Why “cleromancy” is a great word
CLEROMANCY — [Noun] Divination by casting lots, dice, or similar marked objects to ascertain a decision or foretell an outcome. From the Ancient Greek κλῆρος (klêros, "lot, allotment") and μαντεία (manteia, "divination"). Unlike augury, which reads meaning into the erratic flight of birds, or oneiromancy, which deciphers the private cinema of dreams, cleromancy is a stark negotiation with pure, indifferent chance. It is the rattle of knucklebones in a cup, the decisive clatter of dice on marble, and the solemn scattering of marked sticks on worn cloth—a brief, audible sacrament performed to make fate seem like a choice.