Augur Certaminis
"I hear there's a special visitor at these games, so before you place that wager, perhaps we should see if Augur has anything to say? I have a good feeling about this upcoming trade deal, and I would hope that the gods do too. If she gives good omens, then let's triple the amount, and double the price on that deal, yes? Can't go against what the gods desire, can you? If she doesn't say something good, well... it's all superstitious nonsense anyway!"As part of traditional funeral rites in the The Empire of Belyos, the families of the richest deceased put on lavish and expansive games known as Ludi Memorialis. An important part of these celebrations involve gambling and the places of wagers on the outcome of the various contests, often with large sums of money being exchanged. Whilst profit and greed are the main focus, some of the contests attract the attentions of the Augur Certaminis, the closest thing to a priest that the mysterious god known as Tistal The Teller has. The Augur is known to arrive, without notice and ceremony, at some events and make obscure predictions based on the outcome of specific contests.
Appointment
The Augur is always female, but other than that, the identity of the Augur has never be determined. As Tistal has no formal priesthood, or even any recognised organised worship, how an Augur is selected is unknown; her background, education, origins - all are a mystery. Some fanciful claims have been made that the Augur Certaminis is Tistal herself, in human form, but this has been dismissed by priests of other gods, who insist that the gods no longer interfere directly in events on the physical plane.
As the Augur Certaminis seems to appear from nowhere, and disappears after an event with equal ease, attempts to trace their location this way have always failed. Even the vaunted Palace Guard's own network of agents have failed to determine where the Augur comes from, or where she goes afterwards.
Accoutrements & Equipment
The Augur Certaminis is dressed in red robes, that entirely covers her frame, leaving only her hands exposed. A hood is always pulled up over her head, but her face is visible, revealing a gaunt face, definitively Imperial features, and eyes with a red glow to their sclera. She speaks with authority, no trace of a regional accent, but her words are always cryptic and hard to decipher.
History
The Augur Certaminis is almost always guaranteed at any large-scale event where a contest or similar randomly determined outcome is present, but the Ludi Memorialis are the most common, especially in large cities like Belyos and Llaris. The origins are unknown, and early records make no note of the appearance of any Augur Certaminis, but folklore insists that their presence has been part of such things since ancient times.
As well as funeral games, the Augur Certaminis can sometimes be found before important battles, court cases, and non-funeral related sporting events, but it is the Ludi Memorialis that draw her in more often.
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