Magical Patterns

MrXLink · May 27, 2010 9:04 PM

Hi there! I read these books lately about sorcery and witchcraft of the world, and learned some interesting things. Let me share this interesting (according to me) information with you. I bet you like it.

For example, like we can see today in the RP section and in the spyro-games, Dragons have become increasingly more popular. Originally known as dark, violent and evil creatures, we're respecting them more and more today. In fact, some are believed to be on our side. In medieval times, people symbolized the Dragon as anything bad, anything that caused trouble (as St. George of Lydda killed the Dragon), now they symbolize strength. I'm talking about Europe, not asia, 'cause in Japan and China they've been mostly on the good side.

A French magic book was created in the 19th century called La poule noire (the black chicken). It told you that you could find any treasure by slaughtering a chicken at the possible place of where the treasure could be...

"Magicians" existed even in the beginning of Humanity and onwards. Call them Swami's, Alchemists, Witches, Shamans, witchdoctors or mentalists, the people that seemed to have just a bit more power or an unique ability aren't that new. They can be helpful but especially during the Middle Ages, people wanted to get rid of them as soon as possible. They blamed "Witches" for everything (they needed to have someone to blame for mistakes, right? like "accidentally" killing your in-laws etc. tongue ). Nowadays people still believe they can have their future foretold by tarot cards and crystal balls, and only the real "evil" sorcerers are sometimes feared, but it has decreased over time.

Accessories. Every magician had to have at least these items:

Crystal Ball
Originally Celtic, Druids used this crystal ball to foretell the future. The ball, mostly made of the very transparent Beryllium crystal, had to be as round as it could be. The rounder your crystal ball is, the more accurate and pure it will work.
Bezoar/Aetite
A bezoar is a stone-like substance that can sometimes be found in animal stomachs and kidneys. Especially bezoar stones from birds are very valuable for a good wizard, since those are supposed to be more powerful and symbolic. Bezoar stones of birds are called Aetites. The stones were used to undo a curse or to help women to get pregnant. The stones are comparable to kidney stones in animals.
Imaguncula
Old word for Voodoo-puppet. Imagine you, as a magician, want to terribly hurt someone for some reason. Making a puppet of clay, cloth or any kind of substance that looks like the person you want to hurt is enough. With some needles it was said that you could hurt someone terribly by just putting needles in the puppet's body. It was very popular for Scottish druids and Asian witchdoctors and voodoo-priests.
Mandragora
This plant was said to have magical powers as well. That is, because of the roots shaped like human-like figures. If you would make a potion from it, it would aid you in the path of love and increase the fertility of women.
Magic Wand
Has its roots in Egypt. In Egypt, small scepter-like wands made of metal would do the trick, in Europe preferably wooden. You don't need a wand to cast a spell, but it bundles your power and powers up the curse or spell you cast.

Abracadabra is one of the most famous spells. Originates from Rome, and had the effect to remove any fever. However, the process was long and difficult. Not only saying the word out loud is enough, no, it had to be written on papyrus in a special way, like this:

A-B-R-A-C-A-D-A-B-R-A
-A-B-R-A-C-A-D-A-B-R-
--A-B-R-A-C-A-D-A-B--
---A-B-R-A-C-A-D-A---
----A-B-R-A-C-A-D----
-----A-B-R-A-C-A-----
------A-B-R-A-C------
-------A-B-R-A-------
--------A-B-R--------
---------A-B----------
----------A-----------

This triangle had to be worn during the process. Each line stands for a day, you start at abracadabra, per day one letter vanishes, and the illness should get less intensive. On day 10, the amulet could be removed and the caster should go to a river which flows to the east, with his back facing it, and throw the amulet over his shoulder. The disease would be gone.

Another mighty spell was Sator Arepo Tenet Opera Rotas. It's Latin, meaning "The sower Arepo keeps the wheels working". Arepo could have been god, and the sentence is a powerful spell, to do a lot of things. It could protect you, extinguish a fire, kill a witch or spawn any object you like. Once again, the mystical "Sator Square" had to be written on papyrus:

S-A-T-O-R
A-R-E-P-O
T-E-N-E-T
O-P-E-R-A
R-O-T-A-S

No matter in which way you read it (horizontal or vertical), it always stays the same. Plus, the two "Tenet" form the holy cross. It's a powerful spell.

Every spell HAD to be written with pork blood on papyrus, and could be made stronger or more successive with accessories and special circles and knots (Think of the all-mighty pentagram).

There's so much more to be said... it's just amazing, you can almost start to believe in it wink

iSO · Jun 06, 2010 8:41 AM

I don't know if anyone saw this or responded, but I find this fun, and interesting. I haven't dug the first thin layer of skin yet - but maybe the Demonata series can help. It's more on demons, but it's still fantasy. A fast-paced story too.

Mr. John · Jun 12, 2010 10:32 PM

Such amazing things that we do not know about these legendary creatures. Books alone don't hold all the awnsers.

MrXLink · Jun 13, 2010 1:41 PM

Actually, I made my own curse. In class, we needed to remind the last letters of Noun Phase 3 of the Greek nouns, and there's this word to remind it, called OSIAESOONSINAS. If you repeat that a couple of times at low pitch, it does sound like a continuous curse.

#1 May 27, 2010 9:04 PM

Magical Patterns

#2 Jun 06, 2010 8:41 AM

Re: Magical Patterns

#3 Jun 12, 2010 10:32 PM

Re: Magical Patterns

#4 Jun 13, 2010 1:41 PM

Re: Magical Patterns

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