Foreword By That Most Distinguished Witchard

(Your Editor)

So you’ve finally gotten around to opening the book, have you? Well, in
my day, we didn’t just open books to read them. We opened them to fight
them. To suck the marrow and learning out of them. In my day, books
fought back. The good ones, did at any rate.

Where was I? Ah, yes. The foreword. Any good book should have one, and
since I have had the pleasure of putting this book together, it falls to me to
write the foreword.

Pesky things, forewords. Can’t trust ‘em. Never did. Never will. And if
you’re wondering at the writing style, well that’s how I do things. Always
have. Always will.

This is a book about magic, magicians and all manner of things pertaining
to both the young and the old witchard. It’s a book of learning, but also a
book of teaching. As it should be.

I’ve divided it into two major parts.

The first part contains teaching texts for the curriculum of students at
Czocha College. Some are written by Professors here, while others are not.
The wise student knows the difference. And mind you, magicians being a
feisty lot - especially Professors - you may find your teachers disagreeing
completely with anything and everything in the texts.

2
That’s just to be expected. After all, even the Mundane scholars will
disagree on practically everything; up to and including the following:

- the existence of the supernatural (it exists, as we all know!)

- whether humanity is affecting the planet (as if there’s doubt!)
- if time is linear or not (it’s complicated, let’s leave it at that!)

Now, with that in mind, I don’t think there’s anybody who can wonder at the
fact that witchards - possessed of vastly more intellect and power - can become
a bit stubborn at times, and will discuss anything and everything amongst
themselves. Take note. Just because it’s written doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true.

The second part contains texts of interest to both students and teachers. Texts
about the world around us. Texts about the unseen world we inhabit. And
some very practical tips on how to behave and succeed at Czocha College.

Last, but definitely not least, the book also contains quite a few comments by
me. You will find these scattered throughout the texts in a fashion that some
may find haphazard, but the true scholar will recognize the pattern behind it.

In this way, I as the editor, fulfill my promise to you, dear reader. After all,
being a scholar of repute and class, many find my words useful. So with no
further ado, I present to you The Czocha College Of Witchcraft And Wizardry
Student Handbook. Enjoy it. Learn from it. Fight it!

Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)

3
 Part One: Teaching
8 Schedule & Map Of Czocha
10 Some Reflections On Magic
18 The Origin Of Magic
44 The Elements Of Magic: The World, The Warlock, The Will, And The Wand
48 Willpower, Wording And Wands - Why Your Spells Fail
58 An Introduction To Arithmancy
72 Pythagorean Numerology And Petty Divination
88 Basic Praestantia In Spellcasting
96 Mathemagical Circles
102 Basic Mind Magic
108 Runes In Practice
112 An Introduction to the Study of Technomancy
130 Technomantic Principles And The Scientific Method
148 Studying Artefacts
158 An Introduction To Wand Lore
162 Alchemy
172 Introduction To Classic Herbology
180 Faeries - A Primer
184 Magic Body
192 Fireball Dragon
204 Magical Defense: An Introduction
210 Magical Defense: Advanced Techniques
216 Ritual Magic
226 Four I-Principles In Ritual Magic
230 Siberian Stone Healing
242 Rare, Unconventional And Risky Magic
252 On Pneumatic Necromancy
260 Immersion In The Great Abyss
284 A Necromantic Study: Letters Of Undeath
294 Principia Demonologica
306 The Corpus Vendidad
310 Popular Spells For Aspiring Witchards
316 Putting The Ghost In The Machine
332 On The Subject Of Daemonic And Goetic Summoning
344 Shamanistic Magic

4
Part Two: The World
350 Practical Knowledge For Students At Czocha
352 The Czocha College Grading System
354 Hymn Of Czocha
356 A Czocha Slang Glossary
358 Former Staff At Czocha: Tharus Goid
360 Case: Lennon Tray
364 Why Do Some Witches And Wizards Look Old?
366 The Adventures Of ‘Doc’ Swanson, Combat Healer
372 Elemental Lore
380 Some Notes On The Guardian Path
384 Spells I Have Known: A Life In The Line Of Fire
390 History And Society Of The Witchard World
392 Why We Need History
394 Ancient History Of The Magical World
400 Lycanthropy Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow
410 The Iceland Incident
412 The Ancient And Most Noble House Of Auttenberg
416 A Brief History Of The Beyersdorf Family
420 A Brief History of the Wychwood Family
424 The Bendix Twins
426 Identifying Magic Capability And Lack Of Magic Capacity
430 A Student’s Guide To Conflux Concepts
446 Thoughts On Transportation In The Modern World Of Magic
450 On French Witching Society
460 Romanian Lore And Magic
466 Mount Traxl
470 The Ludwig
472 The Fabled Herbologist Gaarstyn Rorak And His Gardens
480 The Guardian Oath
486 The Regulators
488 A Short Essay On The Vixen
494 A Guide To Other Colleges Of Wizardry
496 Avalon
500 ‘Warfare’ classes At Avalon
504 Balt Meddin
508 Escola de Magia en Torre de Belem
512 Königsberger Universität, Nibelungen Universität & Akademie Brokken
516 North American Colleges Of Wizardry
530 Onmyodo No Teikoku Kyoto Gakuha
534 Pura Maduwe Karang
536 Stenøya Trolldom Akademiet
540 The Hermetic School Of Natural Philosophy
542 The Secret School Of The Jade Castle
546 The Tula Toltec College Of Conjurers
550 The University Of The Sun, Moon And Stars
554 The Venerable House Of Thoth And Heka In Alexandria
5
Part One
Teaching
 Schedule

8
Map of Czocha

9
 Some Reflections
On Magic
For The Young To Understand And Think About
By Arrok Trantiforus, Hx. Mstr, Spir. & Ctonic Shaman at
ACISM (Arctic Circle Institute of Siberian Magic)

10
Stories And Magic

We understand the world by telling stories about it, stories that may ex-
plain things or at least make them usable. Mundanes also have their sto-
ries, which they call science, and these are sometimes surprisingly useful,
allowing them to make technological artefacts of great ingenuity. Since
mundane science does not take magic into account, their explanations,
their stories, are incomplete. Then we have more accurate stories, which
include magic and thus make the world more understandable. That is not
to say that we, as magicians, have revealed all the secrets of nature, our
stories, too, are nothing but tales, only better.

Consider gravitation: Mundanes say that objects having mass will attract
each other, which explain why things fall to the ground. Now this is really
not an explanation, since saying that things fall to the ground is the same
as saying objects attract each other. When we notice a pen falling to the
floor, it is of course hard not to say it’s the pen falling while the ground is
immobile. But it would be just as correct to say that the ground reaches to
the pen or that they both move simultaneously. This will immediately be
evident if we study celestial bodies, like suns, planets, moons. The attrac-
tion between such objects is mutual, it can be observed that they approach
each other, but you cannot say that one is moving towards the other, only
that both are getting closer to each other. Also, there is something strange
about this mutual attraction. In all other cases mundanes claim that you
can’t have action without reaction, that is, if something is moving in one
direction, something else moves in the opposite direction.

In a mundane car the wheels are spinning backwards so the car can move
forwards. But with gravity objects are pulled towards each other, still there is
no force in the opposite direction. It’s like a car moving without the wheels
spinning, just being pulled towards the goal. Enter magical explanations. Of
course there are forces going in both directions, we just have to find them.
As we are pulled towards the ground (or vice versa), somewhere in the fabric
of the universe there is a pushing force which we can use, e.g. for levitation.

11
 Our explanatory story would then go something like this: We believe that
the reason magic works is that everything is in some way connected to
everything else, and if we find the right connections, we can influence the
”reality”. Remember, ”reality” is also just a story that we all have agreed
upon. Evidently, all of this happens on the subconscious, subliminal level,
since we don’t have immediate sensory awareness of magic. When we do
magic, we just do it – it’s natural for us. Anyhow, to summarize, we have
mundane ”scientific” explanations, which cover part of reality. Then we
have our ”magical” explanations, which cover a bigger part of reality.
Then we have a part of reality that we have no explanations for, the only
story we can tell about it goes like ”there is an unknown land – that’s where
I long to go”. And when we do research in magic, we move the border a
little bit, we do small excursions into the Unknown and return with a little
more knowledge.

12
BUT!

This kind of reasoning has its roots in mundane science, and presupposes
that it is necessary to find ”loopholes” in the mundane scientific expla-
nations, since magic on that view is some sort of exception to the laws of
nature. Thus it is said that magic works against such laws, or that it con-
tradicts natural laws, or even annuls them. This is not possible. If there are
laws of nature (there are those who deny that), then magic must also be
part of them, must obey them.

The correct way of understanding magic must then be to see it as given.

As we know, there are magical places, magical minerals, magical flora and
fauna. Consequently, magic should be seen as inherent in the world, and
the laws of nature should be understood as incorporating magic in the
same way as they incorporate phenomena like magnetism. On this view, it
is not necessary to explain magic, or rather, to explain magic is the same as
explaining the world. The world is, and we can, of course, make up stories
(theories) about how the existence of world came to pass, but that doesn’t
necessarily give us more understanding. A long time ago Indian magicians
made up a story about what is called ”Indra’s net”. It claims that the Totality
can be regarded as an all-encompassing net, and in each nodal point there
is a many-faceted jewel. In all facets of all jewels are reflected all other jew-
els, so that everything is contained in everything.

It’s a good story even if it really doesn’t explain anything, but it aids our
thinking about magic. We can say that mundane science can see some fac-
ets of some jewels, while magicians can see a little more, but no one is
likely to ever see all of it.

Put in other words, we can utilize more of the connections that Indra’s
net provides. The spells you learn can be regarded as compressed stories
about the parts of the net we know. We may say that we create a picture in
one facet of a jewel, and it is reflected in another. But if you think about
it – what’s going on between the waving of a wand to the effect it produces?

13
 How is the causality constructed? What links the spell to the effect? If we
really want to understand the causal connections between spells and ef-
fects, then we have to do research. Let’s say that on the sending (spell-cast-
ing) side, we have at least three factors: The words, the wand, and the
magician. It’s not difficult to set up experiments where these factors are
systematically tested to find out if anyone of them is the crucial one, or if
two or more of them must work together.

By the way, this means that spell words are more or less arbitrary; they are
just words to express your intentions, focusing your powers unto the de-
sired outcome. It’s a kind of shorthand, you can say ”Immobilio”, ”Petrify”
or ”Freeze” – if your intentions are clear and focused, you will get the same
result. Now then, it is not always the case that we are that single-mind-
ed. Like most people we’re often of two minds, beset by doubt, victims
to non-conscious desires or just panicstricken, befuddled or distracted,
and so we don’t always get what we want. Actually, the difference between
good and mediocre magicians is mostly a question of focus, rather than
magical strength. If you want to increase your power, you’d better focus on
your focus, since there is not much you can do about your inborn ability.

Magic is Us

Taking this phenomenological approach (the being-ness of magic), we may

realise that the theories we make about magic doesn’t say very much about
magic (or the world), but a lot more about us. The stories we make about the
nature of magic are our stories and they wouldn’t look the way they do if we
weren’t the kind of creatures we are. It’s the same with the mundane science.
If there are – as many believe – other beings elsewhere in the Universe, their
explanations about the structure of cosmos, the forces that keep things togeth-
er etc, might be totally different and really incomprehensible for humans. Our
views on magic are thus like mirrors: They show us how we view ourselves. Re-
gardless of whether we see magic as a natural force, as an effect of the human
biochemical construction, or a cosmic fluke (a kind of joke from the gods), we
can treat magic as any other natural phenomenon. We can observe it, practice
it, explore it like an uncharted land… And yes, here be dragons!
14
In our research we can put forward hypotheses of the above-mentioned
kind, test for their consequences in different fields, and slowly move to-
wards a grand unified theory of magic (maybe!). Some hypotheses will
be discarded, others validated, but we should in all cases remember that
in the end, what we hold on to is just a more convincing story than other
ones. Tomorrow it may all be turned on its head. In the meanwhile we will,
anyhow, have learned something about ourselves, our limits and possibili-
ties, both as individuals and as a community of magicians.

That may look like pretty basic understanding if the thing we were looking
for was the ”Reality”. But it is in fact something important: This is the way
I do magic, this works for me, and then we can try to teach that to others,
hoping that they will find what works for them. To keep this mindset a
constant is hard work, since it’s very tempting to declare: ”I have found
Truth!”, but those are words that stop the mind from finding out if there
is more. It’s as if one of the famous mundane explorers, say C. Columbus,
would have stepped ashore on the new world, exclaiming ”I have found
America!”, and then never left the beach to venture further. This is actually
liberating, since it lets us do magic without pointless speculations about
its nature. The lion doesn’t ask itself: ”Why am I eating the lamb?” It just
eats, as an expression of its nature, and likewise we just do magic, as an
expression of our nature. There are other animals that don’t eat lambs, and
likewise there are other people that don’t do magic, because that’s the way
the world is.
15
 On Mundanes and Magicians

Since there are people with and without magic, or more or less capacity
for magic, then (by logic) the magical ability must have a strong genetic
base. In bygone eras, long before magic was seen as a unique trait, like
musicality and artistry, people must have mixed quite randomly. Given
the argument for magic inherently existing in the world, and judging by
archaeological findings, magic has been around as long as humans, so
magical ability must be normally distributed in the population. This also
means that such ability will vary in strength between persons. Even with
this genetic base, magic needs favourable circumstances to manifest. Be-
sides a sound physiological development, it seems that an upbringing that
furthers open-mindedness, imagination and curiosity will make it easier
to display magical ability.

Thus, a home and/or schooling that places strong emphasis on rules, ideo-
logical or religious correctness and obeisance, might even eradicate all but
the most strong magical capacity. This actually means that mundane-born
magicians may be more magically gifted than purebloods, having had to
overcome more social obstacles. As such, the concept of ”pure hexblood”
is nothing but myth-based snobbery, with a touch of class condescension.

Accordingly, there has always been people with magic; in some periods
and regions they were revered and exalted, in others they were persecuted.
Before systematic persecution forced them to withdraw from mundane
matters, we might easily think that magicians worked openly. Names that
come to mind may be Hypatia, Leonardo da Vinci, Paracelsus, Francis Ba-
con, Hildegard von Bingen, to name but a few. Of course we cannot know
this for sure, but the evidence seems strong enough.

A warning here: Do NOT try to spell yourself into stronger magic ability.
Changing outer appearance is possible, but that’s the limit. Spelling your-
self may too easily put you into a magic loop where you just go deeper and
deeper into your bodymind without any way of going back.

16
You will end up catatonic, existing only inside yourself, without any com-
munication with the surrounding world, not being able to act at all. You
have to be washed, dressed and fed until someone with enough knowledge
and power can release you. We have had a few such cases over the years,
some of them so beyond help that we couldn’t do anything but turn them
into ghosts. By releasing them from the loop, they lost everything else.
The only one willing to talk about it later just said: ”The truly horrifying
thing about eternity is knowing that it really is eternal – that it never will
end.” We could say that they got lost in Indra’s net. Or maybe they saw the
whole of it.

17
 The Origin Of Magic
An Analysis And A History Made By A True Expert In The Craft
By Professor A. Zimmermann

18
Table of contents

Introduction
Definitions
The metaphysics of magic
Ontology
Matter vs non-matter
1. Magic is immaterial
2. Magic is emergent
3. Magic is matter
Matter theories
1. Blood
2. DNA
3. Body
4. Energy
5. Unknown sort of particle
Non-matter theories
1. Soul/spirit
2. Coherence
Conclusion

Introduction

When asking ourselves where the origin of magic lies, we are not looking
into a historical question. We are not trying to discover if there was once
a time without magic and how that magic came to life. What is meant by
the origin is actually the essence. What is magic in itself, what can we call
pure magic and where can we find it? For example: Is it something in our
blood, is it some kind of connection between everything in this world or
can it be seen as something soul-like? The goal is to explain some of the
many different visions that have been explored in the past and present and
to point out the problems that come with every vision. Throughout history
there were people who tried to experiment and test these different theo-
ries, some more cruel than others, but they added extra information on
the different visions.
19
 Definitions

An easy starting point to research the origin of magic is to look at sev-

eral definitions that have been posed throughout history. The following
two definitions are very close to each other and both written by professors
teaching magical theory.

“Magic is the actor [witchard] that mysteriously or supernaturally

powers the act that influences events”
(Prof. A. Oxfield, What is magic and where does it come from?, 1764, P. 51)

“Magic is the secret power of making ‘impossible’ things happen by saying

special words or doing special things.”
(Prof. M. Vandhoff, On Magic, 1625, P. 167)

Both these definitions are talking about a power or a force that influences
something. They are both talking about an active act. Meaning that in their
definition, magic is the act of doing something. Hereby the question arises
of what we consider magic. Is only the human or living thing that actively
uses magic, considered magic? This would mean that every other creature
that we normally call “a magical creature” isn’t magic. This seems odd be-
cause we experience and refer to it in a different way. That would mean
that unicorns, for example, are not magic, nor are werewolfs. In their hu-
man form they would fall under the definition, but not when transformed.
That’s why Prof. S. Glovst wrote about the connection of magic with life in
any form. Meaning that every creature and plant can fall under that way
of looking at magic. A few different theories and ways of looking at magic
are based on this idea. For example the idea that your blood, often called
hexblood, makes something to be magic or not. This is a subgroup inside
the different theories about hexblood. These visions will be covered in a
following chapters.

20
Somewhere in the 15th century a group of researchers conducted experi-
ments on werewolfs to see if they could find a part in the body that is magic
in its essence. They compared witchard werewolves with mundane were-
wolves to see if there is a difference between them, and then compared it to
mundane bodies etc. If there were any findings, remains unclear.

The next question we can raise is that we often consider magical artifacts
as magic, for example a wand. In that case magic wouldn’t only be con-
sidered as something connected to life, but something that is in every ob-
ject we see as magical. Prof. S. Glovst answered this problem, rising to
his question himself. He stated that every magical object only becomes
magical because a living thing puts magic in it. Like the wandmaker who
inserts magic into the wand by making it. Using the living magic of trees,
plants, magical animals and her/his own magic to make it.

“As much as we could consider the magical artifact as a receiver of

magic, there has to be a way of conversion within the state of the ob-
ject itself. Deriving from the idea that magic in its essence is genuinely
life. This would articulate the magic being as the catalyst of the magic
of the artifact itself, as much as the wand creator is the constructor of
the magic within the magical artefact.”
(Prof. S. Glovst, Magic is Being, 1866, P. 349)

21
 When we look closely at his answer and at all the ways of defining magic
we’ve discussed until now, we see how they all talk about magic being the
human or the life in general that is magic in itself. Like how hexblood
is not magic in itself, but rather makes magic. The amount of hexblood
makes that magic exist or not. Mundanes have hexblood, but when a per-
son has more hexblood, it is magic. When magic is the life, there is an
inconsistency in Glovst’s theory. Because magic that we put in objects can’t
exist according to his theory, it is a completely different form of looking at
magic. Because the wand isn’t a living thing, but it is magic nonetheless.
With the idea of putting magic into something, magic must be something
separate from the one putting it in the object and separate from the object
as well. Consider the following definition on magic:

“The art of producing a desired effect or result through the use of in-
cantation or various other techniques that assure human control over
supernatural power or forces.”
(M. Aristomalex, Ten Paragraphs on Magic, 1929, P32)

In this definition Aristomalex still only talks about humans, but that’s not
very relevant here. The definition talks about the control over power or forc-
es. This means that magic in itself is not the human (or life), but something
different that can be controlled. In this way magic in its essence is something
separate from humans, creatures or even objects. It’s something that exists
on its own. What that something is, what the essence of magic is, isn’t very
clear in Aristomalex’s definition. He talks about a power or a force, but that
is a very vague view. In the view where magic is seen as something separate,
existing on its own, there are still different opinions on what that actually
means. We will discuss the two most important views here. The first one
states that magic can exist on its own, completely separated from everything
else. As if it were something that “flows” around everywhere and can get
into everything. Witchards can control it, it can sit in an object, etc. But the
magic can also be flowing around in “nothing”. Just magic being magic, in
empty space, not connected to objects, creatures or matter in general. A.
Heraclisaan, a wizard from the 15th century living in the conflux around
The University of the Sun, Moon and Stars, wrote about this view.
22
 “Everything changes and nothing stands still. All is flux, nothing is
stationary. You could not step twice into the same river, for it’s not the
same river and he’s not the same man. You could not take something
in your hands and hold it, for all things are ever changing and every-
thing flows. So magic never exists in the same state, it is ever flowing
and never captured by an entity.”
(A. Heraclisaan, Everything flows: about magic, 1421)

When reading Heraclisaan’s work, it must be perceived in its time context.

He uses nature related metaphors to point out the state of magic. The es-
sence here is that magic is seen as something that can never have a fixed
state. It can flow through objects, be controlled by witchards (and magical
creatures), but can never stay in the same fixed state. It can never be fully
captured by an object for example, the magic can only keep on flowing
through the object.

A second view looks at magic in a different way. Magic is still something

on its own, it is something different from the object, the creature, the
witchard, etc., but can’t exist without being connected to something else.
This means that magic needs the witchard, needs the object, needs matter
in general to be able to exist. Magic in its own pure form is impossible.

The metaphysics of magic

After researching if magic is the life, the thing itself or something separate
either completely existing on its own or only existing connected to some-
thing, the question about the origin of magic is still pending. To try to
grasp the essence of magic, we must first ask what the metaphysical claim
of magic is. Meaning: what makes magic to be magic? To later on be able
to answer the ontological question: What IS magic, what does it consist of?

To try to answer the metaphysical question, we can examine where the

distinction between magic and non-magic lies, to see what determines
something to be magic(al) or non magic(al).

23
 What makes certain plants magical and others not, what’s the difference
between a magical creature and a non-magical one? What makes a wand
different from a wooden stick or a piece of metal? There are no real phys-
ical aspects that we can use to see or detect that difference. A magical
creature is built in the same way that a non-magical one is. There is not
a special detectable thing to be found that proves that they are magical.
Why are they perceived different then? The big difference between the two
is that some people don’t think magical creatures are real, while for others
(witchards) they’re part of their (everyday) world. This a remarkable fact.

Dragons and unicorns are creatures that are physically real, they exist in
blood and flesh. And still the biggest part of humanity doesn’t believe
that they exist. Is that the only distinction we can make between magic
and non-magic? Let’s look at magical actions versus non-magical actions.
What is the difference between a spell that causes an effect and another
kind of (mundane) action causing the same effect? For example a spell
that makes someone fall down versus pushing someone and creating the
same effect.

They are very similar; both are a typical form of action → effect. What is
the difference between them, then? Here the factor of belief comes back,
but that’s not the only aspect. While every human can push someone, only
a small part of humans, witchards, can perform that kind of action magi-
cally. So we have both aspects of belief and use/control. When we look at
the same action and put it in the perspective of mundane science, we see
that the action of pushing is perfectly physically explainable within mun-
dane science, while casting a spell is not.

We can state that the difference between magic and non magic lies in if
humans believe in it or not, if people can use it or not and if it’s explainable
by science or not. This way of distinguishing magic from non-magic is in
several ways problematic. First of all in the perspective of science and be-
lief. A belief in something is not a general thing. Some people actually be-
lieve in magic, while they’ve never been in contact with it, let alone used it.

24
Some people believe in a God while others don’t, and in that case God
would fall under the definition of Magic. Just as lots of things, in general
not called magical, are still not explained by science. A good example here
is yawning, why this happens is still not scientifically clear, but yawning
is not considered magic. Also, this definition means that magic would’ve
changed throughout history. Of course magic in the general sense changed
throughout history, but magic that changes in its essence over time is a
problematic concept. That would mean that there is not any kind of on-
tological existence of magic or at least nothing that could fall under the
same concept. In the past, people couldn’t scientifically explain the change
of seasons. That would mean that in the past the changing of the seasons
would have been considered magic, while it isn’t anymore.

Most people assume that the way science explains the change of the sea-
sons has always been the way seasons changed, even though people didn’t
know it by then. Just as most witchards see magic as something that is
fixed, and not that things that were once magic are suddenly not. If magic
would be what can’t be explained by science, it would also create the fear
that magic wouldn’t exist anymore one day. Except if you believe that at
some point science will stop developing and will not further explain any
new things. And that is something that is very hard to believe, because the
history of mundane science shows us that it has always been developing.
The second argument has to do with the fact that some people can control
and use it while others can’t.

I’m amazed that nobody has given you this talk before, but it’s no surprise
I have to do things around here. There are members in this faculty who don’t
take magical dangers seriously enough. I’m of course talking about nymphs, satyrs and
merfolk. These creatures can be seductive! Let’s say you’re walking in the forest, in your
thoughts, when suddenly a comely young lass approaches you and blushingly tells you
that she’s been watching you and you’re the most handsome man she has ever seen. Be
on guard! It might be flattering, but you might end up hypnotized in a forest clearing,
frolicking with the fey creatures of the wild for years before you manage to escape.
You understand this was just an example I made up, not something that has actually
happened to me...

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)
25
 If magic is defined by that, it would once again become complicated to
explain the magic in magical artifacts. When we assume that magic is
something separate that can exist in a person, artifact, etc., witchards and
certain creatures are able to control and use it. The example of a wand fits
perfectly within the idea that the difference between magic and non-magic
lies in the fact that only some humans can control or use it. Only witchards
can use the magic that is connected or flows through the wand. A more
problematic example would be a protective amulet. A mundane can also
use this amulet to protect her-/himself. So in that sense a mundane uses
the magic in the amulet. An objection to this could be that using an amulet
is a different way of using magic than witchards can. While mundanes just
use the object that contains magic, they can’t actually control any magic
inside of it, they can never do something with the magic itself.

26
Ontology

Matter vs non-matter

We examined what defines magic as magic, by separating it from non-mag-

ic until here. The question of what magic is, what it consists of, meaning:
the ontology of magic, still remains. For example, is magic some sort of
blood or is it a little particle that can be found in different things? Or is it
some kind of energy or something soul-like or symbolic? The big differ-
ence between the various theories is that some of them state that magic
is some form of matter, a physical existence, like a little particle or DNA.
While others state that it can’t be something physical and must exist in
another way. The examination of this difference between the theories that
define magic as matter or non-matter, is crucial to understand the prob-
lems that come with the different theories.

1.Magic is immaterial

Let’s first examine the position that states that magic is something differ-
ent than matter. Theories like: “magic is something that resembles spir-
its or souls”, or “magic is some kind of coherence or consistency between
things”, state that magic is not a physical thing, meaning that it’s not some-
thing material. This is the theory that meets our common sense the most.
We see magic as something different than atoms. The biggest problem
with this theory is that it can’t explain how magic can interact with the
physical world and vice-versa, without being in conflict with basic rules of
our universe. It can perfectly explain that magic can cause magic, but can’t
explain why magic can cause something in the physical world. Since al-
most every kind of magic has an effect on something physical or interacts
with material things, this is a big issue for these theories. The reason why
the immaterial can’t react with the physical world has to do with the the
law of conservation of energy.

27
 “The law of conservation of energy states that the total energy of an
isolated system remains constant—it is said to be conserved over
time. Energy can be neither created nor be destroyed, but it trans-
forms from one form to another, for instance chemical energy can be
converted to kinetic energy. An example of a very mundane object:
dynamite (an explosive material, used for creating explosions without
using a spell). Here the explosive material (chemical) is converted into
the energy of the explosion.”
(G. Wikelmindus, The physical world: “where mundane science
meets magic science”, 1905)

This means that if you do some kind of physical action to cause magic, e.g.:
waving your hand in a specific manner to cause magic, it is problematic.
Because the energy would go over in something immaterial and is there-
fore “lost”.

2. Magic is emergent

A solution to this problem might be to take on a weakened version of this

immaterial view on magic. This theory states that magic is not material,
but depends on matter. This means that magic can’t exist without matter,
but can also not be reduced to it. This theory is also called Emergentism.

“An emergent property (magic) is said to be dependent on some more

basic properties, their relationships and configuration (the physical), so
that it can have no separate existence. However, a degree of independence
is also asserted of emergent properties, so that they are not identical to, or
reducible to, or predictable from, or deducible from their bases.”
(Prof. O. Stumant Mill, Emergent Magic, 1925)
28
 “Magic arises from the physical”
(Prof. O. Stumant Mill, Emergent Magic, 1925)

It’s not clear if and how Magic could have a causal relationship with magic
in this case, Since the causal relation in itself would not be connected to
the physical.

This view on magic is not popular and only been examined in a very theo-
retical manner. Therefore it is very vague how it would have any practical
consequences or what view on magic could be derived from it. This theory
has mostly been developed by professors that have only been occupied by
the theoretical side of magic.

3. Magic is matter

The other important and influential view on magic states that magic is in
fact matter. Meaning that every form of magic is physical. This theory is
accepted by most witchards, often without realizing it. Because theories
that see magic as energy or hexblood are widely accepted, without ques-
tioning the idea that magic is matter in itself. Upon closer examination
of the consequences of magic being matter, we encounter some prob-
lems, however. The biggest problem that comes along with this theory, is
that some consequences of this theory directly contravenes our common
sense. Let us first try to portray what it would mean if magic is matter.
Matter in itself is already a debatable concept:
29
 “The concept of matter may be generalized from atoms to include any
objects having mass even when at rest, but this is ill-defined because
an object’s mass can arise from its (possibly massless) constituents’
motion and interaction energies.”
(S. Lhazel, Elementary Particles: Building blocks of matter,1982)

What is considered matter is therefore not a fixed concept. Since the on-
tological debate about matter isn’t very relevant here, we can just base the
argumentation on the idea that matter is either something that consists of
mass or is a form of energy.

Producing a spell with a wand, for example a spell to move an object,

would mean that little particles come flying out, that literally push the ob-
ject. It would also mean that every kind of mind magic or divination con-
sists of matter. This goes directly against our common conception of mind.
Thoughts and visions would have to be build up out of particles as well.
Can we accept that for example a vision about the future is just a combi-
nation of fluids or atoms in the brain? This is not the same as saying that
it is produced by the brain, but rather that the vision or thought in itself is
those particles. The difficulty here is that we don’t experience them in that
way; we can’t touch, measure or see them.

q
30
Matter theories

1. (Hex)Blood

Blood-theories state that magic is a type of blood in witchards (and also in

some magical creatures). The blood is the magic, meaning that if you were
to take a bit out of your body, you would be able to touch magic in itself.
Even though theories of hexblood are widely accepted, the idea that the
essence of magic is identical with hexblood is a very small minority within
the hexblood theories. Some of the reasons why this idea of magic is so
problematic are already expressed earlier in the text. Basically, it would
mean that magic is blood and everywhere magic is performed, this blood
“does something”. This can lead us to absurd images like, blood having to
spray out of the wand. We also bump into the fact that only humans and
creatures can be included in this theory. Most blood theories, contrary
to what people may assume, are actually not talking about the origin of
magic. Most hexblood theories state that hexblood is needed to be able to
control magic, but isn’t magic in itself. It’s in other words magical, but not
magic in an ontological way. In this way hexblood serves as some kind of
receiver for magic.

The idea that magic lies in our blood is already an old idea. It has been
around for many centuries. There have been conducted big amounts of
research and numerous experiments. Some of them were allowed by the
conflux they were done in, others happened behind closed doors and
came to light several years later. It’s very plausible to state that there might
have been many experiments conducted throughout history that were
never known, and this may have deprived us of further knowledge. Many
witchards have compared blood of wizards with the blood of mundanes.
Mostly without result. Until now there hasn’t been any visual difference
between them when evaluated through a microscope. We know that there
have been experiments where the blood of a witchard and a mundane
were transfused into each other. The results have been carefully noted and
were discovered in 1788. It’s uncertain in what year the actual experiment
took place, but it dates back to the 15th century.
31
 Today someone asked me a question about “technomancy”, as if such a
thing even existed. I have another name for this: Laziness! We have been using
magic to engage with the world, to make our lives easier, and to attain our ambitions
for millenia. Our techniques and theories become ever more sophisticated, but at the
core of it all is a witch or a wizard with a wand and the will to change the world. In this
core sense, there’s no distance at all between Merlin and us. And these young people
dare to talk to me about “technomancy”, as if these new devices could ever give us
anything but grief. Today you’re enchanting clockworks, and tomorrow you’ll be too lazy
to cast a simple spell. I’m not against progress, but I’ll tell you this much: In my day, we
understood the difference between magic and whatever it is that less gifted people use.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)

From the original document we can derive that the mundane felt a lot of
pain during the transfusion and the first two hours after it. The wizard
felt very weak in general. The mundane woman died eight hours after the
experiment, before any kind of magic could be observed. Blood started
to flow out of eyes and ears until she bled to death. The wizard’s fate was
hardly better. After 72 hours of feeling weak, but still being able to perform
magic, his condition started to get worse. His heart rate dropped and he
went into a coma and never woke up. He was tested several times, but after
six years of being kept alive mechanically, a new doctor, who was famous
for his ethical considerations, stopped his treatment and the wizard died.
Such an experiment was never documented again until the 18th century.
In 1796 a sick wizard agreed to become a test subject. A mundane man in
coma was used, because there were some reservations about just using a
healthy person.

The results of this experiment were not much better than the first one. The
mundane man remained comatose until he died eleven hours later. One
of the witchards who conducted the experiment claims that she saw the
mundane man opening his eyes very briefly a few seconds before he died,
but the other researchers didn’t observe this. There is therefore a lot of
doubt surrounding the statements of the witch noticing the eyes. The sick
wizard died two days after the experiment, after his state got worse and
worse during those days.

32
2. DNA

This view is very similar to the blood-theory and therefore has to deal
with the same problems. Even though a DNA theory can include all living
things, not only the ones having blood, it still delivers a very insufficient
view on magic. If magic would be ontological DNA, there would be DNA
spraying out of a wand instead of blood. This sounds as absurd or even
more absurd. The DNA could, conform to hexblood theories, serve as a
receiver of magic. The reason why this theory is less widely accepted has
to do with the fact that is has more difficulties explaining why children
from two magically able parents can be born non-magical (dud) and why
a child from mundane parents can have magical abilities. Blood makes it
a matter of quantity, and that is a more logical explanation than if it were
embedded in the DNA.
33
 3. Body

Other than the DNA theories and blood theories there have been many
witchards stating that magic must be a part of the human body. Mostly the
heart or the brain, but there have been alternative theories about different
parts as well. Dr. Prof. K. Kokeblad, for example, stated that magic must
lie in the thumb and was mostly ridiculed for it. The same problems arise
with body theories as with the blood or DNA theories.

One of the more influential researchers of the human body was Dr. Ma-
ther. He continued his work until he went completely insane in the end
of 1914, a consequence of the things he had seen during his experiments.
His interest mainly lay in finding a base for necromancy and researching
the field, but some of his experiments are relevant to the discovery of the
essence of magic as well. In his experiments he was looking for a physi-
cal element that makes magic possible, to know what part (of the human
body) could be used for necromancy. In the beginning of his work, he
strongly believed that the essence of magic must be material. It lead him
to several experiments with living people. Among other things, he created
devices for extracting brains and hearts in order to look for this material
base for necromancy.

“In the perspective of finding a reliable source for the living dead and
undead we must inquire into the field of physical anatomy of the hu-
man body. Therefore the field of mundane anatomy must be included
and can be seen as a high necessity towards the understanding of the
deeper magic in the field of νεκρομαντεία.”
(Dr. Mather, Diary of the undead vol. 3: 1903, date of publication: 1985)

In another fragment of his diary we could see how he describes his experi-
ment with the extraction of a heart of a wizard. In this stage of his research
he hasn’t connected his findings to the mundane study of anatomy. Later
on, when he does that, he will come to the conclusion that the part he is
questioning there is in fact what mundane anatomy calls the pulmonary
semilunar valve.
34
4. Energy

The idea that magic is a form of energy is for many researchers a solution
to the problem that comes with magic being matter. It would mean that
magic is not a particle with mass, so the seemingly absurd idea that par-
ticles would have to fly out of a wand is avoided. This means that magic
would be a property of particles having mass. Because energy is a property
of objects, it can be transferred to other objects or converted into different
forms, but cannot be created or destroyed. The “ability of a system to per-
form work” is a common description, but it is difficult to give one single
comprehensive definition of energy, because it has many forms. Common
forms of energy include the kinetic energy of a moving object, the radiant
energy carried by light, the potential energy stored by an object’s position
in a force field (gravitational, electric or magnetic), elastic energy stored by
stretching solid objects, chemical energy released when a fuel burns, the
thermal energy due to an object’s temperature and finally magical energy.

If magic is energy, it would mean that it can easily be converted into dif-
ferent kinds of energy. For example when using a spell to move an object.
The magical energy from a spell could transfer into kinetic energy of the
moving object. W. Thomson defined the laws of thermodynamics that say
that energy in a system always stays the same:
35
 “All the forms of energy are convertible to other kinds of energy, and
obey the law of conservation of energy which says that energy can be
neither created nor destroyed; however, it can change from one form
to another. The first law of thermodynamics states that a system’s en-
ergy is constant unless energy is transferred in or out by mechanical
work or heat, and that no energy is lost in transfer. This means that it
is impossible to create or destroy energy. The second law of thermody-
namics states that all systems doing work always lose some energy in
the form of wasting heat. This creates a limit to the amount of energy
that can be at work in a heating process, a limit called the available
energy. Mechanical and other forms of energy can be transformed in
the other direction into thermal energy without such limitations. The
total energy of a system can be calculated by adding up all forms of
energy in the system.”
(W. Thomson & P.G. Tait, Treatise on Natural Philosophy:Volume
V. Thermodynamics, 1867)
5. Unknown sort of particle

Throughout history witchards have been writing about magic being an

unknown particle. They were often involved in scientific research con-
ducted by a mundane university or research center. When a new particle
or form of matter was discovered, there were always witchards claiming
that it might be magic. We saw this happening with the discovery of radio-
activity, for example, or with antimatter, dark matter and more recently we
even see more and more witchards working in and close to the CERN base
in Genève. Between 1896 and 1898, when Marie Curie did her discover-
ies on radioactivity, this caused a new gulf of excitement into the magical
theory field. Several witchards tried to get close to Marie and her husband,
Pièrre Joliot. No one actually got the chance to work close with them. Not
until their daughter, Irène Joliot-Curie, came to show magical ability and a
professor from Avalon came to offer her a place in the school. This was the
first time the Juliot-Curie’s heard of magic. They decided that they wanted
to school Irène in science as well and hired several magical teachers to give
her private lessons while she stayed with her parents. One of those teach-
ers, Eliza Guiomme, became very interested in in Marie and Pièrre’s work.
She later worked together with them from a magical perspective.
36
 Curie’s systematic studies included two uranium minerals, pitch-
blende and torbernite (also known as chalcocite). Her electrometer
showed that pitchblende was four times as active as uranium itself,
and chalcocite twice as active. She concluded that, if her earlier results
relating the quantity of uranium to its activity were correct, then these
two minerals must contain small quantities of another substance that
was far more active than uranium. This demonstrates that this form
of radioactivity is significantly more complicated than the recently
discovered X-rays. Curie’s findings might redefine the way we look at
magic. In my research with Marie, I discovered some indications that
this activity, also called radioactivity, might actually be a sign of mag-
ic in its essence. If my hypothesis is correct, this may as well redefine
the way mundane people and witchards might live together and will
blur the border that was created since the conclave that constituted
the 3 traditions.
(E. Guiomme, The radioactivity of magic, 1911)

In present day there are more and more witchards publishing papers about
magic being some sort of particle, which is closely connected to new find-
ings in CERN and other important research laboratories. An influential
and very recent publication is the article of Prof. H Jawahery:

“The Standard Model says the world interacts with all leptons in the
same way. There is a democracy there. But there is no guarantee that
this will hold true if we discover new particles or new forces. Lepton
universality is truly enshrined in the Standard Model. If this univer-
sality is broken, we can say that we’ve found evidence for non-stan-
dard physics (magic).”
(Prof. H Jawahery, Physical review letters: vol. XV, 2015)

37
 CERN experiment OSQAR:
©CERN
The Optical Search for QED Vacuum Birefringence, Axions and Photon
Regeneration (OSQAR) experiment at CERN searches for hypothetical
particles called axions, and studies the properties of a vacuum. According
to some theories, axions could be components of dark matter, and they
could help to explain why there is more matter than antimatter in the uni-
verse today.

OSQAR is set up in CERN’s magnet-testing facility on the border of France

and Switzerland. It makes use of two superconducting dipole magnets of
the type used in the Large Hadron Collider that contain a vacuum cham-
ber measuring 55 metres long by 40 millimetres across.

38
Some theorists think that axions were produced during the big bang, and
that they are still being produced by the Sun. Axions have a tiny mass,
weighing in at 500 million times lighter than an electron. They have no
electric charge and interact minimally with normal matter, making them
difficult to observe. Axions could be a component of the mysterious dark
matter that makes up 26% of the universe. It’s often suggested that these
axions could be the particles that we call magic. If not, then we are a step
closer to discovering what dark matter is and solving the mystery of magic.

No excess of events above the background was detected at this arrange-

ment. Nevertheless, this result extends the exclusion region for the axion
mass. Further research will be conducted.

We can observe a clear bent towards the idea that magic is matter. This
goes together with the development in science and is a movement that
we observe in mundane science and beliefs as well, this general tendency
towards explaining everything in physical terms.

Non-matter theories

1. Soul/Spirit

On the topic of the soul, there have been many writings throughout histo-
ry. It can probably be seen as one of the most debated subjects. Through-
out history there have been many witchards stating that the soul can be
seen as magic in its most essential form. This debate is closely connected
to religion and to philosophy in times when there was no division between
witchards and mundanes as well as after the 3 traditions were installed.

“Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC) defined the soul, orPsūchê (ψυχή), as

the first actuality of a naturally organized body. The soul is the orga-
nization of the form and matter of a natural being which allows it to
strive for its full actualization.”
(P. Struycken, Aristotle about the soul, 1996)

39
 This means that for Aristotle (Αριστοτελης) magic isn’t the soul, but the soul
allows the witchard the full actualization of magical potential. Like mundanes
would be allowed to strive for their full actualization of their potential, which is
not magical. Aristotle’s view is important in that it influenced a lot of witchards
in the way they perceived the soul and magic. Based on Aristotle’s writings a lot
of theories came to life that either argued that the soul is not the organisation,
but an immaterial essence of magic or tried to incorporate Aristotle’s theory by
saying that this organisation is in fact what is magic. Eustatius (Ευσταθιος)
was one of the first kind and had a severe amount of influence on later the-
ories. He stated that the soul is something that gives life and that this life is
magic. This means that life for him was equal to magic, only not everyone was
able to fully use it. This means that he saw no fundamental distinction between
mundanes and witchards, only in their ability to use magic. Since mundanes
and witchards lived in harmony together at the time in which he lived, this is a
view that fits the social reality of his time.

Later in history the emphasis on the immaterial aspect of the soul, as well
as on its immortality, became more important. This had to do with the rise
of christianity and had an effect on theories about magic as well as on the-
ories that have nothing to with magic, nowadays called mundane theories.
Thomas Aquinas was a very important and influential philosopher who
lived in the 13th century. He tried to incorporate some ideas about the
world and soul from Aristotle into the christian view of the world.

“To seek the nature of the soul, we must premise that the soul is defined as the
first principle of life of those things which live. Now life is shown principally by
two actions, knowledge and movement. It is manifest that not every principle
of vital action is a soul, for then the eye would be a soul, as it is a principle of
vision; and the same might be applied to the other instruments of the soul: but
it is the “first” principle of life, which we call the soul. Yet nothing corporeal
can be the first principle of life. For it is clear that to be a principle of life, or to
be a living thing, does not belong to a body as such; since, if that were the case,
every body would be a living thing, or a principle of life.”
(T. Aquinas, Summa Theologica: first part. Treatise on man QQ 75, 1265–1274)

40
In this text he states that the soul is immaterial, because the soul is the
thing that gives us life (first principle of life). Since not every body is alive,
there is matter without a soul, and a soul can’t be material. He goes on
saying that the soul cannot be destroyed:

“The soul has an operation which does not rely on a bodily organ, and
therefore the soul could subsist without a body. Furthermore, since
the rational soul of human beings is a subsistent form and not some-
thing made of matter and form, it cannot be destroyed in any natural
process.”
(H. Pagde, On Thomas Aquinas, 1889)

In the theories about soul we still bump into the problem that magic is
connected with life. This means that only humans (certainly in Thomas
Aquinas’ view) or only living things are magic or can have the essence
of magic in them. More recent writings portray a view that also includes
objects:

“The worldview that non-human entities, such as animals, plants,

and inanimate objects, next to humans possess a spiritual essence.”
(S. Beerkman, Animism: Respecting the Living World, 1931)

This view on the soul and the world is called animism. It’s rooted in very
early history and is often the belief system of indigenous tribes, shaman-
ism and totemism. We are not further going into details of how this view
on magic/the soul works in every system. The important thing here is that
everything is perceived as having a soul. This soul is seen as magic in its es-
sence. This means that magic is in everything (or according to others CAN
be in anything). In general we can see a decrease of theories that connect
the soul only to humans and the increase of animism-based theories.

m
41
 2. Coherence

The idea that magic is coherence is based on the world view that every-
thing that exists is in some way connected. This connection is magic and
explains how magic is possible. Sir James George Frazer wrote one of the
biggest works on this theory in his famous “The golden Bough”:

“If we analyze the principles on which magic is based, they will prob-
ably be found to resolve themselves into two: first, that like produc-
es like, or that an effect resembles its cause; and, second, that things
which have once been in contact with each other continue to act on
each other at a distance after the physical contact has been severed.
The former principle may be called the Law of Similarity, the latter
the Law of Contact or Contagion. From the first of these principles,
namely the Law of Similarity, the magician infers that he can produce
any effect he desires merely by imitating it: from the second he infers
that whatever he does to a material object will affect equally the per-
son with whom the object was once in contact, whether it formed part
of his body or not.”
(Sir J. G. Frazer, The Golden Bough, 1889)

• The law of similarity: The law of similarity states that elements within
an assortment of objects are perceptually grouped together if they are
similar to each other. This similarity can occur in the form of shape,
colour, shading or other qualities.
• The law of Contagion: once two people or objects have been in con-
tact, a magical link persists between them unless or until a formal ex-
orcism or other act of banishing breaks the non-material bond.

In 1925, Prof. W. Kosidamm added a third law:

• The law of proximity: The law of proximity states that when an indi-
vidual perceives an assortment of objects they perceive objects that are
close to each other as forming a group.

42
Even though this is a developed system and there are a lot of writings about
it, most of them by only a handful of writers, this theory doesn’t seem to
come up with a clear way of defining the essence of magic. Magic is equal
to the coherence of things seems a very vague description. Therefore a
Professor from Balt Meddin argued that the coherence theory is rather a
way to explain how forms of magic between different entities work than a
way to define the essence of magic.

Conclusion

Reviewing the different theories on the origin of magic, it becomes clear

that there are many different views on what magic in its essence is. We can
also notice that, even though the theories seem to evolve and change, there
is never really a theory that is generally accepted as false. Does this mean
that we will never know? That is a concept that seems to conflict with the
way we view the modern world. The idea that everything is explainable is
rooted very deep in our principles and this would bring the death of the
philosophy of magic with it.

“There is something peculiar and even strange in the situation of phi-

losophy of magic today. It is characterized decisively by the position of
philosophy of magic in general within the whole of society and espe-
cially within the whole of human search for truth, within ‘la recherche
collective de la verite’. This place, rank, and status of philosophy itself
has become more and more problematic. Why philosophy at all?”
(J. Pieper, The Future of Thomism: The Condition of Philosophy
Today ,1992)

On the other hand we have the empirical observation that no theory is

ever completely out of use when it comes to the origin of magic. They may
change over history, but the basic principles have always been returning.

43
 The Elements Of
Magic: The World,
The Warlock, The
Will, And The Wand
A Short Essay Written In The Year 1886,
Under The Tutelage Of The Honourable Professor Pluto
By Karl Volgstaff

44
How Does Magic Function?

In the history of philosophy of magic there are numerous accounts of

how magic is controlled and directed by the wizard or witch. For even
today the most prodigious researchers into magic cannot agree on how
the flow from the World to the Wand is guided by the Will of the Warlock
to achieve the wanted effect. Most philosophers of magic agree that there
is magical energy in the universe that a wizard harvests and harnesses.
Philosophers disagree on if this magic is in the world, or if maybe it is the
world. The notion that magic is the world was common in lost Houses of
Constantinople and such ideas are still common in the Orders of the Misty
Ural Mountains.

The question if all is magic, or if magic is simply part of the world, is a

foundational one. Either the Warlock shapes the world, or he channels
something that is in the world into a new form. However, what these dif-
ferent ideas share is the idea that there is something that the Warlock si-
phons into new shapes. The first element of magic is thus the World.

The second element must be the Warlock himself. There are humans with-
out the capability of wielding magic, even in families of pureblood wizards
and witches. Likewise, there are witchards born into mundane families,
from the bland blood of mere peasants. The body of a wizard contains
something important for the shaping of the world through magic. What
that something is remains unknown. Some dark wizards have conducted
unspeakable horrors on the bodies of fellow wizards while searching for a
magical organ or an enchanted bone to answer this eternal mystery. A few
have even claimed to have found such a thing. Their stories are most likely
nothing but bragging, for no respectable wizard has ever claimed to have
found such an organ. A true scholar of the philosophy of magic treats such
tales as nothing but distasteful attempts at scaring little children.

Yet the question remains: What is it in the body of a wizard that makes him
able to channel magic?

Pic/Svetlana Vunst, Also Known as “Professor Pluto”. No Explanation Has Ever

Been Given For The Name, But Many Theories Abound. Picture Ca. 1890. 45
 This is particularly interesting in light of the wondrous and, it is said, mag-
ical beasts of the world. Are witchards nothing but magical beings? We
cannot answer that query if we do not first know what magical beings or
beasts are. For is that not just a mundane notion, an alien influence in
Mondo Magi? For if there are magical men and men without magic, one
would think that wondrous beasts are magical bears and enchanting deer.
Yet when mundane born wizards talk of magical beasts, they mean drag-
ons and sphinxes. And here lies our most perplexing dilemma. If there be
indeed magical beasts, then are wizards also beings of magic? And if so,
considering that there are also mundanes, are there also magic-less ani-
mals? Do all mundane dragons die in a blaze if they have no gift to control
the flame within? Yet such incredible creatures, wondrous beast without
magic, have not been encountered by even the most courageous of explor-
ers.

And thus, since there are no dragons without magic and no sphinxes with-
out puzzles, is that just their nature? Is the feather of a phoenix truly that
different from the horn of a rhino?

Can a mammoth hair not be used to do the same thing as a dragon’s eye
lash? Whatever the case may be, a comprehensive theory of magic must
be able to explain the wondrous animals of might and myth. The third ele-
ment is Will. There are no creatures able to use magic without a strong Will
to bend and shape the magic to their liking. Some philosophers of magic,
such as the eldritch wizards of grim Kalevala and the famous witches of
mythic Siren, have claimed that it is the vocalization of the Will in the
form of an incantation or song that is key, but they are clearly mistaking.
For without conviction a spell will fail. Furthermore, there is slow magic,
such as Rune Magic and draughts, that need no incantation. No, it is the
Will of the Warlock that shapes the World.

The fourth element is the Wand. A wizard draws his magic from the World
into himself, then shapes it with his Will, and finally focuses it and releases
it back into the World through the conduit that is his Wand.

46
There are those who claim that the strongest witchards can focus their
magic without a Wand, but such nonsense is best left to the salons of gos-
sip and jest. However, the strongest among us are able to use their Wands
to focus their magic even without holding them. Such a feat is usually pos-
sible only in the direst of circumstances, when a storm of emotions are
being guided by conviction and a Will of iron.

In addition to these four elements, some wizards have proposed additions.

Although some philosophers of magic have offered very concrete addi-
tions, such as shared subconscious of wizards discussed by the esteemed
Deimos Schwarz of Vienna, the Bane of Oath Breakers, most of them are
prone to unbecoming and unworthy ramblings of mysticism. Such phi-
losophers are drawn to enigmas and paradoxes, and their romantic long-
ing for a secret ingredient of magic is anathema to the serious scholars
who wish to understand magic, not be seduced by it. Yet a full account
of the proposed elements of magic is not complete without a mention of
such folly. At the very latest at this point the careful reader is aching to ask
the question: But what about Love? What about Soul? These questions,
although sentimental, are valid. For there are indeed those who maintain
that such things are key parts of the shaping of the World.

They are correct, for there are indeed spells and incantations, even runes,
that cannot be fully given form and shape without Love or Soul. Yet, even
if these elements are indispensable for certain spells, they are not required
parts for all magic.

Similarly and correspondingly, even though there are potions that boil over
without dragon tears and lotions that soil the cauldron if the thyme is not
picked by a virgin at full moon, it would be fooling and folly to claim that
all magic requires tears of dragons or lunar thyme. Thus although there are
spell that cannot be completed with a broken soul, it is not required for all
magic. And although the purest of love can be used to move the tallest of
mountains, it is but the wood in the fire of magic, not the flame itself.

47
 Willpower, Wording
And Wands - Why
Your Spells Fail
An Analysis Of The Mechanics Of Spellcasting For The Advanced Student
By Prof. U. T. Rozman

48
Introduction to the Theory of Spellcasting

A common complaint among young witchards is that the more often than
not their spells fail. This stems from their lack of understanding of the
basic principles of spellcasting (and of the limits of their own capabilities).
This paper is an attempt to clarify the reasons why your spells fail, so that
- hopefully - you will learn to fail less or, at least, with less severe conse-
quences to you, your fellow witchards and your environment.

This paper deals with spells that are cast using just your wand and spoken
word. Thus, slower forms of magic such as runes or alchemy are excluded
from the domain of this paper, but some of the principles do apply to them
as well.

Channeling the magical energy

As you should know by now, in order to cast any spell you must channel
magical energy into it1. Now most of you have not been taught (or have
not bothered to learn) how to feel the magical energy. You just fling your
spell out and expect it to work. And then you’re awfully surprised when
you finally discover that this is not how it always works.

What you have so far done intuitively must now become an intentional
and sensed effort - that is, if you wish to become anything above a com-
mon mage. If you do not understand or feel the flow of magic yet, you can
start to practice with common spells. When you cast them, pay attention
to the magic as it flows through you - its quantity, its pace and its “flavour”.
Matching those qualities with the needs of your spell will be your fastest
way to becoming a truly capable witchard.

1 Some people are still arguing over whether magic is energy, matter or some-
thing completely different. Of course, it is energy, but I do not have the time or the
space in here to discuss the various theories on the origins and nature of magic.
If by some chance some of you are interested in this, you can familiarise yourself
with the works of Professor Zimmerman.

49
 Why does feeling the flow matter, the simpler of you will ask. Simple and
quick spells such as an illumination spell require such menial amounts
that most don’t even feel it, but prolonged and powerful spells can leave
a witchard exhausted and, in some unfortunate cases, permanently dam-
aged. This is why it’s important that you understand the flow of energy, the
difficulty of the spell and your own limits.

You will eventually come across spells that will be so demanding or com-
plex that you cannot succeed in them without mastering the continued
channeling of energy into the spell. This is where it becomes very import-
ant to understand where you draw your energy from. Most witchards draw
from their innate stores of magic, but experienced witchards can also learn
to draw the energy from external sources - this is called conduit chan-
neling. These external sources may range from gathering the surrounding
ambient magic to drawing power from artefacts or even living things. Var-
ious ritualistic fields and spells already have these channels and sources
built in as part of the spell, but for instant spellcasting you will have to find
your own sources.

Some witchards are naturally gifted at conduit channeling, but those who
are not familiar with the practice should not dive head first into it. Becom-
ing the conduit for magic between its source and its target is no simple
task. You must at the same time focus on drawing the energy as well as
directing it at your spell. You must control its flow, moving it through you
at a managed pace so as not to let your spell die out but also not to let it be
overcome with too much energy. A source can flow with such power that
the caster will have to restrain it like a dam keeping back the river, and I
hope you understand from this metaphor what would happen if the dam
should break. It can also be possible to draw too much energy from the
artefact, thus permanently damaging or even destroying it. Having this
happen in the middle of channeling is often a very unpleasant experience
for the caster as well. This is why conduit channeling is not advisable for
the inexperienced mages. Should you wish to develop that skill, you can
calculate the energies contained within an artifact using Arithmancy and
then practice drawing the power to yourself without casting it simultaneously.
50
Conduit channeling is especially dangerous when drawing power from
unknown magical artefacts or sources, since the energy within them can
be fluctuate wildly and result in a total catastrophe2. It should also be noted
that it is extremely impolite and even punishable to draw energy from lo-
cal wards, artefacts, flora or fauna without permission. Drawing from am-
bient energy is much more acceptable, though some confluxes frown even
upon that. If you need to perform complex magic in a strange conflux, do
ask permission for channeling or bring your own sources with you.

Willpower, affinity and emotions

Not all witchards are created alike, and there are innate differences in ca-
pabilities. By this I’m not referring to Hexblood - being from a mundane
or Hexblood family has no known relation to an individual’s magical tal-
ent3. However, what is known is that each witchard can refine their innate
skill through work, dedication and respecting the wisdom of their elders.

Willpower is the largest determining factor in witchard’s capability of suc-

ceeding in spellwork. You must imprint your will on the world in order for
your spell to succeed. This is where many of you go wrong by mistaking
“wanting” with “willing”. Wanting is not enough. Wanting is just an emo-
tion. Willing is a directed and often resisted effort. If you do not have or
develop a strong will, there is nothing I can teach you to make you a good
mage. Weak-willed magic workers simply cannot assert their power over
the world in meaningful ways and will only be able to hold the most me-
nial jobs in our society. If you wish to become someone of note, you must
learn to will, to focus and to persevere.

2 It is suspected (but not fully confirmed) that the destruction of the city of Pom-
peii was caused by a failed conduit channeling from the volcano itself. As a more
recent example, the infamous Murmansk Madness of 1977 was due to the the cast-
er channeling power from an old amulet that housed an imprisoned demon.
3 Those who wish to argue me on this are free to jump out of the window without
their wand.

51
 Magical affinity

Witchards can develop a preference or find themselves uncannily suited

to a certain type of magic. This is referred to as the Thales Effect or, as
it is more commonly called, magical affinity. Those with magical affinity
will find their spells in that field to be more easy to cast or more powerful
in their effect. For example, a witchard with affinity to death magic could
find it easier to cast spells in graveyards or become much more adept at
summoning and commanding the spirits of the dead.

The Thales Effect has been observed as a separate phenomenon, which

cannot be explained by the witchard becoming more adept or experienced
in their field. In some witchards, this affinity can be observed very early in
life, even before magical ability manifests, while some develop an affinity
only through exposure to the particular field. Whether affinities are pre-
set or can develop spontaneously remains an open question,

For those witchards who have a magical affinity, attempting to cast a spell
outside of it may become more difficult. From the example above, the same
witchard with the death magic affinity would find it harder to cast healing
or life-nurturing spells. It is not impossible, but you will have to put in
more effort to achieve the wanted results. The witchards who do not have a
particular affinity may find it easier to cast spells in various different fields,
but might not become particular strong in any area without the affinity.

Emotions and state of mind

Finally, your state of mind is a crucial factor to the success of your spell. While
it must be admitted that powerful emotions can be useful for certain type of
rituals, they are more often a hindrance when it comes to spellcasting.

A professional witchard knows that to be in control their own mind is to

be in control of their own magic and will not attempt dangerous spells
while exhausted, intoxicated or otherwise not in full control of their facul-
ties. The effects can be very unexpected from what you intended.
52
53
 Wording and semiotics

The words you use to bring forth your spell can also be your downfall.
There are many different spell words that can be used to cause the same
effect, but that does not mean that all of them will work for you. Most
likely you have already learned various spells at home or at school, but if
you have consistent troubles with a particular spell, you may wish to try
different wording. A meticulous mage learning a new spell will try many
different wordings and through trial and error find the words that work
for them.

And now we’re on the subject of words, it is upon me to warn you about
accidental spellcasting. Do pay attention when practicing or copying your
homework. Just because you do not intend to cast a spell, does not mean
you are safe. Some spells have a mind of their own - they want to be cast.
The circumstances may be just right that even a beginner dimwit could
accidentally cast a spell merely by reading its incantation out loud. This
is why reading out loud in the library without supervision or an explicit
permission from a staff member is strictly forbidden.

Semiotics and historical changes in incantations

The wordings of our most commonly used spells fluctuate regionally and
historically. There are even some schools of thought that consider the
wording meaningless as long as the intent behind it remains clear, but such
schools forget the notion that the casters themselves put their will behind
their words. If they do not believe the words, they cannot produce a spell.

Semiotics, the meaning of words, has a vast importance to spellcasters and

especially those studying the history of magic. Spell words often mutate
and transform through the ages, which is often the explanation when a
spell meaning to do one thing ends up causing something completely
different4.

4 If there happens to be anyone among you who’d be interested in the theory of

magical semiotics, you can try to find Cecil Piperrot’s Secrets of Spells: The Hid-
54 den History of Incantations in the library, but so far it has evaded all magical and
non-magical attempts to locate it.
NOTE! The following incantations can be copied into your notes, since it
has no effect when written down on non-living materials. However, stu-
dents with sapient or enchanted notebooks should take care to scramble
the letters unless they wish their books to start twitching uncontrollably.

To give an example of an incantation’s historical and regional, let us ex-

amine the common itching jinx. The earliest recorded version hails from
Greece around 200 BC, where it was inscribed as Prurito noceo. This par-
ticular incantation later morphed into a lesser form of Cupid’s Arrow spell
in the form Prurite noceo, for which the target was no longer a singular
person, but cast on two people with the effect of making them attracted to
each other for the next hour. Both have fallen out of favor many centuries
ago, but it serves as a great warning example for students copying ancient
spells - their meaning may have changed from what is described.

Continuing on the historical path, in an old document from the early 13th
century recovered from a now-extinct Italian conflux the jinx has taken
shape of Invocare Pruditium. The texts describe it being used together with
a petrifying curse to produce a subtle but effective torture method.

The 17th century version of the itching jinx was described as Juckerio in
a drunken duel between Hans Beyersdorf and Liselle Schreiber, while In-
dian journals from the 19th century lament the lack of sportsmanship in
local schoolboys as they try to cast Khujali ( ) spells on the opposing
team’s players during cricket games.

These days the most common incantation in European confluxes is of course

Irritatum Itchio, causing mild but annoying itching sensations all over the tar-
get’s body lasting anywhere between 15 minutes to whole days, depending on
the caster’s power and the victim’s capability of ending the jinx themselves.

This incantation should not to be confused with Irritatum Scratchio, which

creates painful and stinging scratch-like wounds on the target’s body, and
which can lead to severe bleeding if the spell hits sensitive areas of the
body. It should be obvious to students that the use of the latter spell is
strictly forbidden.
55
 Wards, fluctuations and other disturbances

But even if you are a capable witchard possessing adequate willpower, a

sound mind and the correct spell words, you can still fail since the object
your spell can be warded intentionally or unintentionally by forces out of
your control.

Wards and other protections

Wards are the most common form of obstruction against spells. They are
often designed to protect against certain kinds of spells, but sloppy or
unfocused wards can cause them to disrupt other spells in their vicinity,
even if those spells are outside their purview. Magical institutions are often
warded against harmful magic, but some of their effects may be unknown
even to the residents. Even a faded ward may occasionally spring into life
unless it’s properly undone - advice that has been ignored by many unfor-
tunate Curse Breakers.

Many magical creatures possess natural protections against certain types

of magic, for example basilisks are known for their natural immunity to
all manner of petrifying curses. Witchards rarely have any natural pro-
tections, but instead can have family heirlooms, charms or other count-
er-measures that are specifically designed to thwart, deflect or dampen
spells targeting them. Also, be reminded that casting spells on the Czocha
spirits, golems or any other creatures serving the College is not allowed,
since your spells are unlikely to have any effect on them and you may acci-
dentally hit someone else instead.

Fluctuations of magical energy

Time and place of the casting can affect its potency due to the changes in
and the flavor of the ambient magical energy. Some confluxes (like the
Bermuda conflux) are known for the wild fluctuation in their ambient en-
ergy, while others are known for a particular element or affinity (e.g. Hekla

56
for fire and earth magic). In addition, all confluxes experience some sort
of unusual activity during solar eclipses. While you can consult books on
when to brew a potion or pick a certain herb, for spells cast in the moment
your best bet is to hone your magical senses to determine if the surround-
ing energy is suitable to what you are attempting5. The ambient energy has
no will of its own, so it cannot stop you, but it may dampen your spell’s
effects (and if your spell is already weak, nullify its effects completely).

Similar to wards, powerful spells may disrupt other spells in their vicin-
ity if the spellcaster is not preventing its energy from spilling outwards
(though this is an accepted measure if it would stop a greater tragedy).
Some longer-lasting (but non-permanent) charms can diminish or even
completely vanish when they are exposed to vast magical energy flows, so
do take note when attempting high-energy magics or entering a place with
high ambient energy. That quickness charm you just cast might evaporate
in an instant, if you are not otherwise protected.

Summary

I have no illusions that all of you will internalise this article or its learnings,
so most of you will go on failing until you learn through the inefficient
trial-and-error method (or you manage to blow yourselves up). However,
if there is one advice I could force into all of your little skulls, it is never to
attempt unfamiliar magic without someone else present. In the case that
you manage to utterly botch your spell, there will be at least someone who
can fetch more qualified help.

G
5 Apparently, some Technomancers have created “thaumic meters” that measure
and analyze the ambient magical energy. This is just another of example of technol-
ogy making people lazier and stupider. 57
 An Introduction
To Arithmancy
Underlying Theory And Philosophy
By Prof. M. A. Beyersdorf

58
I. Contents

“The most important basic rule of Pythagorean Arithmancy is the

assertion that everything that has happened and can happen is cal-
culable. All of Arithmantic magic within the Pythagorean Tradition
is expressed in a manipulation of these calculable aspects of reality,
which then influence and change all of the formulas and calculations
this aspect of reality is connected to. As a ripple moving through the
world, you change a number here and a number there, and it will rip-
ple differently. Instead of the wind ‘telling’ the leaves to move, it will
‘tell’ the leaves to become cherries, or to become weightless.”

(Ar.Th J. Blumenthal, Aritmancæ Calculæ: Volume IV1)

This essay contains basic information on the Pythagorean Tradition and

the fields of Arithmancy accepted as being part of this Pythagorean Tra-
dition, in accordance with the views of the Pythagorean Order which the
author is himself a peer of. It also contains a very brief overview of the his-
tory of the Pythagorean Order and how it functions. This text was written
with students at Czocha College in mind.

I - Contents - Wherein we are made aware of the contents of this essay.

II - Introduction - Wherein we are introduced to the wonders of Pythago-
rean Arithmancy.
III - Pythagorean Tradition - Wherein the concept of Arithmantic Tradi-
tions are examined.
IV - Paramount Rules - Wherein the two (2) Pythagorean Paramount
Rules are stated and explored.
V - Pythagorean Order - Wherein information regarding the Pythagorean
Order and its function is found.
VI - Pythagorean Fields - Wherein an encapsulation of the many Pythago-
rean fields is attempted.
VII - Pythagorean Degrees - Wherein the concept of Pythagorean Degrees
is detailed.
1 Page 6, line 8, modern English translation by Ar.His V. Pompey.
59
 II. Introduction

The whole of Arithmancy is the study of the magical properties of numbers

and the aspects of reality dealing with numbers in a concrete or abstract
fashion, as well as how numbers and calculations impact magic and spell-
weaving. Arithmancy, in essence, is not one (1) thing, but many things.
It is an aggregate of all number-based magic. This makes it an uniquely
flexible subject, and truly vast in scope. There are few aspects of magic that
are completely absent of numbers in some form.

Are you trying to develop a new spell? To have a chance at making it work,
you need to find an incantation whose numerological value will corre-
spond to the strength and potential of magical spell radius - so you need
Arithmancy.

Are you casting protective spells around your mansion? You should know
how to cast them in the correct order, to allow their mutual feedback to
maintain their activity for a longer time - so you will not have to renew
them every two (2) hours, but only once every ten (10) years. How can you
calculate it properly? That’s right, Arithmancy!

Do you want to cast the perfect defensive spell? Know how to fold the
magic in such a way that it curves in exactly the same angle as the numero-
logical value of your opponent’s wand-core; how would you calculate these
variables? Arithmancy!

How to know when ingredients are ripe for potion use? How to know when
they will bear seeds? How to choose the exact measurement of ingredients
for a potion to achieve the desired effect with the minimal amount of neg-
ative or unintended side effects? Arithmancy!

Some spells are intertwined with each other, strengthening or weakening

their magical potency. Others explode when their beams impact.

60
Others yield yet more exotic results. How can you know how two (2) dif-
ferent spells would behave in combination? You just have to be able to
calculate the numerical parameters of their incantations with the model
for the particular wood and wand-core - Arithmancy!

Arithmancy is obviously most basically associated with the magic of nu-

merical values, but it is also the study in magic that deals with music (the
magic of rhythm and melody), geometric shapes, and many much more
specific and varied aspects of reality.

Arithmancy also has many interdisciplinary links to other fields. Espe-

cially the field of Technomancy is strongly interlinked with Arithmancy.
Many Technomancers of note are also Arithmancers of note, or at the very
least they work closely with Arithmancers in many endeavors. Arithman-
cy informs other fields as well, especially in matters that require precision
or precise calculation of magical forces, but it touches no other field as
thoroughly as it touches on Technomancy.

Pic/The Famous Arithmancer Protegé M. Nissen. Picture From Before The Scandal
61
 III. Pythagorean Tradition

Since ‘Arithmancy’ is not one (1) thing, but simply an aggregate of all
number-based magic, it is important to be specific about what we mean
when we say ‘Arithmancy’. In modern Europe, we are usually referring
specifically to Pythagorean Arithmancy, which is to say Arithmancy with-
in the Pythagorean Tradition. Speak about ‘Arithmancy’ in any other part
of the world and you might be speaking about something else entirely.
An European Arithmancer would usually be schooled in the Pythagorean
Tradition, while a Chinese Arithmancer would usually be schooled in the
I Ching (or Yi Ying) Tradition, and many other Arithmancers from many
other parts of the world have many other Traditions.

Why is this important?

Because the different ‘methods’ of Arithmancy are not simply different

fields of one (1) big “Arithmancy” subject, they are fundamentally differ-
ent ways to approach number magic in general, fundamentally different
ways to interpret the connection between all things which abstraction
into numbers makes possible. They use fundamentally different concepts
and formulaic approaches to number magic, and you cannot put a Py-
thagorean equation into a Tamil Nadu or I Ching context and expect it to
work. This is not a question of geography or ethnicity-based magic; you
can easily practice the Pythagorean Tradition in China, and you can easily
practice it while not being of European descent, you just cannot use num-
bers derived from one (1) Arithmantic Tradition in equations within the
other Arithmantic Traditions. The Pythagorean Tradition is a product of a
very specific time and place, and a very specific organization, specifically
the Pythagorean Order2 which was established in 1777 in Greenwich, En-
gland. It is steeped in a sweeping modernism which took Europe by storm
at the time, and is without a question the result of the great mechanisation
and abstraction that took part in the modernist approach to the world.
It is important to understand that in the pre-modernist conception of the
world, time and place held very different meanings.
2 Of which the author is a peer in good standing.
62
Place was a thing you moved in, and time was what happened when you
moved within it. In the modernist framework time became disassociated
from space. You suddenly had what we now call ‘seconds’, ‘minutes’, and
‘hours’. In Europe, time was no longer a question of “when the sun sets” or
“when I am in the field”, but was rather an abstract phenomenon divorced
entirely from space. “When the sun sets” became 22:36, “when I am in the
field” became 13:08. Everything became countable, and everything could
be cut up into abstracts. This was an unprecedented change in our concep-
tion of the world unrivaled by anything that came before. The Pythagorean
Order, then, was inspired by Pythagoras (or their conception of Pythago-
ras’ philosophy, at least3) in his insistence that everything was ‘made’ out
of numbers, that everything could be calculated and understood through
numbers, that everything was reducible to numbers. It was a sort of revival
of Pythagoras’ ideas from a magical, eurocentric perspective, as informed by
a modernist approach to the world. If you break every action or thing down
to their core components, the Pythagoreans insisted, you can calculate it,
and understand it on a fundamental level. In this manner, the Pythagore-
an Tradition is an ideological approach to number magic as well. Just as I
am sure certain scholars would tell you that certain base concepts of Inuit
spirituality simply must be accepted before some Inuit methods are useful,
you must accept the Pythagorean concept that everything, at its base, can be
calculated. You must think in the system and move within the system before
the system will adequately respond to your actions.

Can everything be reduced to numbers?

On some level, you must believe this to be the case before Pythagorean
Arithmancy can work as intended. It is the initial ‘buy-in’ of the entire
method so to speak. It is more basic than even the two (2) Paramount
Rules laid down at the founding of the Pythagorean Order, considered so
self-evident in that magicademical climate that it hardly even required
statement. In the rest of this essay, we will be exploring the Pythagorean
Tradition, and what sort of thoughts make it possible.

3 In fact, there is a very real argument to be made that the Pythagorean Order
owes much more to the brilliant mundane Persian mathematician Muḥammad
ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī who codified what we know as algorithm and algebra 63
today. For an overview of this argument, see the work Pythagorean Tradition or
al-Khwarizian Tradition? by Ar.His V. Galwine.
 IV. Paramount Rules

There are two (2) Paramount Rules of Arithmancy observed within the
Pythagorean Tradition. They have been a feature of the Pythagorean Tra-
dition since their inclusion in the original document of founding of the
Pythagorean Order, though they have been updated somewhat through
the ages. This is the newest iteration as of the 1st of January 2012.

The first (1st) Paramount Rule of Pythagorean Arithmancy states: Every-

thing that exists in our world is connected by numbers, and can be calculated
if you have sufficient data. For this reason, always seek to know as much as
you possibly can about a situation before engaging.

Sadly, in many fields of employment making use of Arithmancy we rarely

have the luxury of ample time, so it falls to the second (2nd) Paramount
Rule of Pythagorean Arithmancy, ever pragmatic, to clarify: Something as
simple as the rote memorisation of formulas can save lives. When in the
field, easy to use and elegant beats complex and magnificent every time. You
can not ever know everything.

Some have made the argument that the first (1st) Paramount Rule con-
cerns the more theoretical aspects of the field, while the second (2nd) is
chiefly concerned with application.

4 But not universally.

5 It is currently unclear whether Pythagoras was, as has long been theorised,
the first (1st) European Arithmancer. See the works An Inquiry into the Pythago-
rean Controversy: Was Pythagoras the first European Arithmancer? (1999) by Wiz. A.
Horace and Ar.Th B, Horace and Numerological Origins and the Pythagoras Myth: A
Retrospective on Arithmantic Historiography (2007) by Prof. K. Franz-Kössler shed-
ding light on current findings and their implications for the popular understand-
ing of the origins of Pythagorean Numerology. Some go as far as to make the ar-
gument that Pythagoras was never even one to begin with and that the self-termed
Students of Pythagoras were not being literal. See the magnificent tome Pythagoras
Reconsidered (2009) by Prof. K. Franz-Kössler for a beautiful overview of the argu-
ments and the reasoning behind the latter claim.

