The use of $Prophecy$ is a staple in fantastic literature from ancient times.
From Edipo to Neo, many characters find themselves going through the foreshadowed curse of a predicted fate.

Take a moment to consider the use of prophecy in your fantasy. It may be small and inconsequential, or the driving force of your story. It can be accurate even in a twisted way, or it can be just guidance and encouragement for a character. It can come from a wise counselor, or from a madman in the streets. It can be a foreshadowing of future events, or a consequence to avoid at all costs. It is always a great tool if used correctly, but a cheesy trick if used unwisely.

Every culture of the world has some kind of Divination. Take a moment to think about which style your prophet may use according to his culture and values. A shaman may use weeds and smoke to trance, while a serene magus may look for signs in the stars.

From ancient Mesopotamia, many arts carry into our literature that may inspire you. These are some of these arts. Note that the termination -Mancy comes from Manteia, which means prophecy in greek.

Mantikos

A Mantis (prophet in greek) is the term for a practitioner of these ancient arts. As well as an insect that is constantly prying.
From ancient Greece comes one of the most famous records of prophets: The Oracle of Delfos. This state-sponsored divinator carried the will of the gods into the mortal realms. Clerics from Apollo then interpreted the signs.

Augurimancy

Augur is another term for the practitioners of this art, that comes from the roots avis (bird) and garrire (speak). In ancient Rome, they would convert the songs of birds into messages of destiny, as birds were closer to the heavens they would be closer to the gods.

A message would have different characteristics that would guide the interpretation. Consider these when creating an augury in your literature.

• The type of Bird.

  The species and colour of a bird would carry as much meaning as his song.
  • Crows would be a bad omen. Bringers of death and loss.
  • Eagles predict victories and strength.
  • Vultures are omen of disaster.
  • Seagulls foreshadow safe harbor, abundance, and safe travels.
  • Sparrows bring good weather and abundant crops.

• His behavior

  • A canary that dies means danger.
  • Alectromancy is the use of a chicken in an ouija style pattern with grains to bring about messages.

Aeromancy

The reading of signs in the weather. Your character may be predicted a tumultuous life for being born during a storm, or a cloud may reveal a soon-to-come event. A beautiful sunny morning may foreshadow a great event, or a rainy day something grim.

Alomancy

The use of Salt to foreshadow events. Throwing salt on a surface will reveal through patterns something yet to come. A bad event may be prevented by throwing the salt over your (left) shoulder, leaving the bad luck behind you.

Apantomancy

Crossing paths with an animal is a sign of something to come.

• A Black Cat will bring disaster or death, or abundant luck and success.
• A Hare will mean luck in soon events.
• A Bat, or a raven, is a bad omen.

Astragalomancy

The use of dice (sometimes made of bone or knuckles) is tightly related to the use of runes and numbers for predictions. Astrágalos means small bones.
The use of dice comes to us from ancient Egypt.
It is a Meta experience for your character to roll dice to find his future, and even to reject the belief that "His fate is in the hand of some silly dice."
You may want to use it for this absurdist effect.

Bibliomancy

The use of a book, opened at random, to find an answer to a question in mind.

Calymancy

You cover your eyes and write or paint shapes freely with your eyes closed. You then interpret the resulting picture and shapes for an answer.

Ceromancy

The use of a candle, and usually a glass or recipient of water, to throw the melted wax into. The shape in which it solidifies brings forward a meaning to be interpreted.

Geomancy

Similar to Alomancy, you throw some sand on a surface and interpret the results.

Hidromancy

Reading the shapes on the surface of the water. From a base to the sea, any ripple and reflection could potentially bring a sign of events to come.

Murmancy

The observance of rats and mice to predict such things as pestilence and hunger.

Quiromancy

Reading the lines of your hand to find a view of the future.

Podomancy

Reading the lines at the sole of your feet to know your life's future. Hard to do it to oneself.

Xilomancy

In Bible times they would find meanings in the shapes of sticks that would fall next to a tree. It evolved into throwing the sticks yourself.

A similar method exists in Asian countries, called Kau Chim in China and O-mikuji in Japan. These sticks have a written verse and a number. Also called Lottery Poetry, this verse will bring enlightenment into your situation or question. Is an old practice in many Taoist parts of the real world, still practiced today.

Tarot

The use of cards to predict the future is used by Trileros, and is also associated with gypsy culture and traveling witches. They come from an ancient game, around the XV century, that used the figures characteristic of Tarot.
The Arcana Major is the full set of all cards, which suggests it was used for storytelling. A reduced version of these cards is still in common use nowadays in many countries, such as Spain, called Arcana Minor.