The Spellbound Archive Series - Type 10 - Prophetic (Oracle) Magic

Building the magic system of the fantastical world of Erudus

May 29, 2026

Prophetic Magic - Key 10 - header image.

Introducing the Spellbound Archives

The Spellbound Archives is a new series that will discuss the world of Erudus. Today’s post is key 10 - Prophetic (Oracle) magic. In the following weeks, information on how magic works, the 13 keys, and the Magus Alliance, the 13 Ancestral Families of Magic, will be discussed further. Other elements of Erudus, such as creatures, world building, and sound will be explored.

What is Prophetic (Oracle) Magic?

This key deals with a maga who intuitively knows things, and occasionally may have visions of what will happen in the future. True masters of this key can see far into the future,

Unfortunately, no one knows how to control these visions. Masters, who have had a previous vision, can feel when a vision is coming, but cannot stop, or enhance it.

When a maga sees a true prophecy, things happen to their brain. Their mind connection to the particles of the universe is so enhanced that thousands of years of activity in the future flows through the maga’s brain. With each new prophecy, the brain’s network is stretched even further, causing their personality to change erratically. The maga becomes unpredictable, often loses their sense of morals, and They become problematic for the community they live in. Eventually, when returning from a prophecy, the maga’s mind will snap.

Because so many prophets have died over the years, people become adept in this magic rarely. Con artists, often prey on others, and pretend they are prophets. They tend to shop up when large disasters occur.

Novices usually start with an intuitive connection to the environment around them. Small hunches about what will happen around them grow to be true. This happens so often, that the maga can no longer deny that she has powers.

The hunches grow until the maga’s power become so great that true prophecies begin.

The Color of this Magic.

Maroon

"Every vision stains the prophet’s mind, darker and deeper. Just as the sun descends at the end of the day. The prophet’s blood turns maroon, boiling his mind, changing who he is and what he believes. Then the blood rushes and strikes. The prophet dies, forever in our memories, but before his time.”

Who Uses Prophetic (Oracle) Magic?

Oren Dawnseer - During the sol when another sun appeared in the sky, many sols ago, a magus saw many visions. These visions went so far into the future, that some of these prophecies still occur today. Oren is a very unusual magus. He saw over seventy-five prophecies, before he died, just after returning from his last prophecy.
Lorink Dreamseeker - A magus associated with the Magus Alliance. Forty-one years old, Lorink looks like he is over a hundred. He has seen four major visions, all of which have helped the Magus Alliance to stop major criminal activities. The doctors who work for the alliance, are afraid that the next vision that Lorink has, will kill him. Lorink already forgets things, has a hot temper, and sometimes stares into space.
Lorink Dreamseeker of the Magaus Alliance.
“His hair turned silver before he was twenty. He has forgotten his family, and stares out the window for hours. His prophecies have aided our planning immensely, and have saved thousands of lives, but I hate the cost that Lorink has borne. My friend has disappeared before my eyes, and I cannot help at all.”
The Grand Mage - Chaiz Wolfbound III

Limitations and Costs of Prophetic (Oracle) Magic

Newcomers have intuitions about the things around them. They know what is happening and fear for their future. No one wants to become a master in prophetic magic. Some people will lose family members, because those people fear the erratic behavior that they know the maga will have.

Masters often lose contact with their family and friends. Prophets find it hard to make new friends and are often lonely. The fear that they feel for the future is all encompassing. Once major visions come the magus’ lives are miserable.

Society, Technology and Daily Structures.

Although people avoid prophets and novices, they respect the prophecies of true masters. When a high prophecy is made, they listen, and the leaders of the society, do what is necessary to mitigate problems, and to reinforce good things.

Learning centers have courses dedicated to the great prophecies from the past, and study each new prophecy in depth as it comes.

This was a short introduction to the 10th key, Prophetic Magic. Future posts will describe other keys.

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Comments are always welcomed!