64
V. Pythagorean Order

European Arithmancers generally4 follow the conventions of the so-called

Pythagorean Code, a specific method of organization which is said to have
originated among some of the very earliest European Arithmancers, who
called themselves the ‘Students of Pythagoras’5. The Pythagorean Tradi-
tion is the pre-eminent European tradition of Arithmancy. The figure of
Pythagoras is an important mythical figurehead in the self-conception of
the Students of Pythagoras and is perhaps even more important to those
who followed in their wake.

While the Students of Pythagoras are long gone, their ideas survive more
or less intact in the organisation known as the Pythagorean Order, which
was established the 1st of July in 1777 in order to uphold the Pythagorean
Code and to further the Pythagorean Tradition so that magicademical ex-
cellence in the field of Arithmancy might persist. The Pythagorean Order
is not a governing body, but rather a sort of magicademical inter-conflux
association which advises some local conflux governments in Arithmantic
matters but otherwise but otherwise stays neutral in political confronta-
tions. Its main directive is the furthering of the Pythagorean Tradition and
magicademical influence, and it ideally leverages its considerable prestige
and influence toward this singular goal.

Magical History in Europe, like Mundane History in Europe, has had cer-
tain periods of deeply eurocentric historiography, and the idea that Py-
thagoras was ‘the first (1st) Arithmancer’ was a popular one in Europe for
the better part of the last six (6) centuries6.

6 Setting aside the debate on whether or not Pythagoras does or does not deserve
the position so often afforded to him by European Arithmancers of old, this is bla-
tantly not the case, as examples of Arithmancy have been established to have taken
place in, at the very least, Old Kingdom Egypt (and probably other eras of early
Egyptian history), the city of Uruk, and debatably the Indus Valley civilization.
Other than this, Cyrus the Great is known to have sponsored Court Arithmancers
in the Achaemenid Empire, which makes the figure of Pythagoras as a founder of
the entirety of Arithmancy somewhat questionable.

65
 As such, the ideas of the Pythagorean Tradition carried (and still carries)
tremendous weight in conservative bastions of European Arithmantic
study. This is why a Pythagorean Degree often means very much, should
one wish to be taken seriously, and why the majority of Professors of
Arithmancy at European institutions of magical learning hold at least an
Ar.Th or Ar.Pr degree. No serious Arithmancer would claim that Pythag-
oras was really ‘the first (1st)’ Arithmancer anymore, but many would still
ascribe the creation of European Arithmancy to him. As such, Pythagoras
remains a potent symbol of European Arithmancy.

gf
VI. Pythagorean Fields

It is often7 joked that there are about as many different specialisations in

Pythagorean Arithmancy as there are Pythagorean Arithmancers8. While
this claim should obviously be taken with a grain of salt, it does nonethe-
less speak volumes about the truly astounding propensity of Pythagorean
Arithmancers to divide themselves into yet more and more specific sub-
divisions and subcategories of the field. This might be a function of the
origins of Pythagorean Arithmancy in European modernism, or it might
simply reflect a truly astounding depth to the craft.

European Arithmancers who work in the Pythagorean Tradition9 have

long attempted a thorough categorization of all the myriad fields of Arith-
mancy in Europe, that they may establish a complete overview of the sci-
ence. While a complete overview of the myriad accepted and ‘orthodox’
fields of Pythagorean Arithmancy is beyond the scope of this essay10, it is
nonetheless useful for even dabbling Arithmancers to have some knowl-
edge in the structure of the fields, if only for theoretical clarity.

66
7 Among friends and acquaintances of the author.
8 A rough estimate being around one thousand two hundred (1200) living profes-
sional Arithmancers with a proper degree in Arithmancy (not taking into account
that not all fields have corresponding degrees, of course, as I am sure many angry
Podomancers will be quick to tell you). Making the claim obviously problematic
from a fact-based perspective. Even counting the most obscure fields of Arithman-
cy, we hardly reach the one hundred (100) mark. The most exhaustive work on
codifying Arithmantic fields (being Arithmantic Fields volumes I (1) to III (3) by
Ar.Th H. Lunding) lists seventy seven (77) fields.
9 At the very least by far the majority of us. Nine (9) interesting (if not exactly un-
problematic) arguments against this mode of organising ourselves (and arguments
against all of the Pythagorean Tradition, really) can be found in the 1890 landmark
heterodox text Novem Contra penned by the controversial Wit. F. Baratz when she
refused to bear the Pythagorean Degree of Ar.Kb in recognition of her prowess
in the field of Kabbalah. The so-called ‘nine (9) arguments’ put forth by Wit.. F.
Baratz still resonate with a dedicated contingent of Arithmancers to this day, but
they have never found mainstream acceptance in the broader field. The Treatise of
D. Cohen tends to be more popular among the heterodox scholars, which is strange
as Novem Contra is both older, from a more respected scholar, and can actually be
read to this day.
10 A notable example of this complexity is that all accepted fields of Divination
are included within Arithmancy, since Divination in essence boils down to analyz-
ing and codifying the sympathetic number-strings between two disparate events.
Whether it be through the subtle changes in the flows of a river or stream such as
is the case in Hydromancy, or the movement of celestial bodies in the sky such as
is the case in Astrology. The relationships between the many complexities of our
world is written in the rivers, the stars, and the bones of the earth, to paraphrase
one of my esteemed colleagues who once wrote of True Divination.

67
 It is generally acknowledged that there are two (2) main branches of Arith-
mantic study in Europe, those being Applied Arithmancy and Theoretical
Arithmancy. Their main difference in function being that while Applied
Arithmancy concerns itself mainly with the practical application of num-
ber magic, Theoretical Arithmancy is concerned only with the theory of
these same subjects. In some cases a third (3rd) main branch is included,
Meta-Arithmancy, which deals with subjects that are important to under-
stand in order to grasp the why and how of Arithmancy, but nonethe-
less has very little to do with number magic proper, such as Philosophy
of Arithmancy and History of Arithmancy. Fields categorised as Me-
ta-Arithmancy are not considered ‘real Arithmancy’ by certain conserva-
tive Arithmantic faculties.

The peers of the Pythagorean Order generally do not accept ‘non-euro-

pean’ fields such as Feng Shui into the Pythagorean Tradition, as many of
these fields are well-represented by other traditions of Arithmancy. None-
theless, a huge part of the Pythagorean Tradition overlaps with the Mid-
dle-Eastern Simeonic Tradition11, owing largely to the intense interest for
Middle-Eastern mysticism among both the Mundane and Magical society
of the eighteen hundreds (1800) and the presence of a significant Ashke-
nazi minority in Magical society during the timespan.

During the early years of the Pythagorean Order, these aspects borrowed
from the Simeonic Tradition were often warped and as a result thought
of as lesser and more ‘petty’ Arithmancy. In more modern times the Py-
thagorean Order has been instructed in their true use by scholars of the
Simeonic Tradition and as such, they now work better than the warped
versions of the past.

y
11 The Simeonic Tradition is, in essence, the Tradition associated most famously
68 with classical Kabbalah and the magic of the Jewish diaspora.
VII. Pythagorean Degrees

The peers of the Pythagorean Order award certain degrees to those who
uphold the magicademical excellence of the Pythagorean Tradition and
contribute new knowledge for the collective betterment of Arithmantic
understanding. It is a great honour to be awarded such a Pythagorean De-
gree, and it marks you as one of the foremost minds in Arithmantic stud-
ies, and as a peer of the Pythagorean Order.

The potential awarding of a Pythagorean Degree is cause for a minor gath-

ering of peers. All current holders of the same degree are asked to either
preside at this minor gathering or find someone to take their stead. If there
are any objections or controversies of note regarding the awarding of the
degree in question, the matter is put to a direct vote. At the very least nine
(9) peers must preside over the ceremony proper, and this is always done
at the home of the recipient, traditionally at their doorstep.
69
 The following disciplines currently have associated Pythagorean Degrees:

Practical Arithmancy (Ar.Pr) Theoretical Arithmancy (Ar.Th)

Philosophy of Arithmancy (Ar.Phil) [Disputed] History of Arithmancy (Ar.His) [Disputed]
General Numerology (Ar.Nm) Pythagorean Numerology (Ar.PN)
Practical Mathemagica (Ar.Pr.Ma) Mathemagical Theory (Ar.Th.Ma)
Practical Praestantia (Ar.Pr.Prs) Theoretical Praestantia (Ar.Th.Prs)
Practical Vulgar Aristotelian Magic (Ar.Pr.VAM)
Vulgar Geomancy Focus (Ar.Pr.VAMg)
Vulgar Hydromancy Focus (Ar.Pr.VAMh)
Vulgar Pyromancy Focus (Ar.Pr.VAMp)
Vulgar Aeromancy Focus (Ar.Pr.VAMa)
Theoretical Vulgar Aristotelian Magic (Ar.Th.VAM)
Practical Divination (Ar.Pr.Dv) Divinatory Theory (Ar.Th.Dv)
Practical Theriomancy (Ar.Pr.Thm) Theoretical Theriomancy (Ar.Th.Thm)
Practical Somatomancy (Ar.Pr.Sm) Theoretical Somatomancy (Ar.Th.Sm)
Practical Geomancy (Ar.Pr.Gm) Theoretical Geomancy (Ar.Th.Gm)
Practical Hydromancy (Ar.Pr.Hm) Theoretical Hydromancy (Ar.Th.Hm)
Practical Pyromancy (Ar.Pr.Pm) Theoretical Pyromancy (Ar.Th.Pm)
Practical Aeromancy (Ar.Pr.Am) Theoretical Aeromancy (Ar.Th.Am)
Music-Based Magic (Ar.MBm) Time-Based Magic (Ar.TBm)
Space-Based Magic (Ar.SBm) Kabbalah (Ar.Kb)
Isopsephy (Ar.Isp) Notarikon (Ar.Nn)
Revealed Gematria (Ar.RG) Mystical Gematria (Ar.MG) [Disputed]
Temurah (Ar.Tem)

Once one is awarded a Pythagorean Degree, one is made a peer of the

Pythagorean Order. Within the Pythagorean Order certain disputes, some
age-old, still persist. As is noted by the list of Pythagorean Degrees provid-
ed, the fields of the Philosophy of Arithmancy, the History of Arithman-
cy, and Mystical Gematria are hotly disputed by a number of influential
groups within the Pythagorean Order. As such, it is not at all institutes
of learning or other magicademical institutions that the degrees Ar.Phil,
Ar.His or Ar.MG are considered ‘true’ degrees.

Some areas might accept one but not the other, though most who do not
accept Ar.Phil likewise do not accept Ar.His and vice-versa. Note that the
theoretical fields12 were only given degrees of their own at the gathering
of 1888, a full one hundred and eleven (111) years following the estab-
lishment of the Pythagorean Order13. Ar.Phil and Ar.His are the newest
degrees accepted by a majority of the Pythagorean Order14.

70
Many practitioners of yet more exotic and obscure branches of Arith-
mancy are calling for an acceptance of their own practices as being de-
gree-worthy within the Pythagorean Tradition.

Generally, the process is what could generously be described as ‘very slow’,

and full acceptance can be slower yet15. Practitioners of the many varied
sub-disciplines of Theriomancy and Somatomancy are especially keen to
draw attention to the fact that something as controversial as the History of
Arithmancy was made an official degree before old fields such as Augury,
Podomancy, and Rumpology were given the time of day, citing it as a clear
example of imagined or real problems with the structure of the Pythago-
rean Order.

A Pythagorean Degree is not a minor thing. It is not a trifling matter. Deep

understanding and broad knowledge is required of the potential recipient,
and many otherwise very promising students on the path of number-mag-
ic have fallen short, never to hold one for themselves. If you would wish to
acquire such a magnificent statement of wisdom yourself, now is the time
to begin your studies in earnest.
12 Such as Ar.Th.Hm or Ar.Th.Kb.
13 They have also only reached mainstream acceptance comparatively recent-
ly. It was as late as 1966 that Ar.Pr.Kb D. Cohen published a treatise calling for
a re-merging of Ar.Pr.Kb and Ar.Th.Kb as well as all other practical/theoretical
splits established at the gathering of 1888. The original treatise has sadly been lost
to the ages, but responses are still in circulation, some of them reconstructing the
original treatise from other responses. This has given the fabled Treatise of D. Cohen
an almost mythical component among those opposed to the gathering, and many
will refer to its illuminating text having never actually read it, trusting that a text
creating so much controversy must have had certain valid points.
14 Before this the newest fields to be accepted were Ar.TBm and Ar.MBm. They
were fully integrated and accepted much closer to their day of inclusion into the
Pythagorean Tradition than most new fields.
15 Though the field of Notarikon was introduced as Ar.Nn as early as 1799 it did
not gain widespread acceptance until at least 1874 (with the landmark work of No-
tarikon scholarship known as Notarikon and Kabbalah by Wiz. K. Weiss, later known
more famously as Ar.Nn K. Weiss-Kellmann).

71
 Pythagorean
Numerology And
Petty Divination
Fundamentals Of Pythagorean Arithmancy
By Ar. PN J. Weisfeldt

72
Pythagorean Numerology

The most basic and most important component of Arithmancy in the Py-
thagorean Tradition is the field known as Pythagorean Numerology. This
is because Pythagorean Numerology is a method of reducing everything
with a name into base numbers, a so-called ‘numerological base value’ or
‘nbv’ for short.

Here is an example of how you would write a numerological base value in

long form:

IRON (nbv 2+6+5)

DUO+SEX+QUINQUE

(The calculations leading to this conclusion will naturally be explained lat-

er in the text).

In its shorter and more practical form (such as when you are using it as
part of a text) you would write:

“... the magical properties of iron(nbv265) do not respond well to cop-

per (nbv128)”

73
 This text is about how to use Pythagorean Numerology to take a thing and
reduce it into its numerological base value. There are some basic concepts
within Pythagorean Numerology that must be understood before one can
make use of it in this way. Chief among them is the Pythagorean number-
ing system.

1 = I = UNUS (.)
2 = II = DUO (..)
3 = III = TRIA (...)
4 = IV = QUATTUOR (....)
5 = V = QUINQUE (.....)
6 = VI = SEX (..... .)
7 = VII = SEPTEM (..... ..)
8 = VIII = OCTO (..... ...)
9 = IX = NOVEM (..... ....)

Some things of significance should be noted about the system.

• There are only nine (9) Pythagorean Numbers. No mundane number

over nine (9) has a Pythagorean counterpart, and there is no Pythago-
rean counterpart for zero (0).
• When we speak about Pythagorean Numbers and mundane numbers
in the same conversation or in magicademical contexts, we should
take care to make use of their correct names to separate them from
each other. As such, a mundane five (5) is called simply five (5), while
a Pythagorean five (5) is always called a QUINQUE (V).

When we present the Pythagorean Numbers we use numbercards. These

help us display the Pythagorean Numbers in an easily legible and sys-
temized way, divorced from any context wherein they could interact and
potentially create chaos. Errant placement of the Pythagorean Numbers
could easily spell disaster1.
1 An example of this is the tragic incident of 1993, where a Junior student doo-
dling in class unfortunately made use of some of the Pythagorean Numbers the
Arithmancy Professor of the time was teaching, and managed to connect them in
a manner that called forth quite a bit of powerful magic well beyond the level of
74 mere Juniors. Two students were killed and four were injured.
Table 1; A Numbercard used in Pythagorean Numerology. In this
example symbolizing the Pythagorean Number SEPTEM (VII).

75
 With all that out of the way, how do we concretely use Pythagorean Nu-
merology? It is simple, really. It all comes down to names, letters, and the
conversion of those letters into numbers, which are then summed togeth-
er over and over again until you reach a Pythagorean Number.

There are three components of a numerological base value.

• The CHARACTER NUMBER

• The HEART NUMBER
• The SOCIAL NUMBER

When you have all three, you have a numerological base value.

As a simple starting example, let us say you want to convert ‘iron’ into its
numerological base value. How would we go about that? For this, we make
use of our Pythagorean Numerology Chart, which is easily created by pair-
ing A with UNUS (I), B with DUO (II), and so on and so forth until you
reach I and NOVEM (IX) whereupon you start over with J and UNUS (I).
Here is one example.

The painting you saw in the Teacher’s Lounge? The woman? That’s an
interesting story, actually. That’s my mother, Claudia. She was a wonderful
woman. Very stern. Very strict. Very cold. She didn’t like us children at all. Her work was
her life, and once we had come out of the womb, we were on our own, with only our
servant staff of 30 to help us as we grew up and took measure of the world. I suppose
some of my sisters and brothers resented her for that. I never did. If you want to dedicate
yourself to magic, you have to make sacrifices. Any fool can learn a few spells and work
in an office, but if you really want to go down in history as a great wizard like me, you
will have to learn priorities. Mama died in an unfortunate potions accident. She always
felt that caution was for the weak. Such an inspiration...

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)

76
 Table 2; The Pythagorean Numerology Chart, said among conserva-
tive Pythagoreans to have been first used by Pythagoras himself. As
evidenced by many scholars, this is most probably a fabrication.

IRON

First you find I, which equals a NOVEM (IX).

Then you find R, which also equals a NOVEM (IX).
Then you find O, which equals a SEX (VI).
And lastly you find N, which equals a QUINQUE (V).

Put them together and you have:

IRON
9965

Then, you sum all the numbers, and you will end up at twenty-nine (29).

9+9+6+5=29
77
 At this point, of course, you will realize that twenty-nine (29) does not
have a corresponding Pythagorean Number. What then, are you to do? It is
quite simple: You break the number up and sum the resulting numbers. In
this case you end up with eleven (11), which does not have a correspond-
ing Pythagorean Number either, so you do the same thing again, until you
land on a number between one (1) and nine (9).

2+9=11
1+1=2

You should arrive at a two (2), which makes the CHARACTER NUMBER
of IRON a DUO (II).

For the HEART NUMBER and SOCIAL NUMBER, the process is likewise
straightforward. The HEART NUMBER uses only all the vowels in the
name of the object or person in question, while the SOCIAL NUMBER
uses only all the consonants in the name of the object or person in ques-
tion. When we do all of those calculations, we end up with the numerolog-
ical base value of iron.

IRON (nbv 2+6+5)

DUO+SEX+QUINQUE

This is a relatively simple and straightforward process. At first, it might

seem much more daunting than it really is, but that is an illusion which
will quickly pass. It is so easy in fact, that we will not be dealing very much
with it in class. Most of the calculations will already have been done for
you, and instead we will be discussing how to USE those numbers. This is
the subject of our next chapter, Petty Divination.

78
Petty Divination

True Divination is many things. It is the Aristotelian fields of Hydroman-

cy, Geomancy, Aeromancy, and Pyromancy. It is the Somatomantic fields
of Chiromancy and Cephalomancy. It is the Theriomantic fields of Augury
and Myrmomancy. It is Astrology. It is ancient and it is new, it is intricate
and it is precise. It is the purview of only the most well-trained and highly
respected Arithmancers.

It is time consuming, and it requires a lot of data.

Petty Divination is none of these things. It is incredibly imprecise and gen-

eralized. It is powered exclusively by numerological base values derived
from lowly Pythagorean Numerology. It has no real subfields and no Py-
thagorean Degrees associated with it2. It is the simplest and least advisable
way to divine sympathetic bonds between different situations, persons,
and objects.

It is quick, and requires almost no data at all.

It is also a great way to teach Juniors some basics of applied practical

Arithmancy, without delving into the dangers of true Divination or Math-
emagica. It takes the numerological base values that are left in the wake
of Pythagorean Numerology and applies them in a very real and concrete
way. It even works most of the time.

But how exactly does Petty Divination work?

That is quite a simple question to answer, in fact. Petty Divination works

basically by calculating and then interpreting the sympathetic num-
ber-strings between different objects, people, and places. As has been not-
ed in the chapter on Pythagorean Numerology, every single thing that ex-
ists has many number-strings of Pythagorean Numbers attached to them.
2 An attempt at introducing one in 1920 marked the one time the Council of the Py-
thagorean Order ended up in a one (1) versus ninety eight (98) vote. The matter was
dropped and Ar.Th K. Scabian who introduced the proposal and was the only yea-
vote resigned from the Council only twelve days later, never to return to active duty.
79
 These number-strings are almost innumerable in their full complexity (if
you take every aspect of that thing into account), so a skilled Arithmancer
will have to know what should be left out of the equation as well. Gener-
ally, the more data you include in your divination, the more precise and
stronger it gets. The more sympathetic number-strings it can latch onto,
the more sympathetic number-strings it, in turn, WILL latch onto, thus
providing you with a clearer picture.

This is basically the same way that all higher forms of Divination work, as
well. The difference is that Petty Divination is incredibly stripped down,
working only with the simplest surface-numbers of all things included in
the Divination. This is not always a bad thing, as it takes many hours, days,
or even weeks to calculate a true Divination, since you need to include
many more details and number-strings. A true Divination within the field
of Podomancy, for example, would have to take into account the name
of the target of the Divination, the exact measurements of their feet, the
place-names and associated measurements of everything their feets have
touched within quite a timespan, the names and associated measurements
of close relatives and so on and so forth. Petty Divination does not have
that problem, it can be performed on the fly, and rarely takes more than
five minutes at the very most. This is why it is so imprecise, and why it
should not be relied on exclusively.
80
So how do you perform Petty Divination?

There are some basic properties of Petty Divination you will have to know
of, such as the difference between CHARACTER NUMBERS, HEART
NUMBERS, and SOCIAL NUMBERS. You will also have to know some
basic properties of Pythagorean Numbers which apply exclusively in the
context of Petty Divination and do not otherwise apply in more complex
Divination.

In the context of Petty Divination, aspects of numerological base values

have these characteristics.

• A CHARACTER NUMBER symbolizes the object as a whole. The

general ideal personality-type of a person or the general ideal expres-
sion of a thing or place. It also concerns platonic relations between
individual persons.
• A HEART NUMBER symbolizes the inner qualities of an object. The
hidden aspects of a person’s ideal personality-type or the subtle mag-
ical characteristics of a thing or place. It also concerns romantic rela-
tions between individual persons.
• A SOCIAL NUMBER symbolizes the outer qualities of an object. The
overt aspects of a person’s ideal personality-type or the vulgar magical
characteristics of a thing or place. It also concerns sexual relations be-
tween individual persons.

In Petty Divination exclusively, Pythagorean Numbers take on certain as-

sociated personality traits. That is to say, in relation to persons holding
these numerological base values, the Pythagorean Numbers display a sort
of ideal personality-type, which they should strive to further embody as to
make the whole of the Great Equation of Everything run more smoothly
and boost the productivity of their lives.

r
81
 This means that the personality traits associated with Pythagorean Num-
bers in Petty Divination does not tell us anything about how a person actu-
ally IS, but rather, how they ideally should BE, in order to make the Great
Equation of Everything run as smoothly as possible through their lives.
Seeking to live in accordance with these personality traits, with your own
spin on it, should generally prove fruitful.

In the context of Petty Divination, Pythagorean Numbers have the follow-

ing associated personality traits.

I - UNUS - Strong-Willed, Leader, Determined, Focused, Independent

II - DUO - Communicative, Cooperative, Balanced, Harmonious, Fair
III - TRIA - Talented, Skilled, Artistic, Good Humoured, Social
IV - QUATTUOR - Stable, Firm, Practical, Organized, Reliable
V - QUINQUE - Adventurous, Energetic, Changing, Improvisational,
Witty
VI - SEX - Loyal, Family Person, Loving, Communal, Selfless
VII - SEPTEM - Perceptive, Understanding, Bright, Intelligent, Curious
VIII - OCTO - Ambitious, Committed, Hardworking, Potent, Strong
IX - NOVEM - Inspirational, Complete, Whole, Flawless, Perfect

As for the actual process, it is quite simple. First you must pick out a target
of the Divination. For this example we are going to use the name ‘Horace
Gwynfield’. Then, you must know the numerological base value of the tar-
get of your Divination, which you can derive from their name by using Py-
thagorean Numerology. An important aspect of Petty Divination is that in
personal matters you use only the given name of a subject, while in more
formal matters you use the full name. How should Horace Gwynfield con-
duct himself in personal matters?

HORACE (nbv 5+3+2)

QUINQUE+TRIA+DUO

82
This indicates that in personal, private matters, Horace is served best by
generally embodying an adventurous, energetic, changing, improvisa-
tional, and witty personality, which are all aspects of QUINQUE (V), his
CHARACTER NUMBER. Likewise, in the more subtle aspects of his per-
sonality he would do well to follow TRIA (III), while the more overt as-
pects are better served by DUO (II).

Now for the formal reading.

HORACE GWYNFIELD (nbv 2+8+3)

DUO+OCTO+TRIA

This would indicate that in more formal and

official matters, Horace is served better by
embodying an communicative, cooperative,
balanced, harmonious, and fair overall personality-type, since these are
all aspects of DUO (II). Likewise, when it comes to his more introverted
personality traits and his more extroverted personality traits, he would be
better served by OCTO (VIII) and TRIA (III), respectively.

But this is far from the only way to use Petty Divination. Let us say that
we are calculating a personal Divination; where are Horace Gwynfields
books, which he has misplaced? Now we are not dealing simply with a
person, but a person in relation to a thing. We will have to make use of two
numerological base values instead.

Horace(nbv532)
My books(nbv137)

It is important to note that you use names from the perspective of the subject.
So if Horace thinks of the books as ‘my books’ you would calculate based on
that. As opposed to if Horace would have borrowed the books, and thinks of
them as ‘Maxwell’s books’ whereupon you would calculate based on that. Let
us make the assumption that Horace thinks of these books as his.

83
 Have you made note of something? Horace and ‘my books’ share a HEART
NUMBER, which is a good place to start. If Horace were to stop here, he
would know that he should look for his books in a place that is associated
with his inner life, and the introverted aspects of his personality.

Note also that the differences between the numerological base values of
HORACE and MY BOOKS is four (4), zero (0), and five (5). You can reach
all sorts of conclusion by that alone, but it is not the target of the Petty
Divination. Rather, we want to help Horace find his books. Where can he
look? Here comes the real finesse involved with Petty Divination, finding
patterns. We want as many differences to equal zero (0) as possible. Let us
say there are four places he can look, the BALLROOM, the LIBRARY, his
[MY] ROOM, and the COURTYARD.

Ballroom(nbv743)
Library(nbv413)
My room(nbv936)
Courtyard(nbv817)

Here, already, we can note that the library has a CHARACTER NUMBER
of QUATTUOR (IV), which is the difference between HORACE and MY
BOOKS. This would indicate that the books are located somewhere that is
associated with the library, and perhaps the library itself3. Note also that add-
ing in the CHARACTER NUMBER of MY ROOM would equal QUATTU-
OR (IV) yet again (since all Pythagorean Numbers equal themselves when
paired with NOVEM (IX)), which could also indicate that Horace should
search both his own room and the library, or that some of the books are
located in one area while other books are located in the other.

And what of interpersonal matters; is Petty Divination able to bridge that

gap? Indeed, that is the case. In fact, some would say that this is the one
area where Petty Divination might actually shine, and reach something
akin to usefulness even when other methods of Divination are open to
you (if only due to the minimal amount of set-up required and the speedy
execution of the Divination).
84 3 Naturally, since Petty Divination is so imprecise, it could also simply relate to
the fact that Horace Gwynfield generally associates books, even his own books,
with a library. Such is the nature of Petty Divination.
Let us say that we wish to calculate how a personal relation between
Horace Gwynfield and a boy he fancies should ideally develop. We will call
this boy simply ‘Martin’, since we are trying to calculate the ideal form of
their interpersonal informal relationship and thus will only require given
names rather than family names.

Horace(nbv532)
Martin(nbv312)

Differences between their informal numbers,

then, are two (2), two (2), and zero (0). This is
a remarkably interesting situation, and Horace
is quite lucky in this, since the SOCIAL NUM-
BERS of both himself and Martin align perfectly
(the difference is zero (0)) they are very com-
patible sexually and should do whatever comes
naturally when it concerns intercourse instead
of overthinking it. The differences between their
CHARACTER NUMBERS (which govern pla-
tonic relationships) and HEART NUMBERS
(which govern romantic relationships) are less
perfectly aligned however, and the Pythagorean
Number of DUO (II) separates them. This in-
dicates that they should either seek to practice
greater degrees of communication, cooperation,
balance, harmony, and fairness in their dealings
with each other, or that they should actively seek
to retreat to a location which balances out the
DUO (II) of their CHARACTER NUMBERS
and HEART NUMBERS when they wish to dis-
cuss matters pertaining to their platonic or ro-
mantic relationship with each other.4

4 I would personally advise a museum(nbv229) as it perfectly fulfills the criteria

for bridging both gaps with its double DUO (II) for CHARACTER NUMBER and
HEART NUMBER while leaving a NOVEM (IX) in place of the SOCIAL NUM-
BER, leading both to accord in the platonic and romantic realm and fulfillment in 85
the sexual one.
 There is one exception to wanting everything to add up to a zero (0) and
that is the difference of nine (9). A NOVEM (IX) in difference is a truly
magnificent thing. It beckons fulfillment in any of the fields, be they pla-
tonic, romantic, or sexual.

This is all, of course, mere Petty Divination, and should not be confused
with True Divination. If you are unsure whether something is True Div-
ination or Petty Divination, a good rule of thumb is that the more some-
thing relies on subjective interpretation, the more likely it is to be Petty
Divination. The signs used for True Divination are written in the stars,
in the flow of great lakes, and the very bones of the earth. The signs used
for Petty Divination are written in our minds, and they function only as
pointers.

86
87
 Basic Praestantia
In Spellcasting
Amplification By The Way Of Calculation
By Ar. Th. Prs. N. Mladenovic

88
Introduction

There are many kinds of number magic whose uses seem sometimes hard
to grasp or difficult to apply. Not so with Praestantia. Characterising the
goal of Praestantia is a very simple and easy thing to do. The goal of Prae-
stantia is to excel, and eventually to perfect. You will seek to make your
spells perfect, to reach the Perfect Form at which point nothing you do can
improve them further. And you will fail.

Before you can be taught Praestantia you must know this:

You will fail.

You will never make the perfect spell, or master the Perfect Form. It is a
goal, but not one that you are supposed to reach, and not one which you
will ever accomplish. As you strive towards perfection you will go from
‘Worse’ to ‘Better’ and to ‘Better Yet’, and perhaps even to something that
flirts with the concept of perfection. But you will never cast the perfect
spell, or brew the perfect potion, or create the perfect artifact.

This is not a cause for despair; this is a cause for joy! Never will you lack
anything to seek. Never will the phase of striving pass and the long, silent
nothingness of fulfillment cast a shadow over your once busy life. You will
always have a stone to roll up a mountain, and as Camus once wrote in The
Myth of Sisyphus: We must imagine Sisyphus happy.

The Perfect Form

We will be dealing with applied Praestantia in spellcasting in this text, and

therefore we will deal with the concept of The Perfect Form. The Perfect
Form is a theory, and it is also a sort of mythical holy grail to chase. The
theory is quite simple, and it is elegant in its simplicity.

89
 It is evident that spells require certain more or less precise movements
and more or less precise intonations in your voice and more or less precise
states of mind to cast. It is also evident that a sloppy movement of your
wrist during a spell will produce a much less efficient effect than a firm and
controlled grip, and that an unsure and shaky voice during the incantation
will produce a much less efficient effect than a firm and controlled tone.

The Perfect Form is the theorized stage at which you have cast a spell you
could in no way have done better. If you could have made it even a few
percentages more powerful by stopping one millimeter before you did,
you did not reach the Perfect Form. The Perfect Form is when you could
have done nothing whatsoever to make the spell you cast better than you
made it. No minor change in tone of voice, no minor change in the way
you moved your fingers, could have made the spell better.

Power

Subtilia Axis
Subtle Vulgar
Potentia Axis

Precision

90
Subtilia and Potentia; Inexpugnabilia

The Perfect Form is not one thing for every spell, however, and this is im-
portant to remember. Casting the most perfectly precise fireball available
to you requires very different movements and intonations than casting the
most perfectly powerful fireball available to you. Likewise, casting subtle
or vulgar spells require different degrees of movement and intonation en-
tirely.

Precision and Power, Subtle and Vulgar are in an eternal tug-of-war be-
tween each other. If you want a more powerful spell, you in turn must sac-
rifice precision and vice versa. The same holds true for subtle and vulgar
spells, though the latter is a more aesthetic than practical matter. As such,
these four concepts form two axes, and the Perfect Form depends upon
your specific situation. Do you need a powerful spell? How much preci-
sion are you willing to sacrifice to achieve it?

These two axes are known as Subtilia along Subtle/Vulgar and Potentia
along Power/Precision. A model can be seen on the previous page.

Subtilia and Potentia qualify as sub-fields within the field of Praestantia at

most institutes of higher learning, but they do not have associated Pythag-
orean Degrees, nor has there ever been an attempt of note at introducing
Pythagorean Degrees of Subtilia or Potentia.

A third important term which also qualifies as a sub-field within Praestan-

tia is known as Inexpugnabilia, and deals with the persistence of magical
effects. With proper understanding of Inexpugnabilia, spells can last for
generations or stand against even the strongest disjunction or dispel at-
tempts. Inexpugnabilia is not an axis, as it is not opposed by anything save
brief and brittle spells.

91
 Applied Praestantia

That is all well and good, but how do you use Praestantia?

Certain actions are known to ‘pull’ the spell in certain directions on the
axes chart of Subtilia and Potentia, just as certain actions can increase the
presence of Inexpugnabilia in spells. Here is a general introduction and
primer to some of the simplest universal concepts. There are other con-
cepts which will only become important in classes on Advanced Praestan-
tia, such as finger and head movement. Inexpugnabilia is a more complex
vector than Subtilia or Potentia, so Basic Praestantia will not be concern-
ing itself with the maximization of Inexpugnabilia to the same degree.

Note: Mindset is extremely important for Praestantia to work correctly.

Simple taking the right position does not guarantee an empowered or more
precise spell, you must also deliberately be seeking the effect in question
before it manifests. As such, if you do not consciously think of your voice
intonation, arm movements, and leg movements, they will usually have
no strong effect. Minor effects in voice intonation and arm movement will
still be possible, but they are a pale shadow of the true effects.

Note 2: It is very important to note that Advanced Praestantia techniques

almost entirely overwrite Basic Praestantia techniques. When you’re using
Advanced Praestantia forms you do not need to take Basic Praestantia forms
into consideration. However, there is a tradeoff, since Basic Praestantia is
significantly simpler to remember and use, while Advanced Praestantia is
significantly more effective. When to use one or the other is a matter of the
situation at hand. Again, this essay deals exclusively with the very basics of
Basic Praestantia, and does not include Advanced Praestantia.

j
92
Voice Intonation

Tone of voice has a very real and obvious influence on both of the Subtilia
and Potentia axes. A loud, bombastic, and powerful tone of voice in turn
makes the spell more powerful. A calm, comparatively soft, and serene
tone will instead make the spell more precise. A clear and concise pro-
nunciation with a firm tone will make the spell more vulgar. A contracted
pronunciation with a flowing tone will rather make the spell more sub-
tle. There are no simple, basic ways that you can influence Inexpugnabilia
with voice intonation. To influence Inexpugnabilia with your voice, you
will need Advanced Praestantia.

Arm Movement

Firm and decisive movements of your arms will increase the power of
the spell and sacrifice precision, while measured and careful movements
will instead increase precision at the expense of power. Big and sweep-
ing movements will make a spell more vulgar, while small and confined
movements will make a spell far more subtle. Inexpugnabilia can be in-
fluenced by use of the off-hand in tandem with the wand-hand, by treat-
ing the off-hand as a sort of aide in the way a skilled conductor with a
baton would.

Leg Movement

The more solidly planted and further apart your legs are, the more pow-
erful the spell will be. The closer your legs are and the more rigidly you
carry yourself, the more precise it will be in turn. Favoring the right foot
will make the spell more subtle, while favoring the left will make the spell
more vulgar. Note that this last modifier is usually canceled out by more
potent forms in Advanced Praestantia, and that inadvertent usage of these
advanced forms might lead to different effects from what is desired. There
are no ways to influence Inexpugnabilia by leg movement, including leg
movement in Advanced Praestantia.

93
 Amplification by Calculation

Praestantia is the art and science of amplification by the way of calculation.

Theoretically, it should be possible to calculate the exact movements of ev-
ery individual finger, every tense muscle, and your tongue, before casting
the spell you wish, and then end up with the perfect spell for the situation.

Theoretically possible does not mean practically feasible, however, and the
Healer who writes a dissertation before casting a spell ends up with dead
patients, while the Curse Breaker who does the same ends up, predictably,
cursed. The Second Paramount Rule of Arithmancy governs Praestantia
when it is used in the field. Even though you could theoretically cast the
‘perfect spell’ for every occasion, you do not have the necessary data and
time to make good on that promise.

What you do have is an opportunity to remember key concepts, general

fine-motor movements, and other such tools to maximize spellcasting on-
the-fly. Learning and training Praestantia means developing a keen and
quick-thinking mind which is able to know exactly how much detail to put
into every spell, and when it would simply be a waste of time.

Think of it as another axis: Practical application versus theoretical excel-

lence.

94
95
 Mathemagical Circles
Fundamental Mathemagical Geometry
by Ar.Th.Ma J. Devarajah

96
Introduction

Mathemagica is the catch-all category of Pythagorean Arithmancy that

governs the magical properties of corresponding mundane mathematical
concepts. Mathemagica is most often used cross-subject, to understand
non-Arithmantic field in an Arithmantic lens of reference.

One of the most popular subfields of Mathemagica is Mathemagical Ge-

ometry, owing to its inclusion of magical circles, which are used in many
other subjects such as Demonology, Runic Magic and Ritual Magic. Math-
emagical Geometry is steadily gaining ground and asserting itself as a
translator of age-old practice into countable Pythagorean Arithmantic
abstracts, at the very least among European practitioners of Pythagorean
Arithmancy, who have found the method useful.

While you are likely expected to handle more advanced circles than those
detailed in this text, this text aims to provide a guide, not just on simply
making these circles work, but also on how they work.

97
 Internal and External Symbolic Fields

A basic circle used in all kinds of circle magic generally has two compo-
nents. The Internal Symbolic Field and the External Symbolic field. While
advanced circles often have more aspects to them, these lie beyond the
reach of this specific text. For a graphical representation of a basic circle
and its two components, refer to the provided diagram.

The Internal Symbolic Field houses the primary symbol of the circle as a
whole. Think of it as one gigantic canvas upon which to paint the primary
symbolic representation of the meaning behind the existence of the circle.
Refer to specific books and manuals for the exact symbol required to call
forth specific effects, or to cage specific entities.

The External Symbolic Field houses all the minor secondary symbols of
the circle as a whole. It is like a long circular string of information. The
symbols contained within informs the specific manipulation of the prima-
ry symbol. The External Symbolic Field can only hold a finite amount of
information, and as such there is a limit to the amount of manipulation the
primary symbol can be the subject of. Refer to specific books and manuals
for the exact symbols required to manipulate specific primary symbols.

98
Symbolic Points

The Symbolic Points in the External Symbolic Field act as the specific ar-
eas of placement for the manipulative minor secondary symbols of the
External Symbolic Field. Symbols placed within Major Symbolic Points af-
fect the primary symbol in a much stronger manner than symbols placed
in a Lesser Symbolic Point or a Minor Symbolic Point. The primary Major
Symbolic Point generally points to the north. For a graphical representa-
tion, refer to the provided diagram.

If you were to provide, for example, a symbol which symbolizes fire within
a Major Symbolic Point, then the primary symbol would be ‘pulled’ to-
wards fire much stronger than if you were to provide the same symbol
within a Minor Symbolic Point of the same circle. Two Minor Symbol-
ic Points correspond to one Lesser Symbolic Point. Two Lesser Symbolic
Points correspond to one Major. There are five Major Symbolic Points, five
Lesser Symbolic Points, and ten Minor Symbolic Points. All taken togeth-
er there are twenty Symbolic Points in total. When you invert the circle
(giving it the opposite properties) you switch the location of the Lesser
Symbolic Points and Major Symbolic Points.
99
 Primary Symbols

Specific primary symbols and their usage is a matter of individual fields

of study. You use very different symbols for caging entities in Demonol-
ogy than you do for calling forth specific effects in Ritual Magic or Runic
Magic. And the specific usage of circles are also very different between the
two latter fields. Generally, if you wish to keep your circle relatively simple,
however, you must connect the lines forming your primary symbol along
the Symbolic Points of the External Symbolic Field. A diagram presenting
a number of possible connections forming a primary symbol is provided.

In essence, from a theoretical point of view, basic Mathemagical Geome-

try derives its magic from the interplay between the Internal and External
Symbolic fields of the magical circle. An example of the interplay between
the Internal and External Symbolic Fields is the 3rd Wilson Incarnation
which is sometimes used as a defensive barrier of sorts: The 3rd Wilson
Incarnation houses a rather standard pentagram in the Internal Symbol-
ic Field, but its External Symbolic Field houses the symbols necessary to
bend the magic towards affecting Faery energies specifically, and as such
it is much more powerful when used to withstand assaults from Fae (it is
also more brittle in all other situations).

100
Once you have mastered these basics you should have a fundamental un-
derstanding of Mathemagical Geometry. For some of the things left out
in this essay (such as a deeper analysis of the act of inverting the math-
emagical circle) please seek out advanced explorations and elaborations
on the subject. This piece of text has only been able to touch on the very
most basic aspects of Mathemagical Geometry and should not be seen as
an end-point. Note also, of course, that methods differ significantly from
field to field, and often it will be far more efficient to follow the prescribed
method within the field, which is from time to time based upon old and
obscurantist mysticism. Refer to supplied school texts and the words of
your teachers in all things.

101
 Basic Mind Magic
An Introduction To The Subject
By Professor Mathilda Griffenklaue

102
Giving A Short View Into A Huge Discipline

Mind Magic is the art of effecting someone mental stage with the help
of magic. This can be done by changing a persons mood, or their mind
or their will. They are all considered quite serious spells, and where the
will-changing spell of course is the gravest once. However used correctly
they can come in handy for learning a lot about other people and yourself.
The best way to make sure that people cannot use them against you is to
expose yourself a lot of them so that you will have nothing to reveal. This
is usually practiced in college.

Mind magic as we know it (as I define it here) became a modern science in

the late 18th century and is tightly linked to the Griffenklaue-family who
started the research and has since then developed it over the centuries.

The mental spells are hard and can easily fail or backfire, which in its turn
gav give interesting results. How long the last is depended ton the victim
and the strength of the spell that was cast from the beginning. It could be
everything from 30 sekonds to two hours. Spells can always be broken with
a classic Finitium that negates many spells or the effects of many spells.

Pic/Professor Mathilda Griffenklaue, Mind Magic Magi-researcher & Teacher

103
 Mood

Joyexia (joy-EX-eeea)
Makes a person happy and content. When the spell is overdone, it can
cause the victim to be overcome with fits of hysterical laughter.

Beautiviate (beauty-VEEE-ate)
Makes the person the spell is cast on feel beautiful. NOTE: The person does
not look more beautiful to others, which can create situations.

Deprexia (dee-PREX-eeea)
Makes a person sad and depressed. Use with care. People have been known
to commit suicide when exposed to too much of this hex.

Confundo (con-FUN-doe)
Causes the victim to become confused, befuddled, overly forgetful and
prone to follow simple orders without thinking about them.

Confidentio
Makes the subject feel confident and gives a feeling of being able to man-
age everything. In many Confluxes, Confidentio is not allowed before of-
ficial exams or in competetion witchard sports, though it is believed that
exactly this mood will improve the results of the subject.

Contenta
Is usually cast on a group of people and instantly makes them all content
and happy. Is rumored to be used by teachers when students ask too many
questions about exams.

Paranoit
Causes the victim to believe that the room, or place, that it is filled with
what they think is the most scary thing in the world. To the victims this
is very real. They see, hear and might even feel what is scary, but people
outside just see the victim and nothing more.

104
Mind

Esprige
Makes the person speak his or her inner thoughts. Can be used to find out
what someone actually thinks about something. NOTE: Created by Profes-
sor Mathilda Griffenklaue

Esprige Personalis
Say Esprige Personalis plus a name and the victim of the spell will give you
his or hers honest opinion about that person. If the victim doesn’t know
the person the spell doesn’t work. NOTE: Created by Marcella Feirsinger.

Surfatio
Makes the person speak his or hers inner worries. Brings out the thoughts
that are gnawing in the back of the head of the victim and they will tell it
out loud. NOTE: Created by Tatienne Talix.

Memgilimens (mem-JILL-ih-mens)
Allows the caster to delve into the mind of the victim, allowing the caster
to see the memories, thoughts, and emotions of the victim. It is done so
the caster say “Legilimens” and then the specific memory wanted. The vic-
tim then tells, shows or plays out the memory in front of the caster.

Memgilimens futurum
Works the same as Memgilimens, but instead of memories we deal with
possible futures. You place the spell on the victim and what scene from
their future you want to see. The victim then plays it out together with
helpers.

Desire futurum
Makes the victim experience a desired future of themself or of somebody
else. Commonly used at weddings, but at Mundane weddings only when
no one is watching (which can be hard to find a moment for!)

105
 Imaginario
Causes the victim to believe they are somebody else and act and talk as
that person. Cast the spell + the name of who the victim should believe to
be onto the victim. If you then want the victim to speak the mind of the
the person they believe they are, use Esprige. Commonly used to entertain
students imitating teachers. NOTE: is believed to have been invented by an
old prefect of House Libussa at Czocha College of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Repetate
Makes the victim forgot what they just experience and be placed earlier
in time. The victim will then attempt to do the same thing they just did,
sometimes the exact thing happen, and sometimes it changes.

Vice versarium (vice-verse-A-rium)

Makes a person change his or her mind about a decision he or she just
made into the exact opposite.

Promesser
An unbreakable vow in which one Witch or Wizard makes an oath to an-
other. Breaking the vow causes instant death. The Vow is cast by having
two parties kneeling opposite each other and clasping right hands. A third
holds their wands, standing quite close and placing the tip of their wands
onto the linked hands, as Bonder. The first will ask a number of vows of the
other, with the second accepting those terms; it is unknown what happens
if he or she declines at that point. Further research is required.

Locomotor ame
This is a spell that switches the bodies between two spellcasters kneeling
opposite each other taking each others hands and closing their eyes. A
third then takes their wands and preform the spell on the hands. When
the sorcerers open their eyes again their bodies have switched owner so
you have a new body. The sorcerers need to be back and do the ritual again
within about 15 minutes or so, otherwise the effect of body-changing can
be permanent. NOTE: Created by Professor Mathilda Griffenklaue

106
Will

Truperio (true-PERI-o)
Makes the victim trust the spellcaster unconditionally.

Amorosa
Causes someone to fall in love in whatever or whoever the casters says.
The caster points his/her spell at the victim and says “Amorosa + the name
of the object in question.” Is not a very stable spell, and for long lasting love
a potion is needed. Created by Professor Mathilda Griffenklaue

Novolair
Causes the victim of the curse to obey the spoken/unspoken commands of
the caster. NOTE: This can sometimes cause hilarious unforeseen effects, as
even witchards have many interesting unspoken thoughts at times.

107
 Runes In Practice
A Guide For The Novice Runic Spellcaster
By Professor Grimelda Aloysius Crumplebottom

108
A Subject To Be Valued

As any upstanding witch or wizard who has slogged through the verses
of any old grimoire in its original can tell you, Ancient Runes are an old
alphabet, used for magical texts. This is how most of you will have encoun-
tered runes up until now, and I must congratulate you on your ability to
memorise patterns of squiggles on a page and on using this knowledge to
try to read the originals in praxis.

In fact, runic study encompasses a myriad of alphabets, some better known

than others, but all born out of the same intention. Much as a wand with
unicorn hair or dragon’s heart-string at its core remains a tool for casting,
runes (let us now dispense with the “ancient”, as we shall be working with
them in a very living sense) are a tool to channel magic. And, unlike crea-
tures, objects, and potions, runes are not magical in and of themselves.
Just as the use of a wand requires practice, finesse, clarity, accuracy, and
intention by a magical creature, so do runes require intelligence, intention,
and a clarity of practice.

Theoretical Introduction

Adherents to the study of runes are surely familiar with the seminal work
by the reclusive but brilliant A. A. Templehouse, Magical Minds and the
Physical World. You will remember that Templehouse suggests that runes
are able to, in her words, “partake of ” magical energy. In a way, you may
think of a rune as a cup, into which you may pour water — but instead of
water, you pour magical energy. The rune is more than a reservoir, how-
ever: It also shapes and helps direct magic, in conjunction with the con-
centrated intention of a wizard or witch’s mind. Any mundane can carve
lines on a bunch of woodchips and toss them about like embarrassed tea
leaves, but for actual practical magic, a magical mind must be present. This
is what allows inanimate objects, such as the cornerstone of a house, to
be imbued with a magical and intelligent intention, such as warmth and
protection.

109
 Unlike a wand, which channels magic immediately, a rune — like the cup
— is able to hold on to magical intention. This makes runes much better
suited to spells that act over a longer period of time, and often have sub-
tle, even nearly imperceptible effects. The practical use of runes involves
drawing, carving, or otherwise marking specific lines into your chosen
object or material (note: this should always be done by hand), combining
this process with spells, charms, or potions. Runic magic is not fast, but it
is strong. The ability to maintain concentration during a runic casting is
often one of the hurdles for the novice. However, learning how to do “slow
casting” has great rewards.

An Advanced Runic Education

A further study of runes is indispensable in any field concerning historical

texts, inscribed objects, magical practices that may combine with runes
(nearly all of them), and, of course, demonology. Learn as many alpha-
bets as you can, and experiment with different materials and situations.
Learn from your colleagues in related fields. Your wand tells you instantly
whether or not your spell has succeeded or failed; runes require patience.

The Simplest Practice: Nominal Sigils

Nominal sigils — those pertaining to a name — are as easy as child’s play,

and can be as powerful as a grandmother’s curse.
Nominals were mostly used, in ancient times, in warding houses and ob-
jects against their use by enemies. This practice is still observed by many
old families; however, if the original caster of the nominal rune has done
an exceptionally good job and has been fairly conservative in his or her
views, it can result in houses refusing entrance to descendants of enemies,
or even mundaneborn wizards and witches. The sigils themselves are per-
sonal and increase in strength as they are used over a lifetime. Printed here
is a simple example: That of yours truly. You will notice that
each letter in “Crumplebottom” has been represented. Name
sigils can be created using any alphabet whatsoever, so you
may wish to practice your own in the space allowed.
110
Final Note: So, You’d Like To Summon a Demon?

A word of advice for the aspiring demon-summoner: Don’t! Or perhaps

twenty words: desist immediately and find a career that will allow you to
inflict a minimum of influence on the World of Sorcery. Fortunately, this
kind of work with runes, even if all you want to do is create your own pet
Bone Imp, is sufficiently complicated and involved1 that the vast majority
of wizards and witches who wish to make the attempt lack the brainpower
to realise their ambition. To this end, consider this an advance warning:
Being the smart arse who, every year without fail, attempts to pinch your
professor’s copy of The Demonic Cookbook is heavily frowned upon and
shall not go unpunished.

Appendix: Basic Runes for Slow Casting Practice

1 Not to mention illegal in many confluxes!

111
 An Introduction to the
Study of Technomancy
Or Putting The Art In Artefacts: The Curious Witchard’s Comprehensive Guide
To The Creation And Manipulation Of Our Magnificently Magical World
By Prof. Gisela Artemis

112
What is Technomancy?

Of all the subjects taught at Czocha, Technomancy is often the most mis-
understood. At its very simplest, Technomancy is the invention and cre-
ation of of magical objects, or Artefacts. Techno- is a prefix taken from
the Greek téchnē meaning “art, craft or skill”1. Hence Technomancy is
quite literally the application and skillful manipulation of magic applied
to the physical realm often in combination with other disciplines or crafts.
Successful Technomancy demands knowledge first, not only of the field
itself, but of the materials the wichard chooses to incorporate and also of
any overlapping areas of study. Arithmancy, Magical Theory, Rituals, and
Alchemy are a few subjects that are known to pair particularly well with
Technomancy, though all fields have benefitted from specialized magical
tools crafted though the application of Technomancy. As such, it’s one
of the the most creative, collaborative, demanding and tangible forms of
magical art that any wichard can embark upon.

Perhaps it’s this inherent tangibility that tends to muddle understanding

of the subject itself within the magical community. There’s a tendency
among those outside or new the field to latch onto a popular invention or
a single area of study trending within the discipline and assume that these
brilliant but single applications are the whole of what Technomancy truly
encompasses. While it’s true Mechanomancy, Electromancy, Magneto-
mancy and Magithermy are all very important and exciting fields within
Technomancy, we are hardly limited to working with gears, electronics,
motors and steam. Any material, if properly prepared, can be made to
hold a spell. I would encourage students entering into the field to dismiss
preconceptions. If an object has a physical form, magic can be applied to
it and then manipulated so don’t hesitate to experiment and apply techno-
matic principles to any non-living object within your possession2.

1 The word “technique” shares the same prefix, predating techno-’s more modern
usage (indicating electronical elements) by centuries.
2 Or do hesitate - especially if it’s something irreplaceable like your grandmother’s
heirloom porcelain figurine but only hesitate long enough to double check your
Arithmancy sheet, Technomancy notations and Demon Summoning chart, then
do it. Demonic Porcelain figurines are excellent fun. Your grandmother would 113
be proud.
 One of the things that makes Technomancy so unique is that it’s an out-
ward gazing subject, often a collaborative, problem-solving field that re-
quires a high degree of creative thinking. The ability to recognizing bril-
liance in other areas of study is secondary only in understanding how to
meaningfully add to and improve upon these ideas already in existence.
In one sense, Technomancy is a sort of magical evolution in action. The
best practitioners take inspiration from widely divergent subjects, then
combine them with their own genius to improve the original or creating
something entirely new.

Technomancy and Our Magical World

While it’s true that many Technomancers exhibit a fascination with the
new - adapting old spells to modern objects, merging ancient magic with
new devices and daring to push the boundaries of tradition - it’s hardly
the upstart, frivolous area of study some have made it out to be. In truth,
Technomancy is one of the oldest subjects of them all, a vast and ancient
magical artform in use by witchardry since the very dawn of history. From
everyday tools like broomsticks, cauldrons and enchanted quills, to grand
artefacts and objects of legend such as Thor’s Hammer, the Seal of Solo-
mon and the Flying Mortar and Pestle of Baba Yaga all these wonders big
and small were created through the art of technomancy. Prof. O. P. Mi-
clariotic, well known for his seminal work ‘The Magical Artefacts Index
Magna’ noted that “most everything in this great World of Spellcasting is,
in its essence, an Artefact!”

In fact, as he pointed out, the most influential artefact the wizarding world
has ever known is one that you likely have within reach right now: your
wand. This elegant focusing tool, forged and refined by generations of ar-
tificers, is key to the way we create and shape the world around us. With-
out wands, all but the most talented wichards would be reduced to the
level of rank novice, able to cast only the most rudimentary spells during
moments of great stress. Potions would lose their potency, divinations
their clarity, and rituals their power.

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Even if we left wands out of the accounting, without technomancy wiz-
ard-kind would find itself living like mundanes lacking any of the multi-
tude of everyday objects such as spelled caldrons, conversational mirrors,
bottomless bags, memory keepers, magical transportation and any of the
myriad of devices that form the very fabric of our day to day lives.

Why Technomancy?

At the heart of all magic is the desire to enact or discern change. Once a
successful spell is cast, little but the invisible residue of the spell remains:
the change has been enacted, the goal achieved. Even in other magical arts
that deal with physical mediums, i.e. Potions, Herbology and Alchemy,
the spell alters the physical world without being tied to it. In this respect,
Technomancy is the outlier, as the spell itself is wedded to a specific phys-
ical object. Many have dismissed this reliance upon the physical world as
being an unnecessary and cumbersome. It’s true, of course, that artefacts
can be misplaced or inaccessible when needed most but it is also true that
charms can be mispronounced or forgotten. If Technomancy’s physical
nature provides its greatest drawback, it also provides its most compel-
ling asset - the potential to give spells that employ Technomancy a sort
of near-permanence that is rarely, if ever, achieved through other means.

Technomancy’s durability combined with the ease of running spells multiple

times (once they have been translated and mapped to the physical) makes
Technomancy an ideal method to employ complex spells that would be te-
dious or focus-consuming to cast through other means. For example, take
the difference between a modern broomstick and its unspelled, mundane
cousin. An unspelled broomsticks inherent instability combined with the
intense focus required to ride one makes them popular in number of dan-
gerous games from The Tipsy Wichards Rodeo3 to the most demanding leg
of the prestigious Steeplechase Triathlon. If talented Artificers and Tech-
nomancers hadn’t invented and refined a set of stability, altitude, speed and
perception spells during the early 1400s, it’s highly unlikely we’d associate
the broomstick with any form of transportation at all.
3 A game banned on nearly all educational campuses due to the high number of
injuries and occasional deaths that have been attributed to the game. Needless to
say, riding a unspelled broomstick is treacherous enough, but attempting to ride
115
during various stages of inebriation is pure, magnificent folly.
 Through Technomancy, wichards may gain access to spells far beyond
their natural ability, while simultaneously allowing them to focus their at-
tention elsewhere.

The opportunity to create magical redundancy is another excellent ap-

plication of Technomancy. The greater the number of magical options a
wichard has at their disposal, the greater the chance they’ll meet their ob-
jective. For example, Shadewell’s Invisibility Elixir is a well-known and
highly regarded potion, however there are potential hurdles and down-
sides to employing it: The ingredients must be fresh and in season, repeat-
ed usage can result in semi-permanent fading, and its effects are so com-
plete that it may take up to an hour after drinking the antidote to regain
full visibility. In many situations, even the crudest blurring cloak4 is far
easier and quicker to use while also being quite a more practical choice in
inclement weather. In having both of these option at hand, our wichard
has a much larger chance of avoiding detection.

As many magical object to have a both a magical and mundane purpose,

it’s important to never discount an object’s mundane usefulness. Of-
ten the mundane purpose is assumed to mask the magical one, as is the
case with many of our oldest and most common artefacts. Broomsticks
were originally used for cleaning as well as quick getaways and the first
cauldrons were used for cooking as often as potions. Lady Shrewspring’s
Pocket Watch of Lost Time is an excellent example of a Magical Artefact
filling dual purposes as both a timekeeping device and a method to collect
any time she felt was been wasted. Her mysterious disappearance during
one of Lord Blumforth’s duller dinner parties of 1803 caused significant
scandal. It’s not known whether her device misfired and she perished of
boredom or whether she has simply deemed the last few centuries “not
worth it’.

y
4 The history of which, is quite fascinating. During the mid 1500s, experiments
with enchanted spinning wheels in Brunswick, Germany, led to the creation of fab-
ric that could hold spells exponentially longer than untreated fabric - months and
116 in some cases years instead of hours or days. This allowed for advances in blurring
cloaks and curse-resistant garments.
The Brokatzchen Effect

Attaching common spells to everyday object not only allows witchards to

practice more discreetly amongst mundanes, but in combining frequent-
ly used spells with objects close at hand, many wichards have reported
that they find the spells themselves often gain strength over time. This
increasing resonance between object, spell and magic user is called the
Brokatzchen Effect.

This effect is named after Dr. S. F. Brokatzchen who spent several years re-
searching and documenting cases after experiencing a particularly strong
resonance with mundane surgical tools. As an emergency medic in the
World War I, he’d only dared to cast rudimentary healing spell on them,
working amongst mundanes. After several years of daily use, his tools had
developed a remarkable capacity for healing. In his field notes, he’d re-
corded accelerated healing of all the patient’s wounds, in addition to ones
he’d been operating on. By the end of the war the results were so startling
that he recorded being worried about finding himself on the wrong side of
the Traditions. However this synergy between himself and his tools was
limited specifically to him. When other Healers and Artificers examined
and tested Brokatzchen’s surgical kit, they reported finding the spell as be-
ing cleanly and simply cast but exceedingly basic.

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 For the Brokatzchen Effect to take effect and reach full potential, four car-
dinal aspects are necessary:

1. The Object - The spell must be cleanly cast on an object that’s never
held a spell before. The chosen object must be so appropriate to the
spell that the witchard and other observing parties only see the tool
as a means to the desired effect. This necessary clarity means that the
Brokatzchen Effect is most often observed in magical objects with a
single purpose. An understanding of the basic tenets of Symbology
will help you here.
2. Respect - All matter retains some rudimentary form of conscious-
ness. The better a tool is treated, both before and after magic is applied
to it, the better it will perform. This taps into some popular ideas sur-
rounding Shamanistic Theory.
3. Frequency of Use - For a Brokatzchen Effect to develop, time and daily
use is absolutely necessary. For this reason, it’s advisable for witchards
interested in invoking the effect to limit the number of object that
they’re attempting to resonate with. It’s been theorized that including
objects during personal daily rituals may be a way to accelerate the
process.
4. The Caster - The original caster/creator must also be the end user of
the tool. This is perhaps the most important aspect of the four since
the other three points determine the strength of the resultant effect
but the effect itself can not develop at all with any but the wichard who
has created the original artefact. This last point provides a strong ar-
gument for wichards to learn how to translate and map spells to their
everyday tools themselves.

It’s important to note that the Brokatzchen Effect doesn’t devalue well
crafted, purchased Artefacts and Apparatuses. In many cases it’s far more
practical and reliable to buy from a Master Artificer when you’re able than
to attempt to invoke resonance. However, it does provide compelling sup-
port for theories exploring the base workings behind what both witchards
and mundanes consider “lucky” objects and tested guidelines with which
to reliably create your own.
118
Finally, Technomancy holds the keys to unmaking. This is a very practical
and necessary aspect to any field in which spells are involved. Mistakes are
not only inevitable but are a natural step in the learning process. Without
a way to undo the unintended effects of spells, one could end up trapped
through the ages like the unfortunate Hans Hammerhand5. Likewise,
cursed and hexed artefacts are also a fact of wizarding life and unfortu-
nately there will always be a need for detecting and disabling maliciously
spelled objects.

I hesitate to even mention the last category of Technomancys ability to

unmake as it’s not only extremely dangerous and potentially lethal but this
text would be incomplete without mentioning that some Technomancers
have recently taken to attempting to manipulate and harness the power of
atoms directly. If this is an aspect that interests you personally, please re-
member your protective gear, shielding spells and practice well away from
others as radiation sickness is dreadful, currently incurable and long term
exposure has been known to interfere with magical abilities.

Technomancy and the Art of Creation

While Technomancy as a field is certainly teeming with the potential to

manipulate, modify, influence, bless, curse and even unmake the world
around us - Creation is arguably its most exciting aspect. However before
any witchard starts down the exciting path of invention and discovery, it’s
important to ask a few basic questions before you begin. What problem
are you intending to solve? Have you researched the field you wish to be
creating in thoroughly enough? What makes your creation better than al-
ternatives and are there ways yet to improve your design?

5 Wishing to achieve greatness in battle, Hans had translated an Alchemy spell

and by using his own body as the artefact, could wield fists of brone. Unfortu-
nately, this only worked as long as a certain percentage of his body remained un-
changed, his untransformed body was the magical catalyst for the spell. On the
eve of a great and important battle he overreached and his men found him in his
tent, a bronze statue.

119
 There are few things more disheartening than investing a large amount of
time in the creation of an invention only to find someone has already done
it better and you would’ve known had you researched better. Or having
to restart a complicated a casting process because there was an error into
your arithmancy calculations.

In many cases the time it takes to research, calculate and rehearse the map-
ping of a new spell can easily be double or more the time take it takes to
actually cast the spell itself. Therefore it’s important that every serious
Artificer and Technomancer should consider the RASP (Recognition An-
alyzation Stratagem Production) method described at length in Professor
Gereon Artemis’s “Technomatic Principles and Scientific Method”. For
the scope of this of this text, we are primarily interested in the final Pro-
duction aspect of the RASP Method, though the other three steps are in-
disputably just as important.

Materials Matter

Materials are at the very core of the Aritificers craft and the Techno-
mancer’s art. The importance of selecting the proper material cannot be
understated. Strength of will and singularity of purpose will always serve
the determined witchard well but just because one could theoretically
force a lead dirigible to fly doesn’t mean it’s a particularly good idea. In
the case of our ill-conceived dirigible, the magical energy required to run
it would be absurdly prohibitive as the witchard would not only be work-
ing against the physical constraints of the material itself but also against
the material’s magical properties. When choosing to working with mate-
rials in the creation of Artefacts and Apparatuses, we have three aspects of
matter to consider:

e
120
1. The Physical - For instance, glass slippers might be lovely but not only are
they incredibly impractical, fragile but they’re also horrifyingly dangerous.
One slip and there goes your foot. Pity the mundane stories don’t remem-
ber them as the diamond slipper they were, a clever alchemical translation
triggered when worn. If you have any interest in creating lasting, quality
artefacts, it’s important to choose material appropriate to the use of the ar-
tefact and environment it resides. Depending on witcharding supervision
to bridge any flaws in your design is lazy and potentially disastrous.
2. The Symbolic - What are the symbolic properties of the material you’re
working with for both yourself and any who might be observing the ar-
tefact in its final state? The clever use of layered symbolism can serve to
increase quality and power of your final artefact. Belief that an artefact
will work serves to strengthen the the way witchards cast, interact and
react to artefacts. It’s common knowledge that artefacts work best with in
the cultures they were created in. The famous wizarding anthropologist,
Professor Imelda Witchwood posited that when an Artefact is used within
its native culture, the symbolic expectations of the culture serves to mag-
nify the effects of usage, even though the spell itself is permanently set and
bound to the object upon the moment of creation. There are competing
Shamanistic and Ritual theories as to why this might be so, but regardless
it’s clear that symbolism plays an important part in the outcome of a mag-
ical artefacts function.
3. The Specific Material’s History - Each specific object has a history. Has it
been treated well and with respect or handled roughly? Has it had multiple
owners or are you its first creator? How many time has magic been applied
to it? How old is it? How “awake” and how responsive to magic is it? These
are all important questions to ask and can be factors in how easily your spell
is mapped to the object’s Thaumic Grid. There isn’t one ideal answer that
will fit every technomatic need any more than there’s one ideal person in
the world capable of performing every job but by recognizing qualities that
would harmonize with your intended effect, you can better choose the ma-
terials that would carry them out. For example, in the creation of wands,
it’s incredibly important that the chosen materials are young, awake and at-
tuned to magical input while if you were interested in creating a shield you’d
want to choose an older base material with a low responsivity to magic.
121
 Transcendence is a method in which the consciousness of a base mate-
rial of artefact is raised without imparting a full intellect or soul. It is a
process that happens quite naturally of its own accord as an artefact ages.
Indeed it happened so frequently and was so poorly hidden by Japanese
wichards that the Japanese have a specific word for sentient objects that
have reached their 100th birthday and become self-aware - tsukumogami.
However, artificially imparting transcendence, as vital as it is to the cre-
ation of constructs and , is a serious undertaking . The brilliant Professor
Ursula Crank wrote,

“This procedure is nothing to be tampered with lightly. Depending on

the history of the object, it might wake extremely annoyed, or angry.
The transcendors awakening is reversible, but it takes the consent of
the awakened object. So this should only be done when you are sure
of the history of an object, and, for good measure, have pampered it a
bit before the procedure.”
(Ursula Crank, 2013)

The work of Transcendence should not be confused with Arithmancy

methods necessary to create higher reasoning in golems. Instead, Tran-
scendence provides much of the base sensory system that Arithmancy can
link to and use creation of the false mind. If this is a subject that interests
you, I would recommend Professor Beyersdorfs essay, “Putting the Ghost
in the Machine” for further reading.

Basic Spell Translation and Mapping

The esteemed Professor T. L. Cypher noted “Magic is to make the will cor-
poreal and bend the fabric of reality through it. Central to this is being
decisive. To know what thou willt.”6 The very act of transcribing a spell
and mapping it onto an object requires a considerable act of will when
compared to many spoken charms. Precision is of the utmost importance
and it is in this aspect of Technomancy that you will find your study of
Praestantia covered in your Arithmancy lessons absolutely vital7.

122
While there are certainly as many styles of casting as there are languages
in the world, we will be mapping our spells using the New International
Latin-Binary Standard. It’s the preferred casting style of Technomancers
for its ability to switch between alternate languages, it’s native integration
with digital objects and the ease of applying Arithmantic expressions. Un-
like traditional methods, casting in NILBS requires the wichard to employ
both wand hand and and free hand (henceforth referred to as the arith-
mancy hand) during spells.

During the mapping process, the wand hand inscribes the spell on the
object’s Thaumic Grid while the arithmancy hand signs the appropriate
number sets using finger binary. Wand and hand movements combined
with a clarity of mind and intent are a vital part of the casting process.

The actual act of mapping a spell to an object’s Thaumic Grid, itself is pri-
marily nonverbal with exception of Recordat, the only verbal signifier you
will work with as a translation is being mapped to an object. Recordat is
unusual in that it is not a full spell in it’s own right, but rather classified as a
spell component that functions as a prefix and a suffix to the translation of
a spell, indicating the beginning and ending of a mapping session.

The example below is a simple transcript of a translation that instructs an

object to glow brightly when opened and not at all when closed:

Recordat-lumin(nvb254) if aperire else lumin(nvb864)-Recordat

6 Making the interconnected meaning matter: An introduction to beginner’s Symbology.

Professor T. L. Cypher
7 I wholeheartedly recommend reviewing Ar.Th.Pprs N. Mladenovic’s Basic Prae-
stantia in Spellcasting: Amplification by the way of Calculation in this volume.

123
 A description of the actual mapping of this spell is as follows:

To initiate the mapping this spell, the wichard would indicate the object
the spell is being applied to with their wand, utter “Recordat” and then
mentally focusing on lumin as a desired effect while inscribing the spell,
and mapping it’s power lines, indicating hooks for any following spells
and/or links to any previous spells on the object’s Thaumic Grid. While
the wand hand is mapping and inscribing the spell, the Arithmancy hand
is signing the object’s desired open state light level in nbv with finger bi-
nary. The witchard would then inscribe the “if ” operator with their wand
before mentally indicating aperire followed by the “else” operator into the
object’s Thaumic Grid is the next step, while mentally indicating the lumin
spell and signing the object’s closed state light level with the Arithmancy
hand.

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Finger Binary is a core concept of casting in NILBS and it is much less
difficult that you might imagine. The first four finger of your Arithmancy
hand a assigned a number that ascends in a doubling pattern, starting with
your thumb. Therefore, the thumb is one, the index finger is two, the mid-
dle finger is four, and the ring finger is eight. Since we will only be working
with numbers from one to nine, the pinky becomes the “accent” or “hook”
finger used to switch between translations or programming languages
during casting, or to motion to indicate negatives and decimals while pro-
gramming in non-arithmatic languages. When a finger is bent, it’s number
state is understood to be “off ” when a finger is raised it’s number state is
understood to be “on”. Numbers are determined by adding the individual
number states of the “on” fingers together. Therefore when the thumb and
the index finger are raised together, the number indicated is “3” because
the thumb is “1” and the index finger is “2”. See the chart illustrating the
signs for numbers 1-9.

To include Arithmancy during a NILBS casting, it’s helpful to remember

that the numerological base value number is actually comprised of three
separate, single digit numbers: The Character Number, the Heart Number
and the Social Number. The Character Number is always signed with the
palm facing the ground as character is what we stand upon. The Heart
Number is always signed with the palm angled 90 degrees from the ground
generally facing toward the wand hand in the “In” position. Finally the So-
cial number is signed with the palm facing up, reminiscent of the gesture
used for either asking or giving. An NBV is understood to be complete
when a number is signed in each of these positions. A new NBV can be
started any time by returning the hand to the Character Number position.

Due to the enduring nature of Thaumic Grids and how matter responds to
magic, the highest quality magical artefacts must be created with a series
of spells as perfectly cast as possible containing no attempts to scrub or re-
set. While applying a reset or editing an object’s Thaumic Grid is a natural
part of learning and clearing an object’s Thaumic Grid is the last step after
breaking a curse, each reset mars the object’s potential in the long term.
The act is not unlike trying to erase a charcoal drawing - it’s possible how-
125
 ever traces of previous spells will invariably cling and trying to scrub them
out will lessen the object’s ability to hold a spell at all. It may take several
resets before an ordinary object will begin to show any noticeable signs of
wear, so I do not warn you to frighten you away from the practice of intro-
ducing Technomancy into your everyday life. However if you have ambi-
tion to become a professional Artificer, or work in a field of Technomancy
where very minor changes in an object’s Thaumic Grid matter, accuracy in
casting precisely is of utmost important.

For this reason it’s absolutely vital to work out a translation prior to the
casting process, double check your arithmancy and practice your casting.
Without uttering the Recordat spell component, it’s perfectly safe to re-
hearse your movements. You may find the challenge of counting in binary
and syncing your Arithmatic hand to your wand hand difficult at first but
it yields far more precise results over the long term and is a skill that can
be used to quickly add Arithmatic precision to other types of spellcasting
as well.

Power Sources - An Overview

Having a magical power source or system is absolutely vital to the contin-

ued function of any Magical Artefacts. There are five main categories of
power sources and it’s important to decide on the type or types best suited
to your object’s needs before mapping your spell to the object’s Thaumic
Grid.

I. The witchard using the device: This is the primary, most direct method
and simplest method of powering an artefact, however there are a number
of practical reasons as to why this wouldn’t be desirable in all cases. For
example a wichard might need to leave a magical device running unat-
tended for an extended period of time without having to be present to
power it.

126
II. The Siphonic or ‘Slow Charge’ Method: In this method, the device
charges itself by siphoning small amount of any magic cast within a set
radius of the object. This is a method popular amongst artefacts able to
function on low amounts of power and often used in areas where regular
spellcasting is expected to take place, i.e. wicharding households or insti-
tutions. This method can be relatively simple to employ but care must be
taken to make sure that the device will stop charging when it hits max ca-
pacity or there’s danger the artefact’s spell could short, damaging it perma-
nently or in the worse case scenario - overcharged the artefact’s Thaumic
Grid, causing the object itself to explode.

III. Magical batteries or Capacitrances: These object are excellent sec-

ondary magical power sources. Having been charged by wichards ahead
of time, they’re commonly used to power artefacts in areas where there
is too little ambient witchard spellcasting to reliably employ the Siphonic
Method or when a significant magical power output is required. They are
also commonly used to power emergency devices like Speartree’s Instant
Ageis, a powerful shield usually disguised as a common item that auto-
matically activates when its owner loses consciousness.

Occasionally Capacitrances are used to temporarily and dramatically in-

crease the strength of a Witchard’s spell casting, although this method is
not recommended due to the inherent danger to the Witchard directly uti-
lizing the artefact and also to those around him. For this reason they are
emphatically discouraged during duling matches. Professor Ursula Crank
explains the perils of using capacitrance in this way quite succinctly,

“The capacitrance can only handle a certain amount of magical flow,

depending on its type. If too much energy is taken at once, the capac-
itrance can be destroyed. But more than that, if the witchard is still
drawing energy at that time, they can take severe damage from the
destruction. So, before drawing energy, a set of calculations must be
done by the witchard to know exactly how much they can draw how
fast without doing damage to the capacitrance and themselves.
(Ursula Crank, 2013)
127
 IV. The Closed Loop Method: This is one of the most difficult ways to at-
tempt to magically power any sort of artefact as well as being considerably
dangerous so please take care if this is an area that interests you. The idea
is that during the spell mapping process, the object is charged with all the
magical energy it will use through the course of its existence. This is the
dangerous part because if the spell is transcribed wrong, or if the strength
of the object’s Thaumic grid is unable to handle the initial energy load
(material strength and history are two key components in this calcula-
tion), the object can explode and the resultant blast could seriously injure
or kill the caster.

