Magical word help

[Dannyalcatraz]

For predictive magic:

Prometheurgy (from "prometheus" => "forethought")

And for magic that divines what happened after the fact:

Epimetheurgy (from "epimetheus" => "afterthought")

 

[cougent]

Using magical powers of discernment?

Similarly, why not just use a derivative of discern, or discernment since that is what you want?

Discernmancy?
Discernology?
Discern Nature / Power / Source / Aura / Enchantment / Energy?

I think you already have your word, you just need to refine it to your taste.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I want something more akin to "seeing whether that person is a monster in disguise" or "figuring out what kind of power this magic sword has."

Since you are trying to discern the truth about concealed facts, how about:

Verimancy (from "verify")
Candormancy (from "candor")
Apriorimancy (from "a priori" => "deductive reasoning")
Intrinsomancy (from "intrinsic")
Resipsomancy (from "res ipsa loquitor" => "the thing itself speaks" or "the thing speaks for itself")

 

[InVinoVeritas]

Anthropomancy -- Divining future or past events by reading entrails.

I just have to mention that anthropomancy is divination through the entrails of a person. More general entrail-reading is extispicy, haruspicy, or hepatomancy.

Other terms for psychometry are retrocognition or postcognition.

This Wikipedian list of methods of divination may be helpful.

Phrenology is the study of understanding the character of a person through the bumps and ridges of the skull. Phreno- means "mind" and -logy is "science/knowledge." Replace -logy with the softer -sophy ("wisdom") and phrenosophy becomes insight into the character of those around you.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

There is some fine Logomancy in this thread...

 

[RangerWickett]

I liked revelation, because the character I'm using it for is a monotheist, sort of the setting's equivalent of a Christian. The others are nice, though. Thanks, and feel free to keep 'em coming.

What about differences in styles of magic?

For instance, I'm using invocation to representing infusing the energy of some outer source into a creature or object. 'Bull's strength' would be an invocation.

Evocation is calling forth power into an exterior display. 'Fireball' would be an evocation.

Conjuring creates objects. Summoning is illegal, so the term isn't often used.

Revelation is a general term for learning things beyond normal senses. Divination is learning about future events. Scrying is seeing from afar.

Warding deals with intangible protection, including defenses against hostile magic. This is contrasted with something like stoneskin, which would be an invocation.

 

[InVinoVeritas]

Theurgy and thaumaturgy might be helpful. Theurgy is calling for deific intercession, while thaumaturgy is asking saints/angels for intercession.

For a monotheistic world, saints can perform the roles of polytheism.

 

[Voadam]

Seconded

Second sight

Beat me to it. I've used this one descriptively in games for this general purpose and it is particularly good for things like recognizing spirits or true forms.