Arcane Lore

The Beginnings of Magic

Before the beginning all was perfection and light. Then came chaos and in the midst of the chaos came our forebears and they looked upon the chaos and were dismayed.

And some knew that that they had fallen from grace while others believed the chaos had birthed them and they fought one with the other for dominance and those who loved the chaos, though they did not win each battle, so it was they won the wars.

Those who would know perfection were banished and in the midst of the chaos grew the land and the seas and creatures lived and moved within, on and above the both. And in the lands stood the peoples of the world, Elves and Men, Dwarves and Halflings, Orcs and Goblins and all manner more that were beyond reckoning.

And of the peoples of the world there were those who sought the perfection and those who sought chaos and always they were waning one with the other and even amongst themselves.

And always behind the world swam the sea of perfection; tom and shredded flowing back and forth entwined and twisted with the sea of chaos almost so that none could tell them apart. And this power moulded and formed the lands and the peoples.

And among the people were those who could draw upon the powers of perfection and chaos and mould it to their wills. Thus there was magic and thus there were mages.

And those who knew how to bend the magic to their will were powerful and they studied the ways of magic learning how to bind it and blend it, withhold it and give it freely, and in some places they were reviled while in others they were revered. And in some places they were strong and in others they were weak and in passing from one place to another they would find their strength would change.

Thus it was learned that magic was