Assuming that material is strong enough to handle the magical power load,
the spell itself is inscribed on the object’s Thaumic Grid such a way that the
object’s intended function serves to recharge itself. Of course multiple laws
of conservation are against us here and eventually the object must wind
down, however combining this method with other powering methods may
serve to significantly lengthen the lifespan of the object allowing the object
to persist over hundreds or thousands of years if rumors are to be believed

V. The Vampiric Method: Dark magic of the gravest sort, I am only in-
cluding this method for sake of completeness, identification and eventual
destruction of any object that employs it. This method of powering a mag-
ical device is the only one of these methods that can also be classified as a
combative spell and occurs specifically against a witchard’s will. Most ob-
ject powered by this method will also employ a secondary power source to
trigger a hook that latches to the target witchard when the target interacts
with the object. The hexed artefact will then shift to drawing power from
the target witchard. The amount of power drawn from the target can vary
widely, from minor hexes - resulting in a temporary reduction of the tar-
get wichard’s magical ability (lasting only as long as the artefact’s thaumic
grid remains intact) to magical weapons that intend to kill by withdrawing
too much power from a witchard too quickly. As dark magic, this method
is highly dangerous and is inappropriate for experimentation and should
any student be unfortunate enough to encounter an artefact they believe
is powered by this method, they should notify a professor immediately.
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 b
A Brief Word on Magic in the Digital Age

There have been many claims by otherwise brilliant minds that electronics
and magic do not mix. As demonstrably untrue as this is, the position
itself is worth examining if for no other reason that to avoid the pitfalls
our peers have discovered. Often naysayers trot out stories of hapless
witchards like Prometheus Blusterworth whose very presence reportedly
caused city wide havoc when he found himself in any sort of proximity to
electronic or scientific items items. While a percentage of these instances
can confidently be attributed to hexes and pranks there have been some
actual verifiable incidences of witchards with abnormally strong elemental
affinities. Those rare individuals whose presence have actually been ob-
served to disturb magnetic fields, draw water or attract lightning should
perhaps explore other areas of study.

Computer-based Technomancy is a young and exciting field, changing not

only the way we interact with each other but also altering the ways we’re
used to casting spells. The rapid pace of progress made in this field means
that any specific examples I could give will likely be outdated within the
space of time it takes for this textbook to be printed. Therefore the perpet-
ual newness of Digital Technomancy makes it an area that’s best covered
during class lectures. That said, there are a few guidelines I can offer:

1. Know Your Medium. Learn everything you can about it, from the
physical and magical properties of the materials used to craft the hard-
ware, to the different types of code used to run it. Read the instruction
manual, a step a bewildering number of witchards fail to do. It’s far
too common for students to craft meticulous and beautiful thaumic
grids only to find that the specific thing they want their device to do
is actually built into the device itself, hidden under a settings menu.
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 2. Be Precise. Computers are delicate instruments requiring precise in-
structions. Due to the scale at which most computers function, it takes
almost no effort to power their thaumic grids with remarkable results.
Unfortunately, this also means it’s incredibly easy to short them out or
ruin them completely.
Additionally, applying a spell to a program is not unlike instructing a
demon to perform a task - the computer will do nothing more than
what you asked of it, sometimes with disastrous results.
3. Be Patient. You are going to make mistakes, a lot of them and that’s
alright. Take a step back, try to step back and see where you might’ve
gone wrong and then try again. The important part is to keep at it and
not give up on yourself. Anyone not making mistakes isn’t challeng-
ing themselves enough.

In conclusion, there is no praise for discovering what is already known,

no prize for exploring areas already well-mapped. I would encourage my
students to push fearlessly into this new and rewarding field.

Common Terminology
Charm: A type of spell used to enact a short term change on sentient beings and
objects - inanimate or otherwise. Due to their temporary nature they occur within
Technomancy at the very lowest levels, mainly as triggers when a repeating action
isn’t desired.

Enchantment: Until the early 1700s, Enchantment was the term used for long-
term to near-permanent spells on both sentient beings and objects. This definition
makes Technomancy a division of Enchantments and indeed the Technomancy
was taught as Enchantments until 1719. However, with the Age of Enlightenment,
the word came to increasingly refer to casting long term, non-consensual spells on
sentient beings, a practice that is rooted firmly in the realm of the dark arts and not
a subject fit for study, academic or otherwise.

Artefact: A general term for an object that has had magic applied to it. Apparati
and Constructs are two specific types of Artefacts.

Technomancy: The invention, creation and manipulation of magical objects in

the physical realm. The term Technomancy was coined to differentiate long-term
to near-permanent spells on objects from those cast on sentient beings (enchant-
ments).

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Artificer: One who applies the principles of Technomancy to create and manipu-
late magical objects, often used to designate being skilled in the creation of a specific
magical items. Artificers are primarily the craftsmen, manipulators and magiengi-
neers of the wizarding world. While Artificers may also be Technomancers, Arti-
ficers tend toward personalities that enjoy precision and repetition. Artificers tend
to gravitate to refining a specific magical processes within a single area.

Technomancer: One dedicated to the exploration of the boundaries of Techno-

mancy. Technomancers are marked by individuals interested in progress, the new
and a broader interest spanning multiple fields. Technomancers are the inventors,
artists, and scientists of the wizarding world. While Technomancers are also Arti-
ficers, it’s a running joke that a Master Artificer might add “Not very good ones.”
And it’s true that many Technomancers possessing personalities that thrive on ex-
ploration, curiosity and creativity have a tendency to invent an artefact or discover
a process, then rely on Master Artificers to refine their spells.

Translation: The practice of adapting a spell of another class (ie: Runic, Potion,
Divination) into a form that could be run like a program through a physical object
when activated by magic. Even with the increased accessibility of high quality
technomatic translations that International Witcharding Libraries and more recent-
ly sites like SpellHub have made possible there is still a great need for clever and
dedicated Translators especially within the modern technical realm. Since ideally
each spell translation must be prepared to harmonize with the specific materials
of object intended to be made - translations that work on one particular device
and brand may fail entirely on another. For this reason it’s important for modern
witchards be able to confidently modify the translations of others with at least
enough proficiency to apply and tune them to their own devices. See Recordat.

Thaumic Grid: The spell space every object possesses. In most cases it’s invisible
and intangible, overlapping and inhabiting the same space as the object itself. By
inscribing power channels, spell hooks and links, and mapping instructions upon
an object’s Thaumic Grid, a mundane object can be transformed into a magical
artefact.

Mapping: The physical act of applying translations to objects and artefacts. De-
pending on the complexity and desired durability of the spell, this process can be
near instantaneous or take months. Some Artefacts of Legend are rumored to have
taken years to complete this final stage of their crafting. Mapping by its nature
leaves marks on the resulting Artefact. Although there are a number of ways that
they can be hidden, shielded, encoded or made invisible to the naked eye, all magical
objects have inscriptions on their Thaumic Grid that if sufficiently interfered with
will cause an object to revert to it’s mundane state. Analyzio is a basic spell that can
be helpful in revealing spell translations mapped onto an object’s Thaumic Grid.

Recordat: Is not a full spell in it’s own right, but rather a spell component vital to the
act of mapping a translation. It works as a prefix and a suffix to a translation of a
spell, indicating the beginning and ending of a mapping session.
131
 Technomantic
Principles And The
Scientific Method
For Technomancy Students At Czocha College
By Prof. Gereon Artemis

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Introduction: Summarization of Technomancy

You have heard many things about the field of Technomancy. Some of
them are true and some of them are false. This document aims to help
you divide your current knowledge into these two camps. It aims to be a
concise exploration of a fascinating field, and it aims to be of use both to
students of the basic and advanced principles of Technomancy.

So what is Technomancy?

It is not at all a field like Mind Magic, or Ritual Magic, or even Arithmancy.
Its rules are different, and before you can become a great Technomancer
you must throw away the preconceived notions inherited from these other
disciplines. There are few spells which can truly be said to be ‘Techno-
mancy’ spells. Most of the time you bind magic into objects, or change
the nature of non-Technomancy spells. In this manner Technomancy can
be said to be a sort of ‘Meta-Magic’, since its primary sources are either
objects or other forms of magic.

What it does share with Arithmancy specifically is its attention to detail

and an analytical approach to the study and practice of magic. It is import-
ant to understand all the myriad things that go into your procedure to the
fullest, before it can be properly applied in a Technomantic context. That
is to say, if you have not accounted for variables in your Technomancy, it
is generally a Bad Thing, in the same manner that a stray number in an
Arithmantic calculation or an errant piece of chalk in a Demonology Sum-
moning is a Bad Thing. In the best of cases you will end up with a rather
benign explosion or implosion.

Technomancy and Arithmancy are strongly linked, but they are not the
same field, and they are not sub-fields of each other. What you need to
understand is that Arithmancy by its nature deals with absolutes and with
perfect situations, whereas Technomancy deals with the real world.

133
 There will always be variables you cannot decipher, and errors you cannot
correct. If you look at it from an Arithmantic perspective, we deal more
with unexpected variables and concrete things than even the most practi-
cal Arithmantic fields.

One common misunderstanding about Technomancy is that it is only

about the creation of apparatuses. While it is probably the most common
use of Technomancy, it is nonetheless far from the limit of its application.
Technomancy can be more than just imbuing of concretes with magical
potential. It’s a field that also includes reconfiguring spells, modifying the
underlying rules of the world, and even altering your own consciousness.

The best technomancers are inquisitive and open-minded, taking freely

from centuries old practices and re-appropriating and re-contextualizing
them in modern situations. They pay no heed to the dusty old conserva-
tive mindset which spurns all things new and magnificent just because
of its association with Mundane life. Rather, if we care to actually look at
mundane society, we would see that even those who are not possessed of
the gift of hexblood yearn to do more than is currently possible in their
world.

Recognising and harnessing this fundamental inquisitiveness is the hall-

mark of Technomancy.

Mindset: The Role of Understanding Concepts and

Realities

Mindset is an important concept in Technomancy. Understanding it is

perhaps the most critical component of a new technomancer’s repertoire,
and it does well even for the most advanced Technomancers to remember
this fundamental principle of Technomantic study. The mindset is, among
other things, literally the border of your capabilities within Technomancy.

134
The world is made out of different components and we all understand
them differently. Some of us see how they connect in ways others do not,
and in turn we are blind to other ways in which they connect. The applica-
tion of these connections is the core of Technomancy. If you do not know
how a crystal works on a very basic level, you will not be able to make use
of crystals in your Technomancy. For this reason, you cannot simply teach
Technomancy from rote. The student must understand, not simply know.

A person who apes your movements exactly while you are using crystals
in your work will still not be able to make use of those crystals in their
work, since they do not understand them. You place the crystal into the
contraption and it serves as a source of power; another person does the
same and it is simply a worthless rock. The only difference between the
two of you is your understanding of the object, which is what your mind-
set concretely manifests itself as.

With this said, objective reality is still something we accept as existing.

If everyone knows everything about everything, everyone should in turn
be able to use anything in exactly the same manner. You cannot have two
people who ‘understand’ logically inconsistent things about the same ob-
ject; they can only ‘understand’ or ‘not understand’ aspects of the same
object without it conflicting.

While you cannot teach people to understand, you can open the door for
them. And when they walk through that door through their own effort
they will understand the same thing. This is why there are universally ac-
cepted Technomantic principles such as the use of crystals as power sourc-
es. Just because not everyone understands these principles does not make
them untrue, it just makes the principles out of reach from that person in
their Technomantic study.

135
 Guidelines: Codifying Methods of Technomantic
Magic

These are the guidelines of Technomantic Magic. It is a basic introduction

to some of the assumptions that you must accept when you first start out
in the field. As always, however, it does not sit well for a serious student of
Technomancy to simply accept without questioning. It is important that
you make these guidelines your own not just through rote and dogmat-
ic adherence, but also through strict critique, that you may better under-
stand why they exist in the first place. You have to question to understand.

I - Haste makes waste

When you do something more hastily and with focus on speed instead of
quality (or greater quantity instead of more sublime quality) you are more
prone to errors and as such your work will be much more sub-par than it
would otherwise be, or it might end up not working at all. In both cases,
you have in effect wasted the time you tried to save and the materials you
have made use of. Bringing a faulty creation into this world is a great sin,
and you should not haste to do it.

On the other hand, in certain situations, haste is something which is re-

quired so that great consequences do not occur. It is important that we
understand the difference between a need for haste, and the siren-like al-
lure of a desire for a quick product. When something must be completed
within a certain time-frame, doing it within said time-frame is not haste;
it is following protocol.

II - Emotions are the bane of progress

Emotional attachment to an idealized past or present acts exclusively as

an inhibitor on a potentially glorious future. In the magical world, many
individuals and old dynasties are caught up in irrational fear of progress,
which manifests itself in part as a very emotional response to change.

136
When these individuals and dynasties see computers being used in con-
junction with what they call ‘classical’ magic, they react with scorn, anger,
or disgust. These same Neanderthals were clubbing philosophers to death
in the ancient world for questioning established dogmas and introduc-
ing new ideas. It is important to acquire an analytical standpoint when it
comes to these things, as all other things.

It is important to note, however, that throwing away all tradition and all
established culture in a fit of exasperation is as emotional a response as its
polar opposite. When we study Technomancy and use Technomancy we
are to incorporate the age-old wisdom and understanding into a new con-
text, because many of these hard-won truths are what we stand on today,
to see as far as we do.

III - Only perfect materials create a perfect product

To use a somewhat low-key analogy, you will never make a fine gourmet
meal with second-rate meat and vegetables. Everything you put into your
creation or modification will have a very real and distinct effect upon the
final product. This is true both in physical construction and other areas
of Technomantic Magic. If your power crystal is flawed, if it has a scratch
upon it or is otherwise imperfect, the resulting energy derived from it will
be imperfect as well. You need to ensure that you employ only the highest
quality of tools in all that you do, should you wish to create products of the
highest quality.

This being said, the greatest technomancers can do absolutely wondrous

things with what could just as easily be rocks in comparison with these fin-
est of crystals. It is not simply a matter of having the best materials avail-
able, you must also be skilled enough to make use of those materials. It is
said among some mundane artists that most up-and-coming artists have
thousands of mistakes within them that they need to get rid off before they
start their best work. In the same way, it would be a shame to see a first-
year student waste the best materials because of his own incompetence.
When you are bettering your understanding of Technomantic principles,
do not use what you have laid aside for your magnum opus.
137
 IV - Knowledge is the only power

Perhaps more than in other aspects of life, even other kinds of magic,
knowledge is a very concrete and very real power in Technomancy. The
most powerful technomancers are not the ones who can conjure up more
fire than the others, but the ones who know what fire is. Once you truly
understand something there is no limit to what you can do with it. A per-
son simply spewing an unending inferno at his opponent is inferior to the
one who knows how to best utilise all of the myriad aspects of the flame.
One will die in the cold because cold can not be killed by a torrent of flame;
the other will simply warm himself by the fire and survive. It is important
not to limit yourself with the knowledge that the magical society provides,
but rather strike out into the great unknown and wrest your own knowl-
edge (and thus power) from it. Eventually with greater understanding, ev-
erything you have acquired in the realm of knowledge can be applied in
some manner or another. Always beware of the one who would deny you
access to knowledge; in his heart he dreams himself your master.

On the other hand, in certain situations, seeking knowledge is paradoxical-

ly not always the best solution. If you already know that a dragon breathes
fire and that one is closing in on you, the only knowledge you should be
seeking in that moment is how to survive the onslaught of the great beast.
If you, on the other hand, choose to stay so that you may observe how its
scales interact with the environment you currently find yourself in, you
will soon find that all of your knowledge accrued through your life will
be lost. You cannot store memories, and thus knowledge, in a burnt husk.

V - Everything can be boiled down to absolutes

While understanding can be subjective, truths in the world are objective.

A hydrogen atom is made up of a proton and an electron, two is always
more than one, and we can never know everything. These things are sim-
ple but even the most complex things can be broken down into things that
can be understood, and once you understand how things work you can
influence them.
138
This is true both in physical environment and ways of thinking. We may
not always be able to get down to the basics, but they are always still there.
The world is made out of components and in its core Technomancy is in-
fluencing these components to influence the world in turn. Technomancy
does not change the fruit, but rather the core components that makes up
the fruit, and in this it is not simply the seeds that are changed, but the very
atoms in the seeds.

You do however, have to take a macro-view of the whole of the world as

well. If you spend all of your time and effort thinking in terms of atoms
bumping into other atoms, you are missing the proverbial forest for the
trees. Even though the finest manipulations of the world requires the un-
derstanding of minutiae, you need to know what the change actually, cal-
culable, does in the world. Changing the aforementioned fruit on an atom-
ic plan is all well and good, but if all you are accomplishing is making it
0,002% lighter, it is in effect useless. While you are enmeshed in abstracts,
keep the concrete in mind.

Pic/ The Notorious Sorcerous Thinker And Provocateur, Algaron Sark, Just Before
His Famous Lecture Denying The Existence Of Mundanes At Nibelungen in 1997. 139
 Usage: Account of the RASP Procedure

The RASP Procedure is a method of approaching a problem and apply-

ing Practical Technomancy to find a solution to said problem. It is not
the only way, but it is probably the most used one among many of my
colleagues, and it is excellent for teaching students about Technomantic
problem-solving because it is structured along the same analytical lines as
the field as a whole. In effect, using the RASP Procedure not only assists
you in solving the problem in question, it also educates you as to the best
mindset to be in when dealing with all things Technomantic: analytical
and rigorous in your approach.

The first step is Recognition.

Recognise that you have a problem which needs to be solved. This usual-
ly happens quite naturally, for example by encountering a wall when you
need to be at the other side of said wall, or encountering a dragon any-
where. Sometimes you might not know what is causing the problem in
question, such as suddenly having a strange headache and seeing weird
symbols everywhere, but you rarely experience a situation where you are
not somehow made aware of a problem that is worth expanding effort in
combating. If it is a problem important enough for you to want to solve it,
you should already know it is there. This might not be the case if the prob-
lem is not yours, but you are the one who solves it.

The step of Recognition is the one where you will make it clear that there
is a problem. The important outcome of the first step is the separation
between the state of not having a problem and having one. You start by
standing in one mindset (there is no problem) and step over into the one
that can start you on the RASP Procedure (there is a problem). In this step
you decide whether the situation actually is a problem, or whether you can
safely ignore it; if you can safely ignore it, there is no problem.

140
The second step is Analysation.

Once you know you have a problem, you have taken the step into the
mindset of problem-having. In the mindset of problem-having, you need
to start to understand what your problem actually is, and all the variables of
the situation. You do this through the toolset of Analysation, a categorical
inquiry into the state of things. This involves acquiring knowledge about
the problem, yourself, and other possible subjects. You need to organise
these different bits of information and make it fit into a larger picture of
the exact situation, as well as what parts of the situation are malleable and
which are less so. In short, you need to understand what exactly you can
do, and how you can do it. In this, you can begin on the path between the
mindset of problem-having and problem-solving.

The third step is Stratagem.

Now, with all of the data you have gathered and organised, you must take
the step from problem-having into problem-solving. To help you with this
task, you have another tool, the tool of Stratagem, with which you create
a plan to solve your problem. Take everything you gathered with the help
of step two, and start taking into account which malleable aspects of the
situation you should attempt to influence to reach a desired outcome. It
is also the step where you decide on what you will focus your energy on;
quantity, quality, speed, or whatever else the data tells you will assist you
most in producing a desired outcome in the next step of the RASP Proce-
dure. It is also here that you take into account all of the variables that you
learned about in step two, how they might influence your plan and what
you can do in the case that they disturb its progress. In the case of creating
Technomantic Apparati, this is usually the most time-consuming step by
far, and the majority of your time, should you be a Technomantic Artificer,
will be spent in this limbo.

141
 The fourth and final step is Production.

This, put as simply as possible, is where you produce the solution to your
problem. You have Recognized the problem, you have Analysed all the vari-
ables, you have created the best available Stratagem for the situation and
now the only thing that remains is to concretely Produce the solution in
the situation. In the act of creation, this is the step where you assemble
your pieces to actually create your apparatus, while in other applications of
Technomancy it might be a number of different things, but what it always
has in common is that all of the planning that took place in the third step,
is made concrete in the fourth and the last step. You have gone beyond the
mindset of problem-solving, and have once again arrived in the under-
standing you were at before the application of the RASP Procedure (there
is no problem).

Ethics: The Technomantic Council

Technomancy is not harmless. Misuse of Technomancy can result in great

destruction on an unimaginable scale, and destroy many lives. Likewise,
however, Technomancy can be used to further the common good of the
magical society in the hands of a trained and conscientious user. The
Technomantic Council is an inter-conflux organization of skilled Tech-
nomancers who have a shared interest in guarding the knowledge of their
fields from use by careless or unethical individuals. The Technomantic
Council does not enforce their rules, but merely advises local conflux au-
thorities through their local members.

Becoming a member of the Technomantic Council requires participation

in the inter-conflux Technomantic magicademical community and values
coherent with the stated goals and structures of the Techomantic Council
as a whole. It also requires some degree of mastery of the field, subject to
arbitration by local members of the Council.

142
Categorisation: Exploration of Forces

In Technomantic study, we recognise five distinct forces of magical reali-

ty. All aspects of Technomantic practice and Technomantic theory can be
divided into one of these five forces. In effect, these are expressions of the
different ways in which Technomancy can be used to influence the world.
The most often used and best understood force is that of Magomancy,
since Magomancy governs the creation and modification of magic, and
thus is most popular among the magic community. However, as a poten-
tial future technomancer, you should never underestimate the other four
Technomantic forces, as these hold a very real and very fascinating power
of their own.

Each of these forces are initially relatively easy to understand and compar-
atively easy to use. As your understanding grows in each, however, both
their complexity and their potential applications grow tremendously. In
the extreme end of each of these five forces lie power so unimaginably vast
that those extreme expressions are almost universally banned and other-
wise criminalised in magical society.

There are other schemas of understanding Technomancy, such as Magith-

ermy or Mechanomancy, and the specific applied usage of Technomancy
in the field of Construction. These are not incorrect ways to approach the
field, they simply act as another lens into its inner workings.

143
 Gravitomancy: Influencing the Gravitational Force

Mundane gravitational force is in ways quite remarkable, since it is at once

the weakest of the forces and yet the one that is farthest reaching. It is the
only force that interacts with all particles with mass, energy, or momen-
tum. It can not be absorbed, transformed, or shielded against. Like elec-
tromagnetism and unlike the strong and weak nuclear force it has infinite
range. It always attracts and never repels.

With the study of Gravitomancy, you are able to influence and fundamen-
tally impact mundane gravitational force in a way that is entirely impossi-
ble without the use of magic. In a sense, it is the manipulation of mundane
gravity on a scale and in subtleties unimaginable by the mundane sciences.
One of the most common uses of Gravitomancy is to make objects levi-
tate, as well as making things lighter or heavier than they would otherwise
be. More esoterically, Gravitomancy can be used to bend the trajectories
of spells by creating gravitational fields in their paths, control your own
trajectory through the air down to a very fine degree, or even create black
holes. The last one is an extreme example, and you are encouraged to ac-
quire special permission, which is almost never given by local Techno-
mantic Council members.

Electromancy: Influence the Electromagnetic Force

Mundane electromagnetic force is a force that acts between electrically

charged particles. Electromagnetism is infinite-range like gravity, but vast-
ly stronger. It includes electricity and magnetism, which are two aspects
of the same fundamental interaction. It is also vital for many mundane
scientific devices such as television, lasers, and computers.

With the study of Electromancy (Electromagnetomancy), the possibility

of fundamentally manipulating mundane electromagnetic force likewise
opens up to you. Some of the more common applications of Electromancy
include but are not limited to: Creating light and creating electrical cur-
rents.
144
Much more rare and interesting, however, is the use of Electromancy to
imbue objects with the properties of magnetic fields, give you access to the
infrared and ultraviolet spectrum of light, and even create gamma radia-
tion. Again, the last example should not be attempted without special per-
mission from the local member of the Technomantic Council and proper
safety gear.

Magomancy: Influencing the Magical Force

Magical force, for obvious reasons, has no mundane expression. It is basi-

cally the rules that govern the interaction of magic with the totality of ex-
istence. The field of Magical Theory concern inquiry into the nature of this
force in detail. It has technically infinite range, yet in practice it is impos-
sible to conjure enough power to influence something light-years away.

With the study of Magomancy, you learn to influence these fundamental

rules of magic on a deeper level than any other field of magical study can
provide. The myriad of different possibilities study in Magomancy opens
up to you is almost beyond categorisation, but it is safe to say that no area
of study has quite the level of depth and requires as much finesse. Mag-
omancy is most often used to imbue objects with magic and to modify
the basic properties of spells. This is meta-magic at its core. At the higher
levels of Magomantic application, you are able to annul already existing
magic, create entirely new spell effects, and theoretically even permanent-
ly imbue non-magical beings with magic power or render magical beings
entirely non-magical in turn. These last extreme examples are theoretical,
and will remain theoretical for a long while yet.

Chromodynamomancy: Influencing the Strong Nuclear Force

Mundane strong nuclear force is extremely complicated, and our attempt

at explaining it in this very short overview of Technomantic principles
might very well be in vain. There are a few things that we can say about
it, however. For one, its range is extremely short (inside the nuclei of an
atom), and it is vastly stronger than electromagnetism (around 100 times).
145
 The most simple explanation of what exactly it is it does is that it keeps the
atoms together; this explanation will be enough for our purposes. There
are only few common applications of Chromodynamomancy, while the
majority of its uses are highly complex, theoretical, and almost completely
useless in everyday application. However, these common applications are
almost omnipresent in the magical society, to the extent that Chromody-
namomancy makes up the majority of the now defunct and archaic field
of Object Enchantment. It is through the application of Chromodynamo-
mancy that one would, for example, sharpen a sword to the point that it
could cut through stone and steel, and change the structure of steel to be
as malleable as clay. In extreme examples Chromodynamomancy can be
used to undo the atomic bonds in objects, in effect disintegrating them
completely. Surprisingly, since there are so many different ways to destroy
objects already, this extreme method does not raise many eyebrows, and a
special permission from the Technomantic Council is usually not request-
ed. Great understanding, and great power, however, is still very much a
requirement inherent to the process.

Flavordynamomancy: Influencing the Weak Nuclear Force

Mundane weak nuclear force is likewise extremely complicated. However,

like with mundane strong nuclear force its core is relatively easy to un-
derstand. Mundane weak nuclear force is responsible for the radioactive
decay of subatomic particles, that is to say radioactivity. That is the easy
explanation, and it will do for our purposes. Explaining the deeper signif-
icance behind mundane weak nuclear force and especially its interaction
with magic would take a whole book in and of itself, at the very least. Even
the simplest usages of Flavordynamomancy are heavily debated from an
ethical standpoint by large parts of the Technomantic Council, and often
many special permissions will have to be acquired from your local conflux
authority before you are able to study this force in any kind of depth. Some
of the most common, if you can call them that, uses of Flavordynamo-
mancy are expectedly deadly and the ramifications of them ending up in
the wrong hands are terrifying. Safe to say, in the hands of an experienced
Flavordynamomancer, anything can become a nuclear bomb.
146
Analyzio: First Lesson of Applied Technomancy

Analyzio is one of the only actual Technomancy spells, and it is also rela-
tively simple and easy to do. It is also essential for all levels of Technoman-
tic study, and is usually the way the technomancer, whether experienced
or not, learns about and understands new things. It can not be overstated
how absolutely essential knowledge of this spell is to the budding Techno-
mancer, and literally all forays into the deeper mysteries of the field will
start with the learning of this spell. The spell identifies the properties of
an item or a spell. The power of the spell and the nature of information
gained is proportional to the amount of knowledge the user has about the
subject in question. You cannot gain knowledge of the crystal structure of
a diamond if you don’t know anything about crystal structures in general
or how they interact with other objects. To cast Analyzio you point your
wand at the object or spell you wish to analyze and exclaim “Analyzio”
whereupon your mind will receive the incoming data from the stream of
magic. For this reason, a proper state of mind is more important than pre-
cise hand movements or intonations. If you are not ready for the torrent
of information which is about to assault your synapses it will in effect be
entirely wasted.

Terminology: Explanation of Vernacular

Artifact: An object imbued with magic

Atomic Technomancy: Flavordynamomancy and Chromodynamomancy
are sometimes referred to together as Atomic Technomancy
Analyzio: A basic Technomantic spell used to identify objects and other
spells.
Apparatus: An object imbued with magical properties which also relies on
the movement and/or properties of the object itself.
Construct: An Apparatus that can operate by itself.
Enchantment: An older term to express the magic in an object
Golem: A Construct with the ability to make autonomous decisions re-
garding its operation
Simulacrum: An Apparatus that mimics a living creature either in form
or mannerism 147
 Studying Artefacts
Understanding The Power Of Magic Items In A Witchard Context
By Arthur Fisher

148
An Essential Set Of Knowledge

Magical items and artefacts are an important part of our world. Some of
these artefacts are little more than tools, created to make our lives easi-
er; others are works of great art constructed by witchards from antiquity
using methods and rituals that are sadly lost to us. And today, of course,
artificers are making use of the new technomancy to create items of such
intricate design and astonishing power that any guide written down is in
danger of being obsolete as soon as it is published.

Here then is a list that is little more than an introduction to the fascinating
topic of artefacts. Looking particularly at those items from the European
traditions of magic it is by no means a complete guide but rather a taster
of what is out there for the interested collector or witchard about town
looking to accessorise.

149
 Common Household Implements

Cooking, potions

cauldrons – pewter, brass, iron, steel, glass – chosen according to ingredi-

ents, desired outcome, phase of moon, or other variables. Acquired in any
market; tempered according to the use to which the item will be put.

Mortar & pestle

common stone, marble, glass, old iron – chosen according to ingredients,

desired outcome, temper of witchard, or other variables. The Mortar and
Pestle of BabaYaga is reputed to be too heavy for the strongest man to use,
yet a maiden who is courageous and true might wield them to her benefit.

Spinning/weaving/clothes

spinning wheels, spindles, shuttles - TimeSpinners are used to work the

flow of Time. Use may lead to unforeseen problems.

FateWeavers are the looms parents use to influence babies’ futures. Three
warp strings are the most recommended; uncontrollable tangles result
from attempts to string more. Use may lead to unforeseen problems.

Metalwork

forges of antiquity, hammers of note - Weland’s is the well-known multi-

national company famed for fine old-iron and steel work; so well known
is it, that it appears in Mundane mythology. With branches in many Eu-
ropean witchard communities, they guard their secret processes fiercely.

Masamune is the corresponding Japanese company; they take no appren-

tices, but witchards born into the Five Families find their employment
there.

150
The clocksmiths of Tibet are reputed to have possession of the Mouse Forge
and corresponding Mouse Hammer, with which they create the minute
mechanisms of TimeSpinners, HeartPieces and FateWeavers, but this may
be rumour to increase their sales.

Woodwork

uses of different woods – wandmakers will be aware of, and will complete
all rituals necessary when gathering wand-woods. Builders, wainwrights
and shipwrights likewise have their own rituals for the gathering of their
materials. No more shall be stated here about guild mysteries.

Pottery/glass

much care must be taken in fashioning mirrors; the story of Dawsanda’s

Glass should be heeded, as she is reputedly still trapped in the mirror she
was creating to enchant her lover.

Lighting and heating

GlowOrbs, powered by live wisps – these must be regularly replaced with

new wisps. The more modern method, developed by the young genius
Ignatia Gaisma, uses a thin coil of metal with storage area beneath, which
only needs topping up with a Potestas spell every week or so. Fireplaces
and Hearths, powered by wood or salamanders are the traditional home
heating arrangements. For larger estates, the Lesser Fire-dragon may be
employed.

151
 Animal husbandry

Harness – horse, dragon, mouse/rat, elephant, bear

Collars and other beast-gentling devices - the mirrikin may be held up if

threatened by a dangerous beast, or it may be left near the lair of a beast
one wishes to capture. The mirror fascinates the creature, allowing the
witchard to escape or capture the beast. Does not affect dragons, centaurs,
vampires, werewolves or humans.

Golden cock-spurs were reputedly how Durentius achieved his voyage to the moon.

The Wolf-Bridle is, to all appearances, made of shabby old leather and
wood, but throwing it over any beast will bring it under the witchard’s
control. Does not affect dragons, kelpies, vampires or werewolves.

Bladed Implements

Blades – knives – standard carbon steel: useful in dealing with paper,

parchment, vellum, skins
Old iron - only used for seaweeds, shellfish, slugs, snails. DO NOT USE
near kelpies, merpeople, selkies, etc.
Cold iron/meteorite iron - lethal against faeries. They have a zero toler-
ance policy towards anyone who possesses a meteorite weapon
Silver - general potions ingredient preparation, ingredient harvesting
apart from noted exceptions. Werewolves.
Gold - mistletoe, pine branches, ritual sacrifice
Glass -W ritual sacrifice, blood rituals

Swords – as with knives, excepting the use of old iron or carbon steel
ONLY in dealings with Mundanes

Shields, helms – as with swords. Specific exceptions are the Shield of Invis-
ibility – please do NOT use in presence of Mundanes as this sets off their
mobile phones. Helga’s Helm will not protect the witchard from accidents
152 in bathyspheres or submarines.
Musical Implements

Wind – Flute of Seilenos – used for sending the listeners into a deep sleep,
also useful in seductions. AEolian Harp – used for sending the listeners
into a dream-state from which some never recover

Percussion - drums, sounding-sticks, rattles/gourds have all been used in

rituals from time immemorial; no magical properties have ever been con-
firmed for any of these percussion instruments beyond what is evidenced
upon Mundanes. Percussion appears to send Mundanes into a rhythmic
frenzy not unlike the Maenades. those followers of Dionysus (also known
as Bacchae in ancient Greece,) whose drug and drink induced frenzies
often led to them tearing people apart with their hands and teeth!

Strings - Everflowing harp – will send most listeners into a deep sleep,
unstrung lyre – makes music that isn’t heard but works directly on mental
synapses – very dangerous in the wrong hands

Brass – Trumpet of Doom – will wake all witchards within a radius of 500
meters (do not leave around unattended children),

Written Word

Books - grimoires, tablets of Ur and the ancient Egyptians, rune-sticks

of the Slavs and Balts, rolled bark of Micronesia and Australia, deerskin
drums of North America; these are all covered in the young witchard’s
early education, and thus will not be expounded upon here.

Libraries in the schools and colleges – some of the fabled Library of Al-
exandria, supposed by Muggles to have been burnt, but was moved by the
Egyptian witchards to their campus of Thoth and Heka, and stories of the
burning seeded into Mundane mythology.

153
 Implements of Power

harnessing the elements: earth, fire, air, water, metal

The witchard wishing to work with the elements, harnessing their funda-
mental powers, is advised to think again. If the witchard persists in pur-
suing this path, friends and relations are advised to seek medical help for
their deluded loved one.

Stones and jewels

Wishstone - innocuous-looking pebbles reputed to come from the banks
of the river Styx. Wishes are granted, though not necessarily in the way
intended.

Sleeping sapphire - useful for the witchard suffering from insomnia, al-
though it is useful to have a thoroughly trustworthy friend or two to en-
sure the stone is removed once the allotted time has passed.

Bloodstone - found at the site of massacres, soaked in the blood of inno-
cents, one can identify the right stone by placing it under the pillow at
night. Will allow the witchard to wreak revenge if secreted in an enemy’s
house.

Wu Xian jade horse - the beautiful carving is said to bring good fortune in
one’s career, single-minded perseverance in the pursuit of one’s objectives,
and charm to overcome obstacles in the path of this pursuit. What is not
mentioned is the price one pays for these successes. Be aware that there are
many counterfeit horses in existence, and any success might be due to the
owner’s innate skills rather than owed to a carved figurine.

154
Amulets/protective scrolls

Almost all such devices are ineffective, many are counterfeit, and some
are dangerous, harmful, or riddled with woodworm which will infest the
unwary witchard’s wand.

Other items

Twelve iron spikes - the 3 Calthrops of Sargon are legendary instruments

of war. Cast in front of an enemy, they caused pains and crippling hurt to
the antagonist. One is known to have been used by Alexander the Great in
defeating the Persian Empire, though how he acquired it is unknown. The
other two are rumored to have been lost, one in the Bactrian desert, the
other captured by the Great Sphinx at Giza, and apparently still trapped in
her left paw.

Ten-foot pole - these are often effective against the milder forms of an-
tagonistic creatures as well as unimaginative antagonistic witchards and
Mundanes. This is another reason not to sneer at witchards who choose to
employ a staff instead of a wand.

Wands

Woods/bone - 12 woods of the months (celtic tree calendar, multi-reference)

January = birch February = rowan, laurel, cedar

March = alder, dogwood, ash April = pine, bay, hazel, willow
May = hawthorn, apple June = oak
July = oak, acacia, ash, holly August = hazel, alder, cedar
September = hazel, larch, bay, vine Oct = yew, cypress, maple, oak, ivy
November = alder, cypress, reed December = pine, fir, holly, elder

Cores - unicorn hair, kelpie whisker, sker-eagle feather (and other avians),
obsidian crystal (not the Mundane sort)

155
 Staves

Dragon fang, windstave, the waterbar, Silenius’s staff – produces wine

and food in quantity for feasting. Good for social magic. Not particu-
larly useful for battle. Wands or staves, according to the affinities of the
witchard, their birth- or witzing-date, and their strengths and weaknesses,
will resonate with the witchard. Once the base is established, the accepted
cores should be tested for compatibility. The witchard will thus be matched
to the tool most fitting to channel their personal magic. A traumatic life
experience may require a readjustment to this partnership. Staves, for all
they are reputed to be evidence of compensation of some nature for Wiz-
ards, are perfectly acceptable channels for magic.

Travel

Brooms - crafted by traveling witchards across the western world from

birch, straw, reed, willow, heather, yucca, or other materials.

Carpets - woven by experts from the four Clans of Qashqai, Khanseh, Af-
shari, and Beluch. Other carpets will not allow the controlling spells to
take; especially avoid Bidjar carpets which, though very attractive, will be-
have with particular unpredictability.

Twigs - Lappish and Suomi gathered from centuries-old pines, Esquim-

eaux gathered from Arctic willow. These are more effective over water than
the traditional Western Broom or Besom.

Animal products – cats-whisker, puffball-spore-powder, kelpie-spume,

hares-foot can all be utilised for travel in conjunction with fire or water.

Feathers - cloak of roc feathers, phoenix-feather are well-known for their

efficacy in fast travel. Many witchards find the air-sickness and nausea not
to their liking however.

156
Animal skins - Boots of Mercury were reputedly crafted from the hide,
hooves and bone of Pegasus, and allow travel at great speed – 1,000 kilo-
metres at a single step – at will. Can cross, but not land on water.

Additional Items

Alarms – powered by Banshee wails, will repel all but the most determined
sneak thief attempting to purloin Grimoires, potions, and artifacts. Tend
to drive Mundanes insane, so best used in witchard-only communities. A
nice small watch-dragon will do for other establishments, with the add-
ed benefits of heating and good company, although not advised for book-
shops, libraries or scriptories.

Demon-Wards, Dream-Catchers – sphinx feathers are reputed to be ef-

fective in preventing dream-travelers from infesting the witchard’s nights.
Particularly recommended for infants and small children.

Invisibility Cloak – Olifant skin - as no one has yet seen an Olifant, these
may be presumed to be effective.

157
 An Introduction
To Wand Lore
Understanding The Most Important Tool At A Witchard’s Disposal
By Guillaume E. D. P. Baston

158
One Artifact To Rule Them All

The wand is quite possibly the most powerful type of magical artefact ever
created, capable of channeling the wielder’s inner magical force and con-
centrating it towards a specific goal. The art of creating a wand is just as
complex as the artefact itself. Explaining all the intricacies of the process
would fill several long books, far beyond the scope of this short article,
which only serves as a brief introduction to the wonderful world of wand
lore.

~*~

There are three components to a wand: The wood, the core, and the wield-
er. Most commonly, a wand consists of one type of wood and one core,
and of course one wielder, though there are exceptions to every rule. All
of these three factors work together in an intricate system of Arithmancy
in order to determine the potency of a wand. In my workshop, and indeed
the vast majority of European workshops, we make use of the Pythagorean
Tradition to calculate a wand’s properties.1

Personality is sublimely important when pairing a wand with a witchard.

In principle, more or less every kind of wood and core could make a pow-
erful wand if paired with the right person. However, certain woods and
cores have a much higher rate of success than others. It’s generally accept-
ed that cores from magical creatures are the most potent, though cores
made of other magical substances such as magical plants, though rare, are
not completely unheard of.

The most common cause of low potency in a wand is lack of balance. The
wood and core should be in balance, as well as balanced to the personality
of the owner. Balancing wood and core is a difficult task, often involving
complex Arithmantic tables. The most skilled and experienced wand mak-
ers are able to roughly calculate the balance of most combinations in their
heads.
1 Editor’s note: See the essay ‘An Introduction to Basic Arithmancy: [...]’ by Prof M.
A. Beyersdorf in this book for a more thorough presentation of this subject 159
 The human mind is a complicated manner and this part of the process is
often more of a case of trial and error. Certain rough archetypes generally
match more successfully with certain types of wands, which is why being
able to quickly “read” people in order to narrow down the number of likely
matches is a treasured skill among wand makers.

As a rough guideline, I find it helpful to divide woods and cores into three
types of categories: stable, unstable, and balanced2. A stable wood should
pair with an unstable core to keep the balance and vice versa. The category
of “balanced” is a bit more complex. While the balanced woods and cores
(in principle) can be combined with any of the other types, some of them
are more picky than others. For instance, the tail hair of a centaur, a bal-
anced core, yields poor results with anything other than balanced wood.
And European Larch, a balanced wood, has only been successfully paired
with a core of a cockatrice feather (which is unstable). Balanced woods
and cores paired with a non-balanced counterpart further run the risk
of moving farther to the stable or unstable side. However, with the right
wielder to counterbalance this, it can yield supremely powerful results.

I have sometimes been met with a preconceived notion that stable is more
reliable and dependent than unstable, why some witchards wish for a sta-
ble-leaning wand. It’s true that stable is often associated with more solid
tree and core, such as ironwood, oak, griffon and sphinx. However, unsta-
ble counts examples such as elm, cherry, pixie and wisp, components that
consistently produce very impressive magic. Stable components are just
as likely to blow up in your face. What many fail to realise is that balance
is crucial - an overly stable and an overly unstable wand are equally likely
to result in disaster. Just like in all aspects of life, a successful wand and its
wielder require a bit of stability as well as a dose of chaos and unpredict-
ability.

A few enterprising wand makers have tried creating wands of non-tra-

ditional materials - various metal alloys, bone and in recent times even
plastic. In the opinion of this writer, these are more of novelty toys than
truly useful tools.
160
If the wand has never been part of a living tree, channelling life from the
root to the leaves and back, it is very hard for it to become a natural chan-
nel for the wielder’s magical force.

Every wand maker family has its own traditions when it comes to the
wands of family members. In some families, each person makes their own
wand when they are deemed sufficiently skilled, the argument being that
no one knows you better than yourself. In other families the parent(s) or
other close family member create the wand, insisting that the care and love
going into the process will manifest itself in the finished product, creating
the best possible wand for the individual.

Others yet insist that a wand produced specifically for you will result in a
wand made for the person you or your parents want you to be instead of
the person you actually are. Therefore, they prefer to let the family mem-
bers try out a range of different pre-made wands just as any other custom-
er.3

Many wand makers are skeptical to the concept of wands being inherited
due to the importance of personality. The wand is likely to be significantly
more unbalanced with a new owner, which can compromise its effective-
ness. Wands often tend to mold to their owner with time, being imprinted
with their magical fingerprints. There have been cases of inherited wands
working against their current owner if the use of the wand differs wildly
from the way in which its previous owner wielded it.

It can, however, also have a positive effect. It is well known that a wand
grows more powerful with use, being imbued with residue from the mag-
ic that has been channeled from it. Thus, old wands are often supremely
powerful and, having been used by several different people, are experi-
enced in a wide range of spells.

2 This is only one way to categorize woods and cores. Our Chinese partners, the
Ning family, favors the elements, for example.
3 It is my personal opinion that having a loved one create your wand will provide
it with some unique beneficial properties. It is thus tradition in the Baston family
for the parents to create their children’s wands, which has resulted in some
extraordinary wands over time. 161
 Alchemy
A Guided Introduction To The Craft For The Adult Student
By Akira Inoue

162
The Art Of Khemaia (Alchemy)

In these pages you will not find the answer to making gold or brewing
everlasting life, because only a fraction of you could ever hope to harness
your own magic to the needed extend. Each and every concoction you
find in these pages will test your level of skills and dedication, this is not
simply following a recipe or tossing ingredients into a cauldron, only by
breathing life into the flux with your magic can the true transmutation be
achieved. Remember this, alchemy cannot be charmed or cheated, if you
do a half hearted effort or don’t follow thought in every part of the process,
it will show in your end result, for how can we hope to change these ingre-
dients and convince them to become something else if we are not steadfast
in our pursued. You are your work, no more and no less, wherefore your
success or failure in this class reflects not just on your future opportunities,
but on your fundamental worth.

Alchemy or Khemeia, as it was first called in ancient Greece, meaning “art

of transmuting metals,” is a form of chemistry and philosophy practiced
by mundanes and mages alike in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
though out the world. It was concerned principally with discovering
methods for transmuting base metals into gold, with finding a universal
solvent and creating the elixir of life. Following the Conclave of 1399 and
the founding of the tradition, all corroboration between mundanes and
mages ceased, today mundanes practice chemistry and Alchemy is viewed
as a superstitious steppingstone to discovering and perfecting chemistry.
In those times before the Conclave alchemy was rooted in a complex spir-
itual worldview in which everything around us contains a sort of universal
spirit, and metals were believed not only to be alive but also to grow in-
side the Earth. When a base, or common, metal such as lead was found,
it was thought to simply be a spiritually and physically immature form of
higher metals such as gold. To the alchemists, metals were not the unique
substances that populate the Periodic Table, but instead the same thing
in different stages of development or refinement on their way to spiritual
perfection.

163
 Transfiguration and Transmutation

In Alchemy we distinguish between Transfiguration and Transmutation,

any mage can accomplish transfigurations by casting spells turning rocks
to gold for instance. Ancient Greece has a tale of the wizard Dionysus
( ) offering Midas his choice of whatever reward he wished for.
Midas asked that whatever he might touch should be changed into gold
and so the wizard made the enchantment.

Midas soon came to regret his wish, everything he tried to eat turned to
gold and even his own daughter was said to have suffered this fate. Midas
begged the wizard to lift this curse and Dionysus complied, the enchant-
ment was washed away and everything restored to its original form. Had
Dionysus been able to give the true gift of transmutation Midas would not
have been able to restore his daughter or anything else for that matter to
what they once was. In Alchemy we aim for transmutation, to change on
a fundamental level basic ingredients or magical components into some-
thing else in form and spirit.

It is not simply enough to change the form, if you tried to use a rock trans-
figured into gold to make a potion it would fail you, because the rocks
would still know that it is a rock and therefore be unable to serve its pro-
pose in the fusion process. An object transmuted properly can still be
turned back into a similar object, but it would never be the same object it
was before. In the instance of Midas daughter if transmuted, she would be
gold in form and spirit, trying to restore her would have resulted in a girl,
but she could never be the same girl. Realizing the risk of devaluation most
confluxes has put bans and restrictions on transmuting higher metals and
gemstones, only licensed alchemists are allowed this kind of magic to pro-
tect the market from poor quality transmutations.

d
164
Potions Procedure

In modern alchemy we concern ourselves mostly with potions that in-

fluence our own bodies, minds and magic. Not every mage can perform
complex mind altering spells or will find themselves in situations where
they don’t have the energy or the time to heal a fallen friend, this is in large
parts the reason that potions has become so popular, they don’t rely on a
person’s talent or skill, but sole on the alchemist making it. A potion con-
sists of one or more magical components, called the primary ingredient,
which serves as the foundation and binding link, it will recognize the Gift
within the consumer and trigger the potions effect.

Potions will not work on mundanes, because they do not possess the Gift,
but they will work on some magical creatures because of their innate mag-
ic, thought the effects can be a bit unpredictable. Secondary ingredients
are often none magical or less potent, their function is to balance and di-
rect the potion in the transformation stage. It should be noted that you can
make potions only with none magical ingredients like herbs that can effect
mundane, but it is illegal in most confluxes and will earn you a visit from
the local Guardians, using mundane poisons was quite popular in the Re-
naissance, because you would need a mundane antidote, not a magical one
to counter it.

For more information see “Growing Dark; a guide poisonous plants and
seeds, by L.L.L.L.L. Von Auttenberg.

165
 The tertiary component is of course your own magic, which can be applied
in a few different ways, yet the goal is always to guide and fuel the trans-
mutation process. One way is casting spells or channeling your innate
magic into the mixture, never put your wand directly into the mixture!

Other ways are thought ritual magic, runes and other means of magical
infusion. Making a complex potion can be a lengthy process that require
a constant flow of magic, by using a ritual it secures that the right amount
of magic is applied at all times and funneled into the potion, it would also
allow for more participants to reduce the burden on the alchemist.

Brew Analysis

The potential effect of a certain Potion may be safely analyzed by a mage,

provided one smells and tastes only an infinitesimal amount, and observes
the visual aspects of the sample closely. Use the Chart for determining
likely effect.

166
FourBasic Level Potions

Antidote base

Serves as a base for most common antidotes, add a sprinkle of the poison to the potion before use.

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon lotus roots, 1 tablespoon Carapichea ipecacuanha roots, a

pinch of salt, two pinches of powdered fairy wings and a half dl Dragon blood.

First take the dragon blood and slowly heat it till 40 degrees, then take the salt and mix
it in while stirring in the figure of a pentagram with an elm stirring spoon or rod. Let it
simmer for 5 minutes.

Take the lotus and carapichea roots and crush them together to a paste. Dust the wings
and add them to the paste. Slowly pour it into the simmering blood, while stirring clock
wise.

Draw the symbol with your wand above the potion.

Insomnia

Used to stay awake when necessary, don’t take it for more than two days straight, since sleep
is necessary to maintain a healthy mind.

Ingredients: 1 dl coffee, two teaspoons sugar, 1 cockatrice feather, 1⁄4 of an apple, slice
and 1 dl ice water.

Start out by making coffee or use an old sample. Put the coffee in a small cauldron, heat it
while adding sugar, let it boil for 10 min before bringing the heat down. Pluck the feather
and add them to the coffee mixture along with your apple slices, while stirring with a
glass rod in inside out spirals. Pour the ice water till the concoction is cooled down.

Draw the symbol with your wand above the potion.

167
 Recovery Draught

This is a healing draught is intended for light wounds, to make it more potent, use the second
ratios below. Beware of unexpected side effects, though!

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon melted honey, 1(2) dl water, 100 g ginger root, 75 g thyme,
1(2) teaspoon birch bark essences, 50(75) g dried Lily of the valley flowers, 1(2) teaspoon
unicorn horn shavings

Start by taking a medium sized cauldron, melt the honey until it’s golden, add the water
and let it cool. Cut your ginger root in paper thin slices. Chop the thyme finely. Crush
lily into a fine powder. Add the ginger to the honey water, slowly heat it under a medium
flame. When the mixture is boiling put in the thyme, stir 5 times clockwise with a willow
wood stirring rod. Let the mixture cool down till body temperature, for those not aware
its 37 degree Celsius. Add the birch bark essences and stir the elixir 2 times in an eight
pattern with a glass rod. Add the Lily powder and heat till boiling. Sprinkle the shavings
slowly while steering 5 times counterclockwise.

Draw the symbol with your wand above the potion.

Eros tears

This love potion is a lot less reliable than Cupids Arrow, because the drinker falls in love
with the first living thing they see. That includes plants, creatures and humans, so use wisely!

Ingredients: 1 pinch cinnamon, 100 g dark chocolate, 55 g strawberries, 3 dried rose

petals, half a teaspoon phoenix ash, 2 dl mountain water, preferably collected between
April and May.

Take a small cauldron and heat the water till its 50 degrees, add the cinnamon and stir
slowly. Melt the chocolate in a separate cauldron and add the ash to the mix. Cut the
strawberries in small cubes, crush the rose petals. Add the chocolate and ash mixture to
the water and stir it as if you were drawing the number eight. Then put in the cubes while
you continue to stir and then add the petal dust. Let it simmer for 7 minutes.
Take it off the heat and let it cool.

Draw the symbol with your wand above the potion.

168
169
 Advanced Level Potions

Anxia

Calming draught to put the agitated mind to rest.

Ingredients: 35 g Chamomile, half a teaspoon motherwort extract, 45 g St. John’s wort

(Scare Devil), 45 g Skullcap, 1 bag or half a tablespoon Seaweed tea, 25 ml Ectoplasm.

Distill the ectoplasm and pour it into a small flask. Crush the chamomile and skullcap.
Cut up the St. John’s Wort in thin slices. Brew the seaweed tea. Take 3 small cauldrons;
heat up the extract to 30 degrees and add the skullcap, let it simmer for 6 min. In your
second cauldron you mix the tea and chamomile heat till 40 degrees and let it simmer
for 4 min. slightly burn the ectoplasm and wort slices in the third cauldron. Now add
the skullcap and extract mixture in the third cauldron, while stirring slowly clockwise
10 times. Then add the chamomile and tea liquid in the third cauldron stirring quickly
counterclockwise 10 times. Let the brew simmer for 5 min.

Draw the symbol with your wand above the potion.

Morpheus bane

This elixir allows the drinker dreamless sleeps. It can also be used to give the user visions, if
used during a state of heightened emotional stress.

Ingredients: 50 g Snake Plant (Mother-in-Law’s Tongue), 50 g Spider Plant, half a tea-

spoon extract of Valerian, 4 tablespoons honey, 2 dl milk, 2 crushed Roc feathers Take
two small cauldrons, heat the milk and honey in the first one, and put the extract of
valerian in the second one, heat both to 40 degrees. Stir the milk and honey so I does
not burn, then take it off and let it cool. Crush snake and spider plants together, do the
same but separately with your Roc feathers, if they are not crushed already. Add plants
and then Roc feathers to the extract, let it simmer for 5 min. Pour the milk and honey in
slowly, while heating the mixture to 50 degrees, stir in a spiral till it has a sticky texture
and let simmer for 4 min.

Draw the symbol with your wand above the potion.

170
 You think I’m too old to know or care about love, but you’re wrong. I’ve
lived a long life, and known my share of love.

No, I’m not going to tell you about it. You’re at a school for witches and wizards.
You don’t need my help with experimenting with this stuff.

I will merely give you this advice: Don’t mess with love potions. Things have a
way of going wrong when they’re around. Why, when I was a young man, much
the same age as you’re now, I fell in love with a girl. She was a wonderfully gifted
witch, and took no notice of me at all. I resolved to give her a love potion, but it
didn’t go the way I planned.
Long story short, for many years I had a pet pig who really liked me. The girl went
on to become a professor of Magical History at a certain College in Southwestern
Europe.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)

Arteriosus

This potion is used when the patient has lost a lot of blood, as it stimulates the body’s own
ability to create blood. It can also be used to lower the bloodlust caused by Lycanthropy and
Vampirism, if administered correctly.

Ingredients: 75 g dark chocolate, 30 blood pumpkin seeds, 50 ml prune Juice, 35 g San-

guinaria canadensis (blood root), 40 g iron powder, 50 g Chimera bone, 2 dl black tea

Start with a small sized cauldron, melt the chocolate put in the seeds, and make sure they
are all covered. Cut the root in little squares 2 mm. Crush the bone into fine powder. Take
the tea pour hot water, 85 Celsius, over the tea leaves and let it set for 3 min. Take the
prune juice and heat it in a medium sized cauldron till it is boiling, add the bone powder
and stir 2 times clockwise and 4 counterclockwise with a bone rod, let it cool. When cold
add iron powder, while slowly heating the mixture over a low flame to 40 degrees. First
put in the tea, then the roots slowly while stirring the elixir left to right with a glass rod.
Still stirring add the chocolate covered seeds, one every 2 seconds until they are all in.

Draw the symbol with your wand above the potion.

171
 Introduction To
Classic Herbology
With Foreword By Gaarstyn Rorak
By Thalia Rannuncul

172
Essential Thoughts To Open With

“Hanging on treetops, digging in soil, drowning in marshes looking for

new discoveries - that’s when a witchard feels most alive.”

-Gaarstyn Rorak, Herbologist, Order of Merlin’s Disciples

Plants have always been indispensable to mankind. All the necessities of

life - food, clothing and sources of shelter can be found amongst them.
Nature also provides a full spectrum of remedies, deadly poisons and even
plants which can store or alter magic. As some fungi absorb precious met-
al in their hyphae some other fungi, plants and tree accumulate magical
energy. Energy absorbed and stored in faunas is called essentia.

Each plant can store a different amount and type of essentia. Essentia can
be categorised in accordance with many different systems. The most com-
mon division is made according to its nature (appearance, location and
properties) and their connection to the elements: Fire, earth, water and air.
Other popular divisions work with terms like dry, cold, hot, wet and mind.
In this system, the mind is the thing that stands above the other ones. E.g.
Lupulus has blood cleansing properties and has a hot nature on the first level
and a dry nature on the second. In other parts of the world you can encoun-
ter a different element division: water, metal, wood, fire and earth.

This division was very popular in the past among healers and potion mak-
ers. Its basic nature makes it very easy to work with . If you want to make a
potion that has the effect of burning someone, you compose your ingredi-
ents to enhance the dry and hot essentia and suppress cold and wet effects.
If you, on the other hand, want to decrease your patient’s fever, you will
concentrate on plants with cold powers to counter the hotness in the body.
Nowadays these schemes are still used, but often a more complex approach
is used and Arithmancy can, in some cases, be a sufficient tool to get the
intended equilibrium.

173
 Collecting

To preserve essentia in plants it’s very important to collect them correctly;

it isn’t simply picking the plant up. Some plants can be more sensitive than
others. Blooming parts of plants are usually collected before dawn, while
some roots should be dug out out at midnight. Some have to be collected
according to moon phases (as for example Lunaria) or at high or low tide
(Urginea maritima has more poisonous effect when it is collected at high
tide). Some even require a small ritual before you can touch them. Bloom-
ing specimens of the fern Dryopteris auris usually grow inside fairy rings
but reveal themselves only after you have sung the right tune, touched ev-
ery odd mushroom in the circle and performed a revealing spell.

As it is said : Before gathering plants, always gather knowledge.

You shouldn’t collect too many species at once. Always concentrate on one
particular specimen to avoid confusion. Mistaking root of silver willow
with roots of strangling willow has cost the life of many careless people,
even those highly educated in the art of Herbology. You should always pre-
pare for the worst. When collecting plants never forget to have your pair
of thick gloves with you (great against snapping snare), a pair of garden
scissors, a small silver sickle (for obtaining mistletoe), a ritual knife (for
collecting tree sap and other precious liquids) and plenty of vials, sacks
and a basket for your herbs.

Also, bear in mind that every part of the plant accumulates each essentia
in a different way and amount. Choosing which part of plants you should
gather could be vital.

174
Potentisation

Every plant should be stored in a hot and dry place. Decreasing the water
content is vital for the right preservation of essentia. Water is a catalyst for
changes which can happen in plants even after harvesting. To conserve
the plant’s current state, drying should be fast but careful. Drying can take
from a few days (in the case of petals) to a few weeks (roots or bark).

The use of fresh plants is possible, but not often done. In that case the use
after collection should be immediate. It can make a huge difference. If you
add faded Tribulus into a potion instead of fresh one, for example, the po-
tion won’t have aphrodisiacal but rather vomit-inducing effects.

Whole plants - Herba

Herba stands for the entire plant, meaning its leaves, roots, stem, etc. The
ideal herba should be in perfect equilibrium. That means that all the five
elements are contained in same amount and strength. In real life it doesn’t
work that way, of course, because different elements are dominant in dif-
ferent kinds of plants. Main essentia is called essentia cardinale, other,
weaker essentia are called essentia adjuvans. If we want to improve the
amount of essentia in ingredients it’s better to gather parts of a plant than
the plant as a whole.

Stem - Cauloma

This part of the plant obtains higher amounts of water or cold and wet es-
sentia. Stem has the transportation function in a plant, through which its
body’s vital liquids are transported back and forth.

175
 Leaf - Folium

Obtains higher amounts of air or hot and wet essentia. Leaves wave in the
wind, there is just a small connection with the rest of the plant. Through
leaves plants breathe and absorb moisture, and air essentia is therefore
strongest here.

Blossom - Flos

Obtains higher amounts of fire or hot and dry essentia. Plants put great
effort into blooming, generating sexual energy and preserving the species
for yet another generation.This gives a great amount of power to blossoms.

Root - Rhizoma

Obtains higher amounts of earth or cold and dry essentia. For many plants
the root is the only part that survives cold and difficult conditions. It’s the
part which survives when everything else is dead.

Fruit - Fructus

Obtains higher amounts of mind essentia which contains all other essentia
in itself. Fruit or seed is Uroboros biting its own tail. It’s the end and the
beginning of a new cycle. In the seed everything is connected. It contains
the spirit of new specimen; a portent of new life.

176
History

History of Herbology is as ancient as human civilization itself. Here you

can find a selection of fundamental writings and authors.

Papyrus Ebers

Papyrus about medicinal herbal knowledge, dated c. 1550 BC. The book
contains nearly 700 ancient magical formulas and recipes.

Shennong Beneao Jing

Written by Shennong, a Chinese Emperor who lived around 2800 BC. The
Beneao Jing is a compilation of knowledge about agriculture and medici-
nal plants. It describes 367 medicaments and their effects.

Sushrutha Samhita

Written by Suhrutha who lived around the 6th century BC. The Chara-
ka Samhita consists of two main texts that evolved into the “Ajurveda” or
“life-knowledge” of ancient Hindu society. Ajurveda is a system of tradi-
tional hindu medicine. Sushrutha Samhita contains description of many
illnesses, as well as nearly 700 entries about medicinal plants.

Corpus Hippocraticus

Hippocrates promoted the theory that the human body consists, among
other things, of four humours - blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm.
Each humour was connected to one element and two properties (for ex-
ample air is connected to blood and it has dry and hot properties). Ac-
cording to this theory, any illness can be healed by re-balancing all body
humours back to their original state. This could be achieved by plants
associated with the missing properties. Hot illness should be cured with
plants containing hot essentia etc. This theory is probably not his own, but
more likely has its origins in Ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia. Greeks most
likely only systematized this theory. 177
 Historia Plantarum

Written by Theophrastus in c. 350 BC, it classifies plants according to

their reproduction, localities, sizes and practical uses. It was one of first
attempts at plant anatomy.

De Materia Medica

The book is written by the Greek Pedanius Dioscorides between 50 and 70

AD. It contains information about close to 600 species of plants and other
medicinal substances.

The Canon of Medicine

The Canon of Medicine was compiled by the Persian philosopher Avicen-

na (full name Abū ‘Alī al-Ḥusayn ibn ‘Abd Allāh ibn Al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn
Sīnā) around 1000 AD. It contains 800 “simple” substances on plant, min-
eral and animal basis. The famous Seven Rules on experimenting with new
types of substances were mentioned in The Canon.

Archidoxa (also known as Archidoxes of Magic)

Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim aka Para-

celsus is the author of the famous quote “Dosis facit venenum.” which
means “The dose makes the poison.” His hermetical view on the human
body states that sickness and health are caused by the disharmony of mi-
crocosm and macrocosm. He was a man of many talents and a well known
physician, alchemist, botanist and astrologer. The book itself contains
much information about healing and making medicine from plants and
minerals. It was publicated after his death in 1569 in Krakow.

Antidotarium

Shabetthai Donrolo was an Italian Hebrew physician who wrote about

medicine and astrology. This is his treatise about the most common anti-
dotes and poisons. It was written around the year 980 AD.
178
On practical lessons

Herbology is a subject that can’t be learned just by reading books. Herbol-

ogy must be learned through all senses. The true herbologist can recognize
each plant by smell, touch of their leaves or specific taste and on the other
side knows which plant could poison dozens of people with one blossom.
Studying herbaria is highly recommended but to become a true expert in
this field, you must go far away from your study room and beyond your
comforts. Always remember: True knowledge must be lived.

179
 Faeries - A Primer
Thoughts On The Fae And The Risks They Present
By Robin Goode, Beastology Scholar

180
The Fae Are Not Like Us

“It’s a bit nippy,” said Puck - that stately, wide-eyed trickster. He wrapped
his heavy woollen coat tight around him, pulling his knitted hat down over
his horns and ears. “You know it’s all very well being the Merry Wanderer of
the Night, but it’s getting much harder. I mean time passes doesn’t it? Stuff
that was funny a couple hundred years ago is a bit obvious now. Oi, Cobweb,
bung us that acorn cup. Ta!”

He stopped for a moment and took a deep swig of the steaming drink. He
tasted mulled wine and moonbeams, the smell of warm brandy and spices,
and the stolen memories of first love and Christmas morning.

The faery folk had seen better days, and now a small group of them were
huddled around a dustbin filled with burning wood under a railway arch.
They wore bobble hats and fingerless gloves, their delicate wings hidden away
by army surplus coats and ancient jumpers.

“There was a time that all I had to do was pull a stool out from underneath
a milk maid as she sat down and old Oberon would turn waxen with mirth.
Spluttering like a cheap candle he was.”

“Nowadays, I mean how many times can you laugh at a mortal falling off
a chair?” Puck coughed for a while, a consumptive song with the hacking
refrain of the industrial revolution, and then he spat.

“The problem is, the mortal man is getting wise to it all, I mean don’t give
me any of that nonsense about dumbing down. Your average rude mechan-
ical nowadays is quite bright, particularly when it comes to japes. I blame
the television myself, a merrier hour was never wasted there!” The cup was
passed around again and Puck took another long draft.

“I can feel that doing me good,” said Cobweb.

181
 “Enough of that,” said Puck, grabbing the cup, “there’s lots to do before the
revels tonight. You’ve all got your jobs to do?”

There was a round of muttering in agreement from the figures beneath a bridge.

“Right then!” Puck began to half hum, half sing a flat little tune, “Hand in
hand, with faery grace, we will sing, and bless this place.” Then he gave a
single derisive laugh, “Bollocks to it! I am an honest Puck and I’ll tell you
this, I can’t see why we don’t hold our bleedin’ winter revels indoors? Faeries
away! I’m going to put a mantel round myself.”

There was a momentary flurry of movement under the bridge. Old tramps
passed a bottle of cheap brandy from gloved hand to gloved hand and gath-
ered closer to the fire. The faeries had gone.

Faeries are not like us. The may look like humans, but they tend to be
extremely beautiful making them stand out. Nonetheless, while they can
appear like us, they are utterly alien. I have read that they are demons, but
this is bandersnatch and nonsense. They are and always have been the Fair
Folk. The dwellers in dreams, the shining ones, the fae. They are tricksters,
they are warriors, they are devourers of human children, they are lovers,
they are monsters. They deserve our respect, our adoration and our fear.

Never accept a gift from a faery and do not take food or drink from them or
you will become their hopeless servants. You’ll be lost in a faery dream for
a year and a day. When the night is dark, if you hear music in the woods,
do not rush to join in the dance or the faeries will steal you away. Do not
confuse the fae with fairies. Despite the similar spelling and pronunciation
they are utterly different. This mistake was common in the 19th century
and a lot of people ended up cursed or on fire as a result.

Some witches and wizards make pacts with faeries, asking for secret
knowledge or the answers to questions of life or love (as this is where they
tend to specialise). There is always a price to pay for a faery secret and that
price is always too high.
182
However, if you do wish to deal with them you should treat them with all
the hospitality you can muster. First, you can pacify them with offerings of
bread, honey, or milk. Then honour them, bow to them, and bring them
further gifts of food and drink. Sing songs or compose poems about their
grace and beauty. They are vain creatures and easily swayed by verse. In
return, they may provide you with the answer to three questions or the
ingredients used for powerful love potions. Their magic is akin to ours,
but not the same. In matters of the heart it is undoubtedly more powerful,
but in matters of the head less so.

To spot a faery look for golden skin and beautiful eyes. Then look deep
into those eyes and see the menace beneath the skin. The fae are preda-
tors, you and yours are meat for their pots. You should also remember
that fae detest iron. A single horseshoe above your door will keep them at
bay. A length of iron chain will keep them from your hearth. Most impor-
tantly, weapons made from meteorite iron are anathema to faeries and will
destroy them utterly. The act of carrying meteorite iron (or ‘cold iron’) is
considered the ultimate act of betrayal by faeries. They will seek to do you
harm if they think you own any or know someone who does.

Be on guard around people who have been attacked by fairies. They have
been known to coat their arrows with strange poisons that worm their way
into a person’s heart and mind and make them see the world as an evil,
dark and twisted place. The only known cure for this poison is True Love.
if left untreated the affected witchard will become utterly malevolent and
evil.

“...they were treated with a poison made of ground up glass and balrog root.
This glass came from a broken mirror that showed the world not as it really
was, but in the worst possible light. Looking into it would show someone not
their true reflection but the worst of them. No wonder it had been smashed
into a million pieces. But the shards of broken glass still had the terrible pow-
er of the original mirror. Even now pieces of it were worming their way into
him His best hope, other than a long rest and the best magic that the healers
could provide, was love.”
183
 Magic Body
Understanding The Elements And The Dispositions Of Your Mortal Husk
By Professor Jadzia Cantorius

184
Opening More Than Just The Two Normal Eyes

In every human being energy flows through the spine. In wizards, magic
energy expands from the spine to the extremities (head/hand/foot), creat-
ing a kind of ‘bubble’ or ‘aura’ all around the body, thus forming the magic
body. This aura expands greatly during the teenage years, transforming a
common mundane to a wizard.

There are three lines of research currently being conducted regarding the
“magical aura”:

• Do all humans possess the prerequisites of the aura? Is aura expansion

greater for those of hexblood?
• Is it possible to expand the aura of every wizard even at a younger age?
Or those of certain mundanes? And how?
• When a wizard is severely wounded (like losing a leg or hand being
paralyzed), how does this affect the magic aura? Is it possible to lose
the magic aura?

All the researches are conducted between great healer wizards and teach-
ers of physical education, sportive champions and spiritual gurus.

Until an answer to all these questions is found, the actual goal is to improve
the magical body by yoga, strength conditioning and running - and men-
tally by meditation, tantra and learning how to understand your feelings.

You must consider your magical body as the receptacle of your magical
power. Even the strongest spell is weak if your body is not prepared.
A magical body being prepared doesn’t mean being the strongest, but
rather being the one able to most cleverly answer to magical solicitations
and unusual, even dangerous, situations.

Each wizard must know the status of his or her magical body.

185
 The energy of the magical body is linked with the five natural elements all
around him or her:

The five elements are never fixed except in order and interactions

general instructions

example

186
Magic body and the five elements

Except for order and interaction, the magic body is moving, making each
of the elements Dominant in turn.

187
 Movement of the magical body can happen several times a day or once in
a wizard’s life. The basic is quite the same for every wizard, but the moving
is different for each one.

It is necessary to understand that a powerful magical body doesn’t mean a

perfect balance of the five elements but, on the contrary, a constant imbal-
ance to get the best power at the best location/time.

Magic Body Symbol

The Chakras - power nodes of the body

The elements of the body are the power while the chakras are where the
power is drawn from.

These are:

• The crown chakra - Honours the spiritual connection to others and the world
Situated just above the head where the soul has its epicenter
• The third eye - Honours the psyche
Situated on the forehead or between the eyes
• The throat chakra - Honours communication to oneself and to others
Situated in the larynx
• The heart chakra - Honours the soul and the heart
Situated in the middle of the chest
• The solar plexus chakra - Honours strength, lifeforce and body energy
Situated where the nerves of the back meet the chest
• The splenic/sacral chakra - Honours the creative, sexual and playful energies
Situated at the top of mons pubis
• The root chakra - Honours the earth, the connection and sexuality
Situated in the perineum

188
 I have been asked why I like to hold my lectures in the morning. Some of you
have said that starting at nine is not good for you. You need to sleep and so on.
What rubbish!

Some other professor would tell you to cut back on the late night room parties, but I
still remember what it was like to be a student. No, I’m going to tell you to use what you
know. You’re witches and wizards, are you not? Masters and Mistresses of the arcane
arts? Conjurors of the highest order?

Then maybe instead of complaining to me, you could try to solve this “sleep” problem
in the potions class. You’ll never see me complaining about being tired, and I’ve been
on this Earth a lot longer than you have. Experimental potions, that’s what you need...

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)

When the energies of the body are flowing freely the chakras are all ac-
tivated, allowing the soul to use the whole of the body. The energies will
rotate from the root, through the spine, to the crown where it will flow
through the front of the body, passing all the chakras. If there is a dis-
turbance the energy will overbalance the chakras. Disturbances can come
through external force (other magical creatures) or through self-manip-
ulation. These can be lies, bad diet or lack of empathy. The body is wise
in the sense that it will yield to an external pressure. But over time a part
of the body can weaken if not used. The energies can be returned if used
again - like a muscle that will become strong after use.
189
 Satory state of the body

If the energy centers of the body are full, energy will circulate through
the spine. If the body is full of positive swelling energy, the mind will flow
over with magic. This state is called satory. Its effects can be frightening the
first times, but this is where the conditions for magical events are at their
best. In this state an orgasm can last days, bodily wounds heal rapidly and
mental sores are closed.

Even without going to a full saturation, the energy flow of the spine is im-
portant, as this is where your body’s magic flows through.
Yoga, stretching and daily exercise can keep a magical body fit much lon-
ger than most potions or spells.

190
Pic/Galina Artemis (1968 - 2015). Galina graduated as a Healer from Czocha in
2012. She was continuing her research, pursuing a cure for lycanthropy in a village
near Steinach when the Lander Rebellion broke out. Galina was one of fourteen
who died in the Steinach Attack. She was survived by her parents, William and
Selene, and her sister, Gisella.
191
 Fireball Dragon
A Short History Of The Game And An Introduction To Its Rules
By Professor J. Cantorius, Prof. Of Physical Education

192
How It All Began

Dragons have always been both feared and sought out. Feared for the dan-
gers posed by both their fiery breath and the deadly power of their claws.
Sought out for magical virtues attributed to their blood and the nearly in-
destructible protection provided by their scales.

However, the most significant magical properties are in their eggs. The
amniotic fluid surrounding the baby dragon has an almost unlimited heal-
ing power, and its transparency, purer than that of the crystal, endlessly
reflects all possible futures... For those who can read it.

However, subsequent studies in Dragonology revealed that these prop-

erties are particularly prominent in European dragons, while their Asian
counterparts have very different features (such as high altitude velocity,
placing them in a role of Messengers for the Ancient Gods).

That’s why dragons in Europe have very nearly disappeared as their cap-
ture, despite the danger they posed, followed by their butchering, was
intensive. At the end of the 13th century, there were only a handful of
specimens spread across the Carpathians and the mountains of the Urals.
It was at this time that the great naturalist wizard Berhtram Duguay-Aquin
became aware of the paramount importance of preserving, or even restor-
ing the diversity of, the species of dragons in Europe. A Welsh dragon is
very different from the Northern Dragon or the Tarasque from the South
of France.

Sacrificing everything he possessed, Duguay-Aquin organised an expedi-

tion with a group of his most assiduous (and most daring) students to find
the last dragons and to define a neutral protection zone for them and/or
their eggs, provided that the latter were on the verge of hatching. The long
quest and struggle of the members of the expedition against the elements,
other wizards and the fierce creatures they sought to protect is detailed in
many Historical and Cryptozoological works.

