. Once the offering was accepted, little was found about what this meant, the caster would dance. A couple of theories are present but the one most agreed upon is the idea of harmonization. The dances were a way to harmonize the energies of the living with the dead in order to make crossing much easier or be able to interpret the spirit more quickly. Once completed the dancer would then either be given a vision, an apparition would appear, or they’d be a medium and the spirit would be able to communicate through them to.

Hypothetical effect: Nature's bounty

This particular one is purely hypothetical as little could be ascertained in astronomy. Nature’s bounty is a proposed event before a harvest season for agricultural-based towns and cities. It takes place during the new moon before harvest to symbolize new fruition and renewal of energy. The glutomancer would then have a group of assistants paint sigils across her arms and legs and then amongst themselves. After which she’d take a ritual staff that is meant to harmonize with the energies of nature and begin a group performance that involves sculpting, pottery, incense, and ‘giving back to the land’. Once finished it would bring about a good crop in the upcoming harvest. 

A note on essential oil 

While using consumable items is prevalent in a number of Glutomancy branches the concept of essential oils is different. The use of oils comes sporadically across many different stories that involve glutomancy in its many forms. Currently, there are no trends to speak of between their use and the different types of mysticism. The use of such materials is under scrutiny with the most believed hypothesis being a form of ritual enhancer. While not necessary for any particular glutomancy success there could be an association with the oil and making success more likely as has been observed in Selaikic communities. Before casting a Glutomancer would apply these oils to themselves and others who would take part. This action would either be shown as a sign of good luck or magical enhancement causing their arts to more likely succeed or even make the rituals more powerful upon completion.