Phorums
"I don't let a phorum tell me how to live, but I do give it a say in the matter."A commonplace item found throughout Thripia, phorums are used in fortunetelling. They make use of the remarkable clairvoyance of the city's bees by keeping them in leather pouches and observing their reactions to various places, people or objects. Depending on how the insects behave, information may be gleaned about the nature of the subject in question and whether they are a good or ill omen. They have been used for many centuries, likely invented in the later period of Thripia's golden age, and are a mundane sight to the people of the city, common in both rich and poor communities.
Apperance
Phorums are small pouches usually found hanging from belts or at the end of a string which may be worn on the shoulder. Within each bag are several bees, usually five to a dozen, sometimes along with a flower to provide them with mild sustenance. More expensive phorums may be made of silk, though most are made of cloth or leather. It is not uncommon to embroider them with the image of a bee.Function
Bees in Thripia are known for their ability to interpret the future, likely as a byproduct of their consumption of sungold rees nectar and their role in the creation of ichor. They have been known to avoid persons or places that would later become the focal points of disaster and are likewise unusually drawn to others. Frantic activity within the phorum, usually indicated by buzzing, is thought signify the presence of a good or bad omen; bees mysteriouslu vanishing from within the phorum despite having no way to get out is thought to be the worst sign of all. To avoid suffocating the insects, bees cannot be kept within a phorum for extended periods of time and must be returned to their hive. They are lured back into the bag with particularly bright flowers. Alternatively, incense made from blackflower can be used to paralyze them, allowing them to be placed inside manually.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
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