193
 However, one event in particular became famous because it signifies the
turning point of their quest, when the dogma of hunting dragons shifted
definitively in favor of their protection. This was the battle of the “Dragon’s
Nest” in 1348.

Briefly recounting the events

Duguay-Aquin and his team hoist themselves atop a peak with difficulty.
The climb has been particularly difficult and challenging. Two students
are dead and the expedition is almost at the end of their food resources.
The summit, after many disappointments, might well be their last hope to
prove that dragons did not only not disappear, but that there is even still a
possibility of finding eggs and saving this wonderful species. But in their
desperate struggle against the elements of a rough and wild nature, they
are not aware of another group present on the steep foothills.

The other group is led by Edward Chandos, the famous alchemist. He

is convinced that a single dragon egg could permanently stop the plague
(even the magic community was at this point unaware of the fact that the
‘disease’ was a spell) that has begun to spread in Europe. He thinks he
can create a potion so strong that it could completely eradicate the disease
forever -as easily and as quickly as blowing out the flame of a candle.

Wandering for many years, Duguay-Aquin and his students are complete-
ly ignorant of the recently discovered ‘sickness’ that will, over the course of
the next five years, kill nearly half the population of Europe -mundane and
sorcerer alike. So, when the two groups arrive at the top, unfortunately at
the same time, the confrontation is inevitable. It is the clash of two ideol-
ogies: Save the race of dragons or save almost 25 million people? For the
dragons are there. Or rather, they are absent from an area which is their
nest, and resting there are two beautiful eggs with marbling indicating that
it is a male and a female!

194
Both groups of sorcerers will compete for the possession of eggs. The fight
that followed was epic: Two different concepts of life, but the same meth-
od. It seems that Edward Chandos used the first fireball, no doubt inspired
by the place, while Berhtram Duguay-Aquin cast a protection spell on the
eggs to make them unbreakable. Unfortunately, this protection also made
them hot as fire and they were thus impossible to hold on to for more than
a few seconds.

We now know that team Berhtram Duguay-Aquin achieved victory. He

took the eggs to a secret location that he encircled with a protection spell.
The area soon became too small for the various specimens he found after-
wards; a clear indication of the success of his endeavours.

The, sometimes heavily embellished, stories of this fight spread through

countries and universities. Soon the students created a symbolic game of
the events, recounting the story in game form. No university, despite their
claims to the opposite, can claim authorship of the fireball game. The suc-
cess of the game has extended through the wizarding world, giving rise to
the Interuniversity competition and founding a pool of professional play-
ers. As a matter of fact, every famous university cannot fail to organize an
annual championship...

The inter-university championship and world championship of Fire-

ball-Dragon Game are some of the greatest events of the magic commu-
nity. For those who have recently come from the world of mundanes or
those who have been lost for a long time in a cave of forgetfulness, a sum-
mary of the rules are described in the following chapter.
195
 Fireball-Dragon: The Game

Rules

Field

The field represents the central playing area (Dragon’s Nest) surrounded
by ‘Dragon Limbo’ or ‘Clouds’.

Purists define a polygon with six sides divided into two equal parts, but
for practical reasons (and better gameplay), it usually consists of a large
rectangle divided by a line in the middle.

A strip of land the width of which should not exceed a quarter of the main
field (playing area) surrounds it entirely. This is the Limbo or Clouds.
Originally, the Clouds represented the vast height of the peak, but many
players use the term ‘Limbo’ because of their eagerness to get out of it! The
field all around the Limbo is called the ‘Abyss’. No matter how large it is,
only players that are out of the game have access to this part.

196
The Players

Players are divided into two teams: The Hunters (representing Ed-
ward Chandos’ team) and the Protectors (representing Berhtram Du-
guay-Aquin’s team).

The Balls

• The eggs of dragons: Two fairly large and light balls

• Fireballs: Two to five balls small enough to be caught with one hand.
The numbers of balls vary as a function of the number of players in-
volved (the more players, the more fireballs). They are in odd num-
bers when one of the teams has a supernumerary player.

The Game

• The objective of the teams is to keep holding the eggs on hand while
eliminating their opponents with the fireballs.
• Each game lasts twenty minutes (can be half an hour, but never more).
• Initially, each team takes their places in their playing area.
• Eggs are set in the central boundary portion, each on an outside quarter.
• Each team has two to three fireballs (the smaller team gets the extra
ball).

Recall

According to the legend, the fireballs and eggs are burning, it is impossible
to keep them in hand and they must be immediately thrown again.

Basic Rules

At the sound of the whistle the game starts.

197
 Fireball

• If a player is hit by a fireball (from her team or the opposing team) he

must catch it before the ball touches the ground. It is possible to catch
a ball that has touched another player on one’s team (or not). The
player is considered injured only if (s)he is hit AND the ball touches
the ground.
• If the fireball touches the ground, the player who was hit is considered
seriously injured and has to take refuge in the Limbo of his camp.
• A player can get out of Limbo by successfully catching a fireball that
enters the Limbo, then succeeding in throwing it at an opponent who
then fails to catch it before the fireball hits the ground. Originally, wiz-
ards exchanged their healing power compelled and forced by the fire-
ball.
• The player who has just been hit cannot be healed immediately. They
must throw the ball from Limbo and into their team’s playing area,
then wait to catch another ball.
• It is allowed to pass the fireball to another player on the same team and
in the same area but only one time. The second player has to throw
toward the other team.
• Players cannot leave their playing area to catch a fireball; only players
located in Limbo can.
• If a fireball or an egg goes out of Limbo, they are recovered and given
to the opposite team. (see examples on next page)

What’s that you’re wearing, young lady? Is that some kind of a nose ring?
And your school tie is loose... I’ll have you know, class, that this school has
regulations concerning your dress for a reason! As witches and wizards you’re expected
to look the part. I have three words for you: Dignity, dignity and dignity. Look at me, for
example. Striped trousers give a suitably gentlemanly air. My hat with its golden stars
is a wizarding classic. The purple cloak is to make an entrance and to keep me warm.
When you look at me, you immediately see that this man is a wizard of some distinction.

Now what do these things you’re wearing tell us about you, young lady? All these
accoutrements from the non-magical world... What’s that word on your shirt? A band? A
band of what? Dignity, young lady! At the very least, you should wear a pointed hat. And
you, young man! Why is the top button in your shirt undone?

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

198 (also known as Achilleus the Elder)
Example 1: A player from the Hunters’ Eyrie aims for a player in the other
team’s Eyrie with a fireball. The ball crosses the playing area and the Hunt-
ers’ Limbo without being caught. The ball is then given back to the players
of the Protectors’ Eyrie.

Example 2: A player in the Protectors’ Limbo targets a player in the Hunt-

ers’ Eyrie with a fireball. The ball crosses the Hunters’ and Protectors’ Eyrie
without being caught. The ball is then given back to players of the Hunters’
Limbo.

Example 3: A player from the Hunters’ Limbo aims

for a player in the Protectors’ Eyrie but the fire-
ball only goes through the Hunters’ Limbo without
being stopped (shooting technique possible in the
corner only for players in Limbos). The ball is then
given to the players of the Protectors’ Eyrie.

199
 The case of Example 3 cannot be used twice in a row. It is considered that
the player who uses it twice is suffering of a disturbance spell instead of a
healing spell. They are removed permanently (symbolically falling from
the top of the mountain).

The same rules apply to eggs

• The target must be an opponent. If the opponent catches the egg with-
out allowing it to touch the ground, they must immediately throw it
to a player of the opposing team. The egg can’t be passed to another
player of the same area (Eyrie or Limbo)
• If the egg hits the ground, it “bounces”, symbolically, to the opposing
team and the thrower goes to the Limbo.
• If the egg leaves the territory of Limbo, the rules are the same as for
fireballs.

If the fireballs or eggs are not returned immediately, the player is consid-
ered “injured” and goes to the limbo or becomes “confused” (if already in
Limbo), causing the player to “fall”.

After twenty minutes, the game is stopped and the points are counted

As for inter-conflux meetings, competitions take place on two levels:

• Individual players.
• The College teams (selected from Conflux teams)

Scoring

• Each player still present in a playing area wins 1 point + 2 points if

their team is winning.
• Each team or home wins as many points as players still present in its
playing area + 4 points per egg present in its playing area.

200
At the end of a tournament between teams, the winners are

• Declared the best player (who won the most points).

• Declared the best team or house (that won the most points).

In case of a tie between two teams, two players proceed to the game of Chi-
nese dragon

• Each team appoints a captain. Both eggs are thrown as high as pos-
sible and opponent players appointed by their team must catch them.

At Czocha, traditionally, eggs are not thrown but dropped from the bridge
by the Headmaster.

• The last part is then played between the two finalist teams. Teams
are limited to 10-15 participants appointed by their home. It is the
referee’s commitment to choose how many players are required for
the Grand Final teams. Each point earned during this match counts
double when determining the final scores.

Advanced Rules

These are generally used only for grand finals. Basics rules still apply, but
the size of game field is reduced by one third every 7-10 minutes (one third
for each playing area, one side for each Limbo)

Variant rules

Some championships don’t agree with the “Game of Chinese dragon”,

which they consider to depend too heavily on chance. So for the basic
game and/or the grand final, these events use the hexagonal playing field
with multiple teams. In the examples below, it is possible to play from 2 to
6 teams at the same time. Due to the history behind the game, it is only
considered possible to have one team playing the role of Protectors. The
teams of Hunters are then distinguished by colours: Hunters Red, Hunters
Blue, Hunters Green, Hunters Black and Hunters Pink.
201
 Hexagonal Field Variants

Variant: 2 teams Variant: 3 teams

Variant:6 teams

Strategy For Fireball Games

202
Pic/Olivia Rorak, Daughter Of Fabled Herbologist Gaarstyn Rorak, And Fireball
Dragon Top Player At Pure Maduwe Karang 2005-2012 203
 Magical Defense:
An Introduction
For The Teaching Of That Essential Discipline
By M. Dubois, Professor Of Magical Defense

204
Musings Of An Expert On The Subject

When the subject of magical defense comes up, it’s always nice to dwell
a bit on the topic itself. What does it really mean? Keeping yourself safe,
sure, but from what? The idea of this being a matter of self-defense is a
comforting one, but as pursuers of esoteric knowledge, we will often will-
ingly place ourselves in risky situations.

While it may be considered poor form by some to add a smidgen of eth-

ics into an instructive essay such as this, I would nevertheless give a few
words of warning: There is a slippery slope between Prometheus bravely
snatching the fire of the Gods for the betterment of mankind and being a
larcenous mountebank wanting to steal the work of others. Many a war-
lock or witch may feel themselves entitled to the fruits brought forth by the
labours of others. There is a parable concerning a fish and an even bigger
one. Anyone whose knowledge it makes sense to covet could conceivably
have quite dreadful countermeasures in place.

Please, have a goal other than “the pursuit of power”. Of course it’s good to
be high and mighty and able to slap people around with your telekinesis,
but if that is the height of your ambition, you rather deserve to be turned
into something amphibious. History is specked with those who have
worked hard for power, with nothing more clever to use it for than your
run-of-the-mill adolescent bully. The same goes for eternal life. If knowl-
edge for its own sake isn’t central to your goals, you’re probably an idiot.

There was a guy who went through all of the trouble of summoning Pres-
ident Haagenti, ruler of thirty-three legions of demons. Did it all well,
but didn’t really have a plan. He ended up selling his soul for a rather un-
specified favour, and in return, Haagenti did his special trick: He turned a
bunch of wine into water. Don’t be that guy.

205
 Planning

You would think it goes without saying, but the folly of youth is one of the
constant factors of the universe. A stitch in time saves nine in your ass for
when you get it torn open by a faceless entity from Qlippoth. Not giving
anyone cause to do you harm would be a good start, but given the nature
of occultists, that may be nearly impossible. Think things through - in the
game of magic, wits and guile can in fact beat brute force.

Dispose of your nails and hairclippings. Don’t leave snotrags around.

What the mundanes call DNA is a direct connection to your heart and
soul, and leaves you as vulnerable as a babe in the woods. Don’t give out
your true name, either. (Don’t worry too much about the last one: you
probably don’t know it).

Defense

The heart of our subject. There are as many forms of defensive techniques
as there are poor metaphors. In this introductory text, I shall cover some
of the basics. What, however, do we defend against?

• Physical trauma (both effectuated by sorcery - for instance incanta-

tions of fire, and by more mundane means)
• Mental Trauma (Mind magic).
• Spiritual Trauma(Luckily the rarer of the three).

In addition, few sorcerers do not cultivate privacy. An efficient divination

counter-measure may save the need for protection against the former
three.

A
206
The Basics

Circles and sigils

The bread and butter of defense. A well-prepared circle of protection re-

quires far less power, and is a lot more trustworthy, than a spontaneous
incantation. Of course, knowing which symbols to utilize is alpha and
omega. The road to hell is paved with good intentions and the faces of
students who didn’t know how to draw the Third Pentacle of Jupiter prop-
erly. In other words: Pay attention in Ritual and Runic Magic. Any good
plan is probably better performed from inside a protective circle (or other
geometric form, as the situation demands).

Spells: The Seven Stalwarts

For this introductory text, I will limit myself to including the Count of
St. Germain’s excellent “Seven Stalwarts”. (1751). Being four defensive and
three aggressive incantations and spells most useful for the occultist with
a need to engage in conflict.

Defensive

Aegis Corporis - To guard ‘gainst assaults upon the physical form of the Witchard.

Aegis Medeis - Incantation to call forth a shield barring those attacks of a

sorcerous nature.

Murus Magus - A wall of magic is conjured forth betwixt the spellcaster

and their assailant.

Cantio Deflecto - The song of deflection is meant to turn back that which
was meant for the caster upon its originator. Beware, for this is naught for
the novice to entrust their safety to, as the incantation demands great force
of will in a calamitous situation. (The simple “Deflectio” charm is better in
such situations. - Dubois’ note).
207
208
Offensive

Sagitta Zeus - Evokes an unseen arrow. Upon impact it shall give the target
the sensation of being struck by lightning.

Pulso Vis - A simple telekinesis, creating a most puissant physical strike

t’wards its target.

Capitis Dolor - Inflicting on the target a splitting ache of the head.

Amulets

Artificier Juniors take note: These are, as you know, the easiest protec-
tive items to make. That they are less lasting and potent than counterparts
should not dissuade the enterprising student from using them to practice
(the lazy student might want to whip up a couple the night before their ex-
ams too). The relative swiftness with which one may be created also makes
them excellent for one-off protection ploys.

To simplify, amulets consist of three basic components: string, stone and

symbol.

The string is whatever holds it. A cord, a string, leather or a chain.

The stone is the pendant itself - that which is attached to the string. Of
course it doesn’t have to be a stone, but the old masters loved alliteration.
The symbol is, of course, whatever you have inscribed onto it - from a sin-
gle sigil to a complicated seal.

Sympathetic magic and symbology is important here. What you carve into
the amulet is only part of it. The materials themselves have quite a bit to
say. If you want something to protect you from unicorns, having a bit of
unicorn hair - or enough for the Cord - is best of all. Of course, if you need
that kind of amulet you may have to reconsider some of your life choices.

209
 Magical Defense:
Advanced Techniques
For The Teaching Of That Essential Discipline
By M. Dubois, Professor of Magical Defense

210
More Musings Of An Expert On The Subject

In this text we shall deal with two main topics: The art of magical escape,
and the art of magical combat - as well as alternatives to this. Lastly, I
will briefly cover three topics beginning with ‘S’: Sanctums, Sympathy, and
Simulacra.

The art of running

Whether already engaged in combat, suddenly finding oneself in an aether-

storm, or surprised by a Rusalka, absconding is a strategy every witchard
should have several alternatives for. When this topic comes up, students
invariably mention teleportation first. That’s usually a less than ideal solu-
tion. Even with an Anchor Stone, it can be risky - without it, you might
well end up with your eyelids in Antarctica, your body on the moon, and
the rest of you in the Pacific. Here are three spells better suited for a quick
getaway. Which one to choose depends on the situation and your individ-
ual talents. Also remember that these are advanced techniques, and are
quite likely to have side effects for the student caster.

Confusio - As the charm’s name indicates, this causes a terrible confusion

to grip the situation you’re in. Confused people are not necessarily less
dangerous however, so it might be best to slip away as soon as possible.
Can also work great at parties.

Invisibilis Singulis - A mind charm rather than actual invisibility - this

Charm makes the caster invisible to the subject(s) of the Charm. This can
be very embarrassing if the caster mistakenly believes it has succeeded and
does a silly mocking dance towards the subject.

Aegis Abscondio - Creates a quite potent magical shield, which also pushes
you forward. In other words: this is an excellent spell for running away
really fast from whatever threatens you. While not very dignified, it can
be quite efficient.

211
 The art of fighting

This is usually where all the Guardian students skip to. That’s why we’re
going to start with a long list of things you can do instead of fighting. Don’t
skip again now, Guardians; this is likely to be useful.

The purpose of a magical fight is central to avoiding it. There may be other
ways to resolve differences, other ways to reach a goal, and most of these
hold less risk of being turned into stone because you underestimated an
old witch selling lemons under a bridge. There is a reason why the greatest
wizards used their heads before their wands. Maybe a trade can be possi-
ble if what you seek is physical? If a contest is necessary, a game of riddles
might be wiser than the alternative - or a game of chance if you are so
inclined. If you want to put someone in their place but don’t want to risk
a feud or other nasty consequences later, something other than hands-on
fireball action may be advisable - just ask poor Beowulf. And surrender-
ing can sometimes be better than going out with a bang … Especially if
someone cares about you, in which case the alternative can be downright
egotistical.

Practical hints for duels and brawls

I know at least one Guardian student skipped to this heading. Very well.
Read the rest later.

There’s no clear division between a duel and a brawl. The former extreme
is a duel between two witchards, under clear rules, abided by both. The op-
posite is an all-out, anything goes, fight to the death (or worse). Of course,
some duels are fought for very serious matters, and others find it recreative
to hurl boulders at each other. To each their own. Either way, here are
some suggestions that should prove useful in both instances.

212
Don’t get too clever...
...unless it’s all fun and games. That nice hex you made up may be less
efficient than you hope when used against a tried and true defense. Impro-
vising and fumbling an attack or defense is potentially disastrous. Trying
a gambit you learned last night, you may just screw up the incantation.
Again, if it’s a practice match, you should do everything I advised against
above - it’s a good way to get better. In a serious contest or a dangerous
situation however, they could prove your undoing. Chefs and musicians
do not improvise until they have mastered the basics. Neither should those
who exert control over the very fabric of the universe (that would be us,
kids).

Prepare...
... and preparing a list of which attacks and defenses you want to use may
seem like something a novice would do. As a student however, that is ex-
actly what you are compared to many of the dangers lurking out there.
Having a clear plan means less chance of your tongue tripping you up.

Allow yourself to concede...

...unless you’re fighting a stone cold killer, giving up may at least let you
keep your life. Know when to utilize the better part of valour.

Sanctums

A sanctum is a witchard’s most private safe space. As students you’ve yet

to be encouraged to set one up - there will be plenty of time for that. Note
however, that a sanctum sanctorum is a sorcerous fortress that is highly
difficult to breach with the spontaneous incantations, we mostly practice
in Magical Defense. Even a middling witchard’s defenses are impervious
to most swift assaults. Thus, in prolonged conflicts between our kind, it is
not rare that each of the combatants hole up in their sanctums, trusting
catspaws and distant magic. To breach someone’s Sanctum, you will usual-
ly need to utilize Sympathetic Magic.

213
 Sympathy (Sympathetic Magic)

Mostly a matter to pester the Rituals Professor about. Of course, you know
Sympathetic Magic refers to the connection between a part of something
and the whole. As noted in my basic text for instance, parts of a witchards
body may prove a measure of power over the individual. This is usually in-
corporated in a ritual. Options may be creating an Artifact incorporating
such an element (a voodoo doll), or making a unique spell. A particular
form of Defense relying on Sympathy are Simulacra.

Simulacra

A form of magical decoy. The creator of a Simulacrum ties an item or crea-

ture to themselves, meaning there is a chance that any magic attempting
to target them from afar (most likely through sympathetic magic also) in-
stead affects the Simulacrum. The closer the tie, the more chance that the
decoy takes the hit.

It is theoretically possible to turn another human into a Simulacrum - this

is more efficient the closer the bond: Both of blood, astrology, looks and so
forth. It is possible to do so to a subject without their consent - this is both
unethical, and, in most Conflux Law, illegal. An interesting occurrence
may happen with twins, one acting as a Natural Simulacrum for the other.
Little study has been done on the field, although Fortune’s Gemini from
1923 is well worth a read.

Lastly, a reminder to anyone considering creating one of these: It is ba-

sically the creation of a strong Sympathetic bond - meaning if an enemy
gets a hold of them, they can be utilized quite efficiently against you. If the
Simulacrum is a bitter person you turned into one without their consent,
the consequences could be grave indeed.

214
215
 Ritual Magic
An Annotated Text For The Modern Student
By Professor Gerhard Grimbar, Czocha College, 1927
With a Few Notes By Alysia Maniatis, The Venerable House Of Thoth And Heka, 2009

216
The Importance of Tradition

The essence of ritual magic is tradition.

A ritual calls upon a number of well-known elements to repeat an earlier

effect, possibly with slight variations. When casting magic with a wand,
the witchard uses the magical energy in his body to achieve an effect, and
is thus limited in what can be achieved.

In a ritual, the practitioner draws upon the energy, memories and expe-
rience of herself, her assistants, her ancestors, the surroundings and all of
those who have performed the ritual before her. And some of that energy
is passed onto the next mage performing the ritual.

When executing a ritual, the witchard is gently reminding the world how
the ritual worked last time and attempting to have it happen more or less
the same way this time. Like a drop of water running down a hill carves
into the ground and makes a path for the next drop, performing a ritual
means reinforcing and carving the shape of magic itself. And, over centu-
ries, rivers will form.

217
 For most rituals, specific items, gestures, symbols and actions are required.
Some wizards think that most of these are just superstitious nonsense,
which could be eliminated if the ritual was rationalized and cleaned up.
Some think that it is the symbols or objects themselves that contain or
channel the magic. Neither is true. They are meant to replicate earlier ritu-
als, serving as a sort of mnemonic aid to the magical force, guiding it into
the desired form.

Many scholarly works have been written on magical rituals. Many stu-
dents are undoubtedly aware of the standard textbooks Rituals of Central
Europe, Rites of Passage in the New World and perhaps even some popular
works such as Elementary Summoning Circles1. Stay away from them! Tra-
ditionally, rituals have been passed on by word-of-mouth, from master to
pupil, over the centuries. This reinforces them, revitalizes them and make
them grow. Writing a ritual down is the same as encasing it in concrete - it
stops growing and dies.

For a ritual is a living thing. No matter how carefully one tries, no two
castings will be exactly alike, and every mage will, consciously or un-
consciously, subtly introduce his or her own “fingerprint” on it. But the
witchard should beware not to stray too far from the traditional form of
the ritual and try to take too much control - in this case the ritual will fail
to leverage the energy of the tradition and may even backfire violently.
Knowing what to tweak and what to leave alone is an art learned through
experience. When starting out, stick to the traditional forms!2

A note on the learning of ritual magic

One does not learn about love by reading love poems, but by loving! Por-
ing over detailed instructions and diagrams will not improve a romantic
experience, but is more likely to ruin the magic of the moment! And sim-
ilarly, it is far better to learn a ritual by partaking, by oral recount or by
possession3.

218
When executing a ritual, the witchard is part of a tradition stretching back
thousands of years - little drops of water in the river of magic. So when a
witch performs a cleansing ritual on a new building site, she is drawing
upon the power and experience of the mages who consecrated the ground
under the pyramids, and she is giving part of her energy to the mages who
will be born in a thousand years.

Ritual Magic draws upon many other magical disciplines, leveraging in-
sights from these into the weaving of great magic. For example, a working
knowledge of Arithmancy is very useful when deciding upon the place-
ment and grouping of participants. Rune Lore is essential for the correct
drawing of ritual figures. And Herbology and Beastology are certainly
important when choosing sacrifices and incense. In a sense, most of the
other disciplines can be said to be necessary tools for Ritual Magic.

1 These books are fortunately out of print. Newer books have been published,
which are just as bad. I will not name them here, lest they get more attention than
they deserve. AM.
2 “Starting out” should be taken to mean “for the first 25 years”. AM.
3 This method of teaching is somewhat particular to Czocha, and is not general-
ly recommended.

219
 Common elements in rituals

Rituals are many and varied, but a few common elements occur in many
of them. The list below is by no means exhaustive, but it is useful to have a
common nomenclature when describing a ritual.

The Master of Ritual

If several people are participating in a ritual, there will typically be a Mas-

ter of Ritual, who directs and steers the process. This can be likened to the
director of an orchestra or the spotter of an artillery attack. For long and/or
complex rituals, several Masters may oversee individual aspects of the ritual.

If only one witchard is present at the ritual, he or she will obviously be the
Master of Ritual. But remember that one is never truly alone when per-
forming a ritual - all the people who have previously performed the ritual
will be there too, in a sense, and one needs to steer their energy as well.

Participants

In addition to the Master of Ritual, it is often useful to have a number of

participants. The participants should all actively want the ritual to succeed
and should have a general idea of what the purpose of the ritual is. They
need not know the exact details - for example, they may know that they are
participating in a summoning, but have the wrong idea about who or what
is being summoned. But if they believe the ritual to be a healing, they may
contribute unwanted energies.

The participants should normally be split into groups of a size which have a
mystical significance. For example, if there are 22 participants, they could
be split into 3 groups of 7 all focusing on a single center figure. Groupings
of 3, 7 and 9 are all common. Groups of 13 get a bit unwieldy, and more
than that is likely to just break down into chaos - split them into smaller
groups instead.

220
In most cases, more participants will make the ritual more powerful. Par-
ticipants need not even be mages - even mundanes can participate with
some limited effect. Back when the Tradition of Word and the Tradition
of Action was less rigorously enforced, it was not uncommon to gather an
entire village for the spring fertility rites. This is seldom done nowadays
due to the need for massive memory wiping afterwards, which makes it
more trouble than it is worth. But some mages find ways to leverage the
energy of mundanes, typically by having the ritual appear as part of a reli-
gious ceremony or, in rare cases, a musical performance4.

All participants should preferably be active - typically chanting, dancing

or playing instruments. For most rituals, it is the amount of effort spent by
the participant that counts, as well as their emotional involvement. One
cannot simply hire participants and expect them to contribute.

Ritual figures

Many rituals require the caster to draw figures and runes. This can be on
the ground where the ritual is performed, on the object that is the target
of the ritual, on the mage performing the ritual or on the participants. The
figures vary by ritual - protective circles and pentagrams are commonly
used either to protect the caster from the magical forces or to constrain
the forces to a specific area. Ritualised drawings of the subject of the ritual
are also often used. In almost all cases, the figure must remain in place and
intact throughout the ritual.
4 Ed: In later years, performance art has been a surprisingly successful cover. AM
221
 Incense

The sense of smell is a powerful trigger of memory in all humans. This is

most likely due to its deep connection with our common racial magical
memory - incense certainly helps connecting the present casting with the
earlier castings in a deep and profound way. The smells need not be pleas-
ant to the human nose. Some of the scents traditionally used in the more
powerful rituals imply that the ritual is best done on an empty stomach.

Sacrifices

When a ritual requires a sacrifice, it can take several forms. Most often, it is
symbolic, merely representing the actual object or concept. However, some
rituals require sacrificing something of real value. The sacrifice must have
some kind of value to the caster or the participants, but not necessarily in an
economical sense - often emotional value or mystical value will be required.

Chants and Gestures

If a ritual involves chants and gestures, these should be performed dramati-

cally, loudly and with large movements. The gestures are meant to reinforce
the common memory of previous rituals - and thus wild, explicit gestures
are much more likely to awaken the essence of the past. Often, the same ges-
tures and incantations are repeated a number of times in a more and more
forceful manner, leading to a crescendo and triggering the magic.

Magical objects

Introducing magical objects in rituals always carries a certain amount of

risk. No two artifacts are exactly alike, and even they change over time.
For some rituals, the risk is unavoidable, since the ritual is focused on the
magical object, strengthening it, using its powers or even destroying it.
It has become fashionable among foolish and vain witchards to include
powerful artifacts in their ritual to impress their colleagues. This is mad-
ness! But foolish and vain witchards are plenty5.
222
If a magical artifact is to take part in a ritual, it will typically be enclosed
in a drawn figure or otherwise constricted to ensure that its power only
influences the ritual in a carefully controlled manner. Of course, if the con-
straint is broken (or deficient in some manner), the results are likely to be
interesting and possibly fatal.

Specific times of day/year

Many rituals are tightly coupled to specific points in the temporal cycles.
The rites of Sunrise and Sunfall are some of the older rituals. Sadly, fewer
and fewer witchards bother to perform these today6, even though they are
simple and fulfilling rituals that have been faithfully performed for mil-
lennia. Other rituals are dependent on the phases of the moon or even
the planets, while still other are performed at specific times in the yearly
cycle. Some of these rituals have specific purposes, while the meaning of
many other rituals have been lost over time. Still, their legacy lives on, and
it would be a big loss (not to mention a considerable risk) to the magic
community if they were to be forgotten and ignored.

Locations

It is of course far easier to execute a ritual in a place where it has been

executed before. The ground itself knows the ritual and is almost eagerly
waiting for it. There are rumours of places where powerful rituals have
been performed so many times that they are now almost minefields of
magical energy, simply waiting to be triggered by a casual bypasser. Of
course, without a witchard consciously directing and controlling the mag-
ic, the effects are likely to be unpredictable, perverted and dangerous.

Some would even argue that the confluxes themselves are simply a result
of rituals having been performed the same places over thousands of years.

5 Sadly, this is still true. AM.

6 The situation has worsened since this text was originally written. AM.

223
 Other common elements

There are of course many, many more elements in rituals. Typical ingre-
dients vary in different areas of the world. In some magical traditions,
food, drink and various stimulants are consumed by the participants as
part of the ritual. In others, very specific clothing or body paint must be
worn. Many rituals are tied to specific properties of the performer - gen-
der, virginity, age, being a firstborn, astrological house, heritage or even
pigmentation. In some cases the ritual can only be successfully performed
by a Master of Ritual having the appropriate characteristics, but more of-
ten a number of small variations exist, attuned to different casters. When
memorizing a ritual, it is very important to pay close attention to all these
details - if a male Pisces perform a ritual intended for a female Libra, the
results are likely to be quite entertaining, at least when viewed from a safe
distance7.

7 Based on tragic experience, this was increased to 48 meters in 2004. AM.

224
Pic/Rukus Ulfaran, Professor Of Chimaerology At Balt Meddin & Reckoned An
Expert In Ritual Magic Of Both The Legal And Illegal Kind 225
 Four I-Principles
In Ritual Magic
Defining Some Useful Approaches For The Eager Student
By Gabrielle D. Simoniel

226
The Four I’s

You must have read about the traditional approach to Ritual Magic. You
must have been taught to follow the paths designed for you by your an-
cestors. You must have tried to follow the dust-covered and stiffened steps
of ancient Rituals. You must have failed often, and succeeded, only to be
disappointed by the strength of the result. We have all been there. We have
all started that way. But some of us didn’t stop there.

In this short text, my dear reader, your view on this topic will be shaken
to its roots, only to be built anew. Don’t get me wrong; there is a reasoning
behind the traditional approach. It is more stable, easier to learn and pro-
vides more predictable results. But to know the true power of Rituals, to be
a Ritualist, there is much more to it than meets the eye. Sure, you can fol-
low the pre-prepared paths... Or you can listen to the magic itself, to what
your own gift whispers to you, and let it lead your steps in the darkness,
only to find the brightest of results.

Improvisation, intuition, imagination, intervention - those are the main

principles I will talk about. While many of my down-to-earth colleagues
might disagree as to whether or not they have a place in the world of Rit-
ual Magic, if you have the talent, power and skills to use them, do not let
others keep you down; spread your wings and find the true potential of
Ritual Magic. While the main principles of Ritual Magic are entirely valid
(participants, interdisciplinary relations, sacrifices, etc), the approach you
choose during the Ritual itself is the key to its success.

Many of the greatest Rituals went through at least a few changes in the flow
of time and most, if not all, of the major ones were based on improvements
done by the greatest of Ritualists. It would not be a surprise for you to hear
that these were not the traditionalists, but rather followers of the path I am
going to describe.

227
 Improvisation

The ability to improvise is essential in order to work with any less pre-
dictable Ritual you might try. It doesn’t matter if it is a small protection
Ritual or a large-scale fertility enchantment; the flows of magic are never
100% predictable and you ought to be prepared to respond quickly to the
changes.

Intuition

Learn to listen to what the magic in your veins and in the Ritual sources is
trying to tell you. Do you feel the fiery energy of the heat source clashing
with the one coming from the sacrificed pixie? Sure, you can try to push
further, hoping you can enforce the two to cooperate for a higher purpose,
but if you didn’t ignore the obvious, you would notice that the addition of
a minor energy source of the water type would balance out the two and
provide you with some smooth collaboration options.

Imagination

Creativity and the ability to come up with alternatives with regards to Rit-
ual steps, ingredients, energy sources and so on, is the key to improve-
ment of many existing Rituals. Are you planning to perform the already
mentioned spring fertility Ritual, and no firstborns are around for you to
ask for their hair? The weak-minded might just give up their chances of
making a successful Ritual, but I encourage you, dear reader, to find alter-
natives, even though an extensive research might be necessary to provide
alternatives of the same quality. But I can assure you; few things are impos-
sible to substitute in the world of Rituals, if only you know where to look.

w
228
Intervention

Don’t be afraid to intervene in the eldest of Rituals that’s already in prog-

ress if you feel the first signs of failure creeping around - it might be your
first and last chance to save it and avoid complete and utter failure. But
beware: Apply all the previous principles to make your intervention not
only effective, but also at least remotely safe.

So, if you have dreams of someday becoming a great Ritualist, remember

the four ‘I’s and remember that the true path to greatness lies not in walk-
ing the path already prepared, but rather in making your own through
adaptation and through sticking to the basic ‘I’-principles of Ritual Magic.
But, above all, remember that the difference between a performer of Rit-
uals and a Ritualist lies in the will to keep going; you may fail a dozen or
even a hundred times, but the key is to always try again.

229
 Siberian Stone Healing
Diamonds Are Much More Than A Girl’s Best Friend
By Professor Bendington D. Curdlesnoot

230
Delving Into A Sacred Practice

In studies regarding healing magic, witchards have been using gemstones

for generations. Crystal healing has always been a vital part of the shaman-
istic magic practises, especially in Siberia.

Before we go into great detail about what and which stones are the most
suited for healing magic, it is important to note that gemstone healing is
not as simple as casting a spell with a wand. Stone healing focuses on a
variety of aspects concerning the mortal body, both muscular and physio-
logical. Therefore a gemstone has to be used with a flexible and open mind
in order to benefit fully from the spiritual energies which it can hold.

Siberian shamans from any given tribe practice what they call “chakra
healing”. To briefly define it, “chakra” is a spiritual belief which covers
three aspects of life:

Mind
Body
Soul

Of course there are plenty of different beliefs when it comes to chakras;

some say that the chakra system is completely closed off to the physical
body and only works as what is described as “the subtle body” - in oth-
er words the mind and the soul. However, to truly optimize the use and
to understand the nature of these gemstones, we have to incorporate the
aspect of “body” as it holds a vital part in how some of the stones works.

Later in this text you will find a short list on the gems and minerals which
are used by the Siberian shamans. These stones do not, as stated earlier,
only work with one type of healing. The stones are attuned to the chakra
system in such a way that they all are used for different types of healing.
One stone will be good for the Sahasrāra i.e. the crown chakra and some
other stone might be good for the Anāhata i.e. the heart chakra.

231
 Therefore it is of the utmost importance that you choose the right gem-
stone for the specific type of healing which you are going to perform. But
why on earth would you use a stone? You have a wand, don’t you? This is
why:

Gemstones and other crystals hold old primal powers that originate from
the creation of the Earth. They are attuned to the world and are therefore
capable of storing living energy within themselves. You can say that “it
is in their nature” to absorb and store energy. This is important because
each gemstone has a specific resonance which matches certain areas of the
body. If you are aware of how to resonate any given gemstone and what to
resonate it to, you have the perfect medicine or container for an illness, or
a key to whatever is damaged within the body.

Now I will elaborate on the seven chakra levels:

The Seven Chakra levels

232
Sahasrāra - Crown

The chakra of consciousness. This chakra is the point where all the six
lower chakras meet. This is where all the thoughts, memories, experiences,
and knowledge is stored. It is also believed by shamans and other healers
that this center is dedicated to remember your true unbound potential.
The body functions as a place to house your spirit until it leaves the body.
This is not to say that the body is of no importance for the crown chakra -
the body fuels the spirit and gives it life and nourishment.

Symbol used to visualise the Sahasrāra Chakra

Stones fitting this chakra level:

Labradorite
This stone is renowned for it’s ability to clean and open the crown chakra.
The reason for this is that the gemstone stimulates the wearer’s intuition
and self-awareness. The stone allows the owner to see past illusions and
to determine the actual form of their own dreams and goals. This stone is
especially potent in meditation and stimulates the owner’s imagination,
enthusiasm, and clears a fogged mind.

Let’s face it, many of you are destined for lives of nothing but ordinary magic.
Your careers will be in offices, and your evenings will be with your families. Many
of you will be happy, living that life. It’s hard for me to imagine, but I guess it’s true. But
the lucky few can be like me. You can make progress in the field of magical research,
and if you’re really lucky you can come back to school, this time as a professor. I mean,
who would ever want to leave this place? When I was younger, I saw much of the world.
I was on expeditions, I knew many evil sorceresses, and one sorcerer, I experimented...
Where was I? Oh yes, school life! I’m here to tell you, this will be the best time of your
life. Enjoy it.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder) 233
 Ājñā - The Third Eye

This is the chakra for insight and intuition. Ājñā is located in the forehead
and therefore functions as the communicator when something feels wrong
or right. It is with this chakra that you meet the outside world and others.
When this center is open, you will acquire a deeper sense of connection
to your inner self and find guidance with the choices you’re making. If
blocked or damaged there will be a sense of doubt in your own abilities
and distrust in yourself.

Symbol used to visualise the Ājñā Chakra

Stones fitting this chakra level:

Azurite
Azurite is often referred to as the “Stone of the Heaven” because of the
stories about it falling from the sky in India as a part of a tropical storm
thousands of years ago. This stone is believed to possess the gift of awak-
ening psychic abilities and helping in spiritual guidance. It it said to calm
and relieve mental stress, and also holds the ability to clear the mind and
opening blocked energies. In Native American culture it is valued as a sa-
cred stone and is used for spiritual communication. Legend also tells us
that the Mayans used this stone for sacred mythical communication.

Sodalite
This stone helps you to be your true self and further helps you to stand
up for your beliefs and values. The stone is a symbol of self-expression
and confidence; it guides the owner to deal with issues of self-worth and
self-acceptance. The stones promotes trust in your own judgment and
helps in meditation and also stimulates intuition.
234
Viśuddha - Throat

The chakra of expression. Located in the throat area of the body this chakra
point is the focus for communication and breath. When Viśuddha is em-
powered and open it gives the confidence and capability to speak up and
communicate your needs. If obstructed, the person will feel that they are
not being heard or taken seriously. Emotionally it governs independence
and mentally it governs fluent thought.

Symbol used to visualise the Viśuddha Chakra

Stones fitting this chakra level:

Lapis Lazuli
This stone is as ancient as time itself. Lapis is a gemstone of total awareness
that helps the owner attune to the higher truth. It provides wisdom and
connects you to your spiritual guardian. This stone also holds the ability
of shielding you from negative energy and can also return any negative
energies back to its source.

Blue Lace Agate

This beautiful stone enhances verbal communication and expression
while also promoting the owner to accept their emotions. It is the stone
of supportive energies and calms the nerves, further bringing a sense of
peacefulness. Blue Agate is an especially good stone for any healing re-
garding depression and a worried mind. It is also used for insomnia and
to ease migraines.

235
 Anāhata - Heart

This chakra represents the unifying energy of love and compassion. Locat-
ed at the center of the body, this point is vital when it comes to overcom-
ing separation and division. When the heart chakra is blocked, there will
typically be a sense of alienation from other people. However, should the
heart chakra be open and flowing through you, you will feel a much deep-
er connection to the people in your life. Anāhata is related to the colours
green or pink. Key issues involving Anāhata involve complex emotions,
compassion, tenderness, unconditional love, equilibrium, rejection, and
well-being.

Symbol used to visualise the Anāhata Chakra

236
Stones fitting this chakra level:

Chrysoprase
This stone vibrates strong, warm energies to the heart and is therefore
suited for this chakra. It infuses the owner with universal love and com-
passion. It is a stone of immense grace, optimism, joy, and contentment.
It helps banish feelings of superiority or inferiority from within and also
helps with accepting your true self.

Bloodstone
Bloodstone is renowned for its great healing abilities and has been used
greatly for millennia. It cleans and detoxifies the body, purifies the body
of negative energy, and nourishes the nervous system. Bloodstone also
increases the owner’s strength and promotes a constant flow of energy
throughout the body.

Rose Quartz
The stone of unconditional love. This stone is one of the most potent stones
when it comes to the heart chakra because it opens the heart to all types of
love - love of the self, love of family, love of friends, and last but not least
romantic love. The energy of the Quartz fosters empathy and forgiveness
of others, lowering stress and negative emotions.

237
 Maṇipūra - Solar Plexus

The Chakra of energy and power. Located in the solar plexus area, it con-
trols and holds all of your power in the world. When this center is open
and flowing, you will be able to transfer your desires and intentions into
actions. When it is blocked you will feel frustration and ineffectuality.
Maṇipūra is related to the metabolic and digestive systems in the body
and does also have connections with the outer adrenal glands.

Symbol used to visualise the Maṇipūra Chakra

Stones fitting this chakra level:

Citrine
Citrine is the stone of light and positive thoughts. The difference between
this stone and so many others that has been mentioned so far is that this
stone does not hold the ability to absorb and hold negative energy. There-
fore it never needs to be cleansed after use. It brings clarity to the owner
and further helps to manifest whatever the owner wishes to bring into
their life. The stone is said to activate and strengthen your imagination,
and to bring creative visions and a positive view on life. Said to be powered
by the sun, Citrine warms and energizes the body and the solar plexus.

Serpentine
This stone clears out and opens damaged or blocked chakra points so that
healing magic can stream better throughout the body. It also holds the
ability to bring hormones back in balance and helps you realize that life
is your responsibility and that you control how it unfolds. Serpentine is a
stone for those who wish to achieve great things and always reminds the
owner that their goals and visions can be reached. This gemstone is also
used to attract and manifest the things you want in life.
238
Svādhiṣṭhāna - Sex

The chakra of creativity and expression. This point is located in the area
of your sexual organs. When this center is stimulated to its fullest energy,
it fuels the creative mind and unleashes new ideas. This is the center for
reproduction, lust, and desires. It is here that you will be able to solve the
problems of life with ease. Beware if the center is blocked or damaged -
you will mostly act like a restless corpse with no motivation or spark. The
key issues involving Svādhiṣṭhāna are relationships, violence, addictions,
basic emotional needs, pleasure, reproduction, joy, and enthusiasm.

Symbol used to visualise the Svādhiṣṭhāna Chakra

Stones fitting this chakra level:

Carnelian
This stone increases personal power and further enhances physical endur-
ance. It brings courage, compassion, and a boost in the creative aspect. If
you are in possession of or holding a Carnelian, it will strengthen the vi-
tality and the will of the possessor. It provides you with confidence and the
strength to approach new ideas and visions. If you by chance have to go to
a job interview, for example, bring a Carnelian stone and it will bring you
good results. It is said to awaken your hidden talents within.

239
 Mūlādhāra - Root

The center of earth and grounding. It is here that you find the most basic
survival needs. The chakra point is centered at your lower spine which is
the closest to your feet. When the Root chakra is at its fullest energy, it
results in a state of security and confidence within ourselves. However,
should the root chakra be damaged or blocked it can lead to anxiety and a
worried mind. Mūlādhāra is related to instinct, security, survival, and also
to basic human potentiality.

Symbol used to visualise the Mūlādhāra Chakra

Stones fitting this chakra level:

Obsidian
Obsidian, also known as volcanic glass, is naturally formed from lava that has
been rapidly cooled down. It may not come as a surprise that it is a ground-
ing stone that grants instant connection from the root chakra and deep into
the very heart of the Earth. The stone is a strong and potent tool when you
have to clean or remove negative energies. It can further assist in setting free
emotions associated with negativity, such as anger, fear, jealousy, or greed.

Hematite
Hematite is well known for being a protective stone focused on grounding
you in any situation. Similar to Obsidian, Hematite is also very suited for
dealing with the absorption of negative energies and further calms you in
stressful or worrying situations. If you decide to wear a Hematite stone,
it will support your balance and help you stay calm and centered in your
mind. Hematite holds the gift of showing your unique talents and guides
you to release self-imposed limitations.
240
The Siberian Blue Quartz - Science meets nature

One last note regarding the explanations of several gemstones: there have
been recent experiments and studies on how humans could create a gem-
stone which could hold the same powerful resonance and healing poten-
tial as the gems that come from the Earth itself. The result is called the
Siberian Blue Quartz. This stone is made by a mixture of chemicals and
magic and has shown great potency in its healing potential. The Quartz
was created in Russia with the help of Mundane scientists. The stone holds
what is called “Blue Ray” which is said to not be present in any other stone.
This feature helps greatly in healing endeavors and the stone seems to res-
onate greatly with the Crown Chakra, the Throat Chakra and the Third
Eye, which of course makes this stone a flexible and diverse asset to any
stone healer’s collection. Magical studies tell us that in the process of craft-
ing the stone, shamanistic magic was used in order to amplify the quartz
further with its natural energies. The procedure is said to have been per-
formed under supervision of Guardians, and that no Mundanes knew of
their interference. The name stems from the Siberian laboratory that was
used for its creation. When the project was announced, witchards who
were descended from the shamanistic cultures in Siberia signed up for the
program under the names of scientists. This stone is a rare one and is not
heavily produced, so if you ever obtain a pure and clean version of this
stone, consider yourself lucky or rich.

So after all is said and done, does this mean that stone healing is the best
way to perform healing magic? Of course not. Magical healing practices
are known to be diverse. One way of healing can excel in some specific cas-
es while other ways are more effective in other situations. Knowing which
kind of nourishing is needed for the situation you’re in is the thing that
defines a skilled and competent healer. Is stone healing powerful? Certain-
ly, but as with all magic in this world, never say that you hold the absolute
truth. Magic is continuously defined but then again it is indefinable; it is
beautiful and at the same time terrifying. Knowledge is key, diamonds are
forever...but we are not.

241
 Rare, Unconventional
And Risky Magic
From ‘Classification Of Magic II’
By G. Saint-Reggin

242
What Is Risky, Anyway? Isn’t It Just A Word?

There are so many different types of magic in this world - old and new,
intuitive and rigorously precise, individual and non-individual, and so on.

In this text, we will focus on the rarer kinds and usages of magic, often
considered risky or dangerous; either for the caster, the target or the sur-
rounding area. Most of the mentioned types of magic are used for regular
purposes as well, but for this or that reason they have negative connota-
tions among the gifted population.

Often they affect the caster (or even the victim) who uses them regularly
in some way, although extensive researches were never done in this area.
Possible effects might be sadistic behaviour (torture magic), emotional in-
stability (emotional magic), or general loss of sanity and/or the capacity
for clear judgement. However, side-effects are possible in any advanced
area of magic, so don’t let yourself be held back by these risks.

Blood Magic

Definitions of blood magic can vary a lot from one part of the world to
another. While some consider blood magic to be any magical practice
that comes into contact with the blood, the true power of it lies elsewhere.
While blood of magical beings, humanoids and humans can be seen from
time to time as a necessary ingredient for a potion or for a particular part
of a ritual, this is not the true art of blood magic. Neither is the usage of
blood as the target-binding factor for tracking spells or curses.

True blood magic originates from ancient times and with the technology
and growth of different types of magic, it has been partly forgotten. At the
current time, it is mostly inherited in some families as a knowledge passed
on from parent to child, or by a mentor to an apprentice.

243
 While in Northern Africa the magic was most commonly accepted in the last
centuries, in Europe it was mostly frowned upon, seen as being too risky, too
unstable and not dependant only on the training and skills of the practitioner,
but also on his (or her) own blood, which makes its results unpredictable.

Every type of blood, regardless of its owner (and even whether this owner
is a human or an animal), has a specific potential when it comes to blood
magic. It is defined by a complex mixture of the lineage, magical powers
(or lack thereof), and sometimes even by the owner’s previous life (where
they were born, under which circumstances, where they grew up, if they
were under magical or chemical influence, and so on). Being born on a
particular date in a particular place, being raised under constant magical
influence of some type, having werewolf or vampire blood in your lineage,
or even being addicted to certain substances - all of this and more can
affect the potential of your blood when it comes to blood magic. This po-
tential is usually called Blood Potenza, BP for short.

BP is important not only for the blood used in the casting, but also for the
blood of the caster themselves. The more potential it has, the more power
the resulting magic might have, and the easier it is to reduce risks of the
performed spell. Using this magic for people with very low BP is generally
very risky and their success rate is much lower than in cases of people with
more potent blood. In magical population, most of the gifted have more
or less average BP compared to other living creatures. One of the most
prominent factors reducing BP is substance abuse (and this goes for both
mundane and magical addictive substances) and anemia (which affects
the BP only temporarily).

On the other hand, the art of increasing BP is not something that can be
done in one or two generations, but is rather an endeavour carried out
over several generations of right pairings of lineage and extensive testing
of blood compatibility. It’s easy to decrease BP back to the average in one
generation, though, mostly by picking a highly incompatible mate. Pick-
ing a mate with an average BP and compatible blood often results in some
decrease of BP, but not nearly as prominent.
244
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not necessary to have The Gift to have high-
er than average BP. Lycanthropy also seems to affect the BP, but this seems
to provide both increases and decreases, depending on yet unknown fac-
tors.

Blood magic in its ancient form allowed the caster to work extremely ef-
ficiently with energy flows during rituals, using the full potential of blood
as a source of magic, binding the other elements of the rituals more easily
and creating powerful blood bonds of different sorts.

Pic/ Matteus Araneus Ploceus, Professor Of Divination And Strong Opponent Of

Risky And Dangerous Magic 245
 Puppet magic

Most commonly used in South America, Africa and Asia, puppet mag-
ic provides a way to affect victims remotely. While the influence might
be both positive and negative, the most commonly known use is remote
cursing. This is one of the reasons why this kind of magic is often frowned
upon in Europe, as it is viewed as purely negative. However, one of the
American Colleges has started to teach these classes, focusing on both
positive and negative aspects of it, showing a very open-minded approach.

The power of puppet magic is bound to the puppet - a doll, representing

the target. Creation of such a doll is the first step in any puppet casting and
it is not a short-term process. It always requires something that belongs
to the victim - hair, nails, blood, saliva - anything goes, although hair and
blood are most commonly used. In order to create more powerful dolls,
other personal belongings are often used in the making of the puppet as
well - adding a necklace, ring or any other things of importance for the
victim provides a stronger bond between the doll and the victim.

The second part of puppet magic consists of performing the desired in-
fluence through the doll. While several of the world’s best Puppet Masters
and Puppet Mistresses (the common term for performers of puppet mag-
ic) can use their dolls without visual contact with the victim, most regular
performers of this art need to see the victim clearly (from within close
proximity or from a distance, but nonetheless clearly) in order to focus on
the bond and put the spell on the target by ways of the doll. This might be
done through Rune Magic, rituals, the involvement demons or in various
other ways. The time before the onset of the spell’s effects vary from imme-
diate to somewhat delayed, depending on many factors.

246
Emotional magic

As with emotions themselves, magic workings involving the emotions of

humans and magical beings are very tricky and unstable. This is the main
reason why they are often substituted for other types of magic in regular
practice, even though the result might be weaker.

With regular intervals, mages come across multiple types of emotions us-
able in their magical practice. These can be divided into two separate uses.
Firstly, the usage of emotions as an energy source; secondly, working with
them as the target of magic.

Emotions as a source

Emotions can be strong, albeit temperamental, sources of energy for your

rituals. Strong emotions provide the strongest sources, of course, but also
the most unstable results. This instability manifests itself in many forms:
From failed energy transfers, through sudden bursts of energy that might
cause explosions, to, in case of Demonology for instance, losing control
over the summoned demon.

From a magical point of view, the strongest emotions are (though not nec-
essarily in this order): Love, passion/lust, fear and anger. While the posi-
tive ones are usable even when the caster is feeling them, using the neg-
ative two - anger and fear - as a source of energy for magic would require
extreme self-control from the caster. It is not unheard of, though; some of
the great battle-mages of history were able to channel their own anger and
bloodlust into their spells, after all. It is, however, always much easier to
use another being as a source of emotions and therefore energy.

At the other end of the scale, the least useful emotions are: Depression
(which often manifests as a lack of emotions), hope, shame, guilt and wor-
ry. While they can be strong as well, the character of these emotions makes
the use of them for the purpose of casting spells very problematic.

247
248
Emotions as a target

Mood-changing magic is considered a part of the area of mind mag-

ic, which is, in itself, a very tricky and unpredictable area of magic. The
same goes for emotional magic, of course. Spells range from mild mood
improvements or anti-anxiety spells, through emotion-transfer spells, to
love spells, fear magic and personality-altering enchantments. The first
two categories are generally considered safe enough for common use by
skilled practitioners, as the effects are usually temporary and only mild in
force. The latter group contains many long-term effects and high risk of
side-effects and is therefore often highly frowned upon when used without
the consent of the target. Even with the target’s consent, using the spells of
the latter group is a very risky and unpredictable affair.

Time magic

There are not many enchanters who have never heard about the Gardens
of Chronos; places fixed in time and space where one can glimpse things
as they have been in the past. The risks of time manipulation are com-
monly known and acknowledged, and there is therefore no need to go into
detail about this particular subject.

Torture & Fear Magic

One of the most foul uses of magic is the usage of it for the torture of a
victim. The reasons why anyone would use magic in this way varies wildly;
from plans to use the victim as an energy source, through punishments of
all sorts, and to purely sadistic behaviour. This practice is universally re-
jected by magical confluxes all over the world and is generally considered
to be little more than a display of psychopathic tendencies. That, however,
doesn’t mean that it is not a powerful kind of magic.

Ranging from all sorts of spells that cause pain, through potions that cause
spasms of the whole body or affect the workings of internal organs, and to
curses that affect the mind of the victim in various ways.
249
 This is one of the most frowned-upon uses of a particular area in emo-
tional magic - fear magic. Causing the victim to feel almost unbearable
amounts of fear or pain is considered to be one of the most frequent goals
of this twisted kind of magic.

Energy absorption

While energy manipulation is not rare or unconventional in its core, cau-

tion is strongly recommended when utilising this type of magic, especially
when working with living sources of energy. Possible risks when working
with this particular area of magic include:

• Taking too much energy from the living energy source might result in
its death.
• Keeping too much of the taken energy in the caster might result in
energetic overload and either energy outbursts (including the release
of all of the stored energy in an instant, often causing an explosion), or
in excess energy hurting the mental or magical abilities of the caster. It
is possible to keep extensive amounts of energy within the caster for a
very short period of time - by employing amulets or some other types
of magic - but it is highly dangerous to them.
• Transferring a large amount of energy directly from the source to the
target is more risky and unstable (in terms of energy loss and the risk
of losing control over the flow) than is directing it through a caster or
through a continuous series of amulets or crystals.

It should be noted that it is always safer to have the source giving the caster
energy, rather than the caster taking energy from the source, as the source
can stop the process at a safe point. Likewise, taking energy from amulets,
crystals and similar energy containers is the safest way of powering a ritu-
al. It is therefore recommendable to split the ritual into two, charging the
energy receptacle in the first ritual and then using it to power the second,
rather than risking a direct transfer.

250
It is important to know one’s limits when it comes to both giving, taking
and storing energy as well as when to use other means of keeping or trans-
ferring energy.

Daemonic and Goetic Summoning

Although the name seems related to demonic magic, which is a rather

well-known area of magic, the word “daemon” means “immaterial crea-
ture”; a “spirit” of vice, anger, hatred and conflict. It may be drawn from
the minds of others and made semi-corporeal by Goetic arts. Goetia is the
complex and precise art of turning one’s inner life into corporeal beings -
beings of fear, pleasure, conflict, pain and so on. A daemon is an intelligent
being woven around a core of magic.

Goetia allows the caster to create thinking, independent beings that can
be controlled - if performed perfectly. Few witchards spend their time on
daemonic magic, if not for any other reason than for the possibly devas-
tating consequences that would inevitably occur, should a daemon break
free. Only well-trained and well-prepared students of advanced Goetia are
able to control it as its summoners, and once the daemon has escaped,
only exceptional magicians stand any chance of regaining control.

251
 On Pneumatic
Necromancy
A Treatise On The Human Soul
By Constantyn Grey

252
Introduction

Necromancy, as the name implies, is the art of manipulating death. What,

exactly, does death entail, one might ask? This question has been furiously
discussed and redefined for as long as humanity has attempted to grasp
the very nature of magic. A few things remain universally true, though:

1. Necromantic magic interacts with the dead, be it ghosts or corpses.

2. Necromantic magic can never directly interact with the living mind.
3. Necromantic magic can never truly forge a bridge between living and
dead.

The largest divide in Necromancy is that between Somatic Necromancy

and Pneumatic Necromancy, less formally known as manipulation of the
body and manipulation of the soul. During this short treatise, I will ex-
plain Pneumatic Necromancy.

253
 Pneumatic Necromancy

The Soul

Derived from the ancient greek word for soul (πνεῦμα, or pneuma).
Pneumatic Necromancy, also commonly called Ectomancy or Soulcraft-
ing, concerns itself with the soul. Before delving deeper into this branch,
however, an important question must be answered: What is the soul? For
the purposes of Necromancy, the soul is considered an immaterial object
inside every living, thinking creature. The soul serves as a register of mem-
ories and behavioral patterns, feelings and experiences, and when the liv-
ing vessel containing a soul withers away, the soul may tear itself free and
drift off on its own, immaterial and without a vessel. This is what we com-
monly refer to as a “ghost”. Without a link to this world, a tether, the soul
will fade away and eventually disappear completely. Therefore, if a ghost
plans to stay in this world, it must latch onto something. Most often, a
ghost will choose its tether based on the memories and feelings it contains,
for example the building wherein it used to live or the descendants of the
deceased.

Mind and Soul

It is important to make clear the distinction between the mind and the
soul. Whereas the mind is constantly working to create, to innovate, to
revolutionise, the soul is nothing but a recorder, a backup of the mind.
Once the soul is separated from the mind, it will be unable to develop any
further, and is stuck with the feelings and behavioral patterns it had when
the extraction took place, which is why a ghost is commonly referred to
as “an echo”. This is very important, because Pneumatic Necromancy will
never be able to affect the mind of a living, thinking creature, instead only
affecting the soul. This may be a difficult distinction to comprehend, but
I will delve further into this later on, in the chapter concerning Pneumos
Bios, the living soul.

254
Pneumos Necros

The first and by far the most common branch of Pneumatic Necromancy
is that of Pneumos Necros, the deceased soul. This branch primarily con-
cerns itself with the summoning and binding of ghosts, exorcism, posses-
sion, and the absolving of mortal tethers, allowing the safe banishment
of a ghost. It stands to reason that in order to responsibly practice Pneu-
mos Necros, one must have an intricate understanding of the nature of the
ghost. While ghosts may vary wildly in behaviour, some traits will always
occur in a ghost. Examples include aversion to salt, vulnerability to iron
and the inability to cross into properly warded locations. Although tomes
and texts may help prepare the studious witchard for many situations con-
cerning ghosts, it is imperative to understand that every ghost is individu-
al, and should be studied thoroughly before being engaged.

Summoning and Binding Ghosts

Summoning a ghost can be done in a variety of ways, but the most com-
mon is “The Rite of The Restless”. This rite requires a circle, inscribed with
protective runes and outfitted with symbols of both life and death. In the
middle of the circle must be placed an object that was dear to the subject.
Once the incantation, “Spectrum Invocem” is cast, the ghost will be sum-
moned to the circle and trapped. Once the ghost has been summoned, it
is time to bind said ghost to your will. There are usually two ways of going
about this. The first involves bargaining with the ghost, but if one opts for
this path, one must be sure to magically bind the ghost to its word once the
deal has been struck.

The other, more common way is that of simply overpowering the ghost
through raw strength of will. The observant reader may note that this is
very similar to some branches of demon summoning and binding, which
is very true. The skills learned here may also be brought into the subject of
Demonology. Be aware though, that the two are not exactly the same, and
should not be treated as such. Keep an eye out for the differences between
the subjects.
255
 Exorcism

The act of forcefully removing a ghost from a living body is called an ex-
orcism. There are many ways to perform an exorcism, but one of the most
common factors in an exorcism is a symbol of importance to the ghost.
A religious symbol relevant to the ghost is often used, but any harsh re-
minder of mortality will usually do, as long as they remain important to
the subject. The symbol’s primary function in the exorcism is to draw the
attention of the ghost. After that, a battle of wills is engaged between the
necromancer and the ghost. Should the necromancer win this battle, an
amount of control is gained over the ghost. This will allow the necroman-
cer to safely extract the ghost from the invaded body.

Possession

While possession is actually an ability of the ghost, the clever necromancer

knows to use this skill to their advantage. Once a ghost has been bound
to the necromancer, it is a simple act to will the ghost into possessing an
object or person. Of course, a person will be able to resist the possession,
and a forceful possession of another person is obviously illegal. Another
practical purpose of possession is that of voluntary self-possession. Let-
ting a ghost enter oneself may serve as a useful expansion of one’s skill set,
at the cost of personal control. Consider, for example, a necromancer who
wishes to build a house but lacks the skills to do so. The solution to this
problem would be summoning up the ghost of a carpenter and engaging
in voluntary possession, letting the ghost build the house using the body
of the necromancer. Doing this, however, is extremely dangerous for all
but an expert on Ectomancy, and responsible use requires several failsafes,
should the ghost not be as obedient as expected.

u
256
257
 Absolving of Mortal Tethers

The ability to release a ghost from this world is an often overlooked skill,
but it none the less remains a useful and necessary ability for the experi-
enced necromancer. One way to accomplish this is to simply disperse the
ghost through a ritual involving salt, iron and a battle of wills. Doing this
is however theorised to be incredibly painful to the ghost, and is frowned
upon in most circles. The polite way of accomplishing a release would be
to help the ghost with any unfinished business in the material world. Once
the ghost feels inclined to leave this world voluntarily, the necromancer
should prepare a proper ritual. This ritual is highly individualised depend-
ing on the ghost in question, and the experienced necromancer will cus-
tom-fit this ritual under the guidance of the ghost.

Pneumos Bios

On the discipline of Pneumos Bios, the living soul, it must be said that this
is incredibly dangerous and should never be attempted by anyone who is
not an absolute expert on the subject. This is the art of tinkering with a
soul still lodged inside a living vessel, and it should be considered care-
fully, then reevaluated and considered carefully again, before one should
even dare attempt this on a living, thinking being. This chapter will explain
some uses of Pneumos Bios, but will not describe the way to do so. This is
because Pneumos Bios is considered illegal in most confluxes, and should
not be used at all. The knowledge gathered from this text should be used
only for theoretical knowledge.

Extraction of the Soul

This is considered one of the most dangerous uses of Pneumos Bios and, as
a result of that, one of the most iconic as well. The extraction of the soul is
a process wherein the necromancer forcefully removes a soul from its liv-
ing vessel. This is considered a severe transgression against the individual,
along the likes of complete mind control and murder.

258
While a living, thinking person without a soul will still be a living, thinking
person, it will be very different from the same person with a soul. The soul
is the very core of what makes a person, and the symptoms of soullessness
include the absence of any deeper personality and lack of ambition. Such a
person can usually be spotted by the blankness of their eyes and paleness
of the skin.

Soulriding

Just as dangerous as the extraction of the soul, “soulriding” is the act of

removing one’s own soul while still retaining a link between mind and
soul. The loose soul connected to the necromancer will usually appear as
a ghastly twin of the individual in question, tethered to the body with a
faint spectral string visible only to the necromancer. While this can be
very useful, it is equally dangerous to the caster. The extracted soul can be
used for a more controlled possession of another individual than employ-
ing a bound ghost, and has a plethora of other uses, among those scouting
and spying. As long as the soul keeps the connection to mind and body,
most mental side-effects of soullessness will not appear in the necroman-
cer, but the paleness of skin and blankness of eyes will appear after some
time. Another, far more dangerous drawback of this, is the sheer pres-
sure of the mind for the necromancer to essentially appear in two places at
once. Should the necromancer keep this up for too long, it will surely end
in severe damage to both mind and soul. Many ambitious ectomancers
throughout history has been known to buckle under this pressure, turn-
ing unpredictable and dangerous to both necromancer and surroundings.
Another complication that might arise from soulriding is that the necro-
mancer might have a radical change of heart after the extraction. As the
soul is essentially an archive for the mind and body, this change within the
necromancer will not be reflected in the soul if it is not lodged inside the
body. Initially, this may cause the necromancer and the soul’s ambitions
and feelings to disalign, but long term side effects causes the soul to drift
farther away from the necromancer, metaphorically speaking, and will in-
evitably result in the evaporation of the soul, along with the shattering of
the mind due to backlash.
259
 Immersion In The
Great Abyss
A Short Monograph On Death, Supplication And The Great Work
By Karl Fritzon

260
Do Not Be Scared, Dear Students

The Patient One. Our Lady Most Kind. He Who Walks Behind. The Bony
Lady. The Oldest Brother. Mankind has always tried to describe what
awaits us - most of us - at the end. It is the nature of the mortal existence
to try to understand, to grasp at the straws of logic, to define - especially
the undefinable, the ungraspable. The first thing one must understand - if
one is to understand Death - is that the old mundane saying; “Death is
the ultimate finality” is quite simply false. There’s nothing else to it. Death
is neither final, nor is it endless. Through supplication, precise work and
proper mindset - one may journey into the Abyss and receive gifts, boons
or information. This is the art of Necromancy, this is the Work.

The First Tenet

The first and most basic principle of necromancy can be succinctly sum-
marised as “Make it personal”.

Since the dawn of pre-historic time, mankind has sought to distance him-
self from Death - that through burial rituals separate Death from life. The
oldest tomb known to society today - the Ochre Tomb in Skhul Cave,
situated in modern day Qafzeh - is more than 100.000 years old. Ever
since, mankind has - with a few notable exceptions - tried to erect a bar-
rier between mundane, everyday life and the Abyss. The simple mind is
kept calm by keeping Death at arms length. Thus it has always been the
necromancers role to venture further, to become an intimate of Our Lady
Most Patient, to greet Her as a close personal friend. This is, of course, the
reason that practitioners of the Work has always been the subject of much
fear and superstition - among mundanes as well as among wizard kind. In
making Death personal, you are also detaching yourself from ordinary life
around you. Rare indeed is the spouse who gladly shares the conjugal bed
with The Patient One.

261
 In order to make Death personal, one must first relate to it. One of the
most widely accepted1 tools for achieving a working relationship with The
Oldest Brother was discovered by a Sangoma practitioner by the name of
Nokuzola in 371 CE - what today is known as the Naming. One of the first
step a new practitioner of the Work must take is to pick a first name.

By giving The Skinny Sister a name of your own choosing - something

close and personal, yet something that has weight and illustrates the rela-
tionship upon which you are about to embark - you begin to form a bond,
a bridge of connectedness. Of great importance in choosing a first name
is the personal aspect of it, most practitioners choose a pronoun match-
ing their sexual preferences (if any), which generally speaking will - by
an almost alchemical process - transform the relationship into something
much more personal very nearly instantly. The first name is traditionally
kept secret - just as you do not disclose the private little names shared with
a loving spouse - you do not bandy the key to your relationship with He
Who Walks Behind about freely.

The second important thing when choosing a name is making sure it is

something The Bony Sister can relate to - something descriptive that makes
it absolutely obvious whom is being addressed. When addressing the Pow-
ers Beyond - one want to make definitively certain who one is addressing.
There are beings listening at all times - and addressing the wrong one, or
even worse - being tricked into addressing the wrong one can have dev-
astating consequences. In short, choose your personal first name wisely
- you never get to make another first impression. Once you’ve established
a personal relationship with The Waiting One - there’s no further need to
keep it secret, she always knows who gave her a given name. Always.

1 For differing opinions, see The Blank Gateway by Sir Thomas Beldere or De
Magnum Innominandum by Cassius among others.
2 Found persisted in sealed clay jars hidden in a cave in modern-day Jordan by
local farmers around 30 B.C.E.
3 The attentive student will of course recognize the similarity to traditional Euro-
pean folklore regarding crossroads.
4 As with all magic, your intent as a caster forms the crossroad in front of you - not
the other way around!
5 Known to be active as late as 1915, exact date of death unknown. See articles
262 elsewhere in this publication for further references.
The Crossroads

The question - “Where do we go when we die?” - has always been at the

forefront of magical research. The tribal experiments around the Yuzumba
valley around 1200 B.C.E were the first to yield more conclusive results. It
is from the these - the Yuzumba scrolls2 - magical society established the
basis for further exploration into the Abyss.

In essence - most current magical theory and research into the nature of
Death and the Abyss mostly uses the Crossroads metaphor as first de-
scribed by Himba - a jamaican witch active around 45 B.C - to describe the
relationship between our physical plane, the Plains of Light and the Abyss,
as well as serving as a decent framework for describing the mechanics of
traversal.

Picture a four-way crossroads3 in your mind. The top-most road rises into
the Plains of Light, the bottom-most road descends into the Abyss - while
the left- and right-most roads disappear into darkness on either side - to
meet again and again in mirrored crossroads. When first learning how to
walk the planes using the Crossroads as a tool, it is important to keep a few
pointers in mind - this is as much a metaphysical roadmap as a physical
roadmap, wherever you choose to look you will find yourself looking di-
rectly onto the crossroad4 and just because it’s a road doesn’t mean it’s the
only possible way to travel up, down or to the sides.

Along the road are markers - traditional mile markers of white stone,
marked with runes and hieroglyphics. As a curious side note, the Ameri-
can necromancer Dr. Mathers5 did a comparative study of these markers
as viewed by necromancers from a wide selection of countries and cul-
tures - intending to prove that these markers would be marked in whatev-
er language would seem ancient or exotic to the necromancer.

m
263
 However, upon comparing notes it appears that almost all necromancers
(data gathered from the Congo delta differs!) see the same hieroglyphics
or runes - which would imply that they are in fact not representations of
the individual necromancers psychological geography but that there’s in
fact a true representation (or a real representation if you so choose) of
them in spheres unknown6. A necromancer, upon pushing further along
either road will experience distance passing (by the markers passing by),
though of course no physical travel is actually occurring. By using this a
mental tool for maintaining the focus and will required to travel into the
spheres beyond, into The Waiting Brothers domain - most necromancers
find that they are able to travel further and with less power spent than
by other models, which explains the Crossroads popularity as a working
model.

For the sake of completion - let us review the two other main models used
for visualizing the Great Work - the Hedge and the Well. Neither have
gained much traction in later years but each enjoyed a vogue of their own
in their heyday - the Hedge was on everybody’s lips during the 1970s and
the Well enjoyed a huge surge in popularity in the circles around the influ-
ential All Souls Collective (since disbanded) in the early 1500s.

The Hedge visualizes the boundary between this plane and the next as
rampant, ill-tendered hedge of thick, fertile leaves and branches. Most of it
is too thick to see through or pass through - but by careful searching and
subtle application of force one can find or create small openings through
which to pass souls, information or oneself. Unfortunately, most who sub-
scribe to the Hedge theory become almost pathetically focused on finding
the right “spots” to perform their Work - graveyards, places of catastro-
phes, battlefields, slaughterhouses and so on. While it is true that these
places ARE magical and WILL help necromantic work along, they are by
no means required and it’s quite sad to see a grown necromancer desper-
ately trying to break into a locked churchyard at night.

6 Until someone undertakes further studies in this field, this will sadly have to
remain speculation.

264
The Well, on the other side, picture the physical everyday plane as the bot-
tom of a well with the Unreachable Sphere as ground level, i.e. above our
physical plane. When dying, the soul rises up, through the dark and dreary
physical existence in order to reach the Next Plane. It is, perhaps, not sur-
prising that this model arose out of christian college during a time where
magical research were sadly focused on proving or disproving tenets of
religion instead of observing the magical world as it truly is. To the au-
thors’ knowledge, there’s almost no adherence to The Well today, and no
serious researcher into the necromantic art would entertain it more than
as a curiosity.

The Abyss

A mistake common to beginners in necromancy is equate the Abyss with

outdated concepts such as Hell, Purgatory, Hades or other names given
to the place of the dead, the final resting place, the land of endless wait-
ing. Throughout the years, mankind has given many, many names to the
spheres beyond, in order to be able to describe it, to reason about it. Sadly,
many of these have over the years had so many emotional, moralistic and
unscientific detritus attached to them as to render them almost meaning-
less for the serious scholar. Now, this wouldn’t be a major issue if this only
affected the practitioner of the Great Work - surely someone well-versed
in the mysteries of the Beyond would be able to look past any emotional
baggage attached to a name and move on regardless. Unfortunately, reality
isn’t really so simple as this.

The sad and sorry fact is that, while it seems to be true7 that all spirits,
travellers, guardians and similar can be found in the Abyss, their subjec-
tive experience of their surroundings are irrevocably defined and based on
their supposition of the Land Beyond at their time of passing, as shown by
interviews and seances conducted. A witch dying in ancient Greece would
expect to travel across the five rivers of Hades, beginning with Styx and
ending with Acheron - and would, of course, do exactly this.

7 In the author’s opinion - you may form whatever opinion you like but be sure -
you’ll be required to back it up with facts and logic in the exams.
265
 This might be the single most important fact to take away from your stud-
ies in necromancy, if nothing else. A shade’s experience The Thin Sister’s
embrace will be defined, from a subjective perspective, by its expectation
and supposition regarding said experience. Imagine, if you will, a mun-
dane peasant in 15th century France, with no magical ability or insight
whatsoever. According to local custom and beliefs at the time - the Be-
yond was a place of eternal torment except for a hilarious small number
of impossibly pious people. Thus, upon crossing over - said peasant would
find himself in exactly what was expected - eternal torment.

Of course, the most important lesson to learn from this if one has aspi-
rations in the necromantic field - is to maintain a strict and disciplined
expectation of the afterlife at all times8. When setting out on the path of
the Great Work - one must gratefully accept the gift of knowledge of these
things, and act responsibly in all things - one’s own death most of all.

However, regardless of a given shade’s subjective experience of the Un-

attainable Sphere - all can be found in the Great Abyss. The visualization
of the Great Abyss was first constructed by the boccors and oungans of
Haitian voodoo and Candomblé practitioners in the ancient times - and
it has proven itself countless times. The Abyss is commonly thought of as
the immeasurable depths of a great ocean where the surface laps against
the boundaries of our physical plane. As one travels deeper into the ocean,
pressure increases as temperature drops - light becomes non-existent - and
only the individual practitioners will, strength and experience limits what
depths can be reached. When immersing oneself in the Crossroads, and
travelling downwards - ever downwards - deeper into the Abyss, deep-
er into the cold, black embrace - souls become visible like fireflies in the
dark. Like fireflies, a careful practitioner can reach out to them, approach
them, communicate with them - but remember - the experience each soul
subjectively experiences is wholly and totally based on their supposition,
and without careful research or great willpower the careless practitioner
will surely understand the real meaning of the saying: “Quiet as the grave”.

