The Fusion of Essence

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The Fusion of Essence
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The Fusion of Essence and Being

An Enchanter (sometimes spelt "Enchaunter"; esp. in Old English circa 1300-1500) has a system worked out that is strikingly similar to that of the Elemental magician. The Elemental magician works with the four elements in their raw forms, casting fire to set objects ablaze. The Enchanter, however, does not cast fire to obtain the warmth or destructive properties of fire, but rather uses "fire" as a title for an ideal or notion of being. "Fire" to an Enchanter means that one is trying to infuse the qualities associated with fire into an object or being. Fire's attributes include things such as Life, Aggressiveness, Rapid Healing, Health, Strength, Power, Inner Fortitude, Courage, etc, etc. The list is virtually inexhaustible. This page will attempt to explain, at length, the major uses of the four elements and then explain a highly refined form of Enchanting affectionately called "Wishcraft".
This page will not make sense unless you understand, or at least have access to, a table of correspondences. Two good ones are: The Mage Page: Correspondences or Ludvig's Tower: Commonly Used Spell Components
Fire:
The Enchanter approaches "fire" from a vastly different angle than any other art. Instead of the base use of fire as an actual element, it represents active energy. Fire is most commonly used for two purposes (though there is a very wide array of possiblities for this element; do not limit it to these abilities alone): Healing and Strength. To heal, an Enchanter must (true to their trade) enchant something for the true target to absorb the spell from. Usually a piece of jewellery is used. All of the gemstone and metallurgical correspondences must be adhered to when preparing to enchant (so don't cast fire into a lapis lazuli stone). For example, a ruby stone set in gold would be ideal. The ruby stone has qualities similar to fire, as does the metal gold. With this combination, a mundane ring can be made into a ring of healing. The Enchanter would take this ring to a place where they could concentrate, and would hold it. While holding the ring, the power of healing, warmth, strength, vitality, and well-being would be channelled into the ring so that the bearer of it would receive the aforementioned benefits. The Enchanter should be able to see the warm and furvent power of fire flowing from their own body and solidifying in the ring. When the ring is no longer able to hold any more power it is given to the correct person.
Air:
This element is usually associated with the following attributes: Psychism, mental ability, intelligence, invisibility, covert operations, illusion, secrets, speed, protection (to a lesser degree) and magic. To use the element of air is to imply something of a non-tangible nature being used to affect the tangible. Air is often charged into amulets of the appropriate correspondence, such as silver metal and an moonstone gem, to make people invisible, more psychically adept, or to increase the power of the mind, such as wisdom, intelligence, or mental endurance. It is possible, with the element of Air, to turn a normal mundane into a low-level Mage by increasing their control over their own mind and the minds of others. By the presence of this element, it is possible for an Enchanter to "bestow magic" on a person who is not naturally a very skilled magician (or a magician at all). Air can be used to increase speed as well, be it physical speed, mental speed, or, in an advanced enough state, the speed of time itself. Air is a very versatile element, and as a result, is able to pass on its versatility to those things it enchants.
Earth:
The powers of earth, while not actually referring to the physical movement or disruption of the ground, still harbour the qualities that we value the earth for: Solidity, power, stability, defence, strength, endurance, defiance, immovability, firmness, etc. The power of earth is usually used not to create new attributes, but rather to keep and strengthen existing ones. Notice that the attribute of strength is present in the element of Fire and Earth. The difference between the two applications is as follows: If strength were bestowed by using the element of fire, a person would become strong, even if they were not before. Their strength through fire enchantment would be quick, powerful, and would fade as quickly as it came afterwards. Earth strength, conversely, would only enhance the existing strength of a person, but would be more resilient and last longer. Earth is a slower and more stable form of enchantment which allows the user to reap benefits far longer afterwards than any other element (supposing any other element was cast with equal or lesser strength). The mainstay of Earth is the ability to bestow endurance.
Water:
Water is the basic element of life on planet earth. It is the healing source that regenerates the body and refreshes the mind. In Enchanting, it carries the following attributes: Calmness, reflectiveness, spirituality, passive psychism, divining, healing, peace, serenity, quietness, muting, quiet power, passive defence, and one-sided adaptability. Water is used mainly for three purposes: To defend against other magician, to tune your spirituality, and to heal. As a defence against other magicians, water is a key device. The trick to water is that it can not, per se, be used offensively. To mute another magician's magical ability or to simply protect yourself from stray spells or powers, an Enchanter casts a globe of water energy around another magician to stop the in/out flow of energy from that magician. To protect, a sphere is made around the caster which allows only their own energy to permeate the barrier. To be used psychically or to tune spirituality, one would find/create a reflecting pool and bless it with the power of water. Lastly, as a healing device, water can be used to re-open blocked energy channels within the body. Water is a passive but powerful force.
Wishcraft:
Wishcraft is a different spin entirely. The art of Wishcraft is a subdivision of the abilities of an Enchanter allowing the greatest flexibility in purpose. Essentially, it the accumulation of all the elemental powers (known in massed form as Ether, or the "Spirit" element), which is sent out to perform a purpose. This is distinctly different from using the individual elements in one major way: the individual elements focus on performing one *task*, but an ether cluster under the influence of Wishcraft is sent out to accomplish a *goal*. A goal may entail many tasks, and that is what makes it such a unique skill. But, to qualify this ability on an equal level with the other elements, an ether sphere which has been released under the influence of Wishcraft is not nearly as powerful as a single concentrated element and is very difficult to produce in the first place (since it requires the storage of not one, but four elements at a time, all of which conflict with each other). Wishcraft simply collects a sphere of the four elements, implants a full purpose in it, and lets it imbue to perform a duty. The mechanism of this ability is the recreation of intelligence, to a lesser degree, much like creating an elemental. More of this can be found through practice, however.
Many of the current philosophies of Enchanting can be found in select portions of John Baptist Porta's work "Natural Magick". It was written during the Scientific Revolution, at which time Magic and Science were seen to split, but he does retain some very clear carryover from old thoughts of associations and other mystic properties.

Sources: http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/tomekeeper/types/enchanting.html
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