8 After all, deciding the exact time of our demise is a luxury very few can expect.

266
The Plains of Light

If the downward road of the Crossroads leads into the Abyss - into what
does the upward road leads? The answer to this seemingly easy question
has eluded necromantic research for the better part of 3 millenia. There
are rumors that practitioners in ancient Lemur managed to breach that
particular boundary, as well as researchers in modern-day Russia and 18th
century Sweden9. Sadly, nothing trustworthy remains and it’s more than
possible it’s just rumours.

There are many theories - but few facts. What the magical community
does know is this: at some point, very rarely, some souls travel along the
road from the Abyss upwards. We don’t know why, when, who or how. At-
tempts by necromancers to travel along the upward road further than the
Weeping Statues have all failed - most will simply black-out and awaken in
a pool of cold candle wax and chalk on their floor.

The name itself - the Plains of Light - is taken from a 17th century poem
by a poet and a necromancer active at Christ’s College, Cambridge and
later laid to rest at St Giles-without-Cripplegate in 1674. By publishing his
magical research into necromancy in the form of a poem, he avoided the
strict and moralistic laws of the time10.

To Die

No introductory work on necromancy would be complete without a short

section on the supreme act of transformation and transcendence - dying.
One of the glorious parts of the human condition is our ability to die, to be
embraced by She Who Waits - and to move onwards, into the Great Abyss
and wonders that awaits us there.

9 See Klarkash-Ton, Rasputin the Younger and Swedenborg respectively.

10 According to preserved diary entries, he found handling trials and similar
“troublesome and a waste of time” rather than an actual threat - something shared
by many contemporary members of the magical community.

267
 Needless to say, fear of Death puts a serious impediment in any serious
attempt at necromancy. The well-organised necromancer looks at He
Who Stalks with respect, familiarity and warmth. Once one internalizes
the knowledge that each and every soul creates its own subjective eternal
resting place - death should not only lose its sting, it takes on an almost
welcoming appearance. However, take heed that you do not hasten need-
lessly into The All-seeing One’s embrace - while there has been successful
research performed from beyond the grave, it is needlessly cumbersome
and complex.

A short side note on practical funeral arrangements. While necromantic

research has found no link between method of disposal of physical re-
mains and shape/form/experience of the Great Abyss, some pointers may
be worth considering when planning ahead.

Firstly, physical remains retain a strong bond with the presiding spirit even
after passing on, so unless you plan to be the (perhaps) unwilling partici-
pant in research afterwards - make sure trustworthy companions or family
are responsible for the proceedings.

After all, consider the following quote from Borellus12,13:

“The essential Saltes of Animals may be so prepared and preserved,

that an ingenious Man may have the whole Ark of Noah in his own
Studie, and raise the fine Shape of an Animal out of its Ashes at his
Pleasure; and by the lyke Method from the essential Saltes of humane
Dust, a Philosopher may call up the Shape of any dead Ancestour
from the Dust whereinto his Bodie has been incinerated.”

Secondly, while the practice of sky burials14 is extolled by historical evi-

dence from the monasteries Tsozong Gongba and Yungdrungling - both
of the Himalayas - as being essential to increased speed and ease of travel
between the spheres there are differing opinions on the matter, and little to
suggest its benefits outweigh the burden.

268
Thirdly, any well educated necromancer who provides too detailed or de-
manding funeral arrangements ought to be ashamed of themselves. After
all, any superfluous or meaningless rituals performed after the transition
into The Patient One’s domain are - of course - primarily for the living.
Since it is considered the height of rudeness to impose upon one’s own
funeral even if one’s skill and will is powerful enough to allow it - please
don’t. It gives necromancy a bad name, and is really something only a rube
would do.

Necromancy - The Tool

By now, the attentive reader should have a fairly solid understanding of the
basic theory and currently popular magical theory serving as the under-
pinning foundation to further studies and practical work. This is of course
a very, very short introduction but by keeping the previously discussed in
mind - any major disasters ought to be avoided.

Then, one might ask oneself - what can be done with these tools in front
of me? What falls within the purveyance of necromancy? What might one
aim to undertake as part of one’s supplication in front of The Ancient One?

Necromancy is traditionally divided into four subject areas, commonly

referred to as arts. Most necromancers work span two or more of these
subject areas - the division is based more on theoretical groundwork than
practical application.

11 Though, of course, willing participation are always welcomed by the necroman-

tic community.
12 Yes, there’s been recent evidence that the quote was originally penned by Ma-
ther, but until proper and verifiable proof is presented this author will continue to
attribute it according to tradition.
13 More specifically, his Historiarum et observationum medico-physicarum cen-
turiæ Il, Paris, 1652
14 The practice of letting the body decompose while exposed to the elements and
scavenging animals after the closest family partake in consuming parts of the heart.

269
 If one were to ask mundanes what necromancy implies to them - if they
were asked to describe it, one would receive descriptions of dead bodies
rising from their graves, intent on revenge on the living for either imag-
ined slights or at the behest of a necromancer. While this image is highly
sensationalized and fueled by a gross over-consumption of popular enter-
tainment - it is, in essence, true. The reanimation of dead tissue lies at the
very heart of necromancy and has traditionally been awarded the honor
of being the First Art. Within this falls - among other things - the caribbe-
an15 tradition of rising a Zonbi16 from a dead body, the reforming of dead
ancestors from essential salts and the creation of life from an assortment
of dead things.

The Second Art is concerned with communication and information. This

concerns all manner of communication across the spheres - regardless of
whether it’s ghosts, Guides, Travellers or Guardians one seek to commu-
nicate with17. Often this is done with either a higher intent, making the
boundary between the Second and the Third Art fuzzy - or a necromancer
chooses to use the First Art in order to achieve communication.

The Third Art focuses on deals and contracts - establishing agreements

and accords with either human shades passed over, or with more perma-
nent residents of The Great Abyss. Historically speaking, the Third Art
has been very popular and the subject of much speculation among mun-
dane philosophers. Take note that while the Third Art may seem closely
related to demonology and its focus on bindings and agreements - there’s
little or nothing similar between them in essence. While the exterior trap-
pings may seem alike - demonology concerns itself with the base creatures
found in other dimensions entirely, while necromancy is only concerned
with either shades, or those who reside in Her shadow - which, of course,
has nothing to do with other dimensions.

The Fourth Art is commonly thought of as the most complex one, but
also the most rewarding upon success. The Fourth Art is concerned with
working directly with the Lady Herself, the Brother Who Walks Behind.

270
By very careful supplication and positioning, a daring and powerful nec-
romancer could reach deep enough into the Abyss to catch an infinitely
small slice of His attention and posit one’s wish. Assuredly, one doesn’t
need to point out the possible consequences of such a bold action - She
doesn’t take kindly to being disturbed after all. However, many of the
legendary treasures and tales of history can be solidly traced back to the
Fourth Art.

Of course, this general outline of the arts couldn’t possibly cover every
imaginable thing doable within the necromantic school but it serves as a
general guideline on both that theoretical paths to start research within if
one has something specific in mind as well as a succinct overview over the
major necromantical pursuits available to the interested party.
15 Though, the tradition originated with the Yoruba people in modern-day Nige-
ria.
16 Serious magical researches prefer the original term “zonbi” over the mod-
ern-day “zombie”.
17 Since surely, none would be so foolish as to attempt a direct link with the Tertius
Decimus.

271
 The Spirits

What then can be said about the dead? About the shades of once-living
people now eking out eternity in their subjective experience of the after-
life?

Time as we know it on the mortal plane doesn’t affect the Great Abyss in
the same way. Once one leaves the crossroad and travels downwards, old
shades intermingle with new ones - the fresh, golden glow of a newly de-
ceased shines next to the dull, brass-colored glint of millennia-old shades
from before the dawn of time. A question often raised by the beginner,
just about to start threading the path of the Great Work is: “How do I find
the shade I’m looking for?” within the Great Abyss. It is a valid question,
even though it betrays a certain misunderstanding18 regarding the nature
of the plane beyond. It is the practitioners will, intent and most import-
ant - standing with She Who Rests which decides if one finds what one is
looking for, not fleetness of foot or stamina.

It is also very important to keep in mind that the subjective experience

of the sphere beyond is dependent on each shades expectation - thus, of
course, any communication with said shade will by definition be filtered
through said experience. Every necromancer has a first mistake - where
one blunders into the wrong expectation of the afterlife and there is re-
ally nothing that can prepare one for the experience. Since the shade will
(most probably) have infinitely more willpower over the subjective experi-
ence than an inexperienced necromancer - it’s a most disconcerting expe-
rience to suddenly be cast into something else, something fitting whatever
vision of the Great Abyss the shade carried into death. Nothing this author
can say will stop you from making this mistake, but please - forewarned is
forearmed, so be prepared for it when it happens.

18 But a very, very common one. Remember, within the Great Abyss distance has
nothing to do with distance.

272
The Guides

A common misconception is that the Sphere Beyond is populated only

by The Patient One, shades and necromancers. This is a fatal mistake to
make, and a necromancer travelling into the Great Abyss with this idea of
what to expect will most probably find himself or herself a more perma-
nent resident sooner rather than later.

Mainly - one can categorise entities into two categories - the Guides and
the Presences.

It is commonly thought19 that Guides are in essence human shades that

has transcended further into Her embrace than other shades through the
application of great will, power and knowledge. Some researches claim to
have verified this by means of juxtapositioned logical arrangements dis-
cussed with actual Guides but the veracity of these facts remain unclear -
doubly so since no Guide yet encountered by a trusted member of the nec-
romantic community has neither verified nor denied these conversations.

Encountering Guides is by no means a rare occurrence, but most often the

necromancer will find himself or herself to be wholly ignored by the Guide
passing by along the road. Over long time, individual necromancers may
reach a level of familiarity where passing signs of recognition may be seen,
and even short phrases of greeting, but it should be clearly understood
that this requires both great time and great luck.

There seem to be a finite number of Guides, but current magical research

has yet to determine if this is due to the complexity and/or time required
to become one, or if there is in fact a limited number of appearances that
Guides take, and that what might seem to be the one and same is in fact a
large number of different entities in the same shape.

19 See Die Unsichtbare Wand by Albin Grau or Státhi̱ka apó ton potamó Stýga by
Ptolemy

273
 Once a necromancer has forged a relationship with a Guide, one will find
that many tasks previously requiring studious meditation and preparation
will come naturally. Consider the following extract from a seminal work
on necromancy20:

I sung of Chaos and Eternal Night,

Taught by the heav’nly Muse to venture down
The dark descent, and up to reascend…

which describes the author - a noted necromancer in his time - being

thought by a Guide, in the shape of the Muse, to travel the downward
road into the depths of the Great Abyss as well as the upward road into
the Plains of Light. Since Guides, by their very nature, are permanent and
natural residents in a realm where the necromancer is but a visitor - it is
natural that they are more at home, more attuned to The Bleak Lady and
more adept at traversing the Great Abyss.

There seems to be some Guides21 more common to encounter than others.

Students familiar with mundane psychology studies will of course recog-
nise some these shapes as closely matching those described by Jungian
archetypes - which raises a fascinating question. It is well known that Dr.
Jung formulated his theory on the human psyche after a harrowing near-
death experience, where he was considered clinically dead for a short pe-
riod of time.

20 The same poem previously mentioned!

21 Shapes?
22 Though ancient greece and aramaic seems to be preferred.
23 Or shape?

274
The Ferryman

Many necromancers report meeting The Ferryman. This shape is consid-

ered one of the oldest preserved descriptions of a Guide - an old man,
dressed in a flowing gown and carrying a staff with a lantern. It should
come as no surprise that this description fits well-known characters from
myth and legend. Some characteristics common to many recollections of
meetings is the Guide’s ability to converse fluently in any language cho-
sen by the supplicant22, the reticence to speak on historical subjects and
the ability to traverse the Great Abyss with astonishing speed and agility.
Many necromancers describe how long searches for specific shades have
been cut short upon meeting The Ferryman who seems able to find any-
one or anything within the Great Abyss.

The Muse

The Muse is more rarely encountered than The Ferryman. The shape seems
similar to a young women of timeless beauty, with lines of sadness etched
into her face. She seldom speaks, but merely appears to warn travellers
into the Abyss of Presences approaching. It is considered most unwise to
press on after having encountered The Muse.

Personal Shapes

Many budding necromancers usually find that their first encounters with
Guides take the shape of specific loved ones who have moved on. A favoured
uncle or a beloved grandmother who appears to guide and to assist. First, let us
lay to rest the idea that all shades of favoured uncles or beloved grandmothers
rise into Guides. The very idea is ludicrous, especially when we consider his-
torical evidence. If this were the case, Guides would be a very common oc-
currence indeed, something which is simply not true. The truth is far simpler.
Some Guides23 merely take the form projected and expected by the necroman-
cer in question when being observed. There has - to the authors knowledge -
never been an occurrence of two necromancers present at the same spot in the
Beyond meeting a personal Guide, thus the question remains open.
275
 The Presences

If the Guides were the only entities present within the Great Abyss, apart
from He Who Is Patient - reaching into the Beyond to communicate with
shades or wrenching a soul into the physical plane would be a far safer
pastime. Sadly, this is not the case.

The magical community refers to them as The Presences. There are many
theories about their origin - dark necromancers finding hidden ways to
power, humans being selected and punished by The Little Sister, beings
from even further into the Abyss taking shapes relatable to by human
minds. They are the reason experienced necromancers prefer to keep a
workshop separate from living quarters, and why careful preparation of
protective circles, enchantments and charms are key to a long and success-
ful life within the necromantic community.

Practitioners finding themselves having gained the attention of a Presence

are most unfortunate. It has been determined (mostly through trial and
error) that it is very difficult indeed to hide once It has gained its focus.
The following extract from the diary of one S. Orne ought to illustrate the
situation clearly:

It was there. Waiting. Whenever I stepped over I could feel its gleeful
stare at my back, coming ever closer. I couldn’t maintain focus, my
will slipped through my fingers like water. I increased my protective
circles and tried again, thrice salted and thrice nailed - coffin nails at
each cardinal point and black cats hair with grave dust and rum at
the focal point. It didn’t help. Not at all. I caught a glimpse over my
shoulder - that dreadful silhouette, the top hat, the cape, the stick.
I can feel It watching me now, even though the door is closed and
threshold salted. Will say the charm thrice more at midnight.

Of what shapes They might take, the less mentioned the better. The mod-
ern magical community knows and have fairly solid descriptions of the
Man in the top hat, the Itinerant Mother, the Shrouded and the Twins.
276
For obvious reasons, research into the exact nature, shape and/or intent of
The Presences isn’t a popular subject, given the consequences that might
follow. Sadly, what is known is gathered more from hearsay and rumors
than actual, solid researchable and quantifiable fact.

In short, remember that mortal beings are visitors in the Great Abyss and
subjects to She Who Watches - not the other way around. It is foolish in
the extreme to presume anything, and the wise practitioner thinks twice
and rituals once.

Rituals

By now, dear reader, you ought to have a firm grasp on the history, the
theory, currently popular mental models and working processes - which
makes practical work the next area to delve into. We will now move from
theory to practice. After all, theory without practice is pointless while
practice without theory is downright dangerous. In magical theory and
other, similar research one focuses on why magic works and what compo-
nents are essential for it work. In potions and alchemy one has an almost
childish focus on dried animal parts and herbs while in charms and spell-
work pronunciation and wrist movement are of the essence. What then is
the cornerstones of necromancy?

The answer is threefold.

“The magical cannot be entirely reduced to individual consciousness.

It neither enters completely into consciousness, nor can it be inter-
preted as as the adding up of the conscious contents of different indi-
viduals, nor is it the reduction of the contents of consciousness to the
domain of consensus. The experience of the temporarily constituted
system, and even more so its practical activation in the nexuses of
magical meaning, always begins from this nonreducibility.”24

24 A Theory of Magic, A.M. Thorniwell, Czocha College Magicademia Printery and

Scriptorium

277
 The preceding quotes proves what one of the cornerstones are - intent.
Without intent, there can be no magic performed. As you will see in the
coming section - most of the practical components of necromancy is fairly
similar, regardless of what the intended purpose of the work is. Thus, it
is your intent what shapes the power gathered into the necessary bind-
ings, signs and callings. By the same logic, if the practitioner is unwilling
or unable to clearly form and shape will, power and intent in a coherent
structure and framework - no matter the amount of salt and blood used,
no responses will be heard nor any signs shown.

The second cornerstone is far more practical. Certain physical items are al-
most always required in necromantic work and you would be wise to stock
up and make certain you are never without them. Salt has traditionally
been used for protection due to both its physical properties and its magi-
cal properties - and necromancy is no different. Geographically speaking,
maize flour has served the same purpose in South America while yams
flour has served in Africa. In an emergency, any lightly coloured and al-
most weightless powder will serve - but take heed, ashes - while seemingly
white in color - is too inherently bound to She Who Serves to be of much
use. No necromantic work should be started without salting at least en-
trances into the room - and depending on the work, more circles and signs
may have to be added according to the intent and how everything pro-
gresses. The knife serves a similar purpose. Knives, by their very nature,
severs ties and cuts through bonds - and the astute student will of course
realize that the physical edge of the knife have little or nothing to do with
the intent of the knife. The cutting of the circle is a necessary part to re-
lease the structure25 and power contained within the ritual. Do not, under
any circumstances, try to exit the sacred space created without cutting the
circle - where you may pass through, others may follow in your wake, and
you really don’t want that.

The third cornerstone is building material. Regardless of what you intend

to do - in necromancy, something cannot be created from nothing. Thus,
what’s needed will of course vary depending in the sought-after effect.
25 See more of Thorniwell’s work for complete references.
278
When recalling shades from the beyond in order to communicate - some-
thing physical belonging to the shade in life might be a solid idea. When
reanimating dead tissue - dead tissue is of course of the essence. The atten-
tive student will, of course, then wonder what’s needed when one focuses
on the Fourth Art - supplication before The Master of Shades himself. The
answer varies. The author have always had good success with pale funeral
lilies, incense, coffin nails, ashes from pyres or graveyard dust. As stated
previously in this article - while it’s sad to see a grown necromancer trying
to break into a graveyard - some small preparation goes a long way when
planning ahead.

Then, once cornerstones are properly seen to - all necromantic rituals

fall within the scope of three main groups; summonings, banishings and
cleansings. All parts of the work either summons an entity or a shade for
communication, reanimation or other, banishes an entity or a shade from
our physical plane or cleanses a place, an item or a person from the atten-
tion and/or fetters binding it/them to the Sphere Beyond.

Thus, when planning your work - clearly define what steps will be taken
throughout the ritual. It would be a bad habit to form to forget the banish-
ing for example - remember that you are responsible for the consequences
of your work, and the necromantic community frowns upon sloppy or ir-
responsible work. On the next page are some small pointers found helpful
by the author when beginning the Great Work.

I know there are comedians in the student body. Some of you think you’re
funny. Hilarious, even. You think you’re going to have a laugh on the expense
of your old professor. Maybe you will. Maybe you’ll fool me. Then we can all laugh. But
consider the risks very, very carefully. When I was a student, I was known as something
of a jokester. The classic cursed letter. The exploding fireplace. The polymorphed lions.
Students still talk about them. So if you think you can just sneak into my office through
one of the secret doors, consider this: Maybe the joke will be on you. It could be that
there’s a little surprise waiting for you.

After all, comedy is not the sole preserve of the young.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)
279
 Summonings

• Be fastidious when preparing your protection, at least until you are

experienced enough to immediately recognise when they might not
be enough. Breaks in the circles, sloppily formed signs or a window
left unsalted is a slippery slope which leads to a dark place indeed.
• Make sure you have your knife on your person when stepping into the
circle(s). If you try to exit without cutting, remember - where you can
exit, others may follow in your wake.
• Plan ahead whom or what you are addressing, and make sure you have
the correct names and pronunciation. History is filled with necroman-
cers doing a mediocre translation from a headstone, only to find out
something far more terrible was inadvertently called.

Banishings

• Clearly and repeatedly state your intent to cast out whatever you are
banishing, and make sure to put the proper emphasis with your will
and power - not only your voice. Many beginners start to tremble and
panic when banishing their first mistake - which is bound to be your
last mistake if your voice starts to break.
• Remember who rules the domain you are entering and working in - an
impolite necromancer is a short-lived one. He rules implacably - you
do not live implacably.
• Only cut the circle(s) when entirely sure the banishing is complete. A
careless cutting defeats the entire purpose of the circle(s) to begin with.

Cleansings

• Holy water has no effect on the dead. Don’t confuse necromancy with
demonology.
• Remember - there may be more than one fetter or binding between the
object of your cleansing the Great Abyss. Don’t assume there’s only one.
• Do not stress. Proper cleansings, like proper cleaning, takes time and
is best done in no hurry.
280
Signs of Presence

So, you did everything right. You’re sure of it. The banishing was complete,
the circles cut only after making sure everything is empty and restored to
its proper state. Yet, something is off. How do you know if something’s
really off or if you’re imagining things?

Sadly, there’s no sure way to be true. Do not trust purveyors of artefacts

to detect presences and the like - more often than not they are bogus and
might be more a hindrance than a help. The following is an incomplete list
of things to look out for:

• Spots of wildly varying temperature compared to the rest of the room.

• Sounds seemingly without sources
• Feelings of ill-at-ease without a specific cause
• The feeling of not being completely alone, especially in the dark.
• Feeling watched when alone
• Physical items being manipulated without an apparent cause
• Hearing whispers or voices just low enough to not make out

While this list is not even remotely complete - it may serve as a short
checklist. More than two matching events ought to be properly investigat-
ed by an experienced necromancer.

281
 Case Study: The Providence Affair

As the last section of this monograph - we will look at a case study of an

infamous necromantic affair in the early 17th century, which illustrates
the major dangers of necromantic work, as well as what careless behavior
when working with the He Who Wanders might lead to. Most of the case
study is based on letters and notes from various archives - among them the
Orne Library and the Salem Historical Society.

It is known that a competent and highly skilled necromancer lived and

worked in the city of Providence, Rhode Island during the beginning of
the 17th century. Some notes of his are recovered and tells us that the main
focus of the work was using essential salts and ashes to communicate with
shades from all ages. The magical community has recovered evidence of at
least 400 different shades being targeted for questioning and communica-
tion. This provides us with the first clue to the causes of the final fate of the
subject of this case study. While it is perfectly safe26 to use salts and ashes
in necromantic work - it’s tempting fate (and the attention of The Presenc-
es) to be too greedy and reach too far into the Abyss while not maintaining
a circumspect attitude and posture. One doesn’t want to be too apparent
- neither on the physical plane27, nor on the ethereal plane.

While focusing on his work, the subject failed to take note of the shifting
attitude of the people around him - his neighbours and friends. Due to
fear and misunderstandings of the nature of his work - people were fear-
ing the worst. Let this be a lesson to you - explain your work properly to
those of sufficient advanced and open minds to understand it - but do
not make the mistake of crediting the simple-minded everyman with the
mental faculties to understand the Great Work. Throughout history - sci-
entific-minded necromancers have been persecuted both by magical and
mundane authorities. Do not ignore the past, but learn from it.

26 Within the boundaries of normal, necromantic work!

27 The subject of the case study was after all targeted by mobs at at least two dif-
ferent occasions. While this is of course dependent on the morals and laws of the
surrounding society - remember the necromancy is among the most feared and
misunderstood sciences of magic and act accordingly.
282
The shifting attitude surrounding the subject led to his violent expulsion
from society - and reached its apex when a violent mob surrounded his
house and workshop with the intent to eradicate him once and for all from
their surroundings. From the diary of a member of the mob, we may read:

“I was on shore-guarding duty. After an uneventful march and a long

wait on the bluff by the bay - during which we only heard a distant
whistle, a distant muffled blend of roaring, crying and a powder blast.
Private Johnson though he heard a gunshot. Nobody could miss the
terrible sounds after that - the titanic and thunderous words that re-
sounded through the upper air. It was then the messenger arrived -
with haggard eyes and hideous, unknown odour about his clothes. He
told us in no uncertain words that the raid had failed, to never speak
of the night’s doings. His conviction was so great I found myself nod-
ding along while still listening to him. He seemed to have lost some-
thing important, something human - something he couldn’t forget.”
(Anonymous Mundane clearly out of his depth)

Today, we may only speculate on what actually occurred during those last
hours of our case study. The author’s opinion is that in the final hours -
when the subject realised the danger surrounding him, the angry mob - he
in desperation reached further into the Great Abyss than his protection
and willpower allowed - thus attracting one or more of the Presences. Let
this teach you humility and to tread carefully - nothing in necromancy
benefits from hasty work and more often the exact opposite is true.

Let me leave you with a final quote from a diary believed to be penned by
the subject of this case study, which is as true today as it was then:

“I say to you againe, doe not call up Any that you can not put downe;
by the Which I meane, Any that can in Turne call up Somewhat
against you, whereby your Powerfullest Devices may not be of use.
Ask of the Lesser, lest the Greater shal not wish to Answer, and shal
commande more than you.”

283
 A Necromantic Study:
Letters Of Undeath
A Correspondence To Inspire And Inform (From ‘Magical Letters Of 1915’)
By The Noted Magishistorian And Ravensberg Scholar William de Belleme

284
Brought In Their Entirety For The Benefit Of Learning

To the Countess Lucretia Alicia Von Ravensberg

May 1st 1915, New York
My Darling Lucretia,

On the matter of our dear friend and colleague Dr Mathers I am afraid I

must report that he has sunk beyond the help of both medicine and magic
and is now most certainly and incurably insane. The sanitorium where
he shall remain the rest of his days is a dark place indeed, on Blackwell’s
Island. I shudder to think of it, the hospital formally closed in 1894 and
yet it remains the home of no less than seven hexblood inmates, all too
dangerous to ever be released. All who have seen things that the mundane
world should never have seen.

As I set sail on this fastest of ships - the one they call the Greyhound of the
Sea - I thought I would wile away the hours writing to you, as you asked,
about the contents of Dr Mather’s journals, which I, of course, removed
from his rooms before the mundane authorities arrived to investigate his
crimes.

The first of these was a short translation of an ancient Greek text called
νεκρομαντεία (nekromanteía) which details the practice, prevalent
throughout Western antiquity, whereby the spirits of the dead were con-
tacted, either for divination purposes or, more commonly, to ask questions
of the deceased.

As you may remember from your classical studies, in Homer’s Odyssey

the witch Circe teaches Odysseus a spell to invoke the shades of the dead.
The eponymous hero wishes to ask questions of the blind hermaphrodite
seer, Tiresias, but is forced to travel to the underworld to perform the spell.
Unsurprisingly the mundane hero is unable to perform the spell without
the assistance of those with hexblood.

285
 The νεκρομαντεία tells us that the required elements for The Rites of
Circe are, to wit:a suitable environment (either outside, at night, in a buri-
al ground, or indoors surrounded by a suitably morbid aspect including
skulls, black cloth, or items belonging to the deceased); suitable offerings,
which could either be blood, or a drink or potion prepared so that it can
be imbibed by a ghost; and finally, the spell itself that could be used to
summon the spirit, Vocabo Umbraculum.

The rest of the text is rather dull poetry upon the subject of loss and lust
and contains some passages that suggest the poet had rather unhealthy
and unsanitary passions. I shall not bore you with them.

Your most devoted servant,

William de Belleme

1
To the Countess Lucretia Alicia Von Ravensberg
May 3rd 1915, North Atlantic
My Darling Lucretia,

My third day at sea and I am starting to get what they refer to as sea legs. If
I am honest, the first day and a half were quite miserable; even on board a
ship as luxurious as the Lusitania, one is rocked around constantly and the
sensation makes most people feel nauseous. Whilst I have not been laid
up by this sea sickness, the thought of sitting down to write, even to you,
my darling, has been quite challenging. Instead, I have been up on deck
arguing anatomy with a fascinating mundane doctor from Ireland who
served as the surgeon on board the boat.

286
His knowledge of mundane medicine reminded me of Dr Mather’s work
on hexblood anatomy and his search for the physical element that made
magic possible. I was able to discuss some of Mather’s theories by playing
the role of the layperson and being astounded by my mundane compan-
ion’s responses.

I have tried to trace for you below one of the illustrations from Mathers’
journal; it is quite complex doing so while the ship is thrown about by the
waves, but here is an illustration of a device for removing the brain from
a living subject.

Mathers is clear that a study of human anatomy and medicine is a useful, if

not essential, step to understanding the deeper magic of necromancy. To
fully appreciate the beauty of the undead and the living dead (a distinction
that I shall write to you about in a later letter) we must first appreciate the
nature of life itself.

On an unrelated matter, during dinner in the first class dining room I was
somewhat perturbed to note that the New York Times from just prior to
our embarkation carried the following advertisement

NOTICE!
TRAVELLERS intending to embark on the Atlantic voyage are re-
minded that a state of war exists between Germany and her allies
and Great Britain and her allies; that the zone of war includes the
waters adjacent to the British Isles that, in accordance with formal
notice given by the Imperial German Government, vessels flying
the flag of Great Britain, or any of her allies, are liable to destruction
in those waters and that travellers sailing in the war zone on the
ships of Great Britain or her allies do so at their own risk.

IMPERIAL GERMAN EMBASSY

Washington, D.C., 22 April 1915

287
 Had I realised this I would almost certainly have taken the time to perform
a more detailed scrying about the safety of this voyage, but the luxury of
travel by ocean liner is something one must try to be believed, and I can
not believe that the German Empire would attack an ocean liner travelling
from the United States of America. In a way it is by the experience of life
that we learn about life. I think this is at the heart of Mathers’ thesis.

Anyway, he goes on to discuss the Haeckel and West theories that “all life
is chemical” and that “the artificial reanimation of the dead can depend
only upon the condition of the tissues; and that unless decomposition has
set in, a corpse fully equipped with organs may with suitable measures be
set going again in the particular fashion known as life.” (H.West)

So with reference to the process of raising a simple walking corpse, Dr Ma-

thers suggests injecting the corpse with a Revivification Potion and then
casting the Reanimation charm. An interesting side effect of this is to raise
the blood sugar level of the congealed blood of the corpse, making it par-
ticularly attractive to ants and other insects. I do hope things in Europe are
not as hectic as the news suggests and that you are well.

Yours forever,

William de Belleme

Those of you who come from magical families may have already heard this talk
from your parents. If that’s the case, you’re excused. You know the talk I mean.
The things that every young witch and wizard should know by the time they come of age.

I’m talking about Necromancy, of course. Specifically. making your loved ones come
back to you. I’m not going to tell you categorically not to do it. For some witches and
wizards, it’s a good way to come to grips with their demise. Personally, it’s never been
for me. I mean, sure it works. You can summon the ghosts of the departed and they can
take possession of your fellow students. You can make their corpses shuffle around in a
terrible approximation of life.

But they will never love you for doing that.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)
288
To the Countess Lucretia Alicia Von Ravensberg
May 4th 1915, North Atlantic
My Darling Lucretia,

Today I thought I should consider the notes that the good doctor made
about the history, creation, and weaknesses of various other types of
undead. These appear to be a slightly more interesting form of walking
corpse inasmuch as they are able to understand and learn from simple
instructions. For example the Zombie is often considered a form of un-
dead, however, these unfortunate creatures appeared to have been created
from living mundane beings rather than from corpses, as referenced by
this amendment to the criminal code in Haiti, which was passed as re-
cently as 1864:

“Also shall be qualified as attempted murder the employment which

may be made by any person of substances which, without causing ac-
tual death, produce a lethargic coma more or less prolonged. If, after
the administering of such substances, the person has been buried, the
act shall be considered murder no matter what result follows.”
(Haitian Criminal Code, Article 246)

Zombies move very slowly, feel no pain, and can obey simple instructions;
they need neither rest nor sleep and, if they bleed at all, it is very slowly
as though their heart is hardly beating. They shy away from pure things:
bright sunlight; salt; and pure or running water.

The process appears to be exactly the same as for walking corpses, except
one would use a living victim rather than a dead body. Fortunately, this
process is not permanent and the effects can be removed by a competent
healer.

I am sure the guardians would come down quite hard on any witchard
experimenting with zombies, assuming that they did not try the zombie
experiment on victims with hexblood.

289
 Alas, Mathers did and his notes are rather frantic and slapdash on the sub-
ject:

“The awful event was very sudden and wholly unexpected. No sooner
had I completed the charm than the hexblood zombie let out a cry
that sounded as though the rusty gates of hell had been dragged open
and all the tormented souls within it had screamed at once.”

It seems as though these hexblooded undead do not obey simple instruc-

tions. Indeed they are capable of independent thought and are prone to
becoming flesh eaters if not treated in time. It was one of these ‘ghouls’
that got loose in Central Park back in January, which led to me having to
travel to America to see to Dr Mathers once and for all!

Enough for today, I am dining at the captain’s table tonight and must go
dress for dinner!

Yours forever,

William de Belleme
290
To the Countess Lucretia Alicia Von Ravensberg
May 5th 1915, North Atlantic
My Darling Lucretia,

I am tired of being at sea now. I wish there were a quicker way of crossing
the great sea. If our ancient ancestors had extended the stone circle net-
work into North America, for example, or we had found a way to connect
the Pyramids of Egypt with those in South America, then I would not have
had to put up with this for so long. Another storm last night. And cooped
up with the mundanes for so very long. They are pleasant enough compa-
ny, but not for five or more days. Still, we are more than half-way now and
the seas have calmed a little.

There is a form of undead that Mathers does not give much time to. He
describes them as non-corporeal or unquiet undead. These take the form
of ghosts and wraiths and appear to be similar inasmuch as they are the
non physical representations of those who have died that are tied to a place
or an event. The difference is that ghosts are an echo and wraiths have a
particular message to deliver.

An echo is a spirit that replays a certain action. It is like a memory. Ma-

thers thinks, and I am sure I agree, that the ghost has more to do with the
magical harmonics of a place than the spirit of the departed. It may be
that ghosts may be removed, but one needs to understand the why and the
wherefore of their haunting before finding a way to release them. Wraiths
are spirits of those who died a violent death. They usually wish the truth of
their demise to be discovered and often also wish for vengeance. Mathers
states that a modified rite of Circe can be used to communicate with both
ghosts and wraiths, but some item belonging to or connected to the spirit
needs to be used as the focus for the rite

Yours for eternity,

William de Belleme

291
 To the Countess Lucretia Alicia Von Ravensberg
May 6th 1915, North Atlantic
My Darling Lucretia,

The final night of the crossing at last. With good weather we shall be dock-
ing in Liverpool, in England, tomorrow afternoon. I shall look forwards
to being back on dry land and, after a brief train journey, being able to use
the network of standing stones and the ley paths across Europe to be by
your side.

I long to stand on the castle battlements with you once again and look out
across the forest. It has been too long, my love.

The last of Dr Mathers’ journals deal with the living dead. I promised
you an age ago that I would explain his distinction. For Mathers, undead
are unfortunate creatures created by another. Whilst some have an ani-
mal intelligence, they are not great intellects and - most importantly - are
not capable of magic or procreation. The living dead, however, are intel-
ligent, fully capable of performing magic, and can create others who are
like them. So whilst they are dead, they also have many of the biological
signposts for life.

The most famous of these are the vampires. It is astonishing how much
the mundane world knows about these creatures. Vampirism is essentially
a blood-borne magical disease and yet it is so much more. Vampires are
vulnerable to daylight and magic, but not, it must be said, to anything as
prosaic as a wooden stake or common garlic.

The other form that Mathers gives a lot of time to are Liches. These are
necromancers who have studied demonology, or demonologists who have
studied necromancy, and who have used magic not to artificially extend
their lives, but rather to hide their lives from Death. They keep their life
force in a jar or bottle, which is usually hidden somewhere safe (a lead box
bricked up inside a wall is favored). While this jar remains intact the Lich
cannot die.
292
They can still age, alas, and many Liches are little more than dessicated
corpses held together by bandages and magic, but they remain more pow-
erful than most simply because they often live for thousands of years and
can acquire great riches and magical knowledge. In addition, without any
fear of death they can cast spells that would age a mortal witchard to be-
yond the end of their natural life.

With that, my love, I shall sign off.

I hope to be with you tomorrow; and whilst you will not see any of these
letters until I place them into your hand, you will know that I thought of
you every day.

Yours until the end of time,

William de Belleme1

1 Historical Note: Students, these letters were recovered in 1982 from the wreck of
the RMS Lusitania, a British ocean liner, holder of the Blue Riband, and briefly the
world’s largest passenger ship. It was sunk by a German U-Boat during the early
years of World War I. The guardian William de Belleme was, fortunately, one of
the few survivors of the attack, but was found guilty of breaking the Traditions
by very publically using magic to save the lives of those who were drowning. He
was cast out by the Regulators, the leader of whom was the Countess Ravensberg
herself.

293
 Principia
Demonologica
An Unearthly Primer
By C.W, A Gentleman Scholar & Wizard Of Some Experience And Repute

294
Opening Words

There are lots of different things that fall into the category of beings we de-
scribe as ‘demons’. These vary from the minor imps that can be instructed
to deliver messages or carry out small tasks like mending shoes or cleaning
floors, all the way up to those greater demons that claim to be Princes of
Hell, Faery Queens or tentacled horror monsters from beyond space and
time. They represent a continuum of supernatural energies that are able to
take a physical form and, more importantly, are capable of independent
thought.

All of them are dangerous, many of them will eat some or all of you if given
half a chance. Occasionally this devouring will mean they will tear phys-
ical chunks out of you, but more often they will chow down on magical
essence, memory, or what major religions describe as the soul. The more
powerful the demon, the less likely you are to walk away from an encoun-
ter without losing something.

Even imps will seek to exact a petty revenge on those who summon them,
usually by carrying out any instructions to the letter, to the point of ex-
cluding common sense. However, when given free rein to carry out small
acts of mischief, they are more than happy to improvise beyond the license
given to them by their summoner.

This small guide introduces a few of the more common forms of demons.
It gives an introduction to the key magical steps needed to bring one into
the world, to control it, and, most importantly, to get rid of particularly
recalcitrant ones when you are finished with them.

b
295
 A few important rules before we get started:

1. Never summon up something that you do not know how to dismiss.

This is the ‘never eat anything bigger than your head’ rule. It should
be common sense.
2. Never read aloud from a book that you ‘just happen to find lying
around’, particularly if it is in a language that you do not understand
but the ‘words just pop into your head’. If you see someone doing this,
immediately silence them with a spell and – this is important – do not
pick up the book.
3. Demons with titles tend to be the most powerful [1]. You will end up
having to make a bargain with a powerful demon as your attempts to
force it to do as you command will come to nought. Keep in mind that
these creatures have aeons of experience in making bargains. You will
come off second best.

How to summon a demon

Finding the correct time and place

Certain types of demons can only be summoned at specific times, or when

the stars are correctly aligned. Some are best summoned at dawn, others
at dusk. The most common time for demon summoning is after dark, al-
though there are some that can be invoked during daylight hours. On the
whole, very few demons need to be summoned at midnight. Your first step
on the path to a successful summoning is to ensure that the demon you
want will turn up.

Certain horoscopes, scrying, and the careful application of book learning

will help you here.

296
Circles and how to use them

The circle is a perfect geometrical form rendered in two dimensions. Many

medieval scholars hold that it is the perfection of a circle that makes them
an ideal protection against, or method of containing, demons. This is
probably true. Certainly lesser demons understand that the ‘exit’ from any
place involves passing through a door, and that this is usually found in the
corner. As they are unable to find corners of a circle they become confused
and quickly accept that they are trapped. More potent demons seem to be
willing to put up with the fiction; my concern is that at some point, one
will simply step out of the circle and rend the summoners limb from limb.

Sigils and demons with names

So for more powerful demons, and particularly those with titles, we would
tend to work with multiple circles. First, one for each of the summoning
group. This can be simple and drawn on the ground with chalk, or in the
earth with rough lines. For the demon itself I would suggest a larger dou-
ble circle with the sigil or name of the demon drawn within it - represent-
ing the inability of the creature to name the circle - and suitable protective
runes or the binding name of the demon between the two outer circles.

For extra protection, candles or mage lights at the cardinal points of the
circle and a strong incense serve to contain the summoned demon. You
can do without these protections, of course, but this carries significant risk
to life, sanity, and the fabric of reality.

There have been many stupid witches and wizards, but there are no stupid
demonologists. There are stupid witches and wizards who have dabbled in
demonology. We do not call these dabblers “demonologists”; rather, we
refer to them as ‘deceased.’

297
 Rituals for summoning demons

Summoning a demon is best undertaken as a group. Whilst there are some

witches and wizards who are able to do this alone, you will always get bet-
ter results cooperating with a group of like-minded people. Whilst one
person takes the role of summoner, the others are there to inscribe and
activate the circles, chant the name or type of demon whilst the summoner
‘invokes’ it (conjures it up, summons it forth, or opens a portal through
which it can pass).

This is a matter of some careful channelling of magical will via the wands
whilst invoking and calling forth the demon.

Once the demon has arrived it will either manifest inside, or appear to
walk into the circle. Only when it is there - within the summoning circle
- can it be said to have been summoned. In some cases you may wish to
place a person inside the summoning circle to serve as the ‘host’ for the
demon. However this should be considered only in cases of emergency
and as a last resort. It is rarely a pleasant experience.

Congratulations, you have now brought forward a creature from beyond.

Your problems are only just beginning.

298
How to Bind a demon and get it to do your bidding

Unless they have significant practice at summoning demons, the witch or

wizard who carried out the first part of the ritual is likely to be exhausted.
The responsibility for the next step traditionally passes to the left, and an-
other person will take on the responsibility for binding the demon. This is
by far the riskiest part of the process. For the time that the demon stands
upon the earth you are joined to it - body, mind, and spirit - using your
magical strength to hold it in place. Less experienced binders may wish to
join hands with others; it doesn’t make it any easier, but at least you can
share the catastrophe, pain, and responsibility if anything goes wrong.

The more powerful the demon, the more careful you need to be.

For example, the binding “spirit of darkness I bind you to this place” will
work nicely on imps, because they are rather foolish. Try it on a Faery,
though, and they will quite reasonably choose to define ‘place’ as an area
no smaller than reality itself.

The best method here is repetition, specificity, and laying rules and bind-
ings upon the creature in quick succession so that it does not have time
to deconstruct the binding and find a semantic loophole. Again, this is
why having a group of witches and wizards working together is the safest
option.

Starting with the binder, each witch and wizard points their wand at the
creature and casts a binding spell. This takes the form of the name (and
title) of the demon and a binding or rule. (At a pinch ‘creature of darkness’
usually works, but the faeries don’t like being described thus and can be
petulant; instead, you should invite them politely to follow your instruc-
tions.)

B
299
 For the purpose of example I have used ‘creature of darkness’ below, but
for a more reliable effect you should replace this with the name of the sum-
moned demon. Summoning a generic ‘creature of darkness’ could have
unforeseen consequences as you might end up with more than you can
handle.

Creature of darkness, I bind you to my will

Creature of darkness, you shall not move from this circle
Creature of darkness, you shall not speak until instructed
Creature of darkness, you shall do no harm to any here
Creature of darkness, etc. etc.

With a bit of skill, and a bit of luck, you should now have a demon, trapped
inside a circle, and – for a short while at least – willing to listen to what you
have to say. If not, you are beyond the help of this brief guide.

For lesser demons the hard work is done. You will be able to command the
creature to perform a simple task or tasks, remembering that your instruc-
tions should be absolutely clear and extremely specific.

If not, and the demon is more powerful, you will need to enter into nego-
tiations...
300
How to negotiate with a demon

The first thing you need to know about negotiating with a demon is the
Law of Diminishing Returns. Each time you treat with the same demon
you will get less and it will cost you more.

The second thing you need to know about negotiating with a demon is that
they are very good at negotiation. Travel to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul,
the Souk of Marrakech, or the fish market in London and you will come up
against some of the hardest bargains and bargain makers of the mundane
world. These are nothing next to demons. They are seeking a deal where
they give you nothing and take the world.

The third thing you need to know about negotiating with a demon is that
they are very keen for you to give them your name. It is not just a matter
of hearing you or someone else saying it, but a conscious decision on your
part to give it to them. Beware, if they manage to get your name then you
will be under their power for the remainder of your (nasty, brutish, and
short) life.

But do not be disheartened. Demons can be bargained with. Sometimes

they will accept payment in the future, sometimes merely the opportunity
to spread malice will be sufficient. Some demons will demand your very
life for the smallest of services, some may settle for one of your names.
Sometimes you need to cut your losses and go no further.

How to dismiss a demon you have summoned

This is the easiest of tasks for the summoner, particularly if the name of
the demon is known. Point your wand and demand “<Name of demon>,
I banish you back to whence you came”. It is considered good form to em-
bellish this with suitable phrases, for example “Get thee hence to the pits of
damnation from whence you came, foul spawn of chaos. Begone. I banish
you” etc.

301
 You should move towards the demon, talking all the time, until you are
close enough to touch it. Once you are able to do so, tap it gently with your
wand. The creature should now return to its place of origin.

If the original summoner is incapacitated, no longer conscious, injured,

dead, or has been eaten, then the process is a lot more complicated.

How to kill or destroy a demon

Minor demons (see below) are essentially mortal. They can be injured or
killed in the same way as anyone else; indeed household imps often age
and die of ‘natural causes’, or drink themselves into oblivion. Other types
of demons are immortal. Whilst some artifacts may exist that can poten-
tially slay a named demon, for example, you are more likely to extinguish
the sun than hurt one with magic.

How to dismiss a demon someone else has summoned

This is an advanced topic and is not covered in this short introduction.

Possession and other interesting things that demons can do

On the whole wizards and witches should avoid being possessed by de-
mons. This happens when the demon inhabits the living form of the wiz-
ard or witch and combines its knowledge and strength with the magical
ability of the host. During a possession the demon is in control. It will
sound like the host, even behave like the host, right up to the point that it
manifests its demonic nature and starts to misbehave. This misbehaviour
can have serious consequences for the host, those around them, and the
world at large possibly leading to the end of all life as we know it.

You can actually summon a demon into a (willing) human host; although
one should not attempt this with anything much more powerful than an
imp in case the intended host ‘bursts.’

302
Demons are not terribly creative, but they have been known to create gri-
moires and tomes that explain how to summon them, or scrolls with their
names upon them. These often find their way to confluxes and fall into
the hands of innocents. In general these texts are incomplete and flawed
in such a way that the demon being summoned will have the upper hand;
for example, appearing in a form that is not bound by Euclidean geometry
and therefore able to ignore circles of any kind.

Some ancient demons have been bound into artefacts. Swords are partic-
ularly popular hosts for said demons. Pick up the sword and you end up
with a demon inside your head. Fortunately these things are increasingly
rare as most of them have been discovered and destroyed.

A few of the more common types of demon

Minor Demons

Imps: Used by many respectable wizarding institutions as a general ser-

vant. They can be bound to perform simple domestic chores, to deliver
messages, to fetch and carry. Caution should be taken around imps.
Whilst those in service to Czocha castle, for example, may be trusted to
carry out the instructions of the staff and faculty, they are less inclined
to do as instructed by students and may wish for payment or to enact
petty revenges, leading the unwary into trouble or into danger. They are
not terribly bright, but they can be malevolent.

Hell Hounds: Part demon, part dog. These creatures are fiercely loyal
and make excellent guards. However, they are exceedingly dangerous to
anyone who is not their owner. For example, a summoner who brings a
hell hound into the world and then sets it to watch over another needs
to be extremely cautious that they do not get bitten by it immediately
the transaction is complete. May also take the form of a horse.

303
 Lesser Demons

Incubi and succubi: Male and female forms of the same type of demon.
Just your basic pleasure model, powered by lust, wanton licentiousness,
strange sex, and with the ability to seduce most mortals. They don’t
sound too dangerous but they are; they tend to leave a trail of violence
and unusual injuries in their wake. Fortunately it is not possible to
summon either of these demons without an artefact (see above).

Specialist Demons: Most lesser demons (and a few of the major ones)
specialise. For example, the demon M.A., is the Demon of strife be-
tween old friends. The Dutch demonologist Johannes Wier, in his
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, says of M.A:

“M.A. is a great marquesse, and seemes in an angels shape with a

head like a blacke night raven, riding upon a blacke and a verie strong
woolfe, flourishing with a sharpe sword in his hand, he can kill the
maister, the servant, and all assistants, he is author of discords.”

Named Demons

Servitor Demons – for example Ja’Viss: It is a bad idea to summon a ser-

vitor demon that is not already bound to your bloodline. Bargains made
many generations before mean these creatures are destined to provide in-
fernal service to their Mistresses and Masters for a thousand years. They
are loyal, extremely dangerous, and will turn you into red mist on a whim
if you mess with them. However, if you can bargain with one there is (po-
tentially) much to gain.

This is a question that students always ask, year after year. Is divination real?
Yes, it’s real. Now we can move to more interesting topics. I know that verifying
the results from geomancy or astrology is very difficult, because the results are so vague.
This is true. However, I’d like to ask you, are you doing the thing that non-magical
people do, “science”, or are you doing magic? Magic will not be reduced to these vulgar,
modern principles. Magic is an art! It’s a living force. And that means, young witches and
wizards, that you will have to live with some ambiguity.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

304 (also known as Achilleus the Elder)
Faeries – for example Puck, Titania, Cobweb, Mustardseed, Oberon (there
are many others)
Faeries do not consider themselves to be demons at all. This is patently
nonsense as they are supernatural creatures from another plane that travel
to our world through portals and circles and seek to make bargains with
mortal men.

If you do decide to summon a Faery the most important things to under-

stand are that they *will* trick to you. They will try to lie to you. They hate
iron, and the best way to trap one in a circle is to lay chains of iron around
the outside of it. On the whole it is better to bargain with a faery from a po-
sition of strength but with extreme politeness, respect and good manners.
Never call them a demon to their face. And never, NEVER, (we mean this
NEVER) accept a gift from a Faery or you will end up bound to their will
rather than them to yours!

Major Demons/Elder Gods etc.

For obvious reasons the true names of major demons and elder gods are
not listed here. You should have nothing to do with them. They will destroy
you and all those around you. In extreme cases these creatures will destroy
all life or rend the very fabric of existence into oblivion. Whilst this has not
happened in living memory it is mathematically probable that more than
one universe has been destroyed by an over confident student with a stolen
grimoire, a hand of glory and an ego larger than their intellect.

Some witchards will tell you that these entities don’t even exist, but you
can guess what I think about that sort of overconfidence!

1 The exception here are the ‘servitor’ demons of some of the great magical fam-
ilies. For example Ja’Viss, the famous servitor of the Wychwood family does not
have a grandiose title but should not be summoned by random demonologists.
Whilst he may not formally be a ‘Duke of Hell,’ he should be treated as though he
were. The relationship between servitors and their masters/mistresses is a com-
plex one and not particularly relevant to this text; suffice it to say that the price
exacted from the demon is paid – in part – by every member of the extended family
across the generations, to the end of their thousand year contract. One day the duty
of the servitor will be completed and the demon will be free, but a member of the
family will pay a terrible price... 305
 The Corpus Vendidad
BeingAn interesting But Flawed Comparison Of The Djinn And The Daeva
Translated By

306
I. Daevas, the reflection of the heart

“Two thousand years before (mankind) was created, there were Djinn on
(the Earth), and they caused corruption on it and shed blood. Then Allah
sent against them a troop of Angels who beat them and cast them away to is-
lands in the seas. So, when Allah said: “I am placing (mankind) generations
after generations on Earth,” They (the Angels) said, “Will You place therein
one who will cause corruption and shed blood?” Then Allah said, “I know
that which you do not know.” (Al Baqarah, 2:30)

There are those who would say that the Daeva, ancient evils mentioned
in the Zoroastrian texts, and the Djinn as described in the Qur’an are one
and the same. Certainly, the Djinn were created before the creation of
mankind.

“And verily, we created mankind from sounding clay of altered smooth mud
and the Djinn. We created from smokeless fire.” (Al Qur’an 15:26-27)

The reality is, the Djinn live in an established world unseen to us. They eat,
drink, and procreate. Similar to humans, some are righteous while others
are not. Whereas the Daeva, are not a part of an established world, nor do
they live within it.

Most of the Daeva are named: Akoman, the Daeva of evil thoughts. Indar,
the Daeva who freezes the minds of the righteous. Nanghait, the Daeva of
discontent. Sawar/Sarvar, the Daeva of oppression. Tauriz/Tawrich, the
Daeva of destruction. Zariz/Zarich, the Daeva who poisons plants. Xeshm,
the Daeva of wrath. And Gannag menog, the “stinking spirit”.

More interesting to scholars, though, is that each of these creatures of evil

is balanced by the Amesha Spentas. This is most interesting for ritual ma-
gicians and demonologists, as the ability to balance light and dark in this
way opens up a multitude of possibilities.

307
 “But Al-Hakim tells us we cannot ordinarily see the Djinn, unless they take
a material form, which is usually in an unpleasant or ugly form such as
a person who resembles a snake or a black dog, as opposed to angels who
take pleasant and handsome forms.”

The Deava cannot be summoned, but are present in all places at all times.
The closest equivalent when comparing them to the Djinn, is saying that
each person has an equivalent Djinn. Essentially, the Djinn are like our
personal Daevas. Therefore, they may be called and (in theory at least)
may choose to summon us. However, they are prevented from doing so as
we learn from the Noble Qur’an, Saba’ 34:13, “They worked for him what
he desired, (making) high rooms, images, basins as large as reservoirs, and
(cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places). ‘Work you, O family of Dâwud
(David), with thanks!’ But few of My slaves are grateful.”

308
II. Daevas, the reflection of the soul

wrote in a forbidden text about the nature of the Daeva

and how all corruption is born in the soul of humankind.

Worse, was his verses on the creation of Daeva via anathematic rituals. His
twisted and insane ramblings, created from nightmarish visions brought
about by imbibing royal honey laced with ergot, several mushrooms and
venoms, explained that the Djinn (opposite of a ‘Sahir’) could be bound
as a demon. The Djinn could then be ritually slain and raised again by a
necromancer to form a new devil.

This practise, the creation of shadows, is fortunately rare enough that it is

almost extinct. Only the most loathsome and depraved would ever seek
to let the world of devils and the world of dead meet. This ritual opens the
way to the realms outside, where those that dwell beyond, in the place that
is no place, lurk. It is the end to all life, to all hope, and to all magic.

“I seek refuge with the Lord of the dawn, from the mischief of things he cre-
ated, from the mischief of darkness when it comes, from the mischief of those
who practise magic, and from the mischief of the envious one as he practises
envy.” (Sura al-Falaq, 113:1-5)

309
 Popular Spells For
Aspiring Witchards
Excerpt From “Magic Through Millenia”
By Eugenia R. Hexler

310
A Summary Of Common Spells

Spellcasting in the modern world can be summed up as a combination of

the witchard’s willpower, a specific movement of their wand, and a proper
incantation. Depending one’s culture, these combinations may be different
while providing similar effects. The contemporary civilized world firmly
relies on ancient traditions, which is why the spells used by the witchards
are based on ancient formulas and languages.

There are two sets of basic charms that are widely recognizable and used
throughout the world, regardless of culture and the dominant language.
The first group is the so-called The Core Ten. It is rare to meet a witchard
who does not know at least some of those, even though numerous alter-
natives to each of these spells exist, some offering more satisfying results
than the basic ones.

The Core Ten

Exarmo – disarm
Repugno – repel an attack
Defendere – protect/shield
Silencium – silence
Tormento – cause immense pain
Amitto Memoriam – erase from memory/alter memories
Vocare [name of the object] – summon an object via telekinesis
Terminare – dispel (magic)
Inhibio – stop, bind, immobilise
Ordere – command, take control over someone

The other famous set of charms is known by the name of The Seven Stal-
warts. These are seven powerful charms, four defensive and three offen-
sive, particularly useful in combat.

311
 The Seven Stalwarts

Defensive Incantations

Aegis Corporis – guards the witchard against physically harmful attacks

Aegis Medeis - summons a shield against offensive charms
Murus Magus – conjures a magical wall between the spellcaster and their
assailant
Cantio Deflecto – deflects a charm which was meant for the caster back at
its originator. It is a more powerful form of the basic Repugno charm and
it requires the caster to be focused and in control of their emotions. It is
not recommended for novices.

Offensive Incantations

Sagitta Zeus - evokes an unseen arrow. Upon impact it gives the target the
sensation of being struck by lightning.
Pulso Vis - telekinesis which creates a powerful physical strike towards its
target.
Capitis Dolor - inflicts a splitting headache on the target.

Naturally, the above mentioned descriptions tell us about an ideal scenar-

io in which the charm has the desired effect. However, that is not always
the case. It is quite difficult to perform a perfect combination of the wand
movement and the incantation while using the willpower to focus solely
on the charm in question. Due to distractions, or simply due to the multi-
directional nature of human thoughts, spells may go awry and their result
may not be consistent with the witchard’s intentions. It mainly happens in
the case of offensive spells, cast in the heat of a battle. Due to a high level of
stress and emotions which may deprive the witchard of a desired clarity of
mind, the charms are known to vary in their effects; sometimes they end
up being too powerful, sometimes too weak, and sometimes their effects
are completely different from the intended ones.

312
 Now, I know some of you have gotten caught dueling illegally. So let me be
clear on this: Dueling is allowed on school grounds only in the official dueling
club.

You know, you really can learn a lot dueling some of your fellow students. I remember
once when I was a student just like you, many years ago... There was a fellow who had
stolen a few of my ideas to impress a professor. I challenged him in class. Naturally, he
was humiliated.

He challenged me to a secret duel at midnight. We’d go to the forest beyond the school’s
walls. We’d fight until only one of us was left standing. We got quite the audience too,
somehow word got out...

It was a wonderful fight. Curses, wards and dodges... Forbidden spells were used, and
not just by him. I won, of course.

So anyway, as I was saying, unauthorized dueling is strictly forbidden.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)
313
 Transportation spells

Aside from the two abovementioned sets of spells, there are three widely
known charms that serve as the witchards’ means of transport.

The first one is a teleportation spell. It has multiple known incantations,

but the effect is more or less the same – the witchard vanishes from their
original place and reappears less than a second later in a destined place.
Experienced witchards use Arithmancy in order to estimate the exact
point in which they should materialize. Such practice greatly limits the
risk of materializing in a random place that poses imminent danger to the
witchard. While teleportation would not allow the witchard to materialize
in a place already occupied by another solid object, it still poses a risk of
the person appearing in the middle of an ocean or in the middle of a forest
fire. Arithmancy greatly reduces that risk.

Note: Most Confluxes are enchanted against teleportation spells, and most
non-Conflux areas have too weak background magic fields for it to be safe.
However, for the experienced witchard, the risk is less.

The second most popular means of transport, and a favourite of many

witchards, is a runic bridge. This charm has various forms and results,
starting from simple passages which connect two places within the
witchard’s sight, to runic bridges between places in two different countries,
or even on different continents. A runic bridge requires an additional com-
ponent, i.e. a runic sigil, which has to be drawn at the starting point. The
follow-up incantation determines the destination of the bridge. Places that
are protected from the mundanes, such as magic schools, witchard-only
Confluxes, and remote magical facilities need runic sigils on both sides of
the bridge for the passage to be activated. It is interesting to note, however,
that even if a sigil in one of those places is physically removed, it retains its
magical power for months or even years afterwards, allowing the creation
of a runic bridge by drawing a sigil on the opposite end only.

314
Runic bridges are relatively easy to create and they are common means of
transport for most witchards. Even though they are not as quick as tele-
portation, they are much safer.

There is one more way of swift magical transport that the witchards like to
use – Shadow Stepping. This one, however, is a risky and complicated man-
ner of traveling as it requires the use of so-called ‘shadow dimensions’. It is
said that the witchards who use Shadow Stepping must be strong-willed,
focused, determined, and unusually resistant to mind magic, for many an
inexperienced witchard has lost their sanity, or even themselves, in the
shadow realms.

In order to travel in this manner, the witchard needs to find a shadowy

place – the darker the shadow, the better the chance of successfully opening
a portal between the point of origin and the destination, leading through
shadow realms. When the witchard Shadow Steps, his or her mind au-
tomatically becomes vulnerable to attacks from non-material creatures,
spectres, and pseudo-demonic entities that dwell in the realms he or she is
passing through. Through these assaults, the hostile entities try to slow the
witchard’s progress towards the destination point looming on the horizon,
and they try to overwhelm their victim with feelings of fear, vulnerability,
and despair. An overly long exposure to the shadows’ influence may result
in the witchard’s loss of willpower, which in turn will lead to the closing of
the portal, thus trapping the witchard in the shadow realm. As of yet, there
has been no case of a lost witchard’s emergence from the shadow world,
and so far nobody has invented a method to locate the lost souls.

The above mentioned charms are of course merely examples of what a

skilled witchard can do with their powers. Every school of magic focuses
on different skillsets and teaches different incantations, none of which are
better than others. Some witchards prefer to use safer spells whose effects
can be more easily controlled, while others choose to master charms that
are harder to control but whose effects prove to be more powerful. Every
witchard should find their individual path and create their own personal-
ized spellbook with charms that are best suited for their skillset and tem-
perament.
315
 Putting The Ghost
In The Machine
A Primer On Constructs
By Prof. Gereon Artemis And Prof. M. A. Beyersdorf

316
Introduction

The Art of Construction is the Art of making the Ghost move with
the Machine.
Tether the soul to the clay-core, tether the Will of the Ghost to the
Body of the Machine.
When you do, the Ghost need only Will, and the Machine will Move,
or Dance, or Think.
But if there are no tethers, the Ghost Wills, and the Machine does
not obey its Will.

- Ar.Kb D. Goldhirsch1

The act of creating a True Golem is usually considered the pinnacle of

what an Artificer can aspire to. This is a text about constructing not only
these fantastic marvels of brilliant magical engineering, but also the sim-
plest moving apparati, and everything in between.

In this text we are displaying the fruits of modern Arithmancy and Tech-
nomancy in perfect unison and with a singular purpose; to create artificial
life, to bring forth a machine with a soul2. From Arithmancy, and specif-
ically the Pythagorean Tradition, we take the understanding that every-
thing, even something as complex as a mind, can be reduced to calculable
processes. From Technomancy, we take the required knowledge of how
magic and mundane forces influence objects, be they stone, steel, or clay.

When we speak of Arithmancy in this text, we are mostly referring to a

very specific subset of Kabbalah, which is found within the Pythagorean
Tradition3 and which deals with the infusement of the ‘flame of life’4 into
non-living matter.

1 The Art of Construction, 1780 - page 4, line 1.

2 Of course, I cannot acknowledge the existence of a soul from a magicademical
perspective - GA
3 And the Simeonic Tradition - MAB
4 Archaic concept - GA

317
 When we deal with Kabbalah it is important to remember that many of the
inherent calculations are attuned specifically to the numerological base
value of the material of clay. Realize, then, that use of another system for
the creation of the Ghost will not necessitate quite the same procedures,
and should you not make use specifically of the Kabbalistic approach this
text will be of little value to you. We have chosen the Kabbalistic approach
as it is the only approach which has been proven to be able to concretely
construct True Golems5, rather than simply their lesser siblings.

When we speak of Technomancy, we are dealing mainly with Magomancy,

the manipulation of the force of magic. Arithmancy, Kabbalah included,
is magic, and a comprehensive understanding of Magomancy is required
before you can make this magic work with the object in question (the
Machine). However Kabbalah is sadly terribly outdated6 and deals with
old-fashioned and overly spiritual superstition along with its rich histo-
ry of practical application. As such, we cannot apply the more modern
and more advanced fields of Technomancy, or even Magomancy, when
creating Kabbalistic Constructs. For more modern non-True Golem
Constructs powered by Ghosts derived from other disciplines, a greater
variation of shell structures and internal wiring is possible7. Furthermore,
lower-level Ghosts of other disciplines are proven to work much better
than Kabbalistic Ghosts in those roles. In the future, perhaps we will see
an update of this once very promising field, which at this time is kept in
curriculum mostly if not exclusively because of its unique ability to create
self-aware Ghosts.

5 Future self-conception tests required for clockwork golem with 7 linked corti-
ces. Patent pending. - GA
6 Note, Kabbalah is only ‘outdated’ in the field of Construction, owing to the
fact that the aspects of Kabbalah which deal with the creation of Constructs have
not been updated as such since clay was the most malleable and flexible materi-
al available to practitioners of Construction. Modern Kabbalah not dealing with
the field of Construction is very much applicable to modern problems. Kabbalistic
Construction is largely untouched because practitioners believe that this lends it
the ability to create self-aware Ghosts - MAB
7 For more information about this subject, consult the excellent Construct Creation
Codex volumes I to XXVII by Ar.Th H. Thornwhistle - GA

318
No matter the specific relation of Kabbalistic Construction with more
modern fields of Ghost Construction, we have chosen to include only
Kabbalistic methods in this specific text. There might be references to oth-
er fields as well, but we will be working chiefly from a Kabbalistic view-
point, which includes such dogmas as the necessity of the clay-core8 and
the necessity of True Golems to keep an at least vaguely humanoid form.

Categories of Constructs

For a visual presentation, see table 1

Constructs are a subcategory of Apparati, which are likewise a subcategory

of Artifacts. Their specific categorisation is an important subject to have
a working understanding of when one wishes to discuss what it is that
makes a Golem a Golem, and a True Golem, a True Golem.

First, and encompassing all else, there are Artifacts.

What an Artifact is, is very simple to understand and grasp. An Artifact is

any and all objects infused with magical power, either deliberately or as a
result of trace contamination over long periods of time. There is no real
greater mystery as to the nature of Artifacts, it is a well-known phenomena
and countless books9,10 and articles exist about Artifacts already. We deal
mainly in understanding what Artifacts are in this text due to the fact that
all Apparati, and therefore all Constructs, are by their very nature Artifacts.

M
8 Unrefined version of a modern cortex - GA
9 See: An Inquiry Into Magical Objects by the wonderful Wit. G. Renault, Common-
place Enchantments by the esteemed Technomancer Wiz. E. Bedlam, and Artifact
Compendium volumes I to VI by the magnificent Wiz. T. A. Barron - MAB
10 See: Altering Reality by Enchantment by Wit. D. Zaunshauff - GA

319
 More specialized, we have Apparati.

Apparati are almost exclusively the domain of Technomancy, excepting

those specific Apparati which are created and formed by interaction with
other fields of study, such as is the case with Constructs. Apparati are quite
simply magical objects which also rely upon a mechanical aspect of the
shell object. That is to say, it relies upon a mechanism within the object
alongside magical enchantment.

Then we get to Constructs, which are at the heart of this text.

Constructs are Apparati that can work independently of user interference.

A good example is the difference between an enchanted instrument which
is an Apparatus and requires a more or less skilled player and an enchant-
ed timepiece which works regardless of user interference. Usually when
people hear of Constructs, their minds are apt to jump to the conclusion
that one is referring to autonomous machines like the mundane ‘robots’,
but this is far from always the case, as the example of the timepiece shows.

Construct has two important subcategories to keep in mind: Simulacra

and Golems. Simulacra can be Golems and vice-versa, but they do not
necessarily need to be both at the same time. Simulacra covers any and
all Constructs which imitate living organisms, while Golems are any Con-
structs with capacity for autonomous decision-making along pre-estab-
lished parameters11,12.

True Golems are found at the intersection between Golem and Simulacrum,
but only when the Ghost is constructed using a very specific Kabbalistic13
approach. It is important, then, to note that is is not all Golems which are
also Simulacrums that are True Golems.

11 Excepting of course the True Golem, which can reach beyond pre-established
parameters by virtue of their incredibly complex Ghost and thus their ability to
expand upon these pre-established parameters. - MAB
12 When you look at the subject from an omniscient angle, everything, even hu-
mans, work with pre-established parameters, however. - GA
13 Until another way to create self-aware Ghosts is established. - GA
320
A True Golem is, in essence, the complete and ‘full’ Golem. The Machine
and Ghost which is Moving, Thinking, Sensing, and Knowing. It is entirely
self-aware, in the same manner that a human is self-aware. When we use
Kabbalah, as we always do when creating True Golems, the True Golem
has to have a vaguely humanoid shape, or it will not be able to achieve
self-awareness. There are a few other very specific things to keep in mind,
but this should serve as a general introduction to the categorization of
Constructs and how we refer to them in this text.

Pic/Ursula Crank, Professor Of Technomancy, Scholar, Author, Lecturer And

Known For Her Controversial Statements Outside The Classroom 321
 Machine and Ghost

There are two terms which are absolutely paramount if one wishes to get
into the science of Construction. These are the concept of the Machine
and the Ghost. The art and science of Golem Construction as the good
Goldhirsch makes very clear, is the art and science of making the Machine
work with the Ghost, and making the Ghost work with the Machine, put-
ting the Ghost in the Machine.

The Machine covers all aspects of Construction dealing with the ‘body’
of the Construct. In the case of the very simplest of Constructs, such as a
pocket watch, this would be the metals and gears that goes into the cre-
ation of the object itself, but would also include making those metals and
gears work with the enchantment which it is being infused with. That is to
say making sure that the Thaumic Grid of the object is either specifically
primed to house these energies, or changing the energies so that they may
be housed in the object. It is also important to factor in the Brokatzchen
Effect. Not all aspects of the effect need to be considered, as Constructs
will operate regardless of the user, but it is important to consider the sym-
bology of the materials used and the object itself, as well as the so called
“consciousness” of the materials.

The Ghost covers all aspects of Construction dealing with the ‘mind’ or
‘soul’ of the Construct. The Ghost is entirely absent in the most simple
Constructs, such as the above mentioned pocket watch, since simple me-
chanics are adequate in having the mundane object work along its de-
signed purpose. Any Construct which is imbued with a Ghost is by its
very nature considered a Golem. Golems are, in essence, Constructs with
a ‘mind’, whether that ‘mind’ is simple or incredibly complex.

Generally, Technomancy deals mainly with the creation and calibration of

the Machine, while Arithmancy is used for the construction of the Ghost.
There are certain overlaps, however, and it is not quite that simple.

322
Technomatic knowledge will have to be applied quite liberally to accom-
modate the Ghost into the shell structure of the Golem, while a very ad-
vanced understanding of Arithmancy will be required on part of the Tech-
nomancer. Basically, you will need either a very skilled Technomancer and
a very skilled Arithmancer working in unison, or one individual master-
ing both fields.

The most important object in the Golem is the cortex, because the cortex
is what ties the Ghost to the Machine, and tethers the will of the Ghost
to the movements of the Machine. Cortices always have to be made by
hand, since introduction of magical power into the cortex without excep-
tion confuses14 the Ghost. Realize also that the interplay between Ghost
and Machine change drastically based on which exact subfields of both
fields are in play. When we deal with Kabbalistic Golems, we always have
to include a clay-core as its cortex, since all Kabbalistic Construction tech-
niques are based around tying the Ghost to clay. This is part of why Kab-
balah has fallen out of favor in the creation of most simple and even many
complex Golems, since it makes the resulting Golems clumsy and bulky.

1
Moving Machine

In the creation of a Golem, the Moving Machine is probably the easiest

step. It is fundamentally about creating a shell structure which is capable
of movement. In the case of the archaic clay Golem of Kabbalistic tradi-
tion, this mainly includes shaping a humanoid form out of clay and then
enchanting it so that its form may move. In newer iterations of this same
idea, one might introduce joints created by an interplay of mechanical
gears and hydraulics, or simply likewise enchant the newer metals to be
flexible.

14 Modifies the Magomantic coding. - GA

323
 It is important to remember to include loci at focus points of the Golem,
such that the Ghost through the cortex is able to send the necessary signals
to these joints. This could take the form of an internal or external inscrip-
tion, or specifically designed crystals upon the ‘wrist’ of a Golem. There
are countless minor adjustments and accommodations which will be nec-
essary, and these all need to be based upon the same Arithmantic subfield
as the one the Ghost is created with. Refer to specific tomes and manuals.

Moving Ghost

If you wish to create a functional Golem, a good place to start would be

to make sure that it is capable of moving. For this, you will need to make
sure that your Ghost has the proper equations included to make moving
a possibility. It needs to be able to recognise what movement is, and how
to accomplish it through manipulation of joints and other aspects of the
Machine. You will need to make sure not only that these functions of the
Machine are present (malleable joints, etc), but also that the Ghost has a
language for understanding these functions and a system for when to use
them.

As such, number-strings inscribed or otherwise made clear upon the cor-

tex will have to correspond to and develop sympathetic relationships with
number-strings present in one form or another upon the joints of the Ma-
chine. For explanation of how to achieve these sympathetic relationships
between number-strings, refer to specific tomes and manuals.

Thinking Machine

The Thinking Machine is fundamentally the cortex itself. As such, taking

the Thinking Machine into account means taking the cortex into account.
You will have to, first of all and most obviously, include enough space with-
in the object shell to house the cortex. Note also, however, that different
Ghosts require different Machines. Or to put it another way; your specific
way to form the cortex hinges upon which calculations exactly you need
the Ghost to perform.
324
For relatively simple and straightforward calculations (such as finding
specific objects, picking them up, and returning them) you will need a
much smaller and potentially more wieldy cortex than you would for more
complex functions.

There is one common aspect of the Thinking Machine that is external from
the cortex, and that is creating a location for the Golem to store informa-
tion. If you want your Golem to remember previous instructions, names,
or other data, you will need a specified area wherein you might inscribe or
otherwise introduce the necessary number-strings and equations to make
this retainment possible. The challenge here is to make the data center
massive enough to store the required number-strings, malleable enough
for the Golem to house many different kinds of data, and practical enough
to be feasible in the overall construction.

Of course, one of the greatest hurdles of Kabbalistic Construction is its ar-

chaic reliance upon the material of clay, which greatly limits its feasibility
as the Arithmantic discipline of choice for the simpler and lighter Golems
you might wish to create. One of the great inhibitors of using clay is the
afore-mentioned data centers, since there is rarely space for simultaneous
inclusion of the data centers15 and other important aspects of the Golem
without making it unfeasibly bulky. Refer to specific tomes and manuals.

Thinking Ghost

The step of the Thinking Ghost includes making the Ghost aware of data
and able to categorise, manipulate, and discriminate based upon this
data. It is, in essence, what makes it possible for the Ghost to calculate
and change behavior according to those calculations. The simplest kind
of Thinking Ghost is able to discern between different amounts and other
such trivial information, while the most complex kind of Thinking Ghost
can ‘understand’ different contexts and situations, as well as how its behav-
ior should change based on these contexts and situations.

15 This has led early Kabbalistic Golems to require introduction of orders through
written instruction. Usually introduced through a gap in the mouth-region. In es-
sence, the Golem ‘remembers’ through these written instructions. - MAB
325
 The Thinking Ghost is a collection of equations and processes. It is both
the transformation of one set of information into new information and the
retainment of this new information in the case of a corresponding Think-
ing Machine. The Thinking Ghost does not really ‘understand’ data, but it
can juggle it around to an extent that the most complex Thinking Ghosts
can, at times, seem almost indistinguishable from those that actually un-
derstand the content of the data.

The Thinking Ghost is very dependent upon the exact nature and mea-
surements of the cortex. It is, in essence, a function almost exclusively a
function of the cortex. In the case of Kabbalistic Construction, this means
that by far the majority of the clay-core is taken up by the equations need-
ed to make the Thinking Ghost work. This, of course, with the obvious
exception of the True Golem. Refer to specific tomes and manuals.
326
Sensing Machine

If you wish to have a Golem that can take its surroundings into account, it
is not enough that it merely thinks, it must also be a Sensing Machine. The
configuration of the Golem as a Thinking Ghost within a Thinking Ma-
chine makes it possible for the Golem to discern between and manipulate
information, but to acquire in-depth information, it must be able to sense.
The more complex a Sensing Machine gets, the more it is able to introduce
new information to its cortex and optionally store it within itself.

Building a Machine which can sense is in part a question of providing it

with the instruments necessary to experience said sensation. In the case
of a Machine which needs to see, it must have something comparable to
eyes, while a machine that needs to hear likewise must have something
comparable to ears. This is true for all senses you wish to incorporate into
the Machine. Take into account that each sense introduced exponentially
increases the complexity of both the Machine and the Ghost. If you really
only need visual and auditory information for your Golem to function, it
would usually be best to limit yourself to these two senses. Refer to specific
tomes and manuals.

Sensing Ghost

If building the Sensing Machine is a matter of giving the Machine the ca-
pacity to receive input from the outside world, building the Sensing Ghost
is a matter of giving it the capacity to organize this input and extract neces-
sary information from it. When it ‘sees’ a thing, it must be able to separate
the aspects of that thing. Its color goes to one number-string, its height
goes to another, and so on.

The aforementioned complexity of having more than one or two senses

within one Golem can easily come into play here, unless the Arithmantic
calculations are done with great attention to detail and extreme precision.

327
 Generally, you would wish to provide clear channels through which the
information passes from input to cortex, or you might experience your
Golem hearing something it saw, or feeling something it heard, as two ex-
amples. In essence, you may inadvertently impart it with synesthesia.

There are fields other than Kabbalistic Construction much better suited to
the fine-tuning of a Sensing Ghost, and thus a Sensing Machine. However,
a True Golem will have to include all senses known to human beings16 and
all the other input that a human being has access to. As such, even though
fine-tuning of Kabbalistic Golems in the category of the Sensing Ghost is
somewhat more difficult than it would be in other fields, it is strictly neces-
sary for the True Golem to function. Refer to specific tomes and manuals.

Knowing Machine

Whereas in the other fields of building the Machine we have oft mentioned
the archaic limitations of Kabbalah as a discipline, this is the one aspect of
building a Machine wherein I am forced to admit that Kabbalah is superior
to other disciplines. The exact procedure of building a Knowing Machine is
incredibly complex, and by estimate will require decades of calculation.

To put it as simply as possible, building a Knowing Machine is, in essence,

expanding upon the Thinking Machine. But it is not simply a matter of
making the Machine capable of processing more data, it includes capabil-
ity for something one might term as ‘self-conception’ or ‘self-awareness’.

In the Kabbalistic tradition, there is one singular method of building a

Knowing Machine with no explanations or auxiliary texts on why it works.
This is why building a Knowing Machine is only possible through rote.
Many have tried building other kinds of Knowing Machines but to date
none have proven successful in this endeavor17. Even the most cursory
overview of the process would be far too weighty a subject for this intro-
duction. Refer to specific tomes and manuals.

16 With the exception of the ability to sense magic, which some individuals pos-
sess - GA
328 17 Project Eleanor might succeed in this. Patent pending. - GA
Knowing Ghost

Kabbalah is one of the few Arithmantic disciplines used in the art of Con-
struction which attempts to create a Knowing Ghost. It is also the only
one, to date, which has succeeded in this endeavor. Like with the Know-
ing Machine, the exact procedure needed to generate a Knowing Ghost is
amazingly complex and intricate, some might even say that it is outright
esoteric. By conservative estimates the basic calculations required to even
structure the Knowing Ghost around would likewise take decades to do.

Even the simplest aspect of this task, inscribing the inscriptions we already
know we must do by rote, takes days if not weeks of precise handicraft,
since you can not use magic in the process of inscribing the clay core.
Furthermore, you will have to be exceedingly careful, as clay is not quite as
sturdy as most of the materials you will be used to working with.

As with the Knowing Machine, there is but one method of creating a Know-
ing Ghost, and it must be done by rote. We do not know why it works,
we only know that it does, and that the instructions must be followed to
the letter. There have been countless of experiments in the realm of creat-
ing non-Kabbalistic Knowing Ghosts, and they have all failed18. Brilliant
Arithmancers and Technomancers have spent their lives on this task and
many have had nothing to show for it. Like with the above Machine cre-
ation, even the most cursory overview of the process of generating the
Knowing Ghost would be far too weighty a subject for this introduction.
Refer to specific tomes and manuals.

18 Again, Project Eleanor shows promise. Patent pending. - GA 329

 Tethering: Machine to Ghost; Ghost to Machine

When you have a working Ghost, and if you have built it correctly, it should
be able to calculate how to use the functions of the Machine, and when to
use them. But first, you must tether it to the Machine. You must make the
Machine and the Ghost one, by binding them together with chains made
of number-strings. You must make it so that when the Ghost ‘wishes’ to
move, the Machine will act in a concrete manifestation of that ‘wish’, or
you will have what basically amounts to a mind trapped within an inert
body, not an artificial mind controlling an artificial body.

Before all of this, however, you will have to tie the Ghost itself to the Ma-
chine. This is, in essence, the entire reason for the existence of the cor-
tex. The Ghost is an abstract mass of calculations and equations which
interacts in a manner reminiscent of a mind, up to and including (with
the True Golem) a sense of self-awareness. The cortex is the part of the
Machine that gives a concrete and physical place to house this Ghost, and
all its myriads of number-strings. They must all be inscribed, by hand, into
the cortex, since it is far too likely that magic will interfere with the numer-
ological component of the inscriptions.

But this is not the only thing that must be tethered. You must extend
number-strings, equations, and calculations from the cortex to all active
points of the Golem. If there is no number-string connecting the part of
the Ghost that controls movement and the parts of the Machine that are
to be moved (arms, legs, etc) it will simply not be possible for the Ghost to
control these limbs. Likewise, if there is no connection to the data center it
will not be able to store data, and so on and so forth.

330
Tables: Graphical Presentation

Table 1; An overview of the categorization of Constructs in comparison

with other Artifacts

331
 On The Subject Of
Daemonic And
Goetic Summoning
Or: The Bodily Incarnation Of Human Vice
By S. O. Lehmon

332
Not Only For The Hedonistic Witchard

Any serious student of magic finds this to be an indisputable truth: That

words have power. We must choose our words carefully, for to teach the
wrong person a spell may invite disaster, and to speak an incantation with-
out respect for the power of your words invites your own doom. This pow-
er, of course, extends to names – being able to name your target is among
the first lesson taught at any school. What power has the summoning
charm if one cannot name what one wishes to summon? What power has
the secret-keeping charm, if one cannot name that which is kept secret?
None.

It is out of respect for the power of words and names that I will start my
exploration with a description, so as to name that of which I speak, and
remove from my readers confusion which might impede their natural un-
derstanding.

The first name the prospective student must understand is the “daemon,”
and by extension, the daemonic. The daemonic is not demonic, and dae-
mons are not demons, in the classical sense. The demons many students
seek to understand as they find this text, are most commonly the fanged
horrors of mundane religion, religions to which many wise Wizards still
profess and of which I will not speak ill. Suffice it to say that if the creatures
of this so-called “hell” truly exist, I do not know of them, nor of any way
to summon them, and should you find such a way, I would advise that
you consider deeply if such creatures are truly controllable by the magic
of witchards.

The other meaning of the word “demon,” the classification used by ma-
gizoologist to define certain dark magical creatures, such as the Kappa of
the rivers or the Shedu of the deserts. These demons are, I suppose, closer
to what we shall be exploring, but they are not the subject of this test, as
they are of the world and independent of themselves, which nothing goet-
ic or daemonic can be.

333
 No. In truth, a daemon is an immaterial creature, a “spirit,” as a magizool-
ogist would term it, of vice, sin, anger, arrogance, hatred and, most essen-
tially, of conflict. It may be made semi-corporal by the goetic arts, drawn
from the minds of others by unknowable secrets of Mind Magic, or even
cast into the minds of your enemies to have your terrors and fears and
doubts and anger terrify and blind them, by some higher arts of which I
have only heard and never dared venture. But however it manifests, in your
mind or in the minds of others, it does not change what a daemon is – it
is Vice, sin, fear anger and conflict around a core of magic and malicious
cunning and intelligence; Intelligence drawn from a witchard’s mind, yet
nevertheless, true, authentic intelligence. This is the true daemon.

As for the goetic arts, again, many come to this text with heads full of mun-
dane ideas, ideas drawn from the tome of the great wizard Solomon, who
had managed to draw from himself multiple, distinct goetic daemons, the
names of which he published in a tome so as to share his discoveries with
the world. To the true wizards and masters of the goetia, it would have
been obvious that these daemons where merely that, daemons. Yet copies
of his texts fell into the hands of mundanes, who thought the creatures
there to be creatures not of goetic arts, but to be creatures of the world and
the worlds beyond.

And so, for that reason, in the minds of many prospective students, the
word “goetia” has become associated with the sort of demons mundane
religions describe. Nothing is further from the truth.

Goetia is the complex and precise art of making your inner life – emotions,
pain, pleasure, conflict, peace, whatever you wish – into corporeal beings.
Comprehended on its own, as worthy of study, it is a rare art, yet many
wizards, especially those who seek to do battle with the dark things of this
world, know goetic spells, and goetic spells of rare power at that. And yet,
it is only a fraction of the power of the true goetia. True goetia allows its
users to create true, thinking beings, and to maintain them and control
them indefinitely. It is not a simple matter of charms, but of charms and
transfigurations and potions and runes and other, stranger subjects.
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And so, the names of our arts firmly in mind, let us continue into our
exploration of these subjects. Before we go any further, however, I must
warn you, my readers. While I will not insult you and claim that they are
not for the weak of mind, I will remind you that these subjects are dan-
gerous, to you and to all around you. A Daemon unleashed is a force to
be reckoned with, and except well-trained and well-prepared students of
advanced goetia, of which there are few, the only one able to control it is
its summoner, and once the daemon has wrest itself free, only exceptional
wizards stand any hope of regaining control. And so I warn you, prospec-
tive students, do not start down this path unless you are ready to pursue
the arts far enough to ensure your safety and the safety of those you love,
and have the determination to cast defiance unto the teeth of fate should
your safety fail.

335
 And so, without further ado, the goetic arts:

The first thing any daemonologist should prepare is a Name Sigil, a specific
sigil which represents their inner world, their true being. This is explained
in detail in works such as “On the naming of wizards and the esoterica of
runic magic” or “On the expression of True Being by the runic arts,” by
Octavius Selwyn, though any real student of the goetia should have a far
broader and deeper understanding than that. If you do not, put away this
text and study the runes for a year, at least, before you take it up again.

This Sigil comprises the central element of goetic magic; it serves as a

shield against your own daemons, as well as the basis from which they
are summoned. When you have prepared yourself properly, trained your
mind and prepared your wards, as I shall explains shortly, you will create
a dark mirror of your name sigil, a form to represent not you in your en-
tirety, but those parts of you from which you wish to summon forth your
daemon. For the simplest, most basic and most central daemon, the Nadir
daemon, this Sigil should represent the totality of your vice; your inner-
most sins and deepest shames, as well as that shame itself; your arrogance
and pride, your jealousy and envy, your wrath and anger and hatred, your
greed, your every gluttonous thought and impulse, your sloth and apathy
and fear. This sigil must have your every dark thought, everything you see
in your nightmares, every shadow-demon’s whisper, every bad memory
and every glorious triumph through anger or pride, even those that hurt
neither you nor your friends. It must be both the power and self-confident
will of pride, as well as the dangerous overestimation of arrogance; the
fear that keeps you alive and the terror which paralyses both. In truth, it
must be the totality of that which creates conflict within you, that which
you fight with and fight against. Your daemon will be the totality of your
“inner demons.” Create your sigil and put it under your pillow; once you
have hit the representation of your perfect, true Nadir, you will know. You
will wake up and see that the conflict within you is clear as day, and from
that day, you will be a true daemonologist. Remember, therefore, to do so
only after you have made your preparations.

336
Once you have understood your Name Sigil, but before you do anything
else, you must prepare your mind. The arts of goetia are not for the weak-
willed, but a wizard’s will can be strengthened. For the prospective stu-
dent, I advise that he or she has mastered at the very least the basics of
Mind magic well enough to resist the usual spells of which seek to invade
the mind. While such mental defences is not directly useful in the goetia
– in fact, the goetia is among the most powerful tools a mind mage can
have – the sort of strength it builds is similar to the kind needed to resist
and control your daemons

Once these things are in place, you must create the proper wards. This
requires a certain skill at runic magic, that, if you have studied the runic
magics for more than a year, will probably be within your grasp. Remem-
ber that once you have created the Sigil of your true Nadir, you will see the
conflict within you as it is; from that moment, the daemon will begin to
form. From that moment, you Must be warded. While strength of will and
mind might serve you well to prevent the influence of the daemon within
you, and may be sufficient, there is no way to truly know until the daemon
begins to form. For that reason, wards must be in place, as your dark wish-
es and fearful thoughts will now begin to join with dark and malicious will,
with planning and dark cunning which aims to subvert and control you.

Therefore, your name Sigil, to affirm your true self, and the strongest wards
against malice, vice and evil, must be inscribed upon you or upon some
vessel held against your skin, at the head (to prevent the daemon from
forcing your thoughts down dark paths and show you lies), at the hands
(to prevent the daemon from acting out its dark desires) and at the throat
(so that the daemon will not whisper lies though your mouth). Once these
are in place, and only then, may you create the Sigil of your Nadir.

And so we come to the goetic summoning itself. Each witch or wizard

designs this ritual themselves, but the underlying structure remains the
same, and the arts in use likewise. And so we shall explore this underlying
structure and the arts they contain.

337
 First, one must be prepared – one must have the half-formed daemon
from within one’s mind, and the wards around it. But more than that, one
must have knowledge. Knowledge of the ritual one is to cast, of the spells
and runes and potions involved, and knowledge of the goetia. Seek out
whatever knowledge you can, prospective student, and do not believe this
to be the only text of use; seek out other texts from other goetic masters,
the insane ramblings of those who have failed to walk this dangerous path,
and the critiques of those servants of the Light who believe our arts to
be of darkness. Every scrap of knowledge may be of use, may save you at
some critical juncture.

And then, a full understanding in hand, the daemonologist constructs his

ritual. First, you must brew a potion to split your mind, then create a circle
or other means of confining the daemon and create the runic nexus from
your Nadir Sigil, then remove your wards, split your mind with the potion,
and speak the incantation which shall bring forth the daemon from your
mind and your runic nexus.

The potion is in some ways the easiest part, as it is under no pressure, no

time limit, and may be redone as many times as necessary. Yet getting it
wrong may be the most disastrous part of the process. Should your means
of confinement and control fail, you may still regain control over your dae-
mon, and should your incantation or your runic nexus fail, there will be no
manifest daemon, though it may be dangerous in other ways. Should the
potion fail, however, you may easily drive yourself insane or destroy your
every chance of controlling the creature you bring forth, putting your life
forever into the hands of your daemon, putting your life forever into all
that is dark, malicious or destructive within yourself.

Therefore, student, take the UTMOST care as you brew your potion.
Should any slight, insignificant thing go wrong- should you hesitate for
half a second on stirring, should you be distracted for a moment as you
count your ingredients, throw out your failed attempt, cleanse yourself,
and brew it again; otherwise, you invite disaster into your life. The recipe
of the potion is as follows:
338
1. First, start with a cold cauldron.
2. Add 2 ounces of Dragon’s blood, and heat it slowly, over a low flame,
so that the blood does not begin to boil. Be careful, as dragon’s blood
boils easily.
3. Wait half a minute and turn up the heat.
4. Add the hair of a Nightmare, stir twice quickly, counterclockwise
5. Quickly add the hair of a unicorn, stir twice quickly, clockwise.
6. Wait until the potion boils
7. Add then, the feather of a rooster and poison from a snake or a basi-
lisk.
8. Stir once, clockwise and once counterclockwise
9. Into this goes hair, plucked from a werewolf in human form, stir five
times, clockwise.
10. Add then, hair from the same werewolf, turned. Stir six times, coun-
terclockwise.
11. By now, the potion should have the appearance of blue, red, green,
white and black paint that has mixed imperfectly.
12. Wait five minutes. If the potion has gained a uniform colour, start over.
If not, draw from your mind the memory of some great unsolved con-
flict within you and add it to the potion, as one does with a pensive.
Stir once. (it may be worthwhile to have these memories prepared and
stored in bottles beforehand.)
13. Draw then, the memory of your greatest shame, and add it. Stir once,
counterclockwise.
14. Draw then, the memory of your greatest triumph of which you are not
ashamed, and add it. Stir twice, clockwise.
15. Add then, the memory of the dream which confirmed your name sigil.
Do not stir.
16. Lastly, add the memory of the first thought you had upon waking after
sleeping with your Nadir Sigil beneath your pillow for the first time.
17. The potion should now be a cool, green colour, interrupted by specks
of black and white. Bottle and seal the potion.

339
 There are other methods by which the mind may be split, and they may
be used in this ritual as well, but many are more dangerous or more ad-
vanced. There are certain spells assistants may cast upon you, or certain
runic methods. Of these, I shall not speak, as I know little of them, and I
find them to be less reliable, on the whole. Those who have little care for
the art of potion-making may wish to seek them out, however.

And then, the creation of a ritual space. Of this, I know two methods. One,
which I recommend, is the creation of runic wards. This may be in a circle,
or you may ward the walls of a room, or any number of possibilities. The
other is the use of warding charms, to separate off the area wherein you
will be conjuring the goetic daemon, though this is a more difficult and
less secure, unless one is a master of warding charms. It is, however, par-
amount that the area you ward of is large enough to include both you and
your daemon, as there can be no wards or obstacles between you once you
begin the ritual.
340
Last (before the ritual itself) comes the construction of the runic nexus
in the centre of the ritual space. The runic nexus must include your Nadir
Sigil, imbued with all your dark thoughts and malicious desires. However,
this must be done without the wards around your head, neck, and hands,
as they will interfere with the free flow of the daemonic essence into the
rune. This, and the time it takes to cast this rune, obviously makes this
section of the ritual particularly dangerous, for which reason you must
guard your thoughts jealousy against the daemonic influences within you.

Lastly, then, comes the ritual itself.

For this, you must first step into your warded circle, free of all other wards;
no magic may come between you and your daemon at this point. Then,
drink the potion. This is easily the most dangerous part of the ritual. If it
goes wrong, insanity and madness will surely wreck your mind, and quite
probably leave you forever in the grip of your darkest passions. Even if it
does not, it splits your mind, and chaos and confusion will follow. This,
you must see through and steel yourself against, to retain the clarity need-
ed for spellwork.

Now, cast the spell to invoke the Daemon into the physical, to cloak your
vice and sin in flesh like matter. The incantation for this spell is “vitio-
sam incarnatum;” the required movement is simple clockwise spiral and a
forceful flick, as if throwing something from your wand. The incantation
and the movement is not the difficult part of this spell, however. You must
hold firmly in your mind the difference between the dark and the light
within you as you speak the incantation and then, as you flick your wand,
repel the darkness within you and force it into the Nadir Sigil. Performing
this spell correctly forces the daemonic intelligence within you to mani-
fest, cloaked in magic and spell.

Then, at last, you must defeat your daemon and bind it.

341
 This can be an extraordinarily difficult feat, as the daemon is able to turn
your own magic against you and may temporarily – or permanently, in
severe cases – be able to bind and lock your magic and remove your ability
to cast even the simplest spell, if you fail to weaken it, or if you perform
the binding with insufficient skill. The binding spell is “Ligere Vitum,” and
is cast with half a circle clockwise, a slash straight up around half-way into
the half-circle, and then a quick flick to the left, to where that side of the
circle would be, and back right, to where you drew the semicircle, and
back to the center. Lastly, a single flick up and then a full circle count-
er-clockwise. Yet before you can bind the creature, you must weaken it.

Most any spell will do for this, as it cannot truly be destroyed by physical
harm; you may bombard it, stun it, or incinerate it to your heart’s desire.
However, this creature is a part of you and of your magic, and it can easily
turn your magic against you. Therefore, you must be incredibly precise in
you spell-casting, and have the most unerring concentration, so that the
creature will have no weakness or flaw in you spell that it may exploit; this
is especially true of the Binding Spell. However, this is also the part of the
ritual that is most dangerous to outsiders, as, in case the daemon manages
to knock you out or fight you off, it may be able to break down the bindings
and wards and escape into the world, so as to work your darkest lusts and
greatest wrath upon innocents; and because it is a goetic being and bound
to your existence, it can only be truly removed by your death or by the
goetic arts; for most people, they bind it or are killed by those who do not
wish to be the victims of the daemon, though a few such wild daemons
have been bound by other master goetics and forced to reunite with their
summoner, who is then often punished fiercely.

If your binding succeeds, you will now have full control of your daemonic
half, and should find many benefits. For one, your mental defences will
increase manyfold and you will have a much greater ability to resist mental
charms and dominus curses, as they will find no weaknesses to exploit.

342
Furthermore, many goeticists have found that they have become extraor-
dinarily skilled duellists, as the anger, arrogance, and recklessness which
leads one to failure in such matches of skill are under tight control by the
goeticist, working with and not against them. Lastly, and most important-
ly, you will often find that your judgement and ethics have been much
improved, as those base thoughts and impulses which would pervert them
have been tamed and controlled.

Much more needs to be discussed regarding the goetia, the advanced mys-
teries of the art, and the skills needed to summon specific vices into em-
bodied daemons and many other things that may be written about. Yet for
now, this essay has run its course and fulfilled the purpose for which it was
created.

343
 Shamanistic Magic
A Basic Introduction To The Oldest Magic Of All
By Professor Shamil A. Robertson

344
Introduction

From prehistoric times to the present, shamanistic magic has spellbound

audiences. But, what is shamanistic magic and how does it differ from tra-
ditional magic?

Primarily, shamans all over the world claim their magic has a divine
source. Religion of one kind or another is always involved in their practis-
es. Equally important, it is practised against the Traditions. Mundanes not
only know that it exists, but they are an essential part of it. Therefore, sha-
manistic magic is often regarded with a certain amount of distrust from
traditional witchards. It is easy to disregard this kind of magic as mass hal-
lucination, illusion, mass hypnosis, etc., but that would be totally wrong.
Shamanistic magic works just as well as traditional magic!

How Shamanistic Magic Works

Shamanistic magic is a combination of a few schools of magic, but mainly

it involves the forces of nature. Quite often these natural forces are very
powerful. The reason primitive shamans, not schooled the way we are,
can make their magic work is because of mundanes. Each mundane has a
slight spark of magic in them. If you gather a crowd of mundanes together
and make them work with you, you can get astonishing results from pool-
ing their small amount of magic. Therefore, shamanistic ceremonies can
produce results that in some ways exceed our own.

The best shamans act like batteries, storing the magic power they get from
their audience. So, even alone they can perform some remarkable feats.

Magical Practises

Mainly, you think of shamanistic magic in connection with remote, prim-

itive cultures. Of course, you are partially right, primitive cultures do have
shamanistic magic and are often capable of doing feats that we are not.

345
 However, think again. What is the difference between a shaman practising
in front of his followers and a Catholic priest in front of a congregation
performing miracles? Well, the main difference is, for shamans it works
more often than for priests, but otherwise there is no major difference.
Priests are simply shamans. Due to ancient agreements, this subject is not
dealt with while teaching shamanistic magic.

What is dealt with, is the way shamanistic magic interacts with the world.
A common trait is that it often has smiliatrites to druidic magic. For exam-
ple, predicting (and in some cases influencing) the weather.

In most cultures, shamanistic magic is also connected with charms that

bring good luck. In Mongolia, for example, there are ceremonies with
hundreds of participants, all bringing their own little trinkets to be blessed
by shamans. These offerings are usually brought in duplicate, with the cop-
ies going as offering to the shamans. Participants in these ceremonies may
be slightly disappointed with the outcome; a blessed can of Coca Cola or a
bag of jelly beans does not always have the effect they hope for.

Of course, shamans also make individually crafted charms of good luck.

These charms come with a somewhat higher price, but are usually much
more effective. They can be seen throughout multiple cultures and are of-
ten charms to bring luck in wealth, love, or health.

In some cultures, shamans also dabble with the darker arts. In Haïti, sha-
mans may use voodoo to make charms giving bad luck or death. They may
even make zombies, a shamanistic art closely related to Necromancy.

An Art Unto Itself

While shamanistic magic clearly has connections to ritual magic, its roots run
deeper. The drawing of mandalas and construction of ritual circles can be seen
as Arithmancy, but these mystical symbols are the work of nature. So many
schools of traditional magic can be applied to the shaman tradition, yet none
can truly compare. Shamanistic magic remains to this day an art unto itself.
346
347
Part Two
The World
Practical Knowledge For
Students At Czocha
This chapter is useful for the new or simply forgetful student. It contains a
variety of information that will undoubtedly be relevant for every student at
Czocha who would like to know their way around, catch up with the lingo
of the school, know how the grading will take place, or just learn some of the
stories being told at the school.
 The Czocha College
Grading System
A Cautionary Tale For The Young Witchard
By Iwona Gomolka, Former Libussa Prefect

352
Understanding The Antiquated Grading System

As a former student at Czocha, I remember my time rather fondly. One

thing I remember with less fondness, however, is the archaic and ridicu-
lous grading system employed at Czocha. The fact that it is used at numer-
ous other Colleges of Wizardry does not make it better. But for the new
student, understanding what is what is crucial. I have tried to translate the
system into something understandable by today’s students - a scale that
goes from -1 to +4. Now THAT is simple, right?

The six grades at Czocha are

W.O.W (Wizardry Of Wonders) = +4

G.R.E.A.T (Good Result Earned At Trials) = +3
M.E.H (Make Effort Harder) = +2
F.A.I.L (Fragile Aptitude In Learning) = +1
A.N.G.E.L (Absolutly Not Good Enough Lamentation) = 0
M.U.N.D.A.N.E (Mundane!) = -1

A student asked me today how much I had to study in my day. He was

complaining that he didn’t have time for anything else because he was cramming
magical theory all night.

Here I must talk about something that’s unpopular in this day and age, but not any
less true because of that. During my time as a student, I managed to get thrown out
of the school, admitted back in, be cursed, have the curse lifted, participate in three
expeditions to Egypt as an assistant, and laid down the basics of what would later be my
first book, “Principles of Magical Theory: a New Approach”. Only the last had anything to
do with academic achievment.

So yes, cram all you like, but you also need to live. That’s the only way you can one day
become like me.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)

353
 Hymn Of Czocha
A Song To Lift The Spirits And Remember The College Teachings
By The Esteemed Munchkin Scholar, Rikke Sorensen

354
355
 A Czocha
Slang Glossary
For The Witchard Who Feels The Normal Language Is Not Enough
By A Student Of Impeccable Verbal Taste

356
Unfiltered, For Your Pleasure

Beak, n (BEE-KH) - A professor or other member of the faculty.

Dud, n. (DUH-D) - A person born to a hexblood family who has no mag-

ical powers of their own.

Endz, n (END-Z) - Where a person resides when they are not at school.

Mundy, n. (MUN-DEE) - A mundane person, someone without hexblood

and with no knowledge of the magical world.

Murky, n. (MURR-KEY) - A more derogatory form of mundy.

Perch, n. (PER-TCH) - The balcony around the hall where the faculty
stand to make their speeches.

Shandy, n (SHAN-DEE) - A witchard born to mundane or mixed parents.

Sip, n (SIP) - Short for “Sip for a secret,” a drinking game played by stu-
dents at Czocha.

Vex, n (VEX) - A derogatory term for those from ancient wizarding fam-
ilies.

Vexing, v. (VEX-ING) - The act of flouncing about the place as if you own
it.

Wereborn, r. (WERE-BORN) - A derogatory names for werewolves.

Further slang is sometimes used at the College, but since I - who care
about such things - do not care about these other slang expressions, I shall
not include them in my list. To the victor go the spoils. Dixi!

357
 Former Staff At
Czocha: Tharus Goid
From “Czocha College - History And People, Vol. XXXI”
By D. Augrothis, Czocha Scholar Emeritus

358
An Homage To An Exceptional Janitor

One of the characters at the Czocha College of Witchcraft and Wizardry

– whom some older alumni may recall with great fondness – is Thar, or
Tharus Goid, to use his full name. Visitors and new students may not have
taken the slight, stooped balding man who escorted them into the school
seriously. His mild manner and soft, deferential voice was not what one
would call imposing. Returning students would smile behind their hands
as the Juniors plotted excursions into the forest or made assignations in
deserted classrooms. Thar by night was a very different proposition. The
terrified new student might have been faced with a huge wild boar as they
opened the door to that quiet classroom. A lightning-fast nightcrawler
could have been lurking behind the tree where the daring young firstie
stepped from the lawns. Tharus, ‘the man who can’, would have assumed
one of his other shapes. Usually, the would-be rule-breaker escaped with a
fright and a tale to tell that went into the annals of Czocha legend. Occa-
sionally students would vanish, though it is uncertain whether they simply
left to avoid the shame of having broken the rules, or if they had been
driven mad by the inventive shapes produced by Thar. Beware, young stu-
dent, and keep your thoughts on your studies! Tharus was not known as
‘the man who can’ just for his shape-shifting, however. The very fabric of
Czocha was in his capable hands. When a professor required a classroom
outfitted with a silver cage to allow for the study of Werewolves, or a volca-
no to provide a natural habitat for some of the rarer dragonkind to be in-
stalled in the courtyard, Thar made it happen. Everything from containing
exuberant young magic to the occasional disagreements between faculty
could be managed by appeal to Thar. Many of these features remain as a
testament to Thar’s influence on Czocha, and some believe that he never
left to find the Berserker requested by Prof. Strange, or that he returned
with the strange creature and that both staff members were then overcome
by the monster. However that may be, it is rumoured that Thar’s name is
carved into the very fabric of Czocha itself. A glass of Hesperidean brandy
drunk by the stone marked by Thar is supposed to bring good fortune to
aspiring groundskeepers and custodians.

359
 Case: Lennon Tray
A Short Text For The Aspiring Guardian
(From “Guardian 666 - Learning The Stuff They Don’t Teach You)
By Hunter Boyle, Former Avalon Guardian

360
An Example Of Guardians Dealing With The Press

The text on the following pages is taken from the witchard newspaper The
Light Of Avalon. The text is presented in its entirety, but without the orig-
inal photomagi.

Pic/Lennon Tray Before (Or Perhaps After) His Murder. Sometimes In These Cas-
es It Can Be Hard To Tell The Difference 361
 Was the murder of Lennon Tray an inside job?
05-07-1997, 07h36 – The Light of Avalon

Sources within the authorities say a new piece of evidence has been
found in the Guardian investigation into the death of Lennon Tray
on one of the islands near the Avalon Conflux. “We have recovered
a significant piece of evidence,” said George Filenko, Knight Guard-
ian of Avalon. “I know your next question is going to be, ‘What is
it?’ I’m not at liberty to tell you.”

On Friday 16-05-1997 the renowned Guardian Lennon Tray was

found dead, together with several other bodies. The murder scene
was covered up very quickly and an investigation was conducted in
utmost secrecy. The initial investigation indicated traces of a vicious
magical duel having taken place.

“We found traces of unusual magic”

Guardian Luke Thomson reported on 23-05-1997: “We found traces
of unusual magic and it’s highly possible that very dangerous mag-
ic was conducted on the scene. We are now investigating if there
might have been a breach in the traditions or not.” Since Thomson’s
report, no new evidence or progress in the investigation has been
made public. An old local witch stated that she saw a group of men
arriving right before she heard a lot of fighting, but it’s highly un-
likely that she can be considered a reliable source, due to being weak
in both magic and mind, and mostly talking to her mundane cats.

362
Since the investigation, many witchards of the Avalon conflux have
been inventing theories, often with a high concentration of conspir-
atory elements. Many different theories arose about what this un-
usual and dangerous type of magic could be.

We could argue that lack of knowledge is often the biggest source

of information. The fact that the investigation was conducted in
such great secrecy and that only a select group of Guardians were
involved, raises the question of the role of Guardians in this case.
Did a select group of guardians find a dangerous breach in the tra-
ditions or dangerous types of magic that could threaten the security
of the Avalon conflux? Maybe they tried to protect the conflux but
things got out of hand. Or was there maybe a conflict among the
Guardians? We don’t know exactly what happened, but we can at
least point out that the entire case is surrounded in mystery.

363
 Why Do Some
Witches And Wizards
Look Old?
An Inquiry Into A Profound Question That Affects Us All
By Dr. Quentin Baghaven And B.G Grey, Fellows Of
The Royal Society Of Sorcerers And Related Crafts

Spellcasting And Wrinkles: Causality Or Not?

In the magical world, appearances can be deceptive. Not everyone looks

their age, the old-crone and ancient wizard are more mundane stereotypes
than reality. However, to toy with aging is a dangerous sport, which begs
the question - why do some witches and wizards look old?

The majority of famous practitioners of magic are portrayed by the mun-

dane world as ancient. Ranging from the crone-like witch bent double
over her cauldron, to the wizard with his beard long enough to trip over.
There seems to be a fallacy, in the mundane world, that equates age with
power.
364
The assumption that witches and wizards can become ancient is not nec-
essarily incorrect. Hexblooded humans can live longer than those without
magic. But mundanes assume this is because of ancient knowledge and
power.
The truth is, it has more to do with the occasional side effect of certain
types of magical practise.

There are some forms of rituals, spells, and a few approaches to the mag-
ical arts that have a profound (yet temporary) effect on the human body.
In simple terms, magic that can age the witch or wizard at a preternatural
rate. This is not an entirely pleasant experience; having ten or twenty years
applied to you in one go is at best uncomfortable and at worst traumatic.

It is hard to tell the age of a witch or a wizard by looking at them. Some

may be younger than they appear and many will seem to have a wisdom
about them that suggests they are older than they actually are. The mag-
ical world pays little attention to these things. A twenty two year old who
looks fifty is a person who has been studying hard, rather than anything
else.

Effects of these kinds of magic start to wear off immediately and practi-
tioners can usually expect to return to their natural age within a week.
Of course, there are potions that speed up the de-aging process, but care
should be taken when using these. The waters of the Fountain of Youth, for
example, can cause one to regress quickly back through puberty and into
infancy - or worse!

This explains why aging magic is rarely undertaken. A wizard who tries to
hold back the seasons will very quickly run out of years. And no amount
of rest will help a dessicated skeleton regain a youthful complexion. For
skeletons, you will need to refer to other forms of magic and engage the
services of a necromancer!

365
 The Adventures Of
‘Doc’ Swanson,
Combat Healer
A Sneak Preview Of His Latest Adventures For The Lucky Student
By Donald “Lightning Pants” Drake

366
Foreword By An Admirer

The next volume of The Adventures Of ‘Doc’ Swanson, Combat Healer is on

it’s way! We have been given access to this exclusive preview!
First came “A Witch Too Far”!
Then “Saving Shaman Ryan”!
Now “From Czocha With Love”!
Soon available in all major magical bookstores!
Reserve your copy now!

-------------

Crouching behind a rock, I desperately poured more pixie dust on young

Johnson’s heart chakra, trying to ignore the curses whizzing past us. Dam-
mit, I didn’t even know his astrological sign, and there wasn’t time to do
an aura reading here. As my protective circle barely deflected an incom-
ing fireball, I realised I would have to improvise something in the next
few seconds or lose him. What he really needed was a full thaumaturgic
infusion, but the ritual to gather the required energy would take at least
10 minutes - and Johnson clearly didn’t have that long. Energy… Energy!
Suddenly I knew how to get the energy. It would be dangerous, sure, but it
was the only way.

While I took off my boot, I concentrated on the channels I would need to

form - once the show began, there would be little time for fine tuning. I
placed my naked foot on his forehead, finding the third eye chakra with
my big toe. Taking a deep breath, I stood up, in clear view of the enemy.

The first blast hit me within seconds, but I was ready for it. Instead of de-
flecting it, I absorbed it, capturing it and keeping it in. I would only be able
to hold it briefly, but it should be enough. The second one nearly caught
me by surprise. It was much stronger, and I could barely contain it - my
chest was about to explode and I could see steam and smoke rising from
my robes.

367
 The pain was excruciating, but I clenched my fists and willed the ener-
gy down, down through the channel I had built, shaping and reforming
it on the way. Fortunately, the third curse missed me - I would not have
been able to handle it, had it not. Finally, I got the energy under so much
control that it would not kill, and with a grunt, I let it stream into the kid.
He screamed and jerked, as I, exhausted and barely conscious, collapsed
on top of him, just in time to dodge another blast zipping through the air
where I had just stood.

He would live. And eventually, he might even forgive me for having an

imprint of my big toe permanently burned into his forehead.

------------

I was running, even before the scream had died away. Pushing my com-
rades aside, I sped along the jungle path, until I reached the place where
de Cruz lay crumbled on the ground. Liselle stood next to her, fanning her
wand back and forth, letting white flames wash over a blackened, foot-
long shape, that was already burned to cinders. She kept going, cursing,
while I bent over de Cruz. It didn’t look good.

“What happened?” I asked.

“That thing there! It dropped from the tree, landed on her shoulder and
stung her before I could get it off!”

Liselle, apparently satisfied that the sooty remains were no longer a threat,
let the flame die away.

“Yes, but what was it? A bird? A snake? A humanoid? What did it look
like?”

Treating a patient, when you don’t know what hurt her, is a bit like duelling
blindfolded - impressive, exciting and unlikely to do much good.

368
“Well, it was a bit like a scorpion…, I didn’t see it that well, I just grabbed
it and threw it, just as it was about to sting her in the neck!”

I was about to give her an earful, but thought better of it - Liselle had after
all probably just saved her best friends life by unhesitatingly grabbing an
unknown creature with her bare hands. Looking closer at de Cruz, I re-
alised that the effort might have been in vain. Her heart was racing, and
her breathing was shallow, as she stared at me. No sign of fear in her eyes
though, not de Cruz.

“Can you fix me, Doc?”

“Sure, no problem, just relax”

We both knew that was a lie. Damn, I wish I knew what had stung her,
but the creature was burned beyond recognition. I took my wand and dis-
solved her robes, allowing me access to the wound on her right shoulder.
It looked narrow, deep and discoloured - probably poisoned. I drew out a
crystal and placed it on her solar plexus. It flared yellow, but then quickly
faded and turned grey, confirming my worst fear. I looked closer and sure
enough, there, 5 inches further down was another, almost unnoticeable
wound. And something much worse.

I had not even noticed Frederick, my apprentice, kneeling next to me be-

fore he asked me for instructions. The rest of the group had formed a pro-
tective circle around us, wands out, facing outwards. They occasionally
glanced at us, but never let their guard down. Noticing that de Cruz had
passed out, I quickly explained:

“She was stung by a Gwerhindor. You may know them as Gnaw Worms.
It has injected its inch-long larvae, which is even now burrowing towards
her heart. If you look closely, you can see it moving under the skin right
here, near her collarbone”. Frederick immediately pointed his wand, pre-
paring an Extracto, but I stopped him.

369
 “The larvae is extremely poisonous and rather brittle - you would most
likely burst it trying to get out, and that would surely kill her. We can freeze
the flesh, that would slow it down. Temporarily. But it can hear her heart
and is going for it”. Freddy, ever quick on the uptake, smiled, pointed his
wand at her heart and went “Silentia”. The movement of the larvae under
her skin stopped. Clever lad - there’s a reason I chose him as my appren-
tice. But then it started again, slower, but still moving towards the heart.
However, he had given me an idea.

“Fred, place her right hand on your naked chest over your heart!”

I pointed my wand at his heart:

“Sonorem Magnificatae”.

His heartbeat rang out like a drum, clearly audible over the sounds of the
jungle around us. We watched anxiously as the horrid creature under the
skin of de Cruz stopped, and then slowly started gnawing a new tunnel,
leading out into her arm. It was visibly speeding up now, and I tried not to
think of its many-toothed mouth eagerly tearing through the flesh of de
Cruz. When it got into her lower arm, I dared not wait any longer. I point-
ed my wand at the elbow and with a quick “Incisio” severed her arm at the
joint. Frederick immediately threw the limb aside, and I did not object to
Liselle’s burning it to a fine, white ash.

We patched up de Cruz as much as possible, given the circumstances -

the ritual to regrow her arm would take at least a week. But when asked
whether she would rather turn back, she just laughed.

“There’s a reason we Guardians train using our wands with either hand.
Let’s move on”.

------------

370
 This morning a student ran into my classroom in the middle of a lecture to
inform me that the undead had taken over the dungeons. Imagine! What an
affront. And what sad testimony about the lack of character in today’s youth.

Now, when I was a student, we wouldn’t have dreamed of interrupting a professor’s

lecture just because the undead were running amok! Absolutely not. You know why?
Because we had respect. Respect for the school, respect for the people who had
dedicated their lives to spreading knowledge, and respect for ourselves. If you run for
help in college, you’ll be running for help for the rest of your lives. If you can’t take
care of an undead infestation among the students, if you need a teacher to hold your
hand, what are you? That said, it might be wise to ask for help from some of your fellow
students. Did I ever tell you of the time I was almost killed trying to fight a werewolf
alone? I was your age...

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)

Pic/The Man Behind The Doc Swanson Novels - Legendary Author John Redshoe
371
 Elemental Lore
Theories On Why The Composition Of The Witchard Is Vital
By Aery von Fyre, Elementalist Theoretician

372
The Basics

All witchards draw their powers from their hexblood, which in turn is
connected to their soul. The hexblood draws its energy from all the five
elements: Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Spirit, and each element controls cer-
tain types of magic. Usually, the distribution of these elements is more or
less equal, with no variation greater than plus/minus five percent. In this
state, the magic of the witchard is balanced and in its ideal state.

Then, once in a while, witchards are born with imbalances. These children
also draw powers from all five elements, but one of these elements is more
prominent in the soul than any of the other four. This is manifested from
the moment a magical child shows powers, and will affect both their abil-
ity to perform magic, as well as their personality. As you can see from the
illustration below, they do not necessarily possess a superpower, because
while the Elemental’s magic connected to their primary element is con-
siderably stronger, they will also be more inept at magic connected to the
other elements. And while it is possible for them to learn magic connected
with their four lesser elements, it will not come as easily to them.

373
 Sometimes, such as in the following case, the difference is less extreme.
These witchards are also Elementals, but sometimes this will go unno-
ticed, as it is quite common for all magical people not to be equally good
at (or interested in) all forms of magic.

Their Elemental magic is something at which they excel, and their mood
and persona is also affected to a certain degree, but maybe not as much as
with the strong Elementals (i.e. those with an Elemental bias of fifty per-
cent or higher in favour of their primary element).

What sets Elementals apart from other witchards is the strong empathic
bonds they form with one another. They have the ability to sense other El-
ementals around them, as they immediately notice this trait in the powers
of other witchards. They can, and indeed will, instinctively draw power
from other Elementals around them in order to balance their own magic,
but instead of just replenishing to 100%, they can add the other Elemen-
tals’ magic to their own. Thus, they will gain balance in all other areas of
magic, while still preserving their increased Elemental Magic.

If an Elemental is never introduced to other Elementals, their unbalanced

source of magic can easily become destructive, and their moody dispo-
sition can easily antagonize others. This is why it is very important for
young Elemental witchards to attend magical schools, as it is much more
likely that they will meet kindred spirits there.

374
Elemental Characteristics

Certain characteristics or personality traits are associated with the various

elements, and usually manifest in witchards who are dominated by these.
Witchards with a strong dominant element might even experience that
other witchards (and mundanes) are affected by their characteristics when
nearby. The most commonly known characteristics are as follows:

375
 Magical Domains

The elements can affect the “normal” magic of witchards, making them
more adapted to certain types of magic, while correspondingly making
the opposing types of elemental magic more difficult. Magical domains for
opposing elements will usually manifest in the influenced witchard. For
example, a strong Water Elemental will excel at the magical domains relat-
ed to water, while struggling with those related to air. The most commonly
known domains are as follows:

Air: Mind magic. Magical theory. Illusionism. Air magic.

Earth: Herbology. Geomancy. Defensive magic. Earth magic.
Fire: Demonology. Technomancy. Offensive magic. Fire magic.
Water: Emotional manipulation. Alchemy. Divination. Water magic.
Spirit: Healing. Animal manipulation. Spiritual magic. Cleansing magic.

The stronger the elemental domination, the easier a witchard can con-
trol his or her own element. Research has shown that witchards with an
elemental bias of 60% or more can influence and manipulate their own
element without using wands or uttering spells. There has, for instance,
been cases where a very strong Water Elemental has caused tidal waves,
changed the direction of rivers, or made it rain at will. Strong Fire Elemen-
tals are known to set things on fire - and put it out - simply by wishing it.
Powerful Earth Elementals can make the ground shake, trees topple or
flowers bloom, while strong Air Elementals might create hurricanes and
tornadoes, and even direct approaching objects (such as drops of rain)
away from themselves or others.

The Elements in the Body

The elements are intrinsically involved with the functioning and well-be-
ing of the physical body, as well as with the state of the soul. Each element
has a stronger influence on particular bodily systems and parts, influenced
to a large degree by the humoral fluid associated with that element.

376
Air: (Blood) Open areas which allow circulation, respiratory system, cir-
culatory system, ears and bones (their porousness and hollowness).
Earth: (Black Bile) The skeletal system (the solid, structural part of bones, mar-
row, joints and connective tissue), nervous system, teeth, gums, hair and nails.
Fire: (Yellow Bile) The active, heat generating systems and processes (diges-
tion, metabolism, voluntary muscular exertion), heart, liver and stomach.
Water: (Phlegm) All the clear fluids (phlegm, mucus, plasma, and lymph),
kidneys, bladder, urinary tract, brain, spinal cord, the lymphatic system.

Effect on Others

A strong Elemental might sometimes affect other witchards, and even

mundanes, if they are strong enough. The way in which an Elemental af-
fects nearby people is connected with the personality traits associated with
each element. This impact may be positive or negative, and can manifest
physically, mentally, spiritually or as a combination of these. The manifes-
tation of this influence depends on the energy the Elemental is projecting.
Some examples of the potential effect are described below.

Spirit: Others might feel more connected with everyone and everything
around them. More in touch with their inner selves. Truthful. Innocent.
377
 Pic/Angela Trimble, well-known witch activist from the Elemental Power coven.
378
Effect on other Elementals

When an Elemental is alone, they will usually feel more or less unbalanced,
depending on the strength of their dominating element. Being near other
Elementals, however, will help with this, and the more time various Ele-
mentals spend together, the more balanced they all become. For instance,
a Fire Elemental will make an Earth Elemental feel more aggressive or pas-
sionate about something, while Earth will make Fire calm down more.

One needs only observe how the actual elements interact with each oth-
er in nature. Watch how the wind will enhance and help spread fire, and
how earth and water will put it out. See how fire might consume earth,
and how water can change it. Observe the way the wind can make water
change from calm and peaceful to a destructive storm. By focusing hard,
an Elemental might block the natural influence exerted on them by anoth-
er Elemental. However, this is a demanding and exhausting task, and few
Elementals are able to resist influence in this way for long.

You’re walking in the Dark Forest at night, perhaps on our way to a ritual
for which you have a special permit from the staff of the College. Suddenly, a
terrifying monster jumps at you. It’s a huge bull-headed beast, swinging with its axe and
bellowing in anger. The minotaur is clearly out to kill you, so you take out your wand and
shoot a few defensive spells while scrambling furiously and trying not to fall on your ass.

While the minotaur is confused by your antics, you manage to slip away. Not the most
elegant fight, but at least nobody saw you. Right?

Wrong! In the magical world, someone will always, always, always see you. Especially
if you do something embarrassing. That’s why style is essential every single moment
you’re engaged in a violent altercation. In the above example, by the time you’re back
in your room, your fellow students and your professors will surely have been apprised
of the embarrassing way you held your wand, the terrified shrieks and grunts that
emanated from your mouth and even how you clumsily got caught in your own cloak
while running away.

Always remember: You may win a fight, but if you don’t win in style, you might as well
not win at all.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)
379
 Some Notes On The
Guardian Path
A Primer To New Students At Czocha College Of Witchcraft And Wizardry
By Sophia Pobjoy, Guardian

380
On What To Expect And How To Behave

Welcome to the start of your exciting three years of training in order to

become a Guardian. Welcome to the hard path. You will be expected to
push yourself to the limits. You will be held to the highest standards. You
will need to rely on yourself and those around you. You hold the future
of our society in your hands and your actions, or inactions, from this day
forwards will make a difference to that society.

You will be taught the ways of illusion, divination and powerful charms,
and will be expected to develop sharp and critical minds; you should always
be on the lookout for those who disrespect the Traditions. As Guardians,
when you finally take your oath you will be granted many powers and will
be held to high standards. That process starts today.

You will be assessed and judged constantly on your ability to both keep and
to sniff out secrets. To protect the traditions, and to guard magical society
from any threat be it magic or mundane. Your function is to investigate,
to enforce, and to protect.

Walking the Guardian Path means guarding and knowing the history of the
magical world, and never flinching from hard choices or terrifying truths.

As you should already know, each Conflux is different; what is acceptable

in one place may be anathema in another. As a Guardian you are expected
to know the local rules and laws where-so-ever you may be and to
uphold them. Your school may have its own Guardian or Guardians, but
sometimes students may be expected to step up and take on some of the
roles and responsibilities of the Guardians.

Depending upon your place of study it may be the head teacher or the
faculty who decide upon the conflux laws. These are not the ‘school rules,’
but rather the social and moral and magical rules that apply to everyone;
they are Conflux Law.

381
 If Conflux Law says “memory wiping charms are an abomination in
Czocha” then as Guardians you are expected to ensure that no such
charms are cast. If the laws tell you - “no one should make a bargain with
the faeries” - then you will need to keep your eyes open for any nefarious
deals with the fae.

Please remember that until you have taken your oath you are not yet a
Guardian. You will not have the authority to cast someone out.. This is a
responsibility without authority. This is hard. It is meant to be hard. You
are being assessed. You are being tested. You are being watched.

Conflux Law is fluid. It can be changed. In 1968 Students at The Venerable

House of Thoth and Heka in Alexandria staged a series of occupations and
demonstrations that led to the faculty making some fundamental changes
to Conflux Law. As Guardian students you will always be expected to
know where the boundaries are, after all you are here to protect them.

As the famous guardian and regulator Countess Lucretia Alicia Von

Ravensberg once said, “A Guardian is someone who can laugh in the face of
danger, who can gather strength from chaos, and grow brave by reflection.
They whose heart is strong, and whose conscience approves their conduct,
will pursue their principles unto death.”
382
Pic/One Of The Infamous Mortardi Sisters. Which One Is Uncertain, Though It
Seems To Be One Of The Living Ones. 383
 Spells I Have Known:
A Life In
The Line Of Fire
Words Of Wisdom For Youngsters From A Most Illustrious Wizard
By Euronymous Baghaven, Researcher At The Adv. Mantic Research Facility

384
As Presented In A Guest Speech To Students At
Czocha In 1986

Headteacher, faculty, students, honoured guests. I lost my first eye when

I was twenty-five years old. I had recently graduated from this esteemed
place of learning after three very happy years spent enjoying the libertine
pleasures of the Libussa common room (pause for laughter). I was, of
course, a model student as are, I am sure, each of you sitting here today.
And I was fortunate enough to be offered a position as a junior researcher
at the AMRF. My first job was to paint the protective runes on the walls of
the lead lined corridor deep beneath the castle of that august organisation.
My second job was to stand at the end of said corridor whilst a series of
spells were cast at me.

As I am sure you all understand, new spells are a risky business for the
spell caster. Even your professors here, I am sure, will recall those rare oc-
casions when a spell has not gone exactly as they planned. When we step
beyond those old-faithful incantations; the core ten, the seven stalwarts,
we are entering an exciting new world filled with innovation, risk, and
excitement. I should know, I have spent fifty years in that world.

I recall that first spell, Occulo Engorge. The witch who cast it, her name was
Megan Devore if I recall, wonderful harpsichord player; cheated at cards,
had explained that it was supposed to resolve the issue of people who had
one eye smaller than the other. The effect was rapid and unpleasant, as
I felt my eyeball grow to the size of a watermelon. I clutched it with one
hand - seemingly trying to keep it from popping out of the socket. Alas, it
did indeed pop out and then, after some rapid growth - during which time
I was able to see over my own shoulder, it popped again.

How we laughed at that one.

But other spells were less terrifying.

385
 I remember one mid-winter when we were drinking hot wine and sing-
ing songs that Lucinda Montgomery - American woman, very loud even
by their standards, caught me with an Enthusiastica Charm. For the next
forty minutes I could not get enough of everything. I loved every idea,
every concept, no matter how foolhardy or ridiculous. The spell wore off
suddenly, just before I painted myself blue and went for a dip in the lake.
Lucinda was surprised as she’d thought the effect would be permanent; but
research is research, even in fun.

I got my own back, of course, with a series of new charms. My favourite

was the red shoes charm, Dancetaria Stilletto, where I cursed her favourite
pair of shoes so that once she put them on she could not stop dancing.
This is all simple magic; it just needs a willingness to try something new
(look at Libussa students and give them a nod to acknowledge their cre-
ative spark.) As it was, the spell wore off once her feet started to bleed, but
we all had a lot of fun with it. Well Lucinda didn’t, of course, but that just
made it funnier.

Speaking of funny, there are all sorts of variations on the Vocare spell that
can make people speak with funny accents or voices that I urge you all to
try on your friends. It is the prank that keeps on being funny, time after
time. And I must, of course, remind you, that if you are not an old duffer
like me who had Latin beaten into him as a young boy, that these spells are
every bit as effective in other languages. Research proves that spells are,
on average, 95% more effective if your target understands the intended
effect. So don’t use Feline Vocare on your chums, instead try “Mouth of
Meows” or “Cat Voice” and remember to tell them you are going to make
them meow like a cat.

On the subject of cats, some spells simply didn’t work. Who could forget
Old Bones McCormak and that July when he persistenly tried - with no
success - to turn me into an Ocelot. After three long weeks the only no-
ticeable effect was my tendency to eat raw meat when I was hungry and a
desire to sleep more.

386
There were also some offensive spells, cast by a young witchard, who
seemed more than a little sure of their own abilities. I refer, of course, to
your own headteacher (pause for laughter) who was never quite as good
as they thought they were. Sorry, old chum, you know I am only joking.
Don’t mess with the head - you young’uns - or you’ll end up vomiting eels.
But where was I. Yes, not every spell works. Some simply fail and have no
effect. Others sort of work, but in ways that the spellcaster did not intend.
Some work immediately and fade quickly, others can take a minute or
more to take effect. This is why we must research, why we must continue
to push forwards the sum of witchard knowledge and why we will always
look for the bravest of the brave to spend their time down at the far end
of that lead lined corridor where I started my own career many years ago.

Let us consider the Renatis spell. This was designed to regrow a damaged
or broken bone. It famously originated in this very castle when a sopho-
more healer student came across one of her friends who had slipped and
fallen from the edge of the gazebo. No research facility, no learned papers,
no scientific method. She told the young man not to worry and that she
would fix his broken leg, took a deep breath and cast the spell. The effect
was almost instant. There was no pain, merely a taste of peppermint. How
do I know? Well I was the injured wizard of course. Marjorie and I have
been together ever since. Omnia vincit amor - Love conquers all!

Of course it is not all Latin fun and games. There were some other spells
that originated in the AMRF that I could talk about. But the one you all
want to know of is the ‘lost spell’ the legendary ‘Mark of Death.’ First of
all I can tell you that the spell is not lost! I know half of it, and three other
witchards know half of it as well. Of course we all know different halves;
but if one of us were to die, then the spell can still be reassembled, but no
one witchard can know it. We are very clever.

Anyway, it is a rhyming spell; a series of couplets that, when spoken to-

gether will draw the attention of the manifestation of the Grim Reaper
onto a named target.

387
 When I stood at the end of that corridor, laden down with more protective
amulets than you can think of and shaking with fear it was perhaps the
hardest day of my career. Of course you all know the first line of the spell,
or at least you think you do, “Spirits of Evil come answer my call…”

I can tell you now that this is NOT how the spell begins, but it is close
enough for the purposes of this story. I stood, frozen to the spot as dear
old Bertrand Wychwood cast the spell for the first time. As his wand drew
a complex five pointed star in the air and he threw the spell towards me
with a flourish I did not know what to expect. The effect was cold; it was
like someone pouring a glass of iced water down the front of your shirt,
except the cold kept getting more intense. For a while I thought I had al-
ready stopped breathing.

The spell takes a while to work. The specified intent was that Death would
turn up, as the bells struck midnight, to take the life of the target, but as the
day progressed I found the sense of dread creeping up on me and noticed
that plants wilted if I went to close to them and small insects dropped from
the sky if they flew too near.

388
As midnight approached I cowered within a protective circle. So cold that
my teeth chattered and my fingers turned blue. As the clock struck twelve
the shadows coalesced and formed a hooded figure with no face. I could
see it move towards me. My fellow witchards did not see this apparition,
but I did. It was only my whimpering and sense of utter panic that per-
suaded Bertrand to utter the words “Terminare Mark of Death,” thus dis-
pelling the hex and preventing the grim reaper from taking me as his own.
It was almost … Terminal for me (pause of nervous laughter)

But I am sure you have heard enough of my wittering on and so I shall

leave you with this thought:

If we don’t know what a spell is going to do before we cast it, why do we

cast it at all? The answer is, of course, to learn. Sometimes we will be sur-
prised, sometimes we will be disappointed, but no matter what, magic is
there for us to use and use it we should, use it we must.

And with that, I wish all of you finishing your education this year the very
best for the future and hope The AMRF can persuade a few of you to come
and work for us we could always use … new blood. Thank you.

If you haven’t come up with a new spell during your stay at school, you will be
a failure as a witch or a wizard. By the time I graduated, I’d already created five.

I’ve heard students argue that it was easier to create new spells in the old days, but now
it’s hard because they’ve all been created. This is pure hogwash. Magic is limitless! We
will never run out of things to create. Anyone who says otherwise is a talentless hack.
When was the last time I created a new spell? I believe it was in 1962...

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)

389
History And Society Of
The Witchard World
In this chapter, you will find a plethora of information on the historical and
social landscape of our magical society. It includes descriptions of some of the
notable magical families of the world, explanations on confluxes along with
prominent examples of them, and information on critical subjects that every
witchard should know in our modern society.
 Why We Need History
An Excerpt From “A Magical History For The Young Witchard”
By Professor William Rosenkrantz

392
A Necessary Discipline

Why do we need (to know about) history? And is it not terribly boring?
Those are questions I am often met with when I speak about my work. I
find it hard to blame those asking for their questions and doubts; they are
common and not entirely pointless questions. -Especially if the asker is
another alumni of Stenøya and has been introduced to the history of mag-
ic by the inimitable Professor Bugard who, it should be said, is a treasure
trove of information to the student or curious person who cares to speak
with him at length. What he might lack in teaching flair, he more than
makes up for in sheer expertise. But that is a bit of a digression. But why
do we need to know history? History seems to be simultaneously far away
and passing right by our eyes - both things that can make it feel irrelevant
to study, either because it is too distant or because it is right here. An old
saying suggests it is to avoid repeating it - or, one might suspect, to do just
that - but that is hardly the only reason for knowing history.

393
 Ancient History Of
The Magical World
An Excerpt From “A Magical History For The Young Witchard”
by Bill G. Mesh

394
A Short Introduction: Prehistory And Myths Of
The Lost City Of Atlantis

Not much is known about Magical prehistory. Most Magihistorians agree

that magical ability in humans has existed since the dawn of humanity
itself. Though sources are scarce, what we can piece together indicates
that magic was poorly understood, and that there was no concept of “hex-
blood” as we currently understand it. While the exact sort of magic prac-
ticed before the rise of civilization is unknown, some ancient depictions of
magic in caves and ruins suggests that demonology and necromancy were
the most common forms, though it can be hard telling those apart from
other forms of rituals. There are, however, two theories besides this one
which have some legitimacy.

The first is the theory of Atlantis, also called the Atlantian theory. Accord-
ing to this theory, there was a geographical center for the emergence of
hexblood in humans, at a major conflux at a now-lost continent or island.
This conflux was supposedly the only one of its kind, and drew its power
from every leyline and source of geomantic energy on the planet. Accord-
ing to the Atlantian theory, successive generations of humans gestating
in this magic-rich environment, eating magical plants, hunting magical
creatures and so on, had hexblood slowly distilled into them.

Various theories disagree on what happened then. The most common the-
ory is that they grew too powerful, and an inability to control their mag-
ic lead to the erasure of the island. Another suggest that they destroyed
themselves in an all-out war, and a third that they united and attempted
some great feat of magic which backfired terribly.

Every version of the theory ends the same, however, the few survivors
scattering about the world and integrating into the mundane societies of
the time. The last theory claims that magical talent emerged during the
start of civilization, and will be covered in that section.

395
 River Valley Civilizations and the dawn of History

The first evidence of organized magical societies and the recognition of

confluxes date to the founding of the Sumerian and Indus river valley civ-
ilizations. The great cities of these civilizations - Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa,
Ur and Sumer - were founded at powerful confluxes where the energies of
the rivers and surrounding lands pooled and empowered the confluxes.
The evidence suggests that at this time, the magical and mundane worlds
were not yet separated.

In the Sumerian civilization, sorcerers openly took positions as kings and

generals and worked with their mundane and magical subjects to shape
the cities according to geomantic principles, working rune magic and rit-
ual magic into the architecture of the city, allowing groups of sorcerers
to work together to create powerful magical effects, particularly spells of
summoning, defense and fertility.

396
In the Indus valley, sorcerers also worked openly with mundanes to create
magical effects. However, the details of these effects are more mysterious
to us, as we have scant evidence of the particulars - a few sources suggest
that spells of healing and cleansing were common, but this is by no means
a well-established fact. What is known, however, is that the magicians here
did not become kings and warriors, but priests, scholars and advisers.

The great rituals and enchantments carried with them and were based
upon advances in arithmancy - or rather, the establishment of arithman-
cy. This early arithmancy was certainly simplistic, and lacked many of the
number-systems and notations that would enable the development of later
arithmancy, but it was in general effective and their geomantic and as-
trological calculations were quite advanced. This early arithmancy has at
times been dismissed as “pseudo-arithmancy” or “ritual theory,” but mod-
ern reexamination shows that it is, in fact, actual arithmancy, despite its
simplicity.

Beyond the city-wide rituals and enchantments, the main advance we

see here is the development of simple potions and alchemies, often more
mundane than magical. They do, however, show a fledgling understanding
of the surrounding world as magical, which eventually leads to increased
affinity for alchemy and the use of Foci, which were at this point unknown.

It is important to point out a common misconception here: Many believe

that the mages of ages past were vastly more powerful, pointing to the
powerful magical effects they worked. They miss, however, that these ef-
fects were the result of most of the population of a conflux working togeth-
er, and having plentiful quantities of mundane help, both in shaping the
cities for ritual purposes and sometimes as parts of, or sacrifices in, the rit-
uals themselves. The great and lasting power of their rituals does not come
from any inherent greatness of their magic, but from a societal structure
that allowed them to marshal entire populations for their purposes.

397
 Others point to the reported great lives as evidence of their magical prow-
ess. However, most records showing lives lasting hundreds of years are af-
ter-the-fact glorifications of the past, or indicate great use of necromantic
and alchemical rituals, often requiring extensive human sacrifice to keep
their bodies going - not exactly a great example for our times.

The truth is that, according to most research, any 5th year at Nibelungen
(or 3rd year at the white house of the Escola de Magia) would likely be able
to outduel most of these early mages, who had little concept of magic on
a personal scale and almost no experience using any sort of Focus smaller
than a Ziggurat. That is not to say that these mages were weak, but they
simply did not possess the breadth and depth of knowledge and skill avail-
able to modern mages.

Lastly, it is important to point out that the third common theory of magi-
cal emergence point to this period as the first time magic arose. According
to this, the so-called theophagic theory, humans gained access to magic by
devouring magical creatures as a part of religious rituals or, as the more
common theory goes, by using them in primitive-but-effective alchemical
potions. The theory is not well supported, as it fails to explain the world-
wide use of magic, but there are some sources to indicate that similar ritu-
als were practiced at the time.

398
The Rise of Egypt

The rise of the Egyptian civilizations, shortly following the Sumerian and
Indus river civilizations, shows a startling change from the Sumerian and
Indian ways of magic, indicating that it probably developed earlier than
records show, drawing from African sources. Here, along the Nile’s flood
plains, magic started to become personalized. The complex hieroglyphics
and the varied crafts here gave birth to personal talismans and other arti-
facts, such as the very first rudimentary magical staves and containers for
holding spirits and demons.

This time also saw the rise of hieroglypic magic, the basic ideas of using
the written word and names to imbue texts with power and magic, and the
advancement of primitive arithmancy.

Lastly, while other civilizations had had magically enhanced funerary rites
or had occasional madmen and seers who claimed to communicate with
the dead, the elaborate funerary rites of the Egyptians give birth to the
first significant study of necromancy, both as the art of speaking with and
interacting with the dead and the other side of the veil, called “duat” by the
egyptians, but also preserving the soul and body more fully.

This personalization, along with refinements in the greater ritualistic and

architectural magics, allowed Egyptian magi to work together across cit-
ies and towns, which reinforced the mundane communication and infra-
structure. It is for this reason that Egypt rose above the other states and
made its influence felt throughout the region, and up through history.
Much of our magic - our summoning spells, our wands, our runic magics,
can be traced back to the murky paths of Egyptian occultism.

Q
399
 Lycanthropy
Yesterday, Today
And Tomorrow
Common Knowledge To Be Known About The Lupine
By Dr. Thaum. P. Wagner

400
The Origin of Werewolves

The origin of werewolves, as we know them, is a topic of discussion among

magical historians and archaeologists. This debate still remains unclear.
What seems to be agreed upon is that werewolves have lived among us
for many centuries and most of the time, they were hiding their condition
thoroughly.

Commonly accepted and known theories of their origin follow.

Romulus and Remus

Werewolves could be descendants of Romulus and Remus, sons of Rhea

Silvia and fathered by unknown magical humanoid creature. The brothers
were cursed by Rhea’s brother, Amulius, with an ancient, powerful curse.
What Amulius did not know when he cursed them was that the boys might
have magical powers. Remus, being mundane, was hit by the curse with
more power than his brother and Remus turned into a savage wolf. Remus
lost any sanity or rational thought, and turned against his brother, before
Remus was killed himself.

Romulus, on the other hand, had magic running through his veins and it
saved him from the worst of the curse. While he did turn into wolf-like
creature, killing his brother in bloodlust, he turned back into his human
form next day. Romulus became the first werewolf as we know them.

401
 Shamans of the New World, Amazonic Forest, and Eastern Africa

During ancient times, shamanism proved to have more power than it has
now and practitioners dealt with many powerful beings. Some clues, say
that the first werewolves appeared around the world during a span of few
months. They were the result of a very powerful and unsuccessful shaman-
istic ritual.

The beings in question were supposed to be the spiritual embodiment of

the Wolf himself. While the connection of the Wolf ’s aspect with the sha-
mans was successful, it was impossible to banish its’ spirit after the ritual.
Two souls then possessed the same body, sharing it in all means, and fight-
ing over it. Each full moon brought strength to the Wolf and allowed it to
take control.

15th century France and Jacques Roulet

The last theory comes from the 15th century France, where mundane
Jacques Roulet of Angers admitted to this condition publicly. He stated he
was given a magical salve that turned him into a werewolf and in that form
he attacked, murdered, and maimed many. The confession cost him his
life; his victims that didn’t die after his attacks and found out the next full
moon, they had become werewolves.

402
Some were caught, and the fear of werewolves lasted throughout the 15th
and 16th century in the France. There were many werewolf trials and
sightings amongst both mundanes and gifted.

The interesting thing about these theories is, they don’t oppose each other.
But they do explain the slight genetic differences that can be seen in the
skeletons of werewolves and even in the current werewolf population. Re-
gardless of whether any of the theories are true, centuries of werewolves
passing the condition to others has changed it to its current form.

There is no known cure to the lycanthropy, although there has been much
research on the topic. Much of the research infamous due to its cruel
methods of testing. We’ll get to some of them later on.
403
 Physical Description and Attributes

Werewolves exist in two forms during their life. The human form and wolf
form.

In their human form, werewolves come in all shapes and sizes just like hu-
mans. In their wolf form, werewolves take on the shape of giant wolf with a
slightly altered body structure and higher intelligence than regular wolves.
Some of the noticeable differences are stronger rear legs, shorter jaws, and
more prominent claws. For details on this topic, please check your local
magical college library. Due to their altered body structure werewolves are
able to walk on all fours, stand on two legs, or attack on their rear legs. This
causes the common myth of appearing half-human while transformed.

When it comes to abilities, werewolves in human form have slightly im-

proved physical skills and senses (if they learn to use them properly). Most
of them never learn to do so and live with regular human attributes. In
wolf form, they possess greater strength, agility, and they become a ruth-
less hunters and predators - if not under a Liquid Silver Potion. A trans-
formed werewolf who is not under the potion is incredibly dangerous.

In both human and wolf form, werewolves have faster metabolism and
have better immunity against mundane sickness. They are mildly resistant
towards some mundane medicines, drugs, and also magical potions. Due
to their metabolism they are less affected by alcohol (or have to drink larg-
er amounts of it to achieve same effect as non-werewolves).

Wounds caused by werewolf claws or teeth (in the case that you don’t get
infected) are more resistant to magical healing and tend to get inflamed or
to leave scars. There are some healers and hospitals that specialise in these
sorts of injuries, but they are only visited in case of severe injuries.

404
Wolfsbane and silver are highly toxic for werewolves and recent studies
have shown there is a particular way to use dragonblood to cause more
damage to witchard werewolves. Wounds caused to a werewolf by silver
heal even slower than they would for a regular human being. Wolfsbane
behaves like neurotoxic poison when eaten and causes a strong allergic
reaction when applied externally.

Liquid silver is known to reduce the werewolf ’s immunity and resistance

towards other substances and it is a base for the Liquid Silver Potion. Liq-
uid silver is combined with mind altering and calming ingredients to help a
werewolf to remain sane and fully aware during the full moon transforma-
tion. A werewolf using this potion should be fully able to control themselves
in wolf form, if they take it one day prior to the full moon transformation.

405
 Reproduction & Infection

Female werewolves, while able to conceive a child in their human form,

are unable to bear it to term. There is a simple reason for this, the trans-
formation during the full moon transforms the inner organs as well as the
outer shape of the body. During the 4th or 5th months of pregnancy, the
child is too large to get through the transformation alive and it results in
a miscarriage.

Children of a werewolf male and human female, while having a somewhat

higher risk of miscarriage, are always born human. The only known way
to become a werewolf is to get infected by a transformed werewolf and
survive the attack. Often, more than one bite is necessary to weaken the
human body, especially in case of gifted, enough to ensure the transfor-
mation. While all injuries caused by werewolves are potential risks of in-
fection, bites are much more likely to transfer the infection through bodi-
ly fluids. Overall results are a matter of the immunity of the victim and
amount of injuries received. Sometimes, the whole process of fighting off
the infection takes hours, sometimes days, and when the immunity loses
the victim becomes infected. Werewolves are infectious only in their wolf
form and in human form.

While mundanes can become infected, there is much higher risk of death
during the initial attack. Turning a mundane into a lycanthrope is a mon-
strous deed, because not only are they driven crazy by the wolf, but the
potions used to help with this condition have minimal effect, if any. The
effectiveness of the potions depends on amount of hexblood the mundane
has. Containing these sort of werewolves is risky and often requires pro-
fessional Guardian units, often consisting of witchard werewolves. Mun-
dane werewolves remains equally infectious, although their ability to cre-
ate a new werewolf is relatively small. Their attacks tend to be too lethal
and brutal to keep the victim alive.

406
Bélanger’s treatment

Few decades ago, a new treatment for pregnant female werewolves ap-
peared with the boom of mundane medicine and diagnostic tools. It con-
sists of strictly scheduled, exact doses of a complex transmutation potion
commonly called Moonchild Potion. Moonchild Potion transforms an
unborn child simultaneously with their mother. Regular doses ensure the
transformation lasts until the mother is able to transform back into human
form.

This treatment is still highly experimental and, for now, it affects the child
in the long run. Children born out of this method, commonly called were-
born, have prominent wolf-like traits. These traits range from sharper
teeth, excessive body hair, unusual eye colour, lower intelligence, or even
overly aggressive and territorial behaviour. Small mistakes in the treat-
ment often result in more prominent wolfish traits and bigger mistakes
end up in death of a child, either by reverse transformation or overdose.
This treatment can’t be performed too often for the same mother, as her
body might start to resist the potion, endangering her life. There have been
many reported deaths of female werewolves trying this treatment without
proper medical supervision.

Some werewolf families opt for either infecting their own or adopting hu-
man children. Miscarriage is also one of the reasons why transforming
young girls on purpose is less common.

There have also been discussions about whether or not this treatment is
morally alright. It was created at the infamous Bélanger Institute in Thion-
ville, France, in the 1940s. The institute, under the leadership of Jacques
Bélanger, was trying to find the cure for the lycanthropy, but his ways
were incredibly cruel. He held his test subjects imprisoned in inhumane
conditions and the institute had an incredibly high death rate. After the
Bélanger was murdered and the institute was closed in 1956, his research
was confiscated.

407
 The fact that he found a way to make female werewolves bear children
went public one year later, alongside the discovery that this was purely to
gain more test subjects. Later on, he experimented with the idea of finding
cure for lycanthropy through his so-called wereborns. Bélanger was the
first to use this term and it explains why some take offense to it.

Research on this topic was taken over by the werewolf friendly Clinique de
la Luna, located on the Spanish-Portuguese border. Due to its origin, the
treatment quickly became socially unacceptable in Germany (and some
other areas) amongst both werewolves and humans. The Portuguese were-
wolves were the first ones to try it with successful results under safe medi-
cal supervision of the Clinique.

Before we get any deeper into this subject, let me stress this: Respect!
When you’re dealing with magical beasts, respect is key. If you respect the
beast, it will respect you. I know there are many different views on this subject,
and you might have heard different things from the other professors. I know I’m
a bit of a heretic. But facts are facts, and the thing is that you and me are not so
different from these creatures.

When I was a young man, I spent a few years researching unicorns. It was a rough
life, I spent most of my time in the forest, sleeping under the sky. They were
majestic, wise animals. One night I was woken up by rustling outside my tent, and
I got up, carefully. There was a whole herd of them. I followed them to a glen and
watched them under the starlight.

It was a beautiful moment, one of the most wonderful things you can see...
Where were we? Magical creatures? Right.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)

408
Werewolf Behavior and Traits

Most werewolves lead a normal life, just like any other witchards, with all
that it involves. They study in colleges, work hard, and practise magic ac-
cording to the Traditions. There are exceptions, but these are removed by
others of their own or by local Guardians. However, every now and then,
a rumour of a massacre caused by a lone werewolf keeps the idea of lycan-
throphy fresh in mundane pop-culture.

Werewolves are normally forced to transform during the full moon and
they naturally lose their common sense and sanity during that period. Most
trained werewolves are able to reduce the duration to the day of the full
moon and the less skilled remain in wolf form 2-3 days around that date.
The transformation is not bound by seeing the moon nor to the moonlight.
Special occasions like a supermoon or bloodmoon might cause even more
problems with self-control, often causing even the most controlled lycan-
thropes to lash out. Werewolves are also able to transform of their own will.

Werewolves share some of the traits of their wolf cousins. One of them is
tendency to live in packs. However, don’t be mistaken, the pack doesn’t
necessarily mean other werewolves. It simply means a group of humans or
humanoids that the person feels they belong to. Depending on their per-
sonality, they might either protect them or be under their protection. Lone
werewolves without enough contact with others are known to be driven
mad sooner or later, due to the social nature of their wolf part.

Among themselves, the werewolves tend to have an eye for natural domi-
nance. When two dominant werewolves meet, they can easily end up in a
fight and in extreme cases there might be tension between them in human
form. Generally speaking, the less dominant a werewolf is, the easier they
keep themselves under control and the fewer aggressive urges they have.
Of course, there are exceptions and it depends on a person’s personality
before getting infected. Those living in purely werewolf packs sometimes
follow a leader, naturally simulating real wolf packs, but otherwise any
other acknowledged hierarchy amongst the werewolves is very rare.
409
 The Iceland Incident
A Short Report On A Distastrous Event That Shook The Witchard World
by Uslur Uslursdottir, Independent Witch Reporter And Magiblogger

410
The Disaster At Hekla Conflux

For a long time, Iceland has been home to a small but vibrant magic com-
munity. There are vast unpopulated regions in the highlands of central Ice-
land, so it was easy to conceal two entire villages from the local mundanes.
The community had a thriving tourist industry, mainly thanks to mages
wanting to experiment with fire and earth magic, that are especially easy
to execute here.

Then, on February 26th, 2000 at 18:17, disaster struck. All the witches and
wizards who were in Iceland at that exact moment, and who were touch-
ing the ground with their bare skin, died instantly. The volcano Hekla also
erupted (again), but whether this was caused by a spell gone haywire or
rather a case of the volcanic eruption causing the misfire of a spell, no-one
will ever know. A total of 38 local resident witchards and visiting mag-
es died. Nobody knows exactly what happened or what caused it, though
there have been many speculations.

Most witchards believe that some powerful and overconfident wizard tried
to execute an extreme earth magic ritual that backfired. Others think that
it was a curse cast by some native magical creature - possibly centaurs,
since there had allegedly been some conflicts between them and humans
at the Hekla Conflux. Still others think that this was a small-scale test of
a magical weapon of enormous power - but they totally disagree on who
was behind it.

Predictably, while the incident has scared away a lot of the normal magical
visitors, conspiracy theorists flock to Iceland - much to the annoyance of
the locals of the Hekla Conflux, who just want to move on. And the cen-
taurs? They just see it as more proof that human magicians are crazy!

411
 The Ancient And
Most Noble House
Of Auttenberg
From “Hexblood Families Throughout The Ages, Vol. XXVII”
By Philomina Jaeger

412
Sanguis Draconis Semper Faustus Est

Name: The Ancient and Most Noble House of Auttenberg

Leader: Fürst Frederic Fabian Fillip Fernan Falken Von Auttenberg.
Motto: Sanguis Draconis Semper Faustus Est (the dragon’s blood is always
favorable).
Founder: Johann Georg von Faust (Disputed)

The house of Auttenberg is a very old and traditional family of German

witchards. According to them, the family was founded by none other than
Faust himself shortly after the founding of Czocha, and that the family
changed their name to Auttenberg for political reasons.

The head of the family holds the title of “Fürst” and controls a large swathe
of territory in Germany, being the lord and lawmaker of a major conflux
as well as three minor ones.

As such, the Auttenbergs also traditionally hold a seat at the Court of Hex-
enmeisters, making them one of the most powerful and influential fami-
lies in all of Germany.

413
 Politically, the family has always been conservative and obsessed with
blood politics and is one of the foremost supporters of hexborn privileg-
es and supremacy. The Auttenberg family has multiple times blocked or
delayed various measures that would improve the life of mundanes and
mundane borns across Germany, and the family has been crucial in shap-
ing the debate and the discourse around blood politics.

There are dark rumors about the Auttenberg family, of course, as there are
about any family. The Auttenberg rumors, however, don’t limit themselves
simply to rumours of this or that person blackmailing someone, or about
a few rotten apples using magic as a means of control. Rather, the rumors
about the Auttenbergs claim that their enormous mansion is home to
stack upon stack of hidden, forgotten and dangerous book on every sort of
dark magic conceivable.

It is also whispered that the bloodline holds the secret writings of Faust
himself and the list of demons he used, and that they have no compunc-
tions about ruthlessly assassinating anyone who gets in their way, poison-
ing them and healing them only if they swear magical oaths, binding them
to the will of the family. It is also rumoured that the Auttenbergs have been
known to summon ancient demons and spirits in order for them to pos-
sess their political opponents, and that they have sworn allegiance to dark
and unknown powers in return for wealth and might.

The house of Auttenberg also has some well-known and peculiar tradi-
tions. The most curious of these is their traditions concerning names; ev-
ery child born to the Auttenbergs is given five names, each representing
one element, and then their family name, to imbue them with the numer-
ological significance of SEX(6), which represents the unity and stability of
the house, as well as the strength and harmony of the elements.

Another traditions is that of the Draketooth. The Draketooth is a heredi-

tary wand, passed down the line for generation and traditionally held by
the heir apparent.

414
415
 A Brief History Of
The Beyersdorf Family
From “Hexblood Families Throughout The Ages, Vol. XXVII”
By Joseph Haig, Historian Of Both Magic And The Mundane

416
Family Overview

Unlike many other established hexblood families, the Beyersdorf family has its
roots in comparatively young, mundane Austrian and German nobility. Spe-
cifically, it is the Austrian branch of the family where the hexblood dynasty
originates from. The hexblood branch of the family proper, was established
only with the birth of the Mundaneborn Johann Gregor Beyersdorf in 1620.
And subsequently, his marriage to the hexblood Sabine Vietinghoff in 1640,
who would take his name and become known as Sabine Beyersdorf.

Since the late 1600s, the Beyersdorf family quickly grew to include many re-
nowned magicademics among its ranks and it came to be known as a house
of letters. Members of the Beyersdorf family were instrumental in the early
formation of more modern interpretations of older fields of study and of new
fields. Many members of the family have taught at Nibelungen and Brokken,
to the degree where it would be considered quite an anomaly to have no mem-
bers of the family present for a whole generation. In their ranks, the family
also has quite a few Headmasters and Headmistresses of esteemed institutes of
magicademical learning.

Recently, the conflict in Germany, known as the Lander Werewolf Rebellion,

has taken a heavy toll on the Beyersdorf family. Much of the family lives in the
areas hit the hardest by the rebellion. Many members of the house were first
inline against the rebels and in turn some were turned into werewolves against
their will. Today, the hexblood branch of the noble Beyersdorf family is devas-
tated and there is a very real chance that it might die out.

2
417
 Notable Figures

Johann Gregor Beyersdorf (1620 - 1712)

The founder of the Hexblood branch of the Beyersdorf family.
Johann Gregor Beyersdorf was also an avid practitioner of Her-
bology and Alchemy, and is credited with categorizing and cat-
aloguing over 200 new subspecies of magical fungi. He served
for a time as the Alchemy Professor of Brokken and later as the
Herbology Professor of Nibelungen. He died peacefully in his
bed.

Sabine Beyersdorf (1619 - 1738)

Born Sabine Vietinghoff, Sabine Beyersdorf
would turn out to be much more influential than
her husband in shaping the eventual course of
the Beyersdorf dynasty. Having married a bril-
liant, yet entirely unambitious mundaneborn for
love, she was not content with the bad reputation
her husband invited in the less open-minded cir-
cles of the magical community. Sabine Beyers-
dorf was instrumental in providing her husband,
two of her sons, three of her daughters, and many
of her grandchildren with the chance to teach at
a number of different magicademical establish-
ments by using her connections. At the end of
her considerable natural lifespan, the Beyersdorf
family was grudgingly accepted in the higher
echelons of magical society, in no small part due
to her guile. She was also an incredibly talented
practitioner of Necromancy, Mind Magic, and
held a number of teaching positions in these
fields through her life. She died peacefully in her
bed.
418
 Gertrude Beyersdorf (1740 - 1816)
Member of the Students of Pythagoras and a founding
member of the Pythagorean Order. Gertrude was the
sixth individual to ever be awarded a Pythagorean De-
gree and the second to be awarded a degree in Theo-
retical Arithmancy. Through her life, she functioned
as the Arithmancy teacher at Nibelungen for more
than thirty years and towards the end of her life she
was made Headmistress. She died in an unfortunate
accident involving a large quantity of gunpowder and
a demonstration of Vulgar Pyromancy.

Johann Gregor Beyersdorf III (1810 - 1852)

A renowned Austrian Guardian and Demonologist. Infamous for his
rather controversial usage of involuntary demonic possessions in con-
junction with circles of containment to catch and keep individuals
contained within certain areas. For a short stint before his death he
worked as an assistant teacher of Demonology at Czocha College. He
died after attempting a demonic summoning while severely stressed.

Ludwig Beyersdorf Jr. (1902 to 2001)

A Technomancer of some note, Ludwig Beyersdorf Jr. broke
new ground when he was the first to comprehensively study
and categorise how cars and planes responded to enchant-
ment. Though he was offered a spot on the faculty at both
Brokken and Nibelungen, for unknown reasons he never
accepted a teaching position. He died peacefully in his bed.

419
 A Brief History Of
The Wychwood Family
From “Hexblood Families Throughout The Ages, Vol. XXVII”
By Dr. Quentin Baghaven, Fellow Of
The Royal Society Of Sorcerers And Related Crafts

420
Family Overview

Wychwood is derived from an Old English name Huiccewudu meaning

‘wood of a tribe called the Hwicce’. The kingdom of Hwicce was estab-
lished in 577, after the West Saxons defeated the Romano-Britons at the
Battle of Deorham.

The word Hwicce appears to have a proto-indo-european root *(s)keu- “to

cover”, from which the word hide is also derived. And, of course, the word
witch.

The Wychwood family, hexblood elite through and through, have owned
“Wychwood End” and the land around it since the 12th century. Hermes
Armadel Wychwood won the original manor house in a high stakes game
of cursing the previous owner into oblivion when he wasn’t looking.

Today, Wychwood End is a sprawling country estate that sits on-top of

a magical Conflux somewhere in rural Oxfordshire. The house is an ivy
covered, neo-gothic monstrosity, hidden deep inside the most ancient of
woodland. No one is sure how many rooms it has. The passages move
around of their own accord and, for most of the 1930s, the East Wing was
lost entirely (much to the annoyance of Lady Constance Wychwood, who
was in it at the time).

The Wychwood family tree is every bit as sprawling as the estate; they are
related by blood and marriage to pretty much all of the great wizarding
families of Europe.

Other than the extremely famous witchards you will already be aware of, a
few other notable Wychwoods from history include:

421
 Ysbaddaden "The Red” Wychwood,
Notable Figures Vicious Bastard (ca. 800 ad)
Fought against pretty much everyone from the Saxons
and the Welsh, to the Danes and the Irish with his (or
possibly her) warband. Almost certainly trained at Ava-
lon, Ysbaddaden fought with a mixture of magical and
mundane weapons and was nicknamed “The Red” as he
(or she) was usually drenched in blood.

Amelia Wychwood, Regulator (1520 - 1620)

One of the signatories on the codicil to the “Act Against Conjurations,
Enchantments and Witchcrafts,” and the first Regulator in England.

Henry Bollington Wychwood, Baron of

Deorham & Court Assassin (1531 - 1603)
Alleged lover of Queen Elizabeth I and occasional professional
killer; was dispatched by her majesty to resolve a number of po-
litical and magical issues during her long reign.

Jay Wychwood, Poet & Libertine

(1647 - 1680)
Wrote a series of increasingly obscene poems
about the various witchards he had seduced. Was
eventually drowned in a vat of ice by three bish-
422 ops and a nun.
Commander Richard Wychwood,
Guardian (1789 - 1842)
Famously fought and won a duel against a Bona-
partist Necromancer during the run up to the
battle of Waterloo.

Lady Constance Wychwood, Demonologist

(1900 - 1931 then 1938-1989)
Wrote a number of definitive modern texts about demons shortly af-
ter her return from being missing. Also, worked in mundane military
intelligence during World War II. She famously always wore dragon
riding trousers and carried an axe, even on her wedding day.

Felix "The Reaver” Wychwood, Regulator (1954 - 2000)

One of the most feared of the regulators of the 20th century who gained a repu-
tation for brutality and extreme violence in the pursuit of wrongdoers. A hero to
some, a monster to others. His statue still stands in the grounds of Wychwood End
glaring out over the gardens.
423
 The Bendix Twins
From “Hexblood Families Throughout The Ages, Vol. XXVII”
By E. Vincent, Hexenjournalistico At Tula Toltec

424
A Tale Of A Young Witch

The history of the Bendix empire is brief, although of interest to many. The sto-
ry begins with Sara Bendix, a witch born to Mundane parents in the late 19th
century. Kept isolated on a remote farm by her confused and frightened parents,
she never received an education. Thus, when she appeared in 1899 in Vienna,
wild and producing magic haphazardly, the Guardians moved quickly in. The
Niebelungen School accepted her, but she found life in the small Conflux diffi-
cult, and her involvement in a large number of duels led to her withdrawing to a
near-hermit’s existence to concentrate on her studies. Her daughter Katya found
life easier, and was an outstanding student at the Brokken Akademie during the
golden years of the late 1950s. Her energies were divided between the publish-
ing house she founded initially to publish her mother’s Arithmantic and Necro-
mantic notes, and her own interests in Technomancy and Wandlore. When she
gave birth to twins, it was no surprise the children inherited their mother’s and
grandmother’s power. The Bendix twins, Alla and Ben, were born into a chang-
ing world, and found their skills ideally suited them to become creators of idio-
syncratic technology. Focusing first upon transport, the youngsters, while still at
school, modified a series of bicycles. Their mother, spotting a niche in the market,
promoted the Spinner model which became surprisingly popular with hexblood
families living on the edges of the Mundane world. Fitted as it was with Pedal-
help, Caraway, and GuideMe spells, it was able to pass without comment in both
worlds, while allowing the user to move at a comfortable pace for local journeys.
The Caraway spell allowed parents to relax knowing their children would be in
little danger in Mundane traffic. As the twins have grown older, their ambitions
have grown too, resulting in the FunKa, the WandaHome, PocketLibrary and
the MyMusic, so very popular with young witchards. They have also found time
to pen the hugely successful children’s series Wandworld. As an introduction to
the Mundane and Witchard worlds alike, there are no better books, whether for
the explanations to interested witchard youth of Mundane technology or for
introducing newly-discovered hexblood youngsters to their new world. There
will be more wizardry to come from the enterprising duo undoubtedly, though
whether in the fields already explored or in new areas, only they know1.

1 However, much points to their next big thing being sunglasses. Or as it says
in their latest wiz-ad. “You know Illumina as a brightly lit town built of reflective
crystal. It can be dangerous to enter without some banging, magical sunglasses. 425
Luckily, we have JUST the thing for you. Zapglasses. Puts the zap in glass!”
 Identifying Magic
Capability And Lack
Of Magic Capacity
An Expert’s Guide On Hexblood And Its Indicators
By Fenella von Whimplebury

426
Hexblood - the big question!

Indicators of hexblood may occur in a person at either a very young age (in
the cases of very talented individuals) or in their preteens (which is more
common). Identification of hexblood children within the mundane world
has provided much strife to the magical community, since hexbloods went
into secrecy to protect themselves and the Traditions were implemented.
When a child of two hexblood parents is born, the child usually exhibits
signs of magic, though this is not always the case.

Indicators of hexblood are usually presented in a very obvious way, but

these signs are usually displayed not by babies, but rather by children from
ages four to nine. Examples of hexblood abilities that can be found in ba-
bies, are things such as the ability to make inanimate objects sing them to
sleep or levitating a bottle towards themselves.

The more obvious indicators of hexblood almost always present them-

selves at older ages. The most common of these abilities include being
able to predict the future. Other prominent skills, such as the ability to
make inanimate object speak, make ethereal music play at will, the ability
to communicate with animals or to control them, innate elemental magic,
and basic self-transfiguration may also occur as indicators.

Also, other abilities may present themselves in a magical child. These abil-
ities are very difficult to classify as they range over a wide variety of traits.
The general rule for identifying hexblood children amongst mundanes is
usually their ability to perform acts that contradict the mundane laws of
physics. Obvious abilities, as the ones listed before, are proof of exception-
al talent.

These abilities are usually a manifestation of uncontrolled magic, as the

very nature of these indicators is that they are usually triggered by an emo-
tional response. Most hexblood children are unable to effectively control
these abilities.

427
 By age nine, children usually become more able to control their magical
abilities and some of them begin to fade in time for them to begin magical
education.

However, some of these abilities do not fade, and the origin of special
abilities amongst magic kind has often been debated amongst magical ge-
nealogists. In this article ‘special abilities’ does not refer to the traits of
werewolves, vampires, or other abilities caused by disease or infection, but
rather to abilities such as sight of the Third Eye or elemental magic.

These abilities have often been noted by magical genealogists to spring up

at random in bloodlines, and pay no regard to family history. It is com-
pletely possible for many generations of a magical bloodline to contain no
exceptional magical abilities and then have a child of prominent abilities.

Most of these magical abilities may have some link to generations while
others appear to have no pattern as to when they appear in bloodlines. For
example, elemental abilities seem to have links to bloodlines, with one to
three people with the ability appearing within a bloodline over the course
of a century. This appears to be true of the sight of the Third Eye, while it
does not appear to be true for those with the ability to shift into an animal,
or those gifted with the ability to communicate with a species of animals.

It has been speculated by some witchard natural philosophers that these

random occurrences of special magical abilities may be linked to the po-
tency of magic within the individual. However, this view has been dis-
carded by most magic natural philosophers, as potency of magic does not
seem to have any link with bloodline, nor has it ever been successfully
measured. A perfect example of this would be the identical twin brothers
of the Sewl-Hartley family. Whilst the one twin has paved the way in flo-
ra-transfigurative magic, the other was not much better than a mundane
in terms of magical ability.

428
While many witchards speculate as to why some abilities seem to be linked
within familial lines, others do not, and no concrete evidence has been
found either way. This is also the case for magical ability itself.

There is no reliable research available to disprove that magical capability is

consistent in family lines. When a person is born into a magical family and
has no magical capacity they are called duds (though in recent times there
has been a push to refer to them as ‘non-magic capable witchards’). While
their magically capable peers show even the faintest magical ability, duds
show none of these signs. This is not uncommon amongst inconsequen-
tially magical people, however, duds are officially identified after they have
reached their twenties and have not successfully cast a single spell. Thus,
they will never be accepted into any magical schools.

Duds tend to lead stigmatised lives among witchards with magical capac-
ity. They are considered to be a great shame amongst most magical fam-
ilies, especially those with prominency, as they are believed to be proof
of inferior or impure blood. Some families hide their non-magic capable
family members away from the public eye. It is not uncommon for duds to
choose to live amongst mundanes upon reaching adulthood; the fact that
mundanes do not believe in the existence of magic means that they are
able to live with less of stigma.

429
 A Student’s Guide To
Conflux Concepts
How Conflux Politics And Society Are Portrayed Through Difference
By Prof. Sara Kerremans

430
Introduction

A conflux is a high concentration of magic, mostly bound to a geograph-

ical place. In some mountains, for example, you can find a large amount
of stones or crystals, and there are also many dragons to be found. Oth-
er confluxes might have an ancient tree that is embedded with magical
power or some confluxes are located at the sea where there are a large
amount of magical sea creatures. Because of the high concentration of
magic, witchards live around confluxes or magical schools are founded
there. When people live together, ways of organising certain aspects of life
are implemented and a community is formed.

Many different forms of organisation arose around the confluxes. In some

confluxes the society is defined by the school and everyday life is regu-
lated by it, just as the rules. This means that for example witchards liv-
ing around a school, could work as guardians, making sure that witchards
don’t expose magic to their mundane neighbour or that a few healers work
together to take care of the people living in the area of the conflux. Even
though witchards don’t live in separated societies, there is often a form of
organisation with the people living close to the conflux and those who are
connected to it. Mostly there is a very small amount of organisation, that
just depends on the school.

There are some other forms that work with a bigger amount of organisa-
tion, but they are very rare. These forms often grew into some sort of com-
munity or society, regulating the witchards that live in the neighbourhood
around a conflux. Most witchards live in the mundane society, only a few
examples of people living in the nature around the conflux have ever been
observed. The function of organising the witchards in the mundane com-
munity has often to do with not exposing them or organising how people
can work with magical creatures or artifacts, apart from mundane eyes.

431
 Through time people started to use the word conflux for the way of or-
ganisation in itself, which is not the correct meaning, but shows how a
conflux became very connected with the way people organised how they
lived around the conflux. The community or society, the concept for what
the word conflux is often used now days, is a term for a group of people
involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social grouping shar-
ing the same geographical and magical territory, sometimes subject to the
same political authority and dominant cultural expectations.

Human societies are characterized by patterns of relationships (social rela-

tions) between individuals who share a distinctive culture and sometimes
even institutions. This portrays that the forms of organisation are very ba-
sic, these communities or societies mostly don’t have any kind of institu-
tion except for the school. This means that political power (legislative and
executive), judicial power and social structures in the magical world have
always been very decentralized. We’ve only observed a few forms where
there was a higher amount of organisation, in the form of institutions.

International organisation

There has never been a powerful international structure or a common law

that bound the majority of communities around the confluxes. In every
conflux-community, or simply conflux in the way the word is often used
nowadays, power is organised in a different way. There have been conflux-
es that conquered and dominated other confluxes and ruled a big part of
the magical society in their region, but there was never a common project
to create a political power with international legitimacy. The only influen-
tial political power, was the conclave. The gathering of representatives of
the confluxes, in the conclaves. But the conclaves never had any influence
power except for the implementation of the traditions at the conclave of
Kokino. After the implementation of the traditions in 1399, the attend-
ees of the conclaves tried to form an international council. Driven by the
positive effect of pooling power to create the traditions, people began the
dream of a more unified magical world.

432
During the years after the conclave of Kokino there were a lot of gatherings
and an idea for an international institution became to rise. This institu-
tion was going to be formed according to the subsidiarity principle. This
means that social and political problems should be dealt with at the most
immediate (or local) level consistent with their solution. The institution
which would be the central authority, should have a subsidiary (that is, a
supporting, rather than a subordinate) function, performing only those
tasks which cannot be performed effectively at a more immediate or lo-
cal level. However, because of great disagreement between the representa-
tives this institution never came to live. After this failure, the atmosphere
for big international alliances seemed over. From there on, the conclaves
only became a formal structure where nothing of importance was decided.
The magical world went back to be very decentralized and to a very low
amount of organisation.

To explain how different power is structured in the confluxes, we need to

look closer at some examples. Political power is the ability to influence or
control the behavior of people. This basically means a search for where
the authority lies, meaning power given by or taken from the people (in
the form of government, judges, guardians and their regulators, etc.). The
most important thing to keep in mind here is that most of the forms we are
going to explain here are extreme examples. As described above, in most
confluxes there is no form of government or institution, but it’s still valu-
able to explain some examples where there is or was a higher form of or-
ganisation. What we can derive from looking upon the different confluxes
is that they are very differently organised and that the tasks of guardians,
law or authority are very different in different parts of the world. Another
note to add is that we will use the word conflux in its modern meaning.
This means that conflux will refer to the community around the actual
meaning of conflux: the higher presence of magic.

433
 Organisation and power of the confluxes: some no-
table examples

Conflux “Pembe Namiri”: power based on age

The conflux is located at the victoria lake between Kisumu (Kenya) and
Musoma (Tanzania). The region is most known for the high concentration
of Bicorns. In this conflux, power and leadership is based on age. There is a
council (Baraza) of the 9 oldest people of the conflux. These 9 people then
select one leader. The leader, called “Kiongozi”, is the chief leader of ide-
ology,ethical affairs and structural reform. Kiongozi also has the authority
to make decisions regarding security, involving the waging of war. The Ki-
ongozi and Baraza does not manage the affairs of everyday life, which are
handled by the Kila Siku, the representatives of the people.

The Leader, Kiongozi, is the one that has the final decision regarding ide-
ology, ethical affairs and structural reform. The Baraza often serves as a
thinking group that lays out ideas of how the conflux should be structured
and organised. Regarding law, education, mundanes, finances, etc. Law is
created by the Baraza. Before the Kiongozi can approve it, the draft-law
goes to the representatives of the people (Kila Siku). The representatives
can comment and give suggestions. Then it goes back to the Baraza, where
they try to incorporate the suggestions of the Kila Siku in the law, before
it goes to final approval of the Kiongozi. Guardians are protectors of this
law. When someone disobeyed the law, guardians can inform the special
division of representatives, who specialize in researching the crime and
finding a fitting way to handle it. The guardians are in this case nothing
more than messengers of the crime and executives of the decision.

When the international conclave of 1399 in Kokino decided to implement

the three traditions, the Baraza and Kiongozi decided to opt for a lighter
version of it. In the Pembe Namiri conflux, mundanes were no longer al-
lowed to live, but the didn’t adapt a very strict policy to keep magic hidden
from them either.

434
 This morning, I saw some of you practicing defensive spells on the school
courtyard. It was a dreadful sight. Let me just put this plainly:

You either draw your wand, or you don’t. Don’t finger it, fiddle with it, or otherwise
handle it in a casual manner. Your wand holds the thrust of your assault or defense.
It’s the focal point of your magical prowess. Behave accordingly. Make sure to study the
most common ways to hold a wand (the three finger hold, the flat-palmed thumb hold,
the reverse knife-fighter’s hold). It goes without saying that not even a powerful curse or
danger of death justify holding your wand in “the farmer’s fist”. If you’re seen doing so,
be prepared to lose points.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)

There is more a diplomatic way of handling exposure, where depending

on the mundane(s) in question, either a different explanation was hand-
ed or decided to work together between both society’s. The latter to pro-
tect both societies from hurting each other, where mundane leaders were
asked not to expose the Pembe Namiri conclave. Here lies the third func-
tion of guardians, being the diplomats.

435
 Conflux of the Dragon Nomads: lawlessness

The Dragon Nomads are a tribe of dragon trainers, sometimes even called
dragon whisperers, because they are perceived to be the best dragon train-
ers on the globe. They mostly stay in the great deserts in Western and
Northern Australia. For unknown reasons, the local confluxes in this area
tend to drift, usually moving only a few meters per day, but sometimes
suddenly jumping up to a hundred miles in a single night. Because of this,
as well as the desert and general dry milieu, the Dragon Nomads move
around to search for resources. Those resources are often other’s property,
belongings or wealth. The Dragon Nomads are often capable of transport-
ing themselves by dragon and if not, the dragons come with them on foot.
They live in tents made out of animal skin - some say their tents are made
of tanned human skin, but that is mostly thought to be a legend. Contrary
to what one might think, the Dragon Nomads seldom interact with the
aboriginals of the area. The two groups mostly ignore and avoid each oth-
er. The aboriginals do have full sovereignty over the largest conflux, Uluru
(Ayers Rock), and the Dragon Nomads will avoid this area.
436
The social structure of the Dragon Nomads consists of strongly bound
groups of families, based on kinship and marriage ties. They place a very
high value on the extended family. How decisions are made within the
group changes often. Sometimes a person will declare her or himself lead-
er, but usually that will not last very long, and the self proclaimed leader
is removed, possible banished from the group and sometimes even killed.
In general the society of the Dragon Nomads is characterized by violence
and lawlessness. There are no fixed laws that last longer than a short while
and when there are disagreements, they’re often solved with a magical or
physical fight. The violence and lawlessness is even more visible towards
other societies, groups and neighbouring communities (with the curious
exception of aboriginals). What is considered a crime in many confluxes
over the world are seen as a way of living under the Dragon Nomads. Ways
of earning are often called professional crimes by others and include rob-
bery, stealing, destroying property, counterfeiting and killing. Most prop-
erty and food is obtained this way.

The violence that happens within the group often has to do with duel-
ing, heavy drinking or destroying property of another member. There is
no fixed power or political structure and Guardians have no official juris-
diction within the camps of the Dragon Nomads. Quite a few Guardians
nonetheless spend their lives policing this particular culture, however, and
these Guardians tend to be a rough sort.

437
 The Czocha conflux: organisation followed by school structure

The Czocha conflux is characterized by the Czocha College of Witchcraft

and Wizardry. Most of the witchards living in the neighbourhood of the
college have some connection to it. Witchards who do not live in the col-
lege, mostly live in the nearby town Lesna, 3,5km away from the college.
There are a few witchards who live in Luban (15km away) as well. The
community around the Czocha conflux is regulated by the Polish law and
the traditions. Meaning that it is strictly forbidden to break any Polish law
or the traditions.

In the early period of the traditions Czocha college of witchcraft and wiz-
ardry created a job for two guardians in charge of making sure no one
broke them around the school. When the community around the col-
lege began to grow, those guardians became responsible for a bigger area
and the number of active guardians was increased. Nowadays there are 9
guardians in function who are responsible for the area between Luban and
the border with the Czech Republic. They have two main tasks: to make
sure that no one breaks the traditions and when the Polish law is broken
by a witchard, making sure the traces of magic are covered up and the
law-breaker gets proper punishment by the magical community and not
the mundane. The head of the Czocha conflux is the headmaster of the
school. Depending on the headmaster, some of these tasks are delegated.

Conflux of Sarajevan Baščaršija: informal council-based democracy

Baščaršija is the district that houses the old bazaar of the Bosnian capi-
tal of Sarajevo, established under the Ottoman Empire. While the rest of
Sarajevo has changed a great deal with the ages, Baščaršija retains many
aesthetic aspects of Ottoman rule. Sarajevo in general, and especially this
market district, has long been a focal point of cultural exchange and plu-
ralism, and it has also been the site of a conflux even before it was the site
of a central bazaar. It has strong influences from Turkish and Ashkenazi
migrants, mixing old middle-eastern, steppe nomad, and Jewish mystic
traditions together seamlessly.
438
Baščaršija occupies a very strange position in the magical world, since it is
a major tourist attraction in the city that houses it and thus the destination
of choice for many mundanes every year. Furthermore, of the people who
actually live in Baščaršija, the majority are mundanes with absolutely no
knowledge of the magical world. Nonetheless, there is a thriving commu-
nity of witchards living hidden among the mundanes, a community which
has learned through the centuries how to stay hidden even while greeting
your mundanes neighbors every morning when the stalls are being con-
structed and the hookah is being lit.

By far the majority of the many stalls and shops of Baščaršija deal in mun-
dane items. You can find hand-made archaic coffee grinders, fezzes, pipes,
hookahs, and many other mainstays of Turkish and Bosnian culture here.
But for those in the know, there is a hidden bazaar in the midst of the
bazaar, where you can find your eye of newt, wands, geomancy dice, and
whatever else a witchard might fancy.

Baščaršija is a conflux mainly composed of witchard craftsmen and mer-

chants, and very little love for overbearing laws or undue authority is pres-
ent in their ranks. While the conflux does adhere to the three traditions, it
prefers them to be upheld by Guardians with local roots rather than out-
siders with little understanding of the subtle interplay between forces that
has been the norm in the area for centuries. The real ‘central authority’ of
the conflux is mainly found in the informal councils that form out of the
different inhabitants getting together over a cup of Turkish coffee or a puff
of hookah smoke, and it is at these informal gatherings that much of the
day-to-day organisation of Baščaršija takes place.

439
 Conflux Fort-Shevchenko: Guardian-ruled and nepotistic

Fort-Shevchenko is the power-base town and administrative center of the

Tupkaragan District in the Mangystau Region of Kazakhstan. The fort lies
at the shore of the Caspian Sea. The tasks of the conflux lie in regulating
the Tupkaragan District, where witchards live among the few mundanes
that are left in the district. The witchards stay undercover for the mun-
danes living there, but in the past century there was a visible tendency
towards making it an only witchards region.

The primary industries of the Fort-Shevchenko conflux include fishing

and the extraction of stones, often exported and used for siberian stone
healing. Within the environment of the Tupkaragan district there is a high
consistency of Rose quartz and Blue Lace Agate, affecting the Anāhata
(Heart) and the Viśuddha (Throat) chakra, to be found.

Power in the Tupkaragan district is completely ruled by Fort-Shevchenko.

In the fort itself only Guardians, their servants, and family are allowed.
The power of the district lies completely in the hands of the Guardians and
their leader. The leader of the Guardians is mostly the head of the ancient
Guardian family, a family that traditionally only raises Guardians and has
a long historical background of shaping the Guardian profession in the
Tupkaragan district. Other Guardians are recruited in schools where every
child is tested through a series of very heavy physical, psychological and
ability tests, to measure it’s Guardian capacities. Everything in the district
is ruled by the fort. There are no such thing as rules and laws that count for
everyone. Most things are solved by making arbitrary, on the spot rulings.
In this manner every Guardian in the conflux is both judge and jury.

440
Because of the way the fort rules the district the inhabitants experience
restrictions on their mobility and on their freedom to express or commu-
nicate political or other views. Ways to maintain power are, among other
things, banning people and organisations, arresting opponents on the base
of an (often invented) crime and maintaining segregated living commu-
nities and restricting movement and access. Political control is also im-
plemented by a secret Guardian force, called the Segufor, which operates
outside the boundaries and tries to win influence outside of the district.

The Greater Maghreb magicity-state confluxes: from decentralization to

confederation

Greater Maghreb consists of several small and relatively independent con-

fluxes in the form of Mundane-inspired magicity-states. Undoubtedly the
geography of the north African coast—divided and subdivided by hills,
deserts and rivers—contributes to the fragmentary nature. On the one
hand, the city-states of the Greater Maghreb identify themselves as “one
people”. They use the same forms of magic, have the same basic culture,
and same language. Between the 10th and the 13th century the political
system was very fragmented. The confluxes/magicity-states had their own
political structure and worked more or less as an independent society. In-
evitably the smallest confluxes have been dominated or influenced by their
larger neighbors, but conquest or direct rule by another magicity-state ap-
pears to have been quite rare. During the 14th century, the magicity-states
grouped themselves into leagues, membership of which was in a constant
state of flux. Later, the leagues would become fewer and larger, be domi-
nated by one city and often city-states would be compelled to join under
the threat of war or as part of a peace treaty.

The world’s first modern magical democracy was founded in this region in
1329. A citizen’s assembly (bēt) was implemented, for the discussion of
city policy. All citizens were permitted to attend, but the mundane citizens
could not address the assembly or run for office. With the establishment
of the democracy, the assembly became the prime mechanism of govern-
ment; all citizens had equal privileges in the assembly.
441
 However, mundanes were seen as non-citizens and had no political rights
at all. In the beginning, the region contained some of the only confluxes
that didn’t implement the traditions of the Conclave in 1399. This changed
swiftly, however, and within a generation, the Greater Maghreb confluxes
were witchard-only and hidden from Mundane sight.

Some witchards still look back on their history questioning if it could

work to live in harmony with mundanes, and the examples cited are often
from here. Mostly, this sort of thinking is seen as relatively harmless by
Guardians, because it’s limited to thinking only.

The assembly still exists. It is a gathering called to address issues of impor-

tance to participants. It tend to be freely open to participation and oper-
ate by direct democracy. During the ages the assembly has changed in it’s
form. The different forms of assemblies were composed in different ways.
In some the participants were people from a specific location, some from
a given workplace, industry or educational establishment others are called
to address a specific issue.

Citizens who did not engage politically were called (çādē), meaning
a private person, a person who is not actively interested in politics; such
characters were talked about with contempt. Guardians in the region are
given power through the people. In the beginning of the democracy, they
helped lead. Now they mostly help maintain the peace, and take care that
speculations of returning to the glory of the “the old days” remain specu-
lations.

442
The Sub-Londonian Conflux: family estate

The conflux known as “The Sub-Londonian Conflux” is an isolated and

dreary place, heavily influenced by necromantic energies. The name de-
rives from the fact that the conflux is located roughly half a kilometre be-
low the streets of London.

Because of its location and the enormous amount of necromantic influ-

ence, most of London’s ghosts manage to find their way down there, and a
vast amount of those opt to stay. There are only few entries to the conflux,
and they are very hard to find, if one does not know where to look. The
most common entryway involves a trip down the underground river of
Tyburn, where one must travel in a very specific path. Once one reaches
the end of the path, the cavern wall will make way to reveal a flowing,
ghostly river easy traversable by boat, or swimming if desperate enough.
The conflux is one gigantic cavern consisting of grey rock and only a few
landmarks. Most notable is the enormous lake located in the middle of the
cavern, inhabited by a wide arrange of rare aquatic creatures that can’t be
found on the surface world. Another landmark is the forest that occupies
most of the eastern side of the cavern. The trees are all grey and looks rath-
er dead, but nonetheless, the forest hosts a plethora of underground flora
and fauna. Last is the Grey family residence, a mansion carved into the
northern wall of the cavern and warded heavily to avoid unwanted guests.

Due to the bothersome access point, the dark and damp surroundings,
and the countless ghosts of varying power and temper, most people only
visit on necessary errands. Only the Grey family, renowned for their long
line of brilliant exorcists and necromancers, have taken up permanent res-
idency in this conflux, which they affectionately refer to as “The City of
Bones”. As a result of this, the Grey family is the sole authority of the con-
flux, governing it as they see fit and monitoring the conflux for potential
guests. Since the entire main-branch Grey family consists of Guardians,
non-family Guardians are generally not needed in the area.

443
 Conflux of the Sea-Dragon Gulf: from cliques to autocratic oligarchy to
a representative council

There are several ancient confluxes in the Middle East. Amongst them one
stands out due to a very unusual history. While the conflux still exists, the
specific power structure we will be discussing did not last for very long.
The conflux of the Sea-Dragon Gulf as it exists today is a very well-known
conflux with a long and complicated history. It is located at the river delta
of the Shatt al-Arab, which carries the waters of the Euphrates and the
Tigris, on the border of present day Iraq and Kuwait. The delta flows into
the Persian gulf, which is well known for its sea-dragons. hence the name.
For much of its history the Sea-Dragon Gulf was ruled by unofficial cliques
of powerful witchards. Between 1495-1635, however, an until then un-
known way of organising a conflux occurred. The sizeable conflux came to
be ruled by the wizard Arm-An-Hafez, who was exceedingly skilled at Rit-
ual Magic in particular, and had managed to attain his position by ousting
the head of the prior ruling clique in a duel to the death. The fact that he
ruled for 140 years increased his already considerable power. He claimed
to be a higher creature than human, because he managed to stay in power
for so many years.

He renamed the conflux to Guidance ( ). Authority was monop-

olized by him and his closest allies, and exercised through various mecha-
nisms to ensure that their power remained strong. Using magic, they reg-
ulated nearly every aspect of the public and private behavior of resident
witchards. Strong rituals were performed to restrict travel and commu-
nication out of the area. All power belonged to the Grand Council, the
membership of which was comprised by the Archmage and Prime Master
of Ritual, Arm-An-Hafez, his Seneschal Vizier and seven others. Together
they compromised the new ruling clique, but in a manner quite unlike the
cliques of the past. It was known also as the “Centre” ( )

The conflux power was based on fear and real physical danger. This power
was executed by a special form of militia, that was divided into zones and
special sectors.
444
The first task was the peremptory execution of anyone who disagreed or
formed a danger to the conflux, without trial. This included hundreds
of mundanes who found out about the conflux or passed by. The militia
did not consist of trained Guardians, but rather replaced Guardians and
formed killing squads. Guardians were either absorbed into the militia or
killed. The militia consisted of separate forces that were operating more or
less autonomously in the various zones. Troops from one zone frequently
were sent to another zone to enforce discipline. An unprecedented cam-
paign against dissidents ensued that led to annihilation of about one third
of the confluxes magical population. This conflux structure was one of the
most brutal in recorded magical history, especially considering how rela-
tively briefly it ruled the conflux in question.

After the death of Arm-An-Hafez, the regime toppled rather quickly, with
most of the non-mundane residents moving to other areas. After 20 years,
very little was left of the power structure established by Arm-An-Hafez or
even the clique structure of the past, and the remaining witchards elected
a formal council with very limited powers. This council would govern the
area for the next many generations, up until modern times, and the night-
mares of Guidance were a thing of the past.

The example of the conflux of the Sea-Dragon Gulf when it was known as
Guidance is the most extreme form we have ever seen throughout history.
Never since has there been a conflux as horrifying in its structure and the
brutal efficiency with which it enacted that structure. Certain hardliners
in many other confluxes through the known magical world have later at-
tempted to recreate the organisational structure of Guidance, but it has
never taken root quite as powerfully as it did in those days.

It’s a subject of intense debate, especially in classes of Sorcererous Ethics.

h
445
 Thoughts On
Transportation
In The Modern
World Of Magic
Useful Knowledge For The Intrepid Traveler In The Arcane Realms
By Eduard Lobheimer, Explorer Of The Unknown

446
The Simplest Method: Mundane Travel

“It would be so much easier if I could just snap my fingers and appear
where I wanted to be.”

There are various options for witchards who need to travel from one place
to another, the most simple of them being the methods offered by the
mundane world: planes, trains, cars, bicycles, horses, boats and the like.
Although they are slow, noisy, often polluting and prone to delay, they
have the distinct advantage of being safe to use. Travelling by these meth-
ods is not going to break any of the Traditions.

However, there are times when you need to get somewhere in a hurry, and
of course there is the matter of entering Confluxes or moving from one
Conflux to another without passing through the mundane world. Let us
look at a few of the options available.

Riding a Dragon

The magical equivalent to riding a motorbike, except that this particular

motorbike is an enormous fire breathing flying reptile that will toast and
eat you if you don’t know what you’re doing. Riding a dragon requires spe-
cial training and some basic protective gear. Studies suggest dragons are
intrinsically immune to magic, which means that if you try to ride them
with nothing but a spell to protect you, you will end up walking funny.

There are some downsides to using dragons for transportation. They can-
not be used around mundanes as no amount of cloaking spells will work
because of their resistance to magic. Using dragons during wintertime and
in cold environments is impractical as it takes them longer to get warmed
up. Finally, there is the obvious issue of dragons being extremely danger-
ous, which is why riding them is best left to badasses.

447
 Teleportation

Teleportation is a snappy way of getting you from where you are to a place
where you have been before. It takes a bit of preparation and lots of loca-
tions are partially or completely protected against teleportation. Bouncing
off a teleport protection can leave a witchard with unpleasant bruises in
unusual places, or even worse. It should only be used for going to locations
you have previously visited and where you know you are welcome and
expected. Most educational facilities have protection against teleportation
in and out.

Teleportation doesn’t work during chaos storms or incursions from de-

monic or faerie plains. It is also quite unreliable over great distances; the
longer the distance, the more likely it is that something goes wrong and
you might leave a part of yourself behind on the way. Teleporting cannot
be used on other people or living entities.

Magic Circles

Ancient witchards built a transportation system that stretches across most

of Europe, utilizing the ley lines that connect places of power within the
Confluxes. Stepping into a stone circle in Scotland will enable you to step
out of a cave in Southern France, for instance. Most locations of ritual
magic are interconnected, so one could get from Stonehenge to Czocha in
a few blinks of an eye. The magic circles can be used for transporting living
beings or small items of transport such as bikes.

Unfortunately, there seem to be no connected circles outside of Europe

and North Africa and cannot therefore be used for getting from Europe to
America, India, or Asia. And even those within are well-protected at best,
and governed by harsh intern-Conflux rules and regulations.

448
Chimneys

Some homes are connected to the nexus backbone via their fireplaces, a
decidedly old-fashioned way of getting about. Much like teleportation you
need to know where you are going, but at least you do not actually need to
have been there before. Requires an alchemical component.

Interestingly enough, almost every fireplace is open on Christmas Eve, but

tradition suggests that one should not go to places uninvited unless bring-
ing a gift and respecting the local dress code of red, white and beard.

Runic Bridges

Runic bridges are by far the most fashionable method of point to point
transport, if I may say so myself. It requires a witchard at either end of the
‘bridge’ to inscribe a simple magic circle and cast the requisite spell. This
creates a direct pathway through metaphorical space that the witchard can
pass through. A runic bridge has the added benefit of being easily usable in
the mundane world because it will appear to those without hexblood with
a rational explanation. For example: a witchard crossing a runic bridge
that ends in the middle of a crowded market square will appear to have
walked across the square rather than simply materialising in the middle of
it. Runic bridges can also be used on mundane methods of transportation,
such as to guarantee the safe passage of boat across a stormy sea or allow-
ing the moving of a truck from one place to another.

The downsides of the runic bridges are that you need a witchard to open
them at both ends, and that the effect is not instantaneous. The advantage
is that it can cross vast distances and will not break the Traditions.

449
 On French
Witching Society
A Scholarly Viewpoint Combing Both Magic And Mundane Knowledge
By Alexandrine J. Bellerose And Jehanette-Rose Tzigui, Ph.D.

450
They’ve Always Been A Bit Apart

Going into hiding wasn’t easy for the French witchards, who have always
enjoyed a close relationship with the Mundanes. Even today, French mun-
dane culture seems more closely related to the witching culture than what
is normally seen, having no problem describing fantastical or seemingly
magical situations as if they were everyday occurrences. There is a tenden-
cy in French witching society to view their culture as inherently superior,
which is why they are known to discreetly prod and manipulate the mun-
dane society in the direction they prefer.

It is a generally accepted theory that Abbé Sieyès, who played an import-

ant role in the French Revolution of 1789, was a mundane-born sorcer-
er inspired by the transition of the witchard society from monarchy to
democracy just eight years prior (though this wasn’t nearly as bloody as
ended up being the case in the mundane word). Likewise, Napoléon’s first
wife Joséphine is known to have been a descendent of a hexblood family,
though her own magical abilities is still a subject of discussion.

Especially the old hexblood families rely heavily on traditions. Though the
de Chambord family hasn’t been directly involved in politics for several
decades, many families still regard them as a sort of unofficial royalty, and
they exert a huge amount of influence. The idea that French witchard cul-
ture is superior permeates especially the old families’ frame of mind, and
while they have no problem exerting influence on the Mundane society,
any influence the other way is heavily frowned upon. Mixing magic and
technology is somewhat a taboo, though this is slowly changing. It is com-
mon to hear the old families expressing viewpoints about how they have
nothing against mundane-born or mixed conjurers, as long as they can
prove themselves to be on the same level as the hexblood. Still, very few
hexblood families are open to the idea of their children marrying anyone
other than hexbloods, with the most traditional of them heavily preferring

451
 French hexblood families.

Somewhat unusual for witching societies, the French has a rich literary
culture. Several celebrated French writers were actually conjurers, among
them Gustave Flaubert, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and, more recently, Ro-
main Gary. While both Flaubert and Rousseau wrote for the magical as
well as the mundane society, Gary was slightly controversial in writing
exclusively for the mundane. However, his work became hugely popular
among especially mundane-born and mixed conjurers. Many hexblood
teenagers began reading his books as well, as a sign of defiance towards
their parents.

Unlike their mundane counterparts, there is very little animosity between

French and English witching societies. They have enjoyed a close collabo-
ration since they joined forces against Jeanne d’Arc’s efforts to expose the
witching world to the mundane.

Jeanne d’Arc

While the mundane world remembers Jeanne d’Arc as a martyr, she has
a wildly different legacy in the witching world. Having always had a close
relationship with the mundane world, French witchard society in the be-
ginning of the 15th society found itself divided between those who sup-
ported the decision of the Conclave of Conjurers, and those who wished
to continue to live among the mundanes. Jeanne d’Arc, from an old, but
poor hexblood family, was the frontrunner for the latter faction. Skilled
in divination, the young girl used her abilities to divine the movements of
the English troops and thus gain the trust of the mundanes. The French
and English witching societies, until now otherwise in deep conflict just
as their mundane counterparts, decided to bury the hatchet and cooperate
in stopping this threat to the integrity of their societies. Under the guise
of the 100-year war, English troops laid siege on the city of Orléans, where
the French witching court resided.

452
In reality, this was done to protect the court from d’Arc. However, d’Arc
succeeded in breaking the siege and assassinating the entire Pannier fam-
ily, which was traditionally considered the most influential of the magical
families. The witching society believed they had lost the war until a young,
previously unknown, sorcerer named Philippe de Chambord managed to
capture her on her way to Paris. She was promptly handed over to the
English mundane society, who ended up executing her. The de Chambord
family immediately rose to the top ranks in society, where they have en-
joyed immense amounts of influence over the magical community ever
since.

xxx
453
 Confluxes

There are several important confluxes across France. The oldest of them
is centred near the caves of Lascaux, where there’s evidence of magical ac-
tivity as far back as 10.000 BC. Many old and influential families are gath-
ered around this area, as this has been the political centre for so long. This
might be the reason that the mundane monarchy was centred in Orléans
for many years too; it is a well-known secret that many sorcerers have a
hard time restraining themselves from exerting some kind of influence on
the mundane world. After all, there is a reason why the fourth Tradition
exists.

The conflux at Mont St-Michel has historically attracted witchards more

interested in academic pursuits. It’s said to have been inhabited by a druid-
ic cult in ancient times, though it went mostly unnoticed by the rest of the
world until around year 700, when the sorcerer Aubert d’Avranches built
an abbey at the top of the island. It was originally intended as a place for
mundanes and conjurers alike to study, but was gradually taken over by
mundane monks. Today it’s all but abandoned by the magical society due
to the fame it has gained in the mundane world.

Many witchards have instead moved to the south towards the village of
Carcassonne, which was originally built around a small conflux. Though
it’s popular among tourists, the majority of its inhabitants have magical
abilities. The region around the village enjoys a large concentration of con-
jurers as well. Life around here is generally considered quiet and peaceful,
which some see as an opportunity to engross themselves in their studies,
while others regard it as boring. The stereotypical inhabitant around this
conflux is an old sorcerer with a flowing white beard who spend most of
his time poring over old scrolls. Paris, which has traditionally been more
or less ignored by the witching society, has gained some traction in recent
years. New studies suggest that the city might be built upon a vast, but
until now mostly unexplored, conflux.

454
The most radical followers of this theory have proposed that Paris has be-
come the mundane capital because the small amount of hexblood in mun-
danes unconsciously attracted them to this area. As with any other new
theory, there are of course also those who scoff at the very idea that Paris,
regarded as the embodiment of everything mundane, could in any way
rival the old and respected confluxes.

17th century in France: The theater and life struggles
of Jean Racine

It just so happened that not many world rulers were witchards – or even
had the potential to become one. Louis XIV of France was a notable excep-
tion in that he did possess the necessary talent, but his strict upbringing by
Anne of Austria, a deeply religious Spanish princess, prevented anybody
from attempting to teach the young king even a single spell. Yet his latent
magical abilities made Louis feel a constant dislike for Paris (a city that
could be seen as the very epitome of everything mundane) and a strong
inclination towards the nearby Versailles (a small, but quite potent conflux
located 10 miles from the capital). The king therefore relocated his entire
court there soon after the death of his mother.

455
 Such a situation: A magically talented, but untrained, young king enam-
ored of beauty, art, poetry and theater, a palace with access restricted to
a chosen few and a huge garden full of mythological statues surrounding
it all, resulted in a rather lax approach to the Traditions. Thus many of
the artists writing, creating and performing during the early part of Lou-
is’ reign were witchards. The three most famous of these were without a
doubt the great playwrights of this day: Pierre Corneille, Jean-Baptiste Po-
quelin (known mostly by his stage name ‘Molière’) and the most talented
of them all: Jean Racine, to whom we shall chiefly devote this story.

Orphaned at the tender age of four, young Jean soon became a student
of the highly erudite Petites Écoles de Port-Royal - their very last student
in fact. This exceptional education lead by some of France’s best classi-
cists was not without internal contradictions. In an attempt to instill their
pupil with good rhetorical and critical skills, the masters of Port-Royal
immersed him in classical literature. It was thus that Racine became ac-
quainted with what would become his two main passions in adult life:
Theater and magic – both omnipresent in his school lectures and both
frowned upon by his masters. Nearing adulthood, Racine hazarded a step
which not only meant a break with his upbringing, but could also entail
a loss of any future prospects: He wrote and published his first tragedies
and started dabbling in magic, basing his studies upon the descriptions
he has read in the works of Apollonius, Pliny, Apuleius and other ancient
authors. Quite surprisingly he succeeded at both of his endeavors – he
soon became a renowned playwright and quite an accomplished conjurer.

This combination of employs wasn’t unheard of at this time. Another pop-

ular tragedian, Pierre Corneille, had been spicing some performances of
his texts with magic to impress his audience even more. Finally, the best-
known playwright of those days, Molière, had picked up many a country
spell during his tours in the French provinces. And not only did his Pari-
sian performances make use of commedia dell’arte routines learned in the
rural parts of the country, but they also never failed to dazzle with some
spell – simple in execution, but spectacular to the casual onlooker.

456
Such a breach of the Traditions may seem surprising, but it wasn’t seen as
such when it lasted. Magic used in the context of a spectacle passed largely
unnoticed by mundanes. Or rather: Sure, it was noticed, but the theatri-
cal entourage ensured subconscious rationalization so, in other words, the
Mundanes saw magic and thought that the screenplay and scenography
were so realistic that even on-stage magic seemed genuinely... magical.

Thus Racine found the French stage already occupied by two great figures:
An immensely popular comedy writer and a classically educated tragedi-
an. The young man collaborated with the former and competed against
the latter – not only writing plays on similar topics (the two Berenices
being a prime example) but also reviving ancient spells. Louis XIV, in the
prime of his life at the time, took a keen interest in theater and even had a
tragédie-ballet-magical display created for him by Corneille and Molière.
‘Psyche’ (for such was the title of this entertainment) is to this day remem-
bered in the mundane world as a dazzling show of theatrical machines
and staging. Needless to say the magical society considers it an example of
hiding magic in plain sight of non-magical onlookers.
457
458
Suddenly the Affair of the Poisons erupted. Catherine Deshayes (better
known as „La Voisin”; a poorly talented but enterprising witch), having
repeatedly meddled in king’s love affairs (making him fall for Madame
de Montespan), had overstepped herself and agreed to poison Louis XIV
when his affections moved to another object. The plot was stopped in
tracks with the king surviving unharmed, but La Voisin still managed to
implicate several other people during her interrogation. Racine was one of
them. Accused of having magically killed Mademoiselle Du Parc, his one-
time lover, and – even more condemningly – an actress he seduced away
from Molière’s troupe, only the king’s intervention and a swiftly arranged
catholic marriage, coupled with a total abandonment of the theater, man-
aged to conserve his status. Racine vowed to never again perform magic,
nor to ever again write for the theater.

He became an exemplary husband and a father of eight, spending his spare

time writing a chronicle of Louis XIV’s reign and translating psalms. This
transition fitted the shift in tone that the court of Versailles had experi-
enced. Under the influence of Louis’ new wife, Madame de Maintenon, the
chateau changed from a joyful, vibrant place of amusement into a dreary
seat of prayer and intolerance. Much as the mundanes had noticed the
Revocation of the Edict of Nantes forbidding protestant religion in France,
so did the magical community see a sharp fall in prestige followed even by
some attempts at persecution.

So nothing may be as surprising as to learn that it was at the request of this

very Madame de Maintenon that Racine returned both to the theater and
to the practice of magic. More than ten years after abandoning his metier,
he wrote – for the students of the school she was presiding over – a play.
Based upon a biblical theme, ‘Esther’ seemed an admissible foray into the
theatrical profession. Yet, as the first performances have shown, even tim-
id schoolgirls can shine when the spectacle is sprinkled but a tiny bit with
magical craft. This did not go down well with the most severe of the devout
at court, and the second biblical play Racine was commissioned to write,
‘Athalie’, never saw an actual performance during his lifetime. Neither did
he ever perform even the tiniest spell again.
459
 Romanian
Lore And Magic
A Short Text For The Interested Geomagi Student
By Konstanty Zyzniewski, Scholar Of Vampires And Other Things

460
Brief History

During the great reign of the Roman emperors, there was one kingdom
which stood in their way. Expanding over lands with great riches, Dacia
span on both sides of the Danube and saw a rise in glory with their king,
Burebista, threatening the Roman empire.

Magihistorians theorise that during the ascension of king Burebista, Dacia

reached a primal apex of magic. Early signs of magic are linked to crafts-
manship in the name of their gods, to protect and aid their needs. Writings
and carvings depict deified totems, inclined towards gods of the Sun and
Moon.Talismans and totems alike were used as foci for the incantations
of magic. Studies indicate that these early spells were mostly focusing on
light and warmth, traits of the Solar god, and darkness and water, attribut-
ed to the Lunar god. It seems magic was widely used for aiding in harvests
and for protection. However, magic took a significant turn when the Dacia
kingdom was conquered by the Roman Empire. During the assimilation
and Romanification of the Dacia kingdom, several cultural elements were
merged and of course, magic was no different.

The rituals in the name of the gods were seen as a blasphemy by the Ro-
mans, and they slowly became a taboo in society. Soon enough, spells ded-
icated to the gods were only found in sects and cults, often secret, hidden.
More commonly, magic took the form of creature studies and spellcraft
dedicated to war and prosperity. The hitherto soothing rays of sunlight
transformed into scorching beams, and talismans and totems were re-
placed by staves and weaponry.

The peaceful Dacians were changed and reformed to a more expan-

sion-hungry empire, suzerain to the great Roman Empire. Writings and
pictures show that spellcasting also changed in a more gruesome and vul-
gar form, the two different styles merging together. Necromancy and even
‘Demonology’ became more public, whereas spellcasting for prosperous
purposes, Luna and Sol, diminished in form and strength.

Pic/Konstanty Zyzniewski, The Famous Polish Vampire Scholar. Possibly A

Staged Photo Made For Publicity Purposes. 461
 Cults and Sects

With formal magic more or less completely abolished from society, the
medieval era saw an increase in cults and sects dedicated to the pagan
gods of Sun and Moon. The magic developed during that time was based
on traditions and heritage, and it later led to the witchcraft linked to gypsy
tribes.

As there was a need to hide, the magic transitioned a bit towards divina-
tion and prediction as well as mischievous spells which aided in their need
for sanctuary.

With the reign of Vlad Dracul of Walachia and the rise of religion, the
purging of the sects increased. Ironically, Necromancy saw an increase in
followers.They used offensive, disruptive magic to combat the veils and
protection spells that these hunted groups specialised in.

The epitome of Necromancy in Walachia was reached with the well-

known Vlad the Impaler. The ruler of Transylvania was a well-known he-
momancer. During his reign, the kingdom prospered due to his iron fist,
however, several morbid developments were made.

Firstly, research on people and forbidden magic was performed in order

to enhance his Hemomancy. This later led to the creation of Vampires as
they are known from myths.

Secondly, the last fragmentation of magic in society occurred. Occult

magic (mainly focusing on the two deities) was driven completely under-
ground, while the kingdom saw a dark twist towards Necromancy and
Hemomancy. Only on a few rare occasions in history has that happened.

462
463
 The Solstice

The kingdom saw multiple battles and adjustments in land, expanding

and losing territory over several years. Throughout a span of 400 years,
the balance of power shifted a bit from the blood-thirsty ruling of Vlad
and his successors. While Transylvania was still a land heavily focused in
Hemomancy, the surrounding kingdoms were protected with the aid of
some witches and wizards rising from the hidden sects. These kingdoms,
moving away from the war-dedicated magic of the past, still shunned the
deities worshipped by the occultists. However, due to prosperous years,
the purging of cultists and their deities almost stagnated. Their presence
was minimal in the outside world and thus far posed no threat to the reli-
gion and the main schools of magic of the kingdoms.

During the ruling of Alexandru Ioan Cuza (c.a. 1862), magic saw a major
twist yet again. His reign was based on culture and diplomatic attempts.
Reforms, in the privileged groups as well as in industry, swiftly followed.
Magic was just as drastically changed. Studying magic became a priority
and the cults saw a faint reveal for the purpose of knowledge.

In 1864, magic society saw a dawn never met before. A discovery related
to a celestial event and seasonal passing made the occult magic appear
far more intriguing. While people are still trying to identify the source of
this magical surge, it appears that during the two solstices, Luna and Sol-
based magic is intensified greatly. Some theorise that this is because of the
rareification of spellcasting.. For many years, this form of sacred, ancient
magic was used very rarely and only during specific rituals. It is possible
that the energy itself adapted to the ‘moment’, to the most common apex
in the calendar. Other theories suggest astral-based mutation of magic.
This could be due to the expansion of the Sun, electromagnetic fluctuation
or even the movement of celestial structures through the universe. This
apex, however, seems to have been forming over years and keeps expand-
ing even today.

464
From that moment forward, due to its fantastic protective properties and
the overall increase in the newly-defined “gypsy magic” (divination, fore-
sight, fortune-telling, curses and hexes), the new land of Romania saw an
increase in this form of magic.

Recurring from ancient times, Solar and Lunar Magic as it was recently
named, is far more wide-spread. Despite the slowly changing fact that it
is still frowned upon by necromancers and hemo-mancers, use of this
magic has seen an increase in later years. Romanians and pure-blood de-
scendants of ancient Daci are far more apt in using this magic. However,
the drawbacks is that this form of power often peaks towards the Solstices
(where it sees the apex) and descends towards the Equinox periods (where
it is at its lowest point).

Being a cultural asset, this form of magic is not often seen within any other
nation’s arsenal. However, whether it takes the shape of gypsy magic or So-
lar and Lunar-devoted shapes, it is commonly known that Romanian mag-
ic is often used in protection or in connection with mischief and deceit.
The Romanian flag itself symbolises the Moon (water )- Blue, the Sun -
Yellow and the Blood - Red; a testament to the country’s magic traditions.

Divination has certainly guided me in my life. It’s not my specialty, but I know
the basics, of course. Everyone should. When I was a young student, much as you
are now, I went to the tower on the night of the New Year to determine from the stars how
my life would go. I wanted to know what kind of a future I should pursue.

I didn’t need the charts because I had them memorized, of course. It’s much faster
than having to consult them all the time. Every student should be able to do the basic
astrological calculations in her head by her third year.

Anyway, as I was saying... Mars was ascendant, and Jupiter held a very significant
position. I won’t tell you all the details because it was very personal. The stars told me
that I would lead a life of supreme importance, my work would be cited for ages to come,
and my thinking would influence entire generations.

All that has come to pass. And you dare to ask if divination really works!

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)

465
 Mount Traxl
A Truthful Tale Of Bewildering Enthusiasm And Insight
By Eduard Lobheimer, Explorer Of The Unknown

466
It Is Real

There are many stories about Mount Traxl. Most people believe that this
mountain is pure myth, like the mundanes regard Atlantis or Shangri-La.
It is supposedly a fantastic place, with ancient Confluxes, riches beyond all
dreams, a wealth of magical creatures, and amazing sights. A place most
wizards would give anything to visit.

Mount Traxl is quite real. I have been there. It was all everyone imagines and
more. Now, away from the mountain, my heart yearns for it. However, I truly
wish I had never gone and hope never to go back. Yet, I probably will.

I sighted Mount Traxl several times on my travels over the years. Once in
the remote highlands of Peru, twice in the Himalayas, and once even on
my trek across Antarctica. Although, in Antarctica I was half dead from
hypothermia and desperately fleeing a group of non-human pursuers, so I
may have imagined it.

I finally found the route to Mount Traxl in a totally different place, which
I will not detail here, as to not entice my readers to try to find it. Further, I
am not sure whether that route would be open to anybody else, it may be
that every traveller must find his or her own way to Traxl. I will also not
describe my trek to Traxl. Sufficed to say, the journey was not an easy one.

How long did I spend on the mountain? Frankly, I am not sure. So much
happened that it must have been weeks. But I have no recollection of get-
ting tired or sleeping. I do remember feasting, dining on the most delicious
fruits and wines I have ever tasted. Dancing, partying, studying, whatever
one desires, there is a place on the mountain where that can be fulfilled.

On Mount Traxl, I had a guide named Esuria. I met her on a path near
the Diamond Falls. Was our meeting by chance? I do not know. She was
delighted to see me and told me that she too seldomly had met foreigners
visiting the mountain.

467
 She brought me to her home, a simple but comfortable house, and we
stayed there only briefly. I was eager to see the rest of the mountain, so we
travelled. I remember wandering across a plain where centaurs held coun-
cil. Visiting the King Who Sees Naught, but he did not deign to notice us.
Traversing the Burning Forest and even approaching the Rift of Worms,
but not getting too close. In several places, I could literally feel the magical
energy flowing around us and it was never a surprise to see sprites follow-
ing us curiously.

All the time, Esuria and I chatted as old friends. I was quite surprised when
I noticed that we were holding hands during our travels. After some time,
we arrived at the Town of Cards. We feasted at the inn and made merry.
Then, we travelled onwards towards the Grey Towers. Esuria seemed more
eager, even anxious, to press on.

The path took us past an inviting lake and I suggested we went for a swim.
Esuria did not want to swim. Naively, I thought she was merely shy and I
persisted in asking her. Finally, she indulged me and we swam. She did her
best to distract me, but I have always enjoyed diving and swam towards
the bottom.

Under the water a strange thing happened. Once I got a few feet under my
ears popped, and it felt as if there was a tune which had been abruptly cut
off. It was not pleasant and so I surfaced again, confused. Esuria stared at
me in terror and screamed for me to get out of the water.

However, for some reason I dove again. This time I went deeper and stayed
under longer. And again the music, which wasn’t there, was blocked by the
water. And when it was gone, I could hear a different tune, far more sinis-
ter and threatening, full of dissonances and broken notes.

I surfaced again and saw Esuria standing on the shore of the lake cry-
ing. I swam ashore and approached her, but something held me back. She
sobbed and begged me not to leave. I was about to reassure her, when I saw
something else in her face - hunger.
468
She told me that she wanted to hear much more about my travels and all
the exotic things I had seen in the world. As she spoke I tried to recall our
chats. I discovered that she had told me nothing about herself, while I had
been telling her everything about me. I could feel how some of the mem-
ories I had shared with her were fading, becoming mere stories that had
happened to someone else.

I became scared and backed away. She followed me and kicked my wand
aside, which I had carelessly left with my clothes. I panicked and ran, leav-
ing everything behind.

My escape took many hours and it was a close call. At first, only Esuria
chased me, but later she must have called for help. Some of my pursuers
were human (at least, that’s how they appeared) and some were definitely
not. The terrain was treacherous and, had I not been an experienced out-
doorsman and mountaineer, I would definitely have fallen to my death or
been captured. I am not sure which would have been worse.

Finally, I found the path that had led me to Traxl and ran down it. It was
only when the horrible, silent music ended, that I knew I was safe and
could stop fleeing.

At that point, I must have collapsed. I would probably have died there,
naked in the mountains, had I not been found by a group of mundane
trekkers. They wrapped me up and brought me to a mundane hospital.
I was rambling and later transferred to an institution for mundanes with
mental problems. Wandless, it took me months to get back in touch with
the magical community.

This is all several years ago now, but for the last few months I have been
dreaming of Traxl. In my dreams, I can hear the music that isn’t there. I
have been found sleepwalking with my wand.

I may be going back to Mount Traxl.

469
 The Ludwig
A Short Note On That Most Illustrious Hospital That Just Happens To
Share The Name Of The Author Through Coincidence
By Otto Ludwig IV Jr.

470
Europe’s Leading Menta-Magi Treatment Facility

The most famous magical mental hospital in Europe is located a bit sout-
west of Munich, Germany. It is called the König Ludwig II Magische Hei-
lanstalt für psychische Erkrankungen and is more commonly known as
The Ludwig.

The hospital was founded in 1868, uniting several smaller hospitals and
mental wards within Europe. It serves both as a hospital, treating all kinds
of magical mind afflictions, as well as a peaceful home for those who have
no hope of a cure. Attached to the hospital, there is also a small high-secu-
rity ward for the criminally insane.

The Ludwig is constantly researching new treatments for magical mala-

dies. The Ludwig has been criticised for the staff being too quick to use
wands or potions in cases where simple therapeutic methods could have
helped.

The Ludwig is famous throughout the European Confluxes for being a

destination for both teachers and students who end up in unfortunate cir-
cumstances due to magical episodes of an unlucky nature.

Luckily for us all, their recovery rates are nearly magical!

I’ve heard what happened at the lab this morning. You could hear the explosion
all the way up in the tower. I believe the guilty parties have already been to see
the Headmaster about it. I’m not going to yell at you. Accidents are a normal part of
learning how to use magic. They teach you to be more careful.

If you walked into the faculty room and asked: “Who here hasn’t caused an explosion?”
you would be greeted with silence.

That said...

If the person who accidentally polymorphed my cat Trismegistus into a pitbull during
last night’s bout of illegal dueling doesn’t come forward, I will ground the entire class
for a month.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder) 471
 The Fabled Herbologist
Gaarstyn Rorak And
His Gardens
Life And Death Of Gaarstyn Rorak
By A Devoted Admirer Of His Works, Who Shall Remain Anonymous

472
Life And Death Of Gaarstyn Rorak

Gaarstyn Rorak was a famous herbologist in the early 19th century. Little
is known about his personal life – he appeared from nowhere, becoming
famous in an instant. At times, he claimed to have Arabic ancestors, and
at other times he denied it completely and bragged about his druidic roots
and how he was related to Gwenc’hlan. He was very popular in high soci-
ety. His amusing stories, beautiful songs, bright mind and kind character
made him very sought-after companion. The dark-skinned explorer with
his stunning moustache was always dressed according to the lastest fash-
ion, with some extraordinary detail hinting at his travels in faraway exotic
places. He was loved by many, but never stayed in a relationship for very
long, since his passion called him in the wild rather than in the arms of
others.

He described hundreds of new species, discovered some rare variants

of plants and herbs already known to the wizarding world, and devised
countless practical uses for his new knowledge in various potions and
salves. He also had a great love for philosophy. His famous gardens were
designed to incorporate all his passions.

His disappearance was as sudden as his first arrival. The witchard society
was struck when his assistant, Viola Smithers, returned alone from an ex-
pedition, claiming she witnessed Rorak’s death. Just two weeks later miss
Smithers was caught stealing valuable items from Rorak’s mansion in Kra-
kow. She was accused of murder but could not be declared guilty with cer-
tainty since Rorak’s body was never found. There are rumors that the leg-
endary herbologist survived the attack. Others think he orchestrated his
disappearance himself with the help of his assistant, having grown tired of
society and choosing to seclude himself to seek profound wisdom. No one
remembers him as being young nor old. His followers are convinced he
gained immortality, but there is no proof that anybody met him after his
fake or real – and certainly unexpected – disappearance..

473
 Rorak’s Discoveries

One of Rorak’s best known discoveries was the way of obtaining silver moon
extract from Lunaria. It has strong dry and cold powers and can be used sim-
ilarly to silver. It is often used to solve incompatibilities with silver in potions.

He also solved the mystery of the Blood-Weeping Willow. The tree cre-
ates a thick, bloodlike liquid to defend itself against a parasitic sap sucking
worm. The parasites are sealed off in lumps of wood resembling closed
eyes on the tree bark. Some find this theory unsatisfying as it does not
explain the strange whisper-like noise that can often be heard around the
trees. The “blood” of the blood-weeping willow has strong magical prop-
erties that can be found neither in the parasites nor the tree itself. Ror-
ak was the first one to describe Adeloidus, a carnivorous plant from the
swamps of South America. Its huge flower, blooming in pulsing white and
red, opens up to sound, or more specifically, to the voice of a potential vic-
tim. Some specimens can grow to a size big enough to swallow a grown-
up man. It releases a sweet, rotting smell which will quickly intoxicate the
victim, making them docile and drowsy. Rorak claimed to have been able
to flee the deadly plant only thanks to his magical voice. As Adeloidus is
sensitive to sound, it is quite vulnerable to Music-Based Magic. Among
his more practical discoveries are the 6th and 7th uses of Taraxaci flos,
the improved extraction of Betulae pix and the use of Rubi folium in his
popular hangover potion.

The Gardens of Gaarstyn Rorak

The Gardens of Gaarstyn Rorak are placed not far away from Czocha.
When designing them Rorak went further than just regular garden plan-
ning. Knowledge and cognition are the main themes of the gardens: visit-
ing and observing the gardens was meant to sharpen the senses and shape
the mind. Time and space behave differently depending on which part
are you situated in. Some parts of the garden are accessible or visible only
from certain places and angles.

474
The Main Garden - The Labyrinth of the World

Walking in the main garden is an allegory to an initiation ritual of wisdom

seekers. The outer circle is made of trees. Not a single tree is repeated in the
circle. With the help of magic, the trees form an impenetrable wall, with
five tight gaps serving as entrances. Each entrance path leads between the
two points of a pentagram. Each point represents the main power of herbs
growing in there: wet, hot, dry, cold and mind. The vegetation in these gar-
dens differs in every possible way. The environment in each section varies
from small ponds and streams to rock and sand to meadow. Each patch
is adjusted to the needs of the plants by magical means. Cold, hot, dry
and wet can be felt in the air when walking through the garden. The most
interesting section of the garden is the one with the mind flowers. Their
strong scents can mess up the senses and cloud the mind. Novices are ad-
vised against walking around these patches by themselves.

Above every point of the pentagram, the trained eye can see a patch of
shimmering air. From one specific angle you can walk into a hidden part
of garden. The most amazing specimen grows there. Whenever you take a
step, your surroundings may change around you. You may find yourself in
middle of a desert, at a clearing in a deep forest or knees deep in a swamp.
Generations of scholars have argued whether it is masterpiece of illusion
or whether you are really transported to distant forests and valleys.

475
 The Labyrinths

In the very middle is the most mysterious part of garden, the Labyrinth it-
self. This is a hedge maze with twists and curls. An interesting aspect of the
Labyrinth is that it looks different to visitor. It is not possible for visitors to
walk through it together, even though several people can go through the
Labyrinth at the same time. After few turns people simply lose each other.
The Labyrinth can be traversed in minutes by some, while it can take days
for other. It is unclear what lies inside. Nobody who returned seems to
remember.

Maybe it’s just a tale or a rumour shared by Rorak’s followers, but they be-
lieve the Labyrinth is much more than maze. According to them, walking
in the Labyrinth can awake extraordinary abilities. Walking in Labyrinth
is like walking inside your soul, overcoming your fears and sinking in your
subconsciousness. Those who believe that Rorak isn’t dead say that in the
very heart of Labyrinth you can find a strange pattern. The person who
will understand the pattern fully will be given power walking among shad-
ows. And that is the way how their master left our world behind.

The Stairs of Emotion

A very unusual staircase leads down to other parts of the gardens and to
the Pond of Silence. Each step is made from different type of wood and
seems infused with magic. Stepping on them unleash feelings or memories
connected with specific emotions, each step triggering a specific emotion.
The upper steps are associated with lighter emotions but as one descends,
the emotions grow deeper, stronger and more violent. Only person with a
clear mind can reach the bottom. The real challenge, however, isn’t not to
get down. Rather, it is to return back upstairs.

t
476
The Pond of Silence

The Pond of Silence is place of peace and meditation. Though the waters
are crystal clear, it is very hard to see the bottom of the pond. It is said, that
if you stare long enough into the water, you can see pictures of thing past,
present and future. It is a place where the most amazing ideas are born.

The Flower Clock

The Flower Clock is simply a great circular garden patch where flowers
open their blooms one by one and the opened flower indicates what time
is it. This Flower Clock is more complicated than its mundane alterna-
tives. Rorak’s genius mind wouldn’t be satisfied with showing just an ap-
proximate time of day. His Flower Clock is accurate. Every hour flowers
open and close simultaneously. There are also flowers for every hour of the
night. Rorak protected this part of garden from extreme changes of weath-
er. All year long there is a mild temperature, it doesn’t rain too often or too
strongly. The concept of the Flower Clock seems to be, that it should show
the time always and not just during a few months in the summer. The
main patch is surrounded by two outer circles of separated patches. The
inner one shows the month and day, similar to the main clock. And the
outer one... No one can be completely sure but it is supposedly showing
the state of world. Wars, floods, and many signs can be read from those
flower patches. At least the followers of Rorak claim it is so.

477
 The Garden of Light

At first sight this garden looks like complete opposite of its name. Every
single flower, herb or tree are dark, almost black. If you try long enough
you can find minor differences between the dark shades, but your eyes
will be aching and burning with effort. The purpose of this garden was
to make plants which absorb light. Dark roses bloom between patches of
dark grass. There are patches with dark vegetables. Almost black carrots
grow near dark onions and peas. Even the apple trees has black apples
which shine slightly red on sunlight. But these extraordinary powers of
absorbing light makes everything stronger. Peas have stems as thick as fin-
gers, apples can grow up to size of child’s head. In one place the dark grass
has grown totally out of control and it’s tall and thick and not safe to walk
in.
478
The Field of Gold

The Garden of Light doesn’t look finished as others do. This was an area for
experimenting not for enlightenment. On the far end of the garden, next
to an old garden shed, grows a field of the one plant which resisted all ways
of turning it into a better light-absorbing version.

A small field of wheat waves in the wind, wheat of all shapes and sizes but
all golden. Rorak is said to have been very disappointed, but he could find
no means of making it different. The only difference to ordinary wheat is
that this wheat looks like gold even when it is growing and the full grown
wheat even shines slightly. The field of gold looks like a candle, spreading
light in the dark.

479
 The Guardian Oath
From “Things Every Young Witchard Should Know, 1973 Edition”
By Simon de Blaise

480
The Oath And Its History

The Guardian Oath is one of the best known and most widely used magi-
cal oaths of all time. It is sworn by all Guardians during their initiation and
is the cornerstone of both their secret powers and their authority.

The Oath

By my life and magic, and by the wrath of my brothers and sisters,

witnessed by [Names of the three or more guardian witnesses], I, [oath-giv-
er’s name], swear to keep forevermore this oath.
I swear that I will use the rites and rituals of separation and the lock
and key responsibly and only on those guilty of crime and foulness.
I swear that I will, with all skill and expediency, prevent all misuse
of magic of which I am aware.
I will forevermore keep magic hidden and safe from the unknowing
and ungrasping.
Never shall I rashly judge anyone, but always use all the faculties
bestowed on me by nature to determine true guilt.
I shall not attempt to apprehend or punish any person, guilty as they
may be, if by doing so I would cause greater harm than good.
If anyone who knows not hexblood sees magic or knows of our exis-
tence, I shall not allow them to live with such knowledge, unless they, of their
own free will, has their tongue bound by magic.
Lastly I swear that, should this oath prevent me from fulfilling my
duty or lead to disaster, I shall discard my oath and forsake my right to the
rites and rituals of separation and the lock and key, do what is necessary, and
submit to the judgement of my brothers and sisters.
Thus do I swear, and may the magic be ripped from my flesh, all
knowledge sucked from my marrow and the hexblood drained from my veins
should I break my word.

481
 History

The Guardian Oath dates to around 800 CE and the court of Charlemagne.
A Saxon necromancer had managed to find a reliable route to immortality
and had for centuries used a black spell based on Roman magic (which
would later directly inspire the infamous “Black spell of Nottingham”) to
wreak havoc that would, in the long run, spread throughout Europe or the
world. Unable to kill him permanently, the famous mage Maugris, court
wizard to Charlemagne, syncretized and improved Jewish, Welsh, Phone-
cian and Faery magic, creating one of the most powerful systems of magic
of all time.

This allowed him to permanently strip the necromancer of his power.

Fearing misuse of this power, though, he used his new techniques to lock
away all knowledge of them, so that only those who had sworn an oath
would be able to learn his secrets. He then established the first corps of
what would later morph into guardians - a group of Frankish knights. He
tasked them with protecting wizards and mundanes against the misuse of
magic and with their help avoided several catastrophes. When the convo-
cation of conjurers established the modern convention of the Guardian,
they made his oath the centerpiece of a Guardian’s duty, including the safe-
ties that Maugris had built into it.

In 1545, however, a Guardian and demonologist by the name of John Wey-

er began a dedicated campaign to eradicate certain parts of Maugris’ lore -
the so-called ‘Rites of Casting Out’. 34 Guardians - those that still retained
the knowledge necessary to defeat Weyer - eventually overcame him and
his demons, cutting him off forever from all magic, but died from the af-
tereffects of the battle. Since then, the knowledge has been lost.

g
482
Magic of the oath

The oath itself is one of the most interesting and subtle works of magic to
have survived into modern times. It works in such a way that anyone who
says the oath - in any language, as long as the translation preserves the
meaning - with three other guardians as their witnesses, will from then
on be able to learn the Rite of Separation. No incantation needs to be spo-
ken during the oath swearing. The magic of the oath also limits guardians
somewhat in relation to other magical oaths. Any binding magical oath
that directly interferes with a guardian’s ability to uphold the guardian
oath – unilateral oaths to do something no matter what, or dedication to
causes that may force the guardian to employ magic forbidden by the oath,
for example – immediately robs the guardian of all knowledge of the Rite
of Separation. As the oath was originally intended to be sworn by knights,
all oaths of service are exempt, though no such exemption is offered to
oath-breaking actions taken in the course of such service.

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about forbidden spells, and that’s

understandable. I know how things work with you young people: Once
something is forbidden, you want to know all about it. I’ve caught enough of you
skulking about in the forbidden section of the library.

I’d like to impress on you that these spells are forbidden for use by students
strictly to protect you. You will learn what these spells are and how they work so
you can recognize them and defend against them, but that doesn’t mean you
should try them out.

I was a young man once, a student just like you, and I haven’t forgotten. We used
to sneak to the dungeons at night to practice forbidden spells on each other. All
those torture spells are horrible, but they also give you a rush...

But it wasn’t all good. If you cast a forbidden spell, you might end up doing
something you will live to regret.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)

483
 Oathbreaking

While the oath is magical, it is specifically not unbreakable, as Maugris

thought an inflexible magical oath might force his knights to make the
wrong choice from time to time. Instead, he created specific spells and
techniques of the Rites, called the Rites of Casting Out, that worked only
on those who had broken the oath, and worked exceptionally well on
them, bypassing many defenses and being exceptionally hard to defend
against. Thus, if one began to misuse his power, the others could easily de-
feat him. When the Convocation of Conjurers established the Guardians,
they used this same framework. However, John Weyer’s attempt to destroy
all knowledge of the Rites of Casting Out was successful. Thus, if a Guard-
ian now breaks the oath or otherwise goes rogue, a lengthy and difficult
battle is required, and at great risk, so minor slights are often overlooked.

484
The Rite of Separation

The Rite - or sometimes Rites - of Separation is the layman’s term for the
advanced and deep form of magic exclusive to the Guardians. The full title
of this field is “The Rites and Rituals of Separation and the Lock and Key,”
often simply called “The Rites”.

To laymen, The Rite(s) of Separation refers to the most well known spell
in this field, which can permanently strip a magician of his power, and is
known to almost all Guardians. A few instances are known where this rite
has been undone, but always by a group of Guardians working in concert,
or by the mage who cast the curse in the first place. It is said that there is
a more powerful version, which is, in fact, utterly irreversible and turns
the subject into a mundane, exactly as if though they had been born thus.
Only learned Guardians would know if that is true, however.

This is, however, only one of many spells covered by the Rites. The Rites,
used by skilled Guardians, cover nearly every conceivable form of denial
of magic, with a special focus on oaths and conditions. Most Guardians
can bind a person temporarily, forcing them to live without their magic
for years or months, or until the Guardian chooses to unbind them. Fur-
thermore, many Guardians can empower an oath so that only by fulfilling
it may the oath-taker regain his magic or be allowed to retain it.

Fewer Guardians can perform more delicate operations - say, stripping a

witchard of their facility for Necromancy but leaving the rest untouched,
sealing some magic behind an oath, or allowing a person to cast magic
only while attempting to fulfill it. The rarest, most scholarly and talented
Guardians are able to enchant spells or oaths in the abstract, so that only
those that have sworn a specific oath can learn a specific spell or ritual, or
allowing a spell to only work on those who have sworn an oath, and so on
and so forth. The Guardian oath is, of course, the most famous of these,
but others are theoretically possible - none have been able to work the
magic as deeply and powerfully into an oath as is found in the Guardian
oath.
485
 The Regulators
From “Understanding The Traditions, A Short Text”
By Joseph Haig, Historian Of Both Magic And The Mundane

486
Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes1,2
The guardians protect us. They dedicate their lives to enforcing The Traditions.
They keep the world of magic safe from Mundane eyes. They ensure that magic
is not used inappropriately, and they protect us from demons, from faeries, from
monsters both hexblooded and mundane. Their lives can be dangerous, brutal,
lonely, and short. They are granted many powers and are held to high standards,
and above all they are judged by their ability to both keep and sniff out secrets.
Some people compare them to the Sheriffs of the old West. A lone guardian against
those who would subvert or risk the world of magic for their own gain.

We are taught that guardians are there to protect us. Our stories and legends tell
of brave guardians standing up against demons, creatures from the lost annexes
of cryptozoology, rogue sorcerers,and worse. Many confluxes have memorials to
those guardians who have died in the course of their duties.

In years gone by, guardians were bound by an oath and, if they broke it, the Rites
of Casting Out could be used against them to strip them of their powers. However
since the middle of the 16th century these great spells have been lost. So what
happens when a Guardian goes bad?

In England in 1563 the mundane government passed the Act Against Conjurations,
Enchantments and Witchcrafts. This law famously demanded that anyone who
should “use, practise, or exercise any Witchcraft, Enchantment, Charm, or Sorcery,
whereby any person shall happen to be killed or destroyed”, was guilty of a felony
without benefit of clergy, and was to be put to death. Incidentally allowing the use
of any magic that did not cause harm without fear of censure.

A codicil to this Act, makes reference to Officers of Regulation and their powers of
investigation. Interestingly these are not clarified elsewhere in the act. In the same
year, in the Most Serene Republic of Venice the Doge, Alvise I Mocenigo, issued
a license to Qui Moderari (those who regulate) to enter the city of Venice without
toll or customs. All across Europe and the Ottoman Empire we can find similar
references to regulatores - The Regulators.

The Regulators are guardians, but they work with small teams drawn from all of
the paths of study. Their job is to support lone guardians against foes that just one
witch or wizard could not defeat, but also to bring swift justice to any guardian
who strays from the tenets of their oath. There are thirteen regulators. When
one dies, retires, or chooses to step down then a new regulator is selected by the
remaining twelve. They can only be admitted to the regulators if everyone agrees
that they are a suitable candidate.

What are the rules by which the regulators operate? How do they decide which
Guardians need to be … regulated? They decide upon this themselves within their
group of 13.

At the time of writing all of the regulators are the scions of the notable and power-
ful magical families. Whilst many would say that this is unfair and the regulators
need to be modernised or reformed, it is an organisation that has been watching
the watchers for over four hundred years. They have protected us and kept us safe
time and time again. Watering down this protection would surely be a risk to all
we hold dear!

1 Translated: “Who will guard the guards themselves?”

2 As a condition for writing about the Regulators, footnote font size must be used.
Many witchard authors have their speculations as to why this rule exists, but wise-
ly enough none of them - your own author included - have delved too deep into 487
the subject. We trust it shall not inconvenience our readers too much.
 A Short Essay On
The Vixen
Insight Into Indian Incantations Inasmuch It Invites Introspection
By Edith Sopwith

488
A Phenomenon To Be Aware Of

Tales of the Vixen are reported across the Indian witchard world, main-
ly from the Rajasthani Rajput and the Bishnoi, but lately also over larger
areas, as V. P. Sharma’s book becomes more widely distributed. The old
woman of these tales is known across the mundane world as well, having
been adopted into their ‘Fairytales’ – no, these are not just stories about
fairies, faeries, or the fae!

The Vixen appears to lone witchards lost in the Thar Desert, either as an old
woman or as a silver-grey fox. Depending on how the wanderer responds
to the appearance, the Vixen may help, hinder, or ignore the witchard.

Help may be provided if the witchard greets the apparition respectfully,

perhaps offering to share any food or water they might have, and generally
behaves as a guest invited into the Vixen’s home. The help may consist of
directions, refreshments or shelter, and, if the witchard is particularly for-
tunate, a tale might be provided. However, direct pleas for help will usually
be ignored.

If the witchard ignores the Vixen, either believing they are hallucinating
or simply from not wishing to associate themselves with such a being, the
Vixen will vanish, although she may follow the witchard, either to guard
them against danger or in order to lead them further astray.

The witchard who is curt or discourteous to the old woman, or who throws
stones at the fox, will be led astray and most likely drawn into a horrible
thicket of thorns. Their food and water, if they have any, will spoil or van-
ish and their spells will produce unexpected and generally unfortunate re-
sults. No pointer spell, nor transport,protection, or fire spell will work as it
should, and quite often the witchard’s wand will be lost too. It is said that
the Vixen’s shack is made of witchards’ wands and staves.

489
 If the witchard should be so fortunate as to be invited into the Vixen’s
home, they should take great care when commenting on anything that
may occur. The Vixen is extremely sensitive to any perceived criticism and
will release a torrent of abuse on the unfortunate traveller that appears to
not appreciate something. In particular, be sure to praise any food given,
even if it seems to be rat stew and cockerels’ combs.

Many things are not as they appear with the Vixen and she seems to de-
light in teasing unsuspecting witchards into making social blunders, then
turning on them, cursing, swearing, and driving them from her vicinity.
A gift of some kind is necessary upon leaving the Vixen’s hospitality. It
could be anything, but a gift there must be, and it must be of value to the
visitor - even if it is their most treasured jewel, their last coin, or even their
wand! It will be repaid, if offered sincerely. If offered grudgingly or worse,
in a spirit of avarice, the visitor will only find desert sand or a few pebbles
in return in their pockets. Even if driven from the Vixen, a gift should be
offered humbly.

These few notes are gathered from tales reported to the author before ven-
turing into the Great Desert, and from personal experience gathered in
the author’s travels in India – see Travels in the Thar by the present author.

1 V .P. Sharma (1912) Folk Tales of the Indian Subcontinent Varanasi: Bendix
Press
2 Edith Sopwith (2010) Travels in the Thar London: Blackwell’s

490
491
492
To know where we are going, we must know where we came from. I will
let that stand for a moment, and invite you, dear student, to consider the
implications of what “coming from” might mean - please, take that word-
ing as far as you like, interpret at will. Make notes (yes, even in the margins
if you like, this is your book), reconsider the phrase if you ever happen to
read this again. Then take a moment to think about where we might all be
going, or if you prefer where you are going, or mundane Poland is going,
or whatever other subject comes to mind.

Can you even begin to consider that where without considering the now?
And is the now not a product of the past? Without yesterday, the idea of
today makes no sense, and without today, there will be no concept of to-
morrow. The idea of our destinies, personal as well as collective ones, are
the prime reason why we must (try to) understand at least some of our
history. Why, then, History of Magic? I posit that the term is somewhat
erroneous; it is not the history of magic, but more a history with magic.
History is not fixed, but always a work in progress or development, history
does not stand still but happens all around us and with us at this moment.

While we have not yet managed time travel (as far as we know), we still
understand new aspects of the far past as well as find new ways of under-
standing and interpreting the evidence at hand. The idea of an objective
history is a fiction (one might be tempted to call it a historical fiction)
propagated by those who want to tell us with authority where we come
from and thus who we are - and implicitly where we are (or should be)
going. For instance, the troll incident of 1853 in the Czech Republic is a
very different matter when seen through the lens of local witchard history,
mundane history, and troll history.

We, as members of the wizarding world, have tended to exclude most of

this history when talking about the incident. We only truly consider our
own localised versions of the events, and how these have impacted the
mundane world - or even how the other part of our magical world, the
trolls, experienced it. We have rendered all other points of view invisible,
unknowable, non-existent.
493
A Guide To Other
Colleges Of Wizardry
It’s a big world, and Czocha Conflux is far from the only place that boasts
a College of Wizardry. This chapter will take you through a wide variety
of different magical colleges, explaining some of the paths, traditions and
oddities of each magical college, how they work, and what they specialize in.
 Avalon
From “The Colleges of Wizardry, A Student’s Overview”
By The Famous Magi-Cartographer Gregorius Pinaforte, Ar.Pr.Ma

496
Provides Basic Magical Education

The origins of Avalon as a place of learning for witches and wizards are not
clear. It is not a school in the traditional sense; it does not have term time,
written examinations, houses, or a clear curriculum and yet it has been a
seat of learning since at least the 4th century. Unfortunately the subjects
that it teaches have not changed much since this time, and some alumni of
Avalon struggle with the more modern forms of magic. That is not to say
that there are no students from Avalon who excel in these subjects, simply
that a junior learning these subjects who has come from Avalon is starting
from scratch.

No one who hasn’t been there knows where Avalon is located. It takes the
form of a desolate sea fort, shrouded in mist and protected by waves and
rocks that will wreck the boats of any who are not welcome. In recent years
the far end of the Island has a lighthouse, and yet it does not feature on any
mariners map.

Students at Avalon are taught law, herbalism, and various methods of see-
ing the future and the past. Almost nothing is written down and lessons
take the form of discussions and practical exercises. As such all of the de-
scription of the courses and paths detailed below should be treated with a
certain amount of healthy scepticism. After two years learning these ba-
sics, those people who choose to remain living at Avalon go on to study
healing, poetry and music, politics and warfare.

Only when they have studied these to the satisfaction of the teachers are
they taught any form of magic at all! Avalon is strong on certain types of
ancient ritual magic, healing, and magic that deals with the natural and
ancient world.

Students also attempt one of several study paths described on the next
page.

497
 The Avalon Tradition of Gifts and Favours

Students of Avalon trade in a currency of ‘gifts, freely given’ and ‘favours

owed.’ If you accept a gift from another student, then you will owe them an
unspecified favour until you can pay back the gift with something of equal
or greater value. They can call in this favour at any time.

Paths

In ancient times a student would remain on the path until they completed
it, or until they failed. In modern times it is becoming more acceptable to
leave a path after a few years and to go and study elsewhere. Whilst most
young people these days elect not to return, it is not uncommon for older
wizards and witches to return to Avalon for further study bringing with
them the knowledge and experience they find elsewhere.

Morigena - The Seaborn Path

Made famous by Morgan Le Fey; here students learn magic of water. They
learn about illusions, how to call storms, about brewing strange potions,
charms, enchantments and the secrets of the Whale Road

498
Sylvestris - The Forest Path

Made famous by Taliesin, the Bard.

I have been a multitude of shapes,
Before I assumed a consistent form.
I have been a sword, narrow, variegated,
I have been a tear in the air,
I have been in the dullest of stars.
I have been a word among letters,
I have been a book in the origin.
Students of this path study the secrets of the land and the earth. Some
will learn the languages of the beasts. Here they will learn the only ‘writ-
ten’ subject taught at Avalon - the magic of runes – and how words –even
non-magical words - have power over others.

Tuath - The Sinister Path

Students of this path tend towards politics. They are tricksters and rogues;
they learn subtle manipulations and magic of persuasion; they specialise
in the subtle interplay of trades and favours. They consort with spirits,
both benign and malevolent. Advanced students on this path study the
properties of certain herbs and mushrooms and some are said to be able to
walk into the land of dreams or even the faery realm itself.

Wyllt - The Wild Path

Students of this path are rare, and those who complete it are rarer still. The
most famous of these was Myrddin (also known as Merlin). It is a path of
madness, and darkness. The secrets learned along this path are shrouded
in mystery. All that is known is that those who follow it make a long jour-
ney, barefoot, across a dozen lands; learning from the witches and wizards
of those countries as they go. They learn to speak many languages – both
living and dead- and are able to change their appearance. Often they are
mistaken for wise folk, more often they are hunted and haunted and perish
along the way.
499
 ‘Warfare’ Classes
At Avalon
An Enquiring Look At A Phenomenon
By The Esteemed Scribe And Gentleman Scholar Trevor Winding

500
The legacy of Arthur

Physical education at Avalon does not mean sport. Whilst many students
choose to play and follow magical (and mundane) sports in their spare time,
the instructor Gwenllian explains that she has no time for it.

The warfare teacher at Avalon is a woman called Gwenllian. She’s not partic-
ularly tall, she’s not particularly strong, but she is one of the fastest human be-
ings the students have ever seen. Rumour has it that she is a dud, that she has
no magical skills. Certainly no student has ever seen her draw a wand to cast
a spell. Yet, surely it is not possible that anyone can be as fast or as effective as
Gwenllian without a potion or a charm?

501
 All students at Avalon learn to fight. The classes are not brutal, but they are
hard. There is no screaming, no bootcamp push-ups in the mud, no ten mile
runs in the dark, but there is no compromise either. Avalon students learn war-
fare before they learn magic. That is the way it has always been, that is the way
it will remain.

Students begin training with a sword and a shield. They then fight with axes
and spears, and some shoot bows. They also learn to fight with fists and feet.
The weapons and techniques taught are ancient, but they work. Does every
student excel? No, of course not. Some hate this mundane process. They loathe
the moment when they progress from wooden training weapons to steel. They
hate the bruises and the broken fingers. They come to fear the competitions
where they must fight other students.

“It is strange though, how so many students miss the classes when they are
over!” Gwenllian laughs, “What I am really teaching my students is how to
come to terms with fear. Fear is your friend in times of stress. It focuses the
mind and body, making it ready to survive. Terror, on the other hand, is less
useful. Imagine a witch or a wizard who is too frightened to speak? They can
hardly cast a spell if they can’t make a sound, can they?”

She’s the first to acknowledge that most of her students will never pick up a
weapon again once they have left the school. “I am sure a wand is more dead-
ly,” she explains, “but it is not terribly subtle.”

I leave the instructor as she explains to a group of nervous looking teenag-

ers how to, “hunt a Dane axe.” This is a complicated process where one stu-
dent catches the blade of a fearsome looking, five-foot axe on the edge of their
shield, twists the shield, and locks the axe into place. Meanwhile, their com-
panion runs in and stabs the axe wielder with the rounded edge of a steel train-
ing weapon.

It isn’t magic, but it looks like it.

502
503
 Balt Meddin
From “The Colleges of Wizardry, A Student’s Overview”
By The Famous Magi-Cartographer Gregorius Pinaforte, Ar.Pr.Ma

504
Provides Basic Magical Education

The Balt Meddin Academy in Poland started as a refugee camp in the last
decades of the 10th century. Christianity arrived and old beliefs had to go.
Holy trees were cut down, groves burned, monuments destroyed. Church-
es were erected where temples of the Old Gods and Old Magic had been
demolished. There were witches and shamans who didn’t want to let their
world vanish. Preserving the arts was their priority. It’s unknown who first
sailed to the island of Hel. The message spread by word of mouth and peo-
ple with magic talents started to come to the isle.

The village of Gellen was built and the academy was founded, officially
in 1077. Soon later a city sprouted up around the academy; and became
famous among Mundanes as a big port of herring trade. As every port city
Gellen was full of strangers, but that didn’t bother anyone and the wizard-
ing community grew rapidly. Witches and wizards from Prussia, Poland,
Livonia, Scandinavia and many other places created a cosmopolitan atmo-
sphere of Balt Meddin.

Tragic events of unknown origin took place in the 15th century. Marks of
powerful spells are still visible on the Hel peninsula, which is no longer an
island, and misses a huge part of land. There are no accounts of what had
happened in Mundane documents, which suggests a mass memory purge.
The only known facts are: since the early years of the 16th century Balt
Meddin has been hidden underwater, underneath an invisible dome. A
new city has been built above, and it’s populated entirely by Mundanes.

It’s not easy to get in or out of Balt Meddin. Young wizards are invited by
trained porpoises or seagulls, and later guided by schools vagrants. There
are magical ways to go through the water, but first graders and some other
visitors are often swallowed and transported by trained whales and squids.
These means of precaution proved to be extremely efficient during both
World Wars. dark wizards and regime supporters couldn’t access the
school, due to its splendid isolation. Balt Meddin doesn’t need any forbid-
den magic to cause itself magical problems…
505
506
Structure & Houses

Unlike in most other schools, in Balt Meddin young witchards are sorted
into houses according to their talents, not their attitude. There are three
houses; each of them has got separate workshops and most of lessons. The
effects of their works may be seen in lots of ordinary items of the wizard-
ing world, but not many mages have any idea where their artifacts actually
came from.

Lyngbakr - House of Whale

Magicians from this house deal mainly with Intervallum – The Space That
Is. Travelling, bending space, flying, casting spells to make ships and other
means of transportation fly.

Hafgufa - House of Kraken

Vis – the energy - is what makes the whole Universe alive. Concentrat-
ing the energy, speeding up entropy, fire, lightning bolts… The House of
Kraken gathers pyromancers and others of this kind. One of its interests is
transmutation, but it’s definitely a minor topic in Balt Meddin.

Uroborus - House of Sea Serpent

Tempus – the time – the most dangerous of arts. Only the best students
can enter the doors of a Uroborus workshop. Many strange accidents have
already happened in the history of Balt Meddin, and many are still to
come. There are restricted areas in the school where time goes backwards
and even the greatest minds are afraid of what was left after some of the
experiments.

507
 Escola de Magia
en Torre de Belem
From “The Colleges of Wizardry, A Student’s Overview”
By The Famous Magi-Cartographer Gregorius Pinaforte, Ar.Pr.Ma

508
Provides Basic Magical Education

The Southern European Escola de Magia has a most turbulent story of

changing their national alignment, location and curriculum. No magical
school has seen so many wars and none managed to remain as true to their
fundamental goal - teaching magic to anybody, who needs it. No matter
what the color their skin, the amount of wealth in their family and of what
faith their heart is.

The Escola de Magia was founded in Lisbon in 1535 by three potent wiz-
ards and outcasts, who had been imprisoned together in Torre de Belém
and there vowed to make a change in the world.

• The Moor Hamid al-Iskandria, once master of astrology at the Order of

the One Library, imprisoned for serving the King João III of Portugal, due
to the unpleasant prophecy that despite of their success and wealth the
Avis dynasty will fall within 3 generations.

• The French conjurer, Jacqueline “Jacque” de Molay, who, inspired by Jo-

anne d’Arc, disguised herself as a man to serve the underground Templar
Order as a soldier and spy, imprisoned after revealing her true nature.

• The Italian alchemist Maria “La Mercuria” Salvatori, who was charged
for witchcraft, imprisoned and forced to create an elixir that would make
fallen soldiers still fight for their King.

Together the three prisoners agreed on changing the xenophobic status

quo that surrounded them, creating the idea of a magic school teaching
all those who would never been accepted to other schools of their times.
Since then the outcasts and their students and successors moved from
conflux to conflux establishing new schools in times of peace and leaving
it in times of war. The Escola de Magia taught its adepts in Spain, France,
Italy, Croatia, Austria, Netherlands and Morocco, just to return to Portu-
gal after the 2nd World War, establishing its newest school building in the
Templar strongholds in Tomar.
509
 Houses

While the school enforces the feeling of unity and cooperation, the houses
were created for one purpose only - to teach the students how to fight for
their own right in an ever changing environment. Each of the houses offers
a different level of comfort and a different number of additional mandato-
ry lessons and exercises. A lost duel, bad grades, or being caught breaking
the rules result in being put into the lower house. Winning duels, good
grades and extracurricular work results in ascending in houses.

The Black Tower

The Black Tower is the highest of the houses. It offers the most comfort-
able dormitories for students and most free time for development, but
also most to lose. Members of this house learn how to establish a working
structure and how to defend their own position - but also the bitterness
of losing what has been gained. The Black Tower students tend to join so-
rorities and brotherhoods and cooperate to hold their own friends into the
Black Tower while kicking others out.

The Black Tower was originally guided by Hamid al-Iskandria.

510
The Grey Tower

The Grey Tower is the middle house. It offers fine dormitories and man-
datory alchemy lessons. Members of this house learn what change means
and how to fight while having everything to win and everything to lose.
Alchemy is symbolic for the process of transformation and the Grey Tower
is a place for transformation. While students in the White Tower usually
ascend for winning duels - getting upwards from the Grey Tower demands
scholarly successes. Not many students remain in the Grey Tower for long.

The Grey Tower was originally guided by Maria Salvatori.

The White Tower

The White Tower is the lowest of the houses. It offers quite unfavourable
dormitories, less tasty food, almost no free time, but lots of fighting les-
sons. To ascend from the White Tower students need to win many duels
and prove their strength and creativity in using magic. The mood in the
White Tower is all about not having anything to lose and having every-
thing to gain. Traditionally small groups of students decide to remain in
the White Tower and create gangs, while others strive for advancement as
fast as they can.

The White Tower was originally guided by Jacqueline de Molay.

511
 .. ..
Konigsberger Universitat,
..
Nibelungen Universitat
& Akademie Brokken
From “The Colleges of Wizardry, A Student’s Overview”
By The Famous Magi-Cartographer Gregorius Pinaforte, Ar.Pr.Ma

512
Provides Basic & Higher Magical Education

For many years, the prestigious Königsberger Universität sat at the center
of the Conflux near the great city near the Baltic Sea, and trained witches
and wizards in magic both high and low. The tumultous events in Europe
in the 20th century changed that somewhat though.

While most magicians stayed out of the two Mundane World Wars, there
were those that intervened - sometimes breaking the Traditions and
sometimes just serving discreetly. Sadly, the destruction and terror of the
Second World War meant the end of the old and honoured university. Its
fate was (as anything involving magic usually is) complicated. Some wiz-
ards were lost during the war, either fighting on the Eastern Front, doing
their best to keep the German army alive in the snows of Russia, or doing
their best to help Jews and other targeted groups at home escape. It’s a
dark chapter in Mundane history, and while it’s not nearly as dark a spot
in witching history, it’s not exactly a children’s lullaby either!

The end result was that most of the magicians of the Königsberger Univer-
sität relocated to the smaller Conflux at Nibelungen, where a small school
had been since the early 19th century. Combining their forces with the lo-
cal sorcerers, the two groups executed a classic wizard compromise which
makes things more complex instead of less. They re-opened the Königs-
berger Universität (K.U) for magical research, changed the Nibelungen
School so it was now the Nibelungen Universität (N.U) and focused on
higher magical education, and created the brand-new Brokken Akademie
(B.A), which would take over the basic magical teachings of the old Ni-
belungen School. The teachers? Well, mostly Nibelungen Professors, of
course! Needless to say, confusion happened.

During the 50’s and 60’s, things got under control, as the K.U produced
some truly stunning Technomancy research that was debated by witchards
around the globe. They had found a way to exchange the wand for a more
technologically advanced tool.

513
 And as we all know, THAT didn’t go down well with magicians globally.
The sheer idea of replacing the wand with devices is a taboo among most
magical communities. Since those wild and controversial days after the
way, K.U has been taken over by arch-conservatives and is now mostly
seen as a place where ideas go to die and conjurers go to stay out of trouble!
Brokken Akademie, in contrast, is quite keen on embracing new ideas, and
students who go there have many practical assignments among Mundanes
from the very beginning. Schooling is for three years, after which students
are transferred to the N.U, where they continue for a further three years.

In January 2012, Nibelungen was attacked by a group of werewolf terror-

ists, what started the still lasting werewolf rebellion in Southern Germany.
For a year the school discontinued its curriculum, forcing the students to
either take the year in another magical college, or spend it at Brokken.

Houses Traditions of houses in Germany are not so different from those

in others schools in Europe (due to many years of common political and
magic history). It is worth noting that all the founders of the houses are
male. This is mainly based on the historical context in which the German
school of wizardry was born. All the founding fathers were also Mundane
doctors, teachers, alchemists and astrologers (German: Hofmagier – king’s
magician), who admitted apprentices at royal courts. It was impossible at
that time for a woman to be granted this honor, so all the talented and
powerful German witches were forced to practice magic in secret, without
the helpful Mundane patronage or the possibility to shape the German
school of wizardry. Faust and Molin were also House Founders in Czo-
cha College of Wizardry, and Flamel for a long time was transfiguration
teacher in Escola de Magia en Torré de Belém, before he left to help create
Königsberger Universität.

514
Haus Faust

Attributes: Wisdom & Might

Crest: Dragon (symbol of Mephistopheles)
Colors: Blue & Gold
Founder: Johann Georg von Faust

Haust Krabat

Attributes: Valor & Honor

Crest: Swan (symbol of the burning swan, Krabat transformed into)
Colors: Red & Gold
Founder: Antonius Krabat

Haus Molin

Attributes: Loyalty & Cunning

Crest: Golem (symbol of Jewish cabalists)
Colors: Green & Copper
Founder: Jakob Abraham Molin von Worms

Haus Flamel

Attributes: Diligence & Wisdom

Crest: Unicorn (symbol of immortality)
Colors: White & Silver
Founder: Nicholas Flamel

515
 North American
Colleges Of Wizardry
From “The Colleges of Wizardry, A Student’s Overview”
By The Famous Magi-Cartographer Gregorius Pinaforte, Ar.Pr.Ma

516
An Introduction To The Northern American Schools

In North America, the concealed magical world and its unique culture
is known as the Magimundi (magical world). The Magimundi is highly
organized and consists of five provinces: Destiny (Northeast US and East-
ern Canada), Solaris (Southeast US, and Caribbean), Baja (Southwest US,
Mexico and Central America), Thunderbird (Pacific Northwest US and
Western Canada), and Mishipeshu (Midwest US and mid-Canada).

Each of these Provinces is governed by a Justice; the five justices of each

region together form The Council of Five, who serve as the highest court
and governing body of the North American magical world. Justices ap-
point Magisters, who oversee North American Magical Agencies (such as
the Magister of Metallurgy who oversees each province’s mines of magical
ore) or the governing of a province itself (such as the General Magister of
Solaris Province, who handles the day-to-day governing of the province on
behalf of its Justice.) Magisters appoint ranks of other provincial officials,
who are responsible for all official matters in the region. These officials are
known as Alcalde in the Solaris and Baja regions, and Fonctionnaires in
the other regions. The Alcalde and Fonctionnaires directly interface with
the rest of the Magimundi.

There are a few areas that operate independently of the Provinces. The
cities in Alaska, and the northern areas of Canada are neighborly to the
Thunderbird Province, and connected by commerce, but not under direct
Provincial control. Likewise, the further south into Central America, the
less influence the Baja Province has over the lives of the magical commu-
nities there. Perhaps most interestingly, is Virginia Isle, the floating island
said to have been lifted into the air out of the sea by the magic of Virginia
Dare herself, which is entirely autonomous to either the Solaris or Destiny
Provinces.

t 517
 Each province has a magical primary school, listed briefly below:

• Destiny Province: Providence Preparatory Academy for the Ad-

vancement of the Arcane Arts (P2A4)
• Solaris Province: Magnolia Sun School of Sorcery
• Mishipeshu Province: Great Plains School of Magical Arts
• Thunderbird Province: Lewis & Clark Institute of Magic
• Baja Province: Kit Carson Academy of the Arcane Arts

The common currency of the Provinces is the Leeuwendaalder, and any

family’s liquid worth in Leeuwendaalders significantly impacts that fam-
ily’s status and prosperity. Mages from otherwise mundane families that
exhibit magical prowess are severely disadvantaged by their family’s lack
of Leeuwendaalders and are often only able to succeed with help from
philanthropic organizations that provide patronage until they graduate,
conditional to their academic performance. The unlucky individuals that
receive no assistance or intervention have to find the means to fund their
education all on their own, literally starting out with nothing at all.

People who manifest magical powers become members of the Magimundi

and are known as mages until they earn the title of Wizard by completing
Magischola™. Note: all people who have mastered the art of wielding ar-
cane powers are known as wizards, regardless of gender. Wizard is an offi-
cial title earned by those who have completed Magischola. Those without
such a credential may be known as mages or as sorcerers, but not wizards.
Again, mage and sorcerer are used regardless of gender. The suffix -ess (as
in sorceress or wizardess) is considered uncouth and derogatory.

In North America, the official, accredited magical colleges are known

as MagischolaTM. There are currently two fully accredited Magischola,
though some others are in the process of seeking accreditation. Only an
credentialed graduate of an accredited MagischolaTM can be considered
an actual Wizard in the provinces and seek corresponding employment.

518
For example, a brilliant healer without credentials can at best be part of an
underground economy, or serve as a mere assistant to a potentially medio-
cre healer who has earned a Magischola degree. The system is designed to
be a meritocracy, but functionally serves as a gatekeeping mechanism that
privileges wealthier families and those of Unsoiled Heritage, as they have
the greatest access to the Leewendaalders needed to afford Magischola.

519
 Imperial Magischola of Massachusetts Bay

The first Magischola founded in North America was the Imperial Magis-
chola of Massachusetts Bay. Begun in 1623, shortly after the founding of
Plymouth by the Separatist Puritans, the school is known for its strict ad-
herence to conservative magical traditions practiced in Europe. Its found-
er, Galahad Theocratus Bombastus Leodegrance, was a pious and upright
wizard who disapproved of the Renaissance Reforms that ushered in the
era of egalitarianism in European wizard culture.

Along with other like-minded male wizards, Leodegrance sailed on the

Fortune to the New World in order to escape what they saw as an irrevo-
cably corrupted magical culture and to establish a school that reflected
their values. They believed that magic is best left in the hands of rational
minded men, like themselves. The “savage” indigenous people of North
America, regardless of their own magical talents and culture, would fur-
ther bastardize the magical traditions and even dilute magic itself. Imperi-
al Magischola was created to be a haven away from such mixing, muddling
and miscegenation, and faculty and students believe that the school has
the appointed role to uphold true magic, and to preserve its proper use, for
what purposes and by whom.

Originally a school only for male wizards, Imperial began admitting fe-
male students in 1885 after the Destiny Province Justices determined that
separate schools were not equal. The Justices noted that continued domi-
nance of males in positions of leadership throughout the Magimundi was
perpetuated by the exclusivity of certain schools, whose graduates were
cherry-picked for positions of power. Rather than comply with the deci-
sion, Imperial sought recourse by appeal to the Council of Five, and even
shuttered its doors for three years in protest (male students continued to
be taught unofficially in the homes of the professors, their salaries paid by
wealthy Unsoiled Heritage families). To force compliance with the deseg-
regation decree, the Council of Five sent Marshalls to Imperial Magischola
in 1890 to escort the first female students onto the campus.

520
There, this handful of pioneering young women -- from Unsoiled Heritage
families and accompanied by personal bodyguards -- were assigned by
their advisors to the Healer path, which was deemed appropriate for wom-
en. Female students and their allies continued to fight for equal oppor-
tunity, and now Imperial Magischola has women studying all five Paths,
though Artificery is still largely dominated by male mages.

The student population now approaches gender equity, with 55%

male-identified students and 45% female, and prominent female wizards
hold professorial and administrative appointments, though none have
been headmaster. Official documents state that Imperial’s segregated past
is behind them, but insiders know that there are two Imperials: one for
male students and one for females, with the informal networks of power
continuing to favor males.

Female students have embraced this reality and have created many sis-
terhood organizations that support each other. Recent powerful female
graduates who have risen to power in the wizarding world -- such as Re-
nate Von Rickenstein, the ambassador to the Czocha Conflux and Hec-
ate “T” Henderson, chief alchemist at the Bureau of Metallurgy, Alchemy
and Crystallography -- have founded endowed professorships for female
witchards and scholarships for young women of exceptional promise and
economic need.
521
 Imperial is a prestigious school that only admits students from the most
prominent wizarding families after a rigorous application and vetting
process. The school’s population is composed primarily of students from
Unsoiled Heritage families that can trace their lines back to well-known
witches and wizards from acceptable magical traditions. Those selected
to the school are known as the Eligeri -- the chosen or the elect. Imperial
Magischola is divided into four residential colleges or courts, each follow-
ing their own magical traditions:

Callimachus Court -- Study of philosophy, magical theory, ancient lan-

guages, runes.

Ptolemy Court -- Study of astronomy, divination, arithmancy, and cos-

mology.

Agrippa Court -- study of magical law, administration, jurisprudence,

ethics, and magical warfare.

Paracelsus Court -- study of alchemy, herbology and botany, hermetics,

and toxicology.

522
New World MagischolaTM

In 1633, Ophelia Samson was denied admission to Imperial Magischola of

Massachusetts Bay over the objections of her parents, Virginia Dare and
Maximilian Samson. Incensed, Dare collaborated with three other mem-
bers of the Magimundi who wanted to expand educational opportunity in
North America: Tituba, Calisaylá, and Etienne Brulé.

New World MagischolaTM (NWM) was founded in 1635 by this group who
desired to create a school that would be open to magical practitioners of
all backgrounds and traditions, specifically in defiance of the rigid conser-
vatism of Imperial Magischola of Massachusetts Bay. Today, New World
Magischola retains the tradition of inclusion and progressive thinking,
even though the provinces of the new world tend to be capitalist and con-
servative. The school’s motto is Omnes ab omnibus discamus or “Let us
learn all things from everybody.”

The school is located near the northern border of the Solaris Province.
The school founders each have a house named after them, and each de-
rives from a different magical tradition, European or indigenous to North
America. Virginia Dare: House Croatan, Tituba: Dan Obeah, Etienne
Brulé: Maison Du Bois, and Calisayla: Casa Calisayla. Later Chancellor
Solomon Gundy invited Marie Laveau to teach at the school, and a house
was named in her honor, La Kay Laveau. NWM is also known for found-
ing the Marshall Tradition of magical jurisprudence and enforcement,
which eventually replaced the Guardian Tradition in the New World.

Some notable historical events surrounding NWM include involvement

in the Magma War, covert participation in the Underground Railroad, and
the defeat of the Gorecasters. In the early-mid 19th century, wizards with
an eye for westward expansion attempted to control the lands surrounding
the Yellowstone Caldera by forcing all native peoples and magical crea-
tures off the land.

523
 The North American Giants joined forces with Native Shamans and Mag-
es, Chupacabras, and Mannegeshi to lead a rebellion against the Edict to
Evacuate, ushered in by the Justices of Destiny and Solaris provinces af-
ter extensive lobbying (and likely bribery) by certain wizard families who
stood to gain financially by the acquisition of these lands. The N.A. Giants
(also known as Bigfoot) attempted to negotiate with the Marshalls sent to
enforce the edict, and failing that, went to battle against them. New World
Magischola faculty and students were bitterly divided over support for the
Giant Rebellion or compliance with the Edict and the rule of law.

While Chancellor Bleddyn Cadwalader and some faculty and students,

primarily of Unsoiled Heritage, stood by the Edict, a large number of stu-
dents and faculty fought alongside the Rebellion, believing that they were
being true to NWM founding principles. Under pressure from the Jus-
tices, Chancellor Cadwalader overruled the personal conscience decisions
of NWM faculty and students, threatening to fire or expel anyone who
continued to side with the Rebellion and even to turn them over to be
tried for treason.This conflict became known as the Magma Wars, which
lasted from 1825 to 1830 and ended with either the assassination of the
final Giant along the Trail of Tears or the retreat of a small band of Giants
to the Yukon Territory.

524
The Chupacabras were rounded up and placed in internment camps,
where they are now exclusively bred for use as the notorious guards for
the main wizard prison, Avernus, located within the Yellowstone Caldera.
The Magma Wars led to the shift in the focus of Maison Du Bois and the
mission of the Marshalls. The House’s original motto, “Persevere and Ex-
cel,” was replaced with Semper Aequus, or Always Just, and the Marshalls
aligned themselves with enforcing the Magimundi laws as servants to the
system that preserved order. Chancellor Cadwalader found himself unable
to continue to lead New World Magischola, after a vote of no confidence
from the NWM Faculty Senate, large-scale student defiance, and threats
to his safety.

He resigned his post and left NWM immediately. His portrait still hangs in
the Gallery, but there are those who see him as a black mark in the school’s
history and would prefer erasing his legacy of what they see as rank capit-
ulation to special interests.

Covertly, NWM students and staff used the school as an important part
of the Underground Railroad and helped countless slaves reach freedom,
despite overt instructions not to interfere with the mundane world. When
staff and students were discovered and Marshalls descended upon the
school, Chancellor Solomon Gundy took full responsibility and resigned
his post, thereby saving students and staff from potential career-destroy-
ing punishment or the infamy of a trial. NWM faculty and staff remain
proud of their involvement in the fight to end the mundane practice of
slavery, believing compassion for humanity outweighs the gravitas of the
Tradition of Secrecy.

Later, under Chancellor Isolde Ostrander, New World Magischola was

instrumental in defeating the Gorecasters, a notorious group of outlaw
artificiers led by the Wizard Jack Slager. This group terrorized both Magi-
mundi and Mundane in the 1920’s and 1930’s with their indiscriminate
slaughter of magical creatures and humans for the blood sacrifices needed
to create powerful artifacts.

525
 Most notable among these were the Slagerods, an untraceable and pow-
erful type of wand that specializes in delivering the forbidden soul-sear-
ing curse. Many NWM students and faculty organized magical militias,
worked underground placing and breaking curses, created protective and
destroying malevolent magical objects, as field and institutional healers
and medics, or as sentries to protect the Magimundi during this era of
fear. Slager sympathizers who did not die in the violent final confrontation
were tried for mass murder and imprisoned in Avernus. Most are still alive
today, under heavy guard. Not all the Slagerods have been accounted for.

More recently under current Chancellor Fortinbras, the insidious Vampire

Plague spread across all five provinces, with vampires seeking complete
control over every aspect of mundane society. Unlike previous threats,
these vampires had a complicated hierarchical system for concealing their
presence from detection, stymieing the Marshalls and Cursebreaker inves-
tigators. Fortunately, it appears that due to escalation of internal conflicts
and infighting, the vampires turned out to be their own worst enemy, and
the Vampire Plague has dwindled to a tolerable few that appear to want to
coexist peacefully with both the mundane and magical world, primarily in
the Thunderbird Province.

New World Magischola strongly believes in diversity - of magical tradi-

tion, of gender, of race and ethnicity etc.- both among students and staff,
which has been part of its mission since its founding. Any student, regard-
less of Heritage or ability to pay will be admitted to NWM, where multi-
ple magical traditions are co-taught and students take a comparative and
integrative approach to magical knowledge. As a result, the curriculum
differs from the European-style magical training, and students have more
choice in how they specialize within their paths. Students may choose to
follow Cryptozoology, Cursebreaking, Healing, Artificery, or the Path of
The Marshall.

526
527
 The Five Houses of New World Magischola

Dan Obeah

Founder: Tituba, midwife and healer

Colors: Green and silver
Symbol: Raven
Attributes: Transformation, Intelligence/Wisdom, Renewal
Culture: New England Divine Providence and West-African indigenous
magic
Motto: By wisdom and foresight (Consilio et Prudentia)

Maison Du Bois

Founder: Étienne Brûlé, explorer and leader of the traders, began the Mar-
shall Tradition
Colors: Royal Blue and White
Symbol: Grizzly Bear
Attributes: Loyalty (Steadfastness), Courage/Valor, and Strength
Culture: French-Canadian,renegade fur-trader and explorer (Coureurs
Des Bois); connected to Native American Algonquin
Motto: original: Persevere and excel; new motto: Semper Aequus (Always
Just)

House Croatan

Founder: Virginia Dare, cryptozoologist, first British child born in the

“new world”
Colors: Orange and Brown
Symbol: Painted Turtle
Attributes: Honor, Diligence/Fortitude, Protection/Preservation
Culture: Anglophile, Roanoke Lost Colony legend, Seafaring, animism/
shamanism
Motto: Audere est Facere -- To Dare is to Do.

528
La Kay Laveau

Founder: Marie Laveau, artificier, ritual magic, potions

Colors: Deep Purple and Black/Grey
Symbol: Alligator
Attributes: Tenacity, Creativity, Cunning
Culture: Based on New Orleans/ Voodoo
Motto: Mente et Artificio (With mind and skill)

Casa Calisayla‘

Founder: Calisaylá, last surviving member of the Karankawa Tribe, curse-

breaker, demonologist, medium/shaman
Colors: Red and yellow
Symbol: Coyote
Attributes: Respect, Mercy, Revolution, Equality
Culture: Based on lost Native American cultures, traditions of mourning,
including the Hispanic Day of the Dead, Meditation, Self Knowledge
Motto: Honor the Past, Embrace the Future

529
 Onmyodo No Teikoku
Kyoto Gakuha
( )
From “The Colleges of Wizardry, A Student’s Overview”
By The Famous Magi-Cartographer Gregorius Pinaforte, Ar.Pr.Ma

530
Provides Basic & Higher Magical Education

The Imperial Kyoto School of Onmyodo is not the oldest institute of magi-
cal learning in japan, but it is doubtlessly the most famous. It was founded
by the famous wizard and exorcist Abe no Seimei, and had imperial back-
ing, though when japan established its official tradition of secrecy in 1467,
it was removed from all mundane records.

The school’s headmaster is the unusually quiescent ghost of its founder,

Abe no Seimei. It is primarily concerned with the practices of the ancient
Japanese onmyoji, but has since the start of nineteenth century included
other forms of magic, including western styles.

For this reason, it has acquired a reputation as a great school concerning

demonology, cryptozoology, necromancy and divination, but also one of
producing wizards who are unable to do magic without outside help, or
who are weak in regards to charms or combat. The school, however, rec-
ognizes no similarities between its practices and western “demonology” or
“necromancy.” Semantics aside, the school does specialize in magic con-
cerning spiritual entities, some of which are ghost or other post-mortal
creatures, as well as some forms of projection of the mind or soul into
spiritual states or planes of existence.

The three main magical skills the school considers to be part of Onmyodo
are Divination, the ability to perform exorcisms and cleansing rituals, and
the ability to summon and bind a spirit, demon or ghost and bind it to
become a familiar. However, these familars are dissimilar to those of Eu-
ropeans who often bind animals or minor imps. The Japanese Shikigami,
as they call their familiars, are often powerful spirits. Abe no seimei, the
greatest of the onmyodo practitioners, had twelve godlike beings as his
shikigami at one time, according to legends. He himself does not com-
ment on it.

531
 The school has something of a reputation for unconventional teachers.
These include former shikigami, a local Ryuu, or dragon, and varius ghosts
who have all taught at the school at one time or another. Most students can
recall at least one teacher who was a spirit, ghost or magical creature.

The school divides its students into five ways, each associated with a spe-
cific element. These are:

Moku-do ( ), The Way of Wood

This is the path for the strong and idealistic, the passionate and socially
minded. It’s associated with flexibility and growth and friendship, but also
with being somewhat needy and taking up space and energy. Those on the
path of wood are generally considered to be peaceful idealists but now and
then, a firebrand rears his head.

Ka-do ( ), The Way of Fire

This is the path of the energetic and dynamic, the creative and the per-
sistent. Those on the path of fire are usually creative and energetic, but
also have a reputation for impulsiveness and anger. The usual stereotypes
are that half the path are flighty, energetic creative snowflakes and that the
other half are wannabe-heroes.

532
Do-do ( ), The Way of Earth
This is the path of the patient, the thoughtful, and the hardworking. Those
on the way of earth are often even-tempered and practical, and often
somewhat philosophic. While they have a reputation for being stubborn
sticks-in-the-mud, they are also known to calm others down and have a
way with diplomacy and mediation.

Kin-do ( ), The Way of Metal

This is the path of the rigid, the ambitious and the forceful. Those on the
path of metal are often controlling, unrelenting and somewhat cold. They
have a reputation for being effective plotters and businessmen, but also
unyielding in their loyalty and unfazed by hardship.

Sui-do ( ), The Way of Water

This is the path of the flexible, the calm, the wise. Those on the path of
water are generally quick-witted and intelligent, fast to change their minds
and opinions, and hard to rouse to anger or passion. They have a repu-
tation for being flighty and nerdy, but quite a few of them have become
renowned scholars though the ages.

533
 Pura Maduwe
Karang
From “The Colleges of Wizardry, A Student’s Overview”
By The Famous Magi-Cartogapher Gregorius Pinaforte, Ar.Pr.Ma

534
Provides Higher Magical Education

While most Colleges of Wizardry more or less resemble ancient univer-

sities, some of them are much closer to the idea of secret orders (like the
Order of One Library) or elitistic monasteries (like the Hermetic School of
Natural Sciences). The Pura Maduwe Karang in Bali is both.

First erected as a local temple on Bali, dedicated to the gods of earth and
crops, since 1831 it serves as a luxurious research facility, specialized on
the topic of elemental magic. Its teaching style resembles a Shaolin monas-
tery more than a traditional school and the conditions new students must
fulfil are extraordinary, keeping the number of novices at Pura Maduwe
Karang constantly below 50.

Usually Pura Maduwe Karang is chosen as further specialisation by other

Universities’ graduates, and as such offers only very narrow subjects such
as higher pyromancy or extratemporal architecture.

The five specialisations offered by Pura Maduwe Karang are the so called
Paths of Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Void, focusing each on one element in
the matter of creating, shaping and destroying magical effects, objects or
even artificial worlds. If the magical world has one place that can be called
the pinnacle of learning, it’s Pura Maduwe Karang.

Of course, most witchards aren’t really interested in learning what they

have to teach there, but it’s still a place of supreme prestige and respect-
ability, and just talking about going there to study will impress many in the
witching communities.

535
 Stenoya Trolldom
Akademiet
From “The Colleges of Wizardry, A Student’s Overview”
By The Famous Magi-Cartographer Gregorius Pinaforte, Ar.Pr.Ma

536
Provides Basic Magical Education

Founded in 15th Century by Queen Margaret I, also known as the creator

of the Kalmar Union and the only witch to ever rule from a Scandinavian
throne. Originally called Stenøya Seminaret, the school was supposed to
serve as a counterweight and complement for the Köningsberger Univer-
sität. At first it was a quiet, monasterylike institution, focused on collect-
ing and cultivating traditional arcane knowledge, mainly connected to
runic magic.

There were two things that made the school unique: establishing healing
magic and curative techniques as a separate and extensive field of study,
and an unusual way of dividing students into houses. It all changed in
the second half of 1980s, when the school’s new headmaster, a Dane Erik
Munk, inspired by the Mundane educational system (promoting practical
abilities over theory) and wanting to unite the Nordic Confluxes, with a
vision of using the potential of magic in the further development of the
Nordic countries, decided to introduce serious changes.

The school gained a new name, a new Charter and a new, enhanced cur-
riculum. Since then, it has taken eight years to finish the school (instead of
six as before) and the studies include not only wizarding subjects, but also
knowledge and practical abilities connected to the Mundane world. Addi-
tionally, to actually graduate from Stenøya each and every student needs
to spend an additional semester among the Mundanes, where they are
banned from using magic (except in life-threatening situations).

According to an old stereotype Stenøya is a school for fragile and spiritual

youths. The truth is very different. Harsh climate and obligatory physical
work (for example in herb and stone gardens) harden both the body and
the soul.
.

537
 Because of its egalitarian and practical profile, as well as very active pro-
motion and support coming from many of the students’ parents impressed
with Munk’s curriculum, Stenøya really gained in prominence and popu-
larity among witchards in the Nordic region. Most students who graduate
Stenøya are around 20 - 24 years of age, but those who come into their
powers late are naturally older. The school is very strict about the eight
years, though.

The Stenøya Trolldom Akademiet coat of arms features an ornate ivory

tower on a stone island. The school’s current motto is For det felles beste
(„For the common good”).

Houses

Since its beginnings Stenøya’s way of dividing students has been very dif-
ferent from the one known from Czocha. There is no grouping during the
first three years, and only when starting with their fourth year are the stu-
dents divided into four houses. Each house offers “standard” education as
well as expanded studies in particular fields.

538
Hus Skogsrud
Founder: Sol Skogsrud
Values: knowledge and tradition
Sigil: downy willow (Salix lapponum)
Specialisation: traditional magic, runic magic, astrology, arithmancy Once
the most important house, valued for saving and researching the arcane
knowledge, it has since lost its prominence.

Hus Rosenrot
Founder: Ivar Halvardsson
Values: loyalty and duty
Sigil: roseroot (Rhodiola rosea)
Specialisation: healing magic, herbology, elixirs, magical creatures

Hus Valkyrja
Founder: Tula Niklasdatter, also known as Valkyrie
Values: steadfastness and discipline
Sigil: wolf ’s bane (Aconitum firmum)
Specialisation: charms, defense against curses and offensive magic, teleportation

Originally the fourth house was Hus Lager, founded by Thorbjørg Lager
and focused on transmutation and alchemy. However, after a tragic inci-
dent involving its students that occurred in 17th Century the house was
dissolved, and a new one emerged in its place.

Hus Stege
Founder: Hilda Stege
Values: harmony and usefulness
Sigil: knotberry (Rubus chamaemorus)
Specialisation: theory of magic, history of magic, concealment spells

Once a disregarded house of little importance, it is currently the strongest

one. It educated many esteemed authors and influential thinkers in the
magical society.

539
 The Hermetic School
Of Natural Philosophy
From “The Colleges of Wizardry, A Student’s Overview”
By The Famous Magi-Cartographer Gregorius Pinaforte, Ar.Pr.Ma

540
Provides Basic & Higher Magical Education

According to tradition at the College, the tradition of creating magical

institutions and schools took its start in ancient Greece. Of course, any
witchard worth her spellbook knows this is complete chimaera poo, but it
gives a bit of understanding of how the school sees itself.

Founded by a famous witchard by the name of Hermes Trismegistos (his

or her real name of remains unknown) the Hermetic School of Natural
Philosophy was the first school teaching magic as an art and science in
contrast to the teocentric education that predecessed it. The Hermetic
School of Natural Philosophy traditionally works in a mentor-mentee sys-
tem, in which every mentor watches over one or two students.

The time of education is not set, but depending on the student’s progress.
Due to the small number of mentors the whole school counts less than 70
students making it one of the smallest, but also most prestigious magical
colleges. The traditional teaching facilities are ancient Greek temples,
and their timeless-counterparts, the Gardens of Chronos. The Gardens of
Chronos are small cracks in time and space around confluxes, that reveal
the true nature of a place. Nature, buildings and people appear there as
their primal idea, safe from entropy and aging.

The Hermetic School of Natural Philosophy is a small school, rich with

traditions. Basic Magical Education is available to most magically talented
there, but when it comes to the education of adult witchards, there are usu-
ally only spaces for magical high society, as well as the few gifted sorcerers
with a genuine talent for time related magic.

a
541
 The Secret School Of
The Jade Castle
From “The Colleges of Wizardry, A Student’s Overview”
By The Famous Magi-Cartographer Gregorius Pinaforte, Ar.Pr.Ma

542
Provides Basic & Higher Magical Education

The Secret School of the Jade Castle was founded in the 9th century by
the famous Tang dynasty scholar Lü Dongbin ( ). It was created as
a reaction to the increasing tendency of Imperial officials being awarded
titles based on passing a highly theoretical Imperial Exam, rather than on
them displaying any actual practical skills.

Having failed the exam on two separate occasions, Dongbin saw the inher-
ent danger of vast quantities of political power being placed in the hands
of the scholar elite. Especially with scholar elite whose only real merit was
the ability to flawlessly quote traditional texts in writing. Drawing on a
mixture of Daoist traditions and his own investigations into the realm of
magic, Dongbin wanted to create a place of learning where those who suc-
ceeded, did so based on practical skill. Thus, his school would ensure that
anyone with a title of power, would have earned it by virtue of skill, rather
than by adhering to formal tradition.

The witchards who trained at the Jade Castle were the origin for many
mundane dynasties, though always in secret. The witchards would never
formally hold positions of power, but used their powers of divination and
illusion to indirectly sway political decisions.

Founding Myth

The building of the Jade Castle ( ) legend unto itself, though it is

commonly believed to be more myth than truth.

According to the tales of the Xiangxi province, the area was once plagued
by a high number of walking dead. They were known as Jiangshi ( ),
which literally translates to stiff corpse. Animated by a nearby Conflux
gone haywire, these creatures attacked travelers, consumed livestock, and
caused extensive damage to property.

543
 It is said that, Lü Dongbin, already wise in the ways of the Daoist magical
tradition, arrived in the province during this time. He was led there by an-
cestral spirits who recognised him as a potential solution to the problem.
Upon his arrival, Dongbin used a series of unknown rituals and symbols
to bind the undead to his will, leading them away from the settlements of
the region. He led the corpses for a thousand li (roughly 323 kilometers),
travelling only at night to avoid causing ill fortune to those who might see
the dead walking. Thus, the tradition of the Xiangxi corpse drive was born.

Upon reaching the Conflux that had been the source of the problem,
Dongbin had the corpses build a great castle inlaid with protective sigils.
The sigils harnessed the ferocious powers of the Conflux and made sure
the Jiangshi would never run amuck again. He then banished them to the
lowest levels of the basement and sealed the entrance; decorating all the
hallways of the lower levels with mirrors, as Jiangshi are known to fear
their own reflection. Although, most witchards today believe this tale to
be little more than a myth, visitors to the castle confirm that the lower
basements are littered with an amazing number of mirrors.

Despite the name, the Jade Castle, the castle is not actually built from jade.
In Chinese tradition, jade represents various good qualities, such as wis-
dom, truth, and beauty. The term ‘Jade Castle’ simply means that this is a
place dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and decency.

School Profile

What characterises the modern Secret School is an obsession with perfec-

tion in one discipline. Students are discouraged from spending too much
time on social interactions and encouraged to stay on one path - studying
either Divination, Herbology, or the art of Illusions until they demonstrate
utmost perfection in their field. Illusions are studied as a highly specialised
form of art involving mirrors and this discipline is taught at the highest
levels of Jade Castle.

544
The philosophy of the school is - truly mastering even one aspect of magic
is far preferable to having a mediocre skill level in several. Only after a stu-
dent has demonstrated true mastery of a discipline, will they be allowed to
move on to a new field. This means that students from the Jade Castle will
often master only one discipline, but their level of skill in the discipline
will surpass that of a more experienced witchard from another school.

Though, these focused specialisations are not what draws most students to
the school. Rather, legend has it, Lü Dongbin uncovered the secret ritual
of the five immortalities. The ritual is a system of mysterious rites that
allows a witchard to ascend the five levels of power over life and death.
The 5th level grants a power and aspect that is almost godlike. It allows the
witchard to cast aside their mortal body and gain an existence that is not
limited by time or space. Only eight people ever are said to have achieved
the 5th level.

Whether the five immortalities are fact or fiction, is a mystery to anyone

outside of the Jade Castle’s closed inner circle. What’s certain, is there is no
accounts of Lü Dongbin ever dying, nor is there any mention of him after
some point in the 11th century. Instead, he seems to have stopped existing
in the physical world altogether.

545
 The Tula Toltec
College Of Conjurers
From “The Colleges of Wizardry, A Student’s Overview”
By The Famous Magi-Cartographer Gregorius Pinaforte, Ar.Pr.Ma

546
Provides Basic & Higher Magical Education

Located on the Yucatan peninsula in the ancient city of Tula, the Toltec
College of Conjurers is the only international College of Wizardry, which
curriculum is based primarily on Modern Demonology. Founded as a sort
of ghetto by a small society of spanish brujas, who escaped witch hunts in
Renaissance Europe, it quickly grew to the role of an important safeground
for witches and wizards from all over the New World. The cultural mix
of indigenous and creole wizards and witches created a totally new and
exotic magical paradigm, taught only at T.T.C.C., known as Modern De-
monology.

The basic idea of the paradigm is simple - every magical act is an act of
conjuration. Depending on the conjured being the magic will have dif-
ferent outcomes. Anything can serve as such a being - a sheer idea as in
the wordbased modern european wand magic, symbolic personas as in
traditional voodoo magic, or otherworldly beings as in the key of Salo-
mon. One of the outcomes of such education is the rule, that young stu-
dents get their wands only after three years of wandless education, during
which they learn how to create magical objects, conjure small animalistic
spirits and how to defend their minds of the influence of sentient ghosts
and demons. After these three years education resembles more or less the
international standards, while maintaining a slightly unorthodox view on
magical theory.

Instead of houses the T.T.C.C. students gather themselves in brotherhoods

and sororities, while attending classes in one of three faculties.

547
 The Department of Arkanology

The Department of Arkanology focuses on the magic happening in the

physical world - especially magical artifacts, conjuring physical beings and
rituals.

The Department of Methaphysics

The Department of Methaphysics focuses on the magical theory allowing

conjurers to move magical beings, energy and ideas between the worlds.
Ancient Aztec technomancy is as well part of the curriculum as theory of
magic and conjuring information from other worlds.

The Department of Eterology

The Department of Eterology focuses on the structure and inhabitants of

the non-physical worlds, especially demonology, cryptozoology and con-
juring shapeless beings from other worlds.

You’re walking in the Dark Forest at night, perhaps on our way to a ritual
for which you have a special permit from the staff of the College. Suddenly, a
terrifying monster jumps at you. It’s a huge bull-headed beast, swinging with its axe and
bellowing in anger. The minotaur is clearly out to kill you, so you take out your wand and
shoot a few defensive spells while scrambling furiously and trying not to fall on your ass.
While the minotaur is confused by your antics, you manage to slip away. Not the most
elegant fight, but at least nobody saw you. Right?

Wrong! In the magical world, someone will always, always, always see you. Especially
if you do something embarrassing. That’s why style is essential every single moment
you’re engaged in a violent altercation. In the above example, by the time you’re back
in your room, your fellow students and your professors will surely have been apprised
of the embarrassing way you held your wand, the terrified shrieks and grunts that
emanated from your mouth and even how you clumsily got caught in your own cloak
while running away. Always remember: You may win a fight, but if you don’t win in style,
you might as well not win at all.

- Comments at a lecture, Professor Achilleus Tantillus III

(also known as Achilleus the Elder)

548
549
 The University Of The
Sun, Moon And Stars
From “The Colleges of Wizardry, A Student’s Overview”
By The Famous Magi-Cartographer Gregorius Pinaforte, Ar.Pr.Ma

550
Provides Basic & Higher Education

The House of Wisdom ( ; Bayt al-Hikma) was one of the most im-
portant intellectual centers during the Islamic Golden Age, and one of very
few institutions ever to openly offer both magical and non-magical educa-
tion. As a Mundane institute it was founded by Caliph Harun al-Rashid in
Baghdad around 786 and continued by his son Al Ma’mun. Many learned
Mundane scholars of various background (including Christians and Jews)
contributed to the visionary project of creating a truly open house of all
sciences. In 841 the Arabic wizard Abu Ma’shar al-Balkhi joined the House
of Wisdom adding alchemy, astronomy and medicine to the curriculum.

The classical teachings about mathematics, chemistry, zoology, geography

and cartography as well as studying ancient Greek, Indian and Persian
texts are still part of the basic education at the University. The University
of Sun, Moon and Stars, as al-Balkhi named his department, quickly grew
to the rank of an important magic school, drawing its strength from the
close Babylonian Conflux and gaining more and more independence.

In 1258 the House of Wisdom was destroyed by Mongols after the Siege
of Baghdad, leaving only the independent University of Sun, Moon and
Stars. For many years al-Balkhis successors admitted Mundanes as well as
sorcerers at his school. All this stopped in 1399 with the establishment of
the three Traditions. Nowadays the University of the Sun, Moon and Stars
is a wandering University, linked to the Babylonian Conflux, but without
any appearance in the Mundane world.

The everlasting wars in the Middle East made any attempt of rebuilding
the House of Wisdom perish, so the safest way out of this situation was
to create (similarly to the Hermetic School of Natural Philosophy and
the Order of One Library) a Garden of Chronos, resembling the original
House of Wisdom within the magical sphere of the moon.

551
 Houses

Every student chooses his house every year at the Summer Solstice at the
University of the Sun, Moon and Stars. Each house concentrates on a dif-
ferent aspect of science, giving the students the opportunity to either spe-
cialise or master a broad variety of subjects.

The House of Sun

The house of Sun specialises in Mathematics, Numerology, Geomancy

and Ritual Magic. It’s well known for its hard scientific approach on magic
as well as the extensive usage of mundane Mathematics. According to the
House of Sun a good ritualist needs to understand the hard rules of reality
before attempting to change them.

The House of Moon

The house of Moon specialises in History, Medicine, Cryptozoology and

Runic Magic. It’s well known for its organic approach on magic, combin-
ing vast understanding of living beings with magical Runes. Especially the
idea of accelerating evolution through magic is one of the most renown
fields of magical science researched at the House of Moon - thus the im-
portance of History.

The House of Stars

The house of Stars specialises in Astrology, Alchemy, Demonology and

Conflux Magic. It’s well known for its strive for knowledge lying outside
of the physical world. Both, Alchemy and Demonology offer dangerous
powers surpassing the boundaries of human minds and bodies, while
Astrology and Conflux Magic offer both, knowledge and riddles, able to
drive even the best minds into madness.

552
553
 The Venerable House
Pf Thoth And Heka
In Alexandria
From “The Colleges of Wizardry, A Student’s Overview”
By The Famous Magi-Cartographer Gregorius Pinaforte, Ar.Pr.Ma

554
Introduction To The College

The Venerable House of Thoth and Heka in Alexandria is the preeminent

Egyptian school of Magic. Established in 230 BC in Alexandria, the school
subsumed the loose network of schools and formal apprenticeships that
had been the primary form of Egyptian magical education before that, and
syncretized the various forms of Egyptian (and to some extent, Kushite
and Nubian) magic into a somewhat more coherent whole.

The school has a central building and library hidden away in the library
of Alexandria, and the largest and oldest collection of rare magical texts
in the known world; only the hermetic school in Greece comes close to
matching it. Most of the teaching, however, is spread across hidden con-
fluxes in Egypt. These confluxes are often established at ancient ruins and
temples or other places of importance to ancient Egypt, and most of them
could reasonably claim to be older than any magical establishment outside
of Egypt or Mesopotamia.

The school has a reputation for producing excellent necromancers, but

this is mostly based on prejudice; while some graduates of The House of
Thoth and Heka are certainly highly skilled necromancers, their field of
necromantic expertise is usually quite narrow, due to the nature of an-
cient Egyptian magic. Where the school truly shines is in the use of hiero-
glyphic magic – mistakenly called runic magic outside of Egypt – and in
the creation of magical amulets and talismans. These talismans are one of
the most potent forms of magical artifice in known magical history, and
ancient Egyptian techniques have influenced every form of artificing that
has come after it, with the exception of some American and far east-Asian
forms. Similarly, their magical scrolls and hieroglyphic spells are, despite
their ancient origins, incredibly complex and have influenced and shaped
western magical thought since before the birth of western magical thought.
Beyond that, the school of course offers a broad magical education.

555
 The only other thing of note is the school still has a few vestiges of Egyp-
tian religion and morality as part of their theory and magic, which leads to
bold demonologists who use intimidation and threats with their demons,
and incredibly fair and justice-minded guardians, obsessed with Ma’at,
meaning “truth” or “order.”

A sorcerer or sorceress usually studies at The House of Thoth and Heka

for seven years. Six of those years are spread around various confluxes and
hidden magical locales, but the last is always spent at the main building in
Alexandria. There, the student chooses and completes a year-long magical
project under the guidance of the teachers. The education is thorough, the
guidance is good and the magicademical resources available to the student
nearly limitless, so failures are rare. Those few failures that do happen are
allowed to try again next year, either extending their project or starting
anew from scratch.

After the seven years are complete, the student is offered to stay on for
ten years of higher education for the equivalent of a doctorate, though the
school does not offer any shorter higher education courses. Most magi-
cians obviously chooses to go to another magical university instead if they
go to any at all, but those few that stay on – no more than one or two a year,
usually – receive one of the most complete magical educations possible.
The school is divided into various temples spread around Egypt, though
students move from temple to temple each year. Informally, the students
divide themselves into the house of Thoth and Heka, however. These were
official divisions at the founding of the school, as the school was created
by joining the temple of Thoth with the so called house of Heka, a library
dedicated to the worship and study of the goddess of magic. Over time,
these faded away as the worship of ancient Egyptian religion died out, and
only the magic derived therefrom remained. The terms remained, how-
ever, and mutated over time. Originally, the simply denoted what sort of
magic you were best at, but over the years, the meanings changed and mu-
tated, so that now it is partly a matter of magical inclination, partially a
matter of skill, and mostly a matter of prejudice.

556
The House of Thoth

These are the most mcademically inclined on average, stereotypically

nerds and “bookworms,” and are generally skilled at hieroglyphic and
iconographic magic. Being in the house of Thoth has at times been a slur,
similar to “geek” or “dork,” but is currently something of a mark of pride,
more something others say about you than something you necessarily use
about yourself. This also means that those who would formerly have been
called of the house of Heka, such as skilled necromancers and artificers,
might now be called of the house of Thoth.

The House of Heka

These students are stereotypically the more practically inclined, such as

athletes and duellists, often skilled at artificing. Lately, it has taken a slight
turn towards meaning something like “dumb jock.” However, some skilled
artificers take offence to this, and consequently insist on being in the house
of Heka, even though they would, in the more modern meaning, be in the
house of Thoth.

557
Thank you for reading
Thank you for caring
Czocha College of Witchcraft And Wizardry Student Handbook
First Edition, 2015

ISBN: 978-87-92507-29-7

Published for the larp series College of Wizardry

Contributors
Aina D. Skjønsfjell, Aleksandra Hedere Ososińska, Alena Košinárová,
Alexis Moisand, Alida Bruining, Anders Würtz, Andra Kurlis, Ann Christensen,
Anna Loudon, Anna Westerling, Benjamin A Morrow, Charles Bo Nielsen,
Claus Raasted, Dajo Vande Putte, Daniel Sundström, Dominika Cembala,
Dorota Kalina Trojanowska, Dracan Dembinski, Edin Janković Šumar,
Eetu Pykäläinen, Eevi Korhonen, Elge Larsson, Elizabeth Chaipraditkul,
Ember Lark, Erik Sonne Georg, Evan Healy, Florence Björk Kummer,
Franz-Josef Bauer, Frederik Sylvest, Gabrielle D. Simoniel, Hissu Hyvärinen,
Jaakko Stenros, Jamie Macdonald, Jenny M. Nordfalk, Joanna ‘tzigi’ Maryniak,
Jon Thurtell, Jørn Slemdal, José Zuell, Jovita Tang, Juan Jose Ramirez,
Juhana Pettersson, Justine Jones, Karen L Beres, Karolina Fido, Lars Bundvad,
Laura Gil, Lilli Jakobsen, Liselle Angelique Evers, Krog Awwal, Magnus T. Han-
sen, Maria Johansen, Marsha Nicholson, Mathias Oliver Christensen, Maury Eliz-
abeth Brown, Mia Devald Kyhn, Michèle Nion-Huang, Mila Ould Yahoui, Molly
Brandt, Niels Ull Harremoës, Piotr Milewski, Rasmus Strand, Renate Iversen,
Rikke Munchkin Sørensen, Sara Garzón, Simon Brind, Sphinx Birch,
Stefan Lunneborg, Tereza Kulovaná, Thomas Kerff, Torben Ussing,
Veronica Hell Sæther, Vladimir Talpa

Layout
Claus Raasted

Cover Art
Dracan Dembinski

Publishing House
Rollespilsakademiet

Web
www.rollespilsfabrikken.dk/cow/studenthandbook.pdf

College of Wizardry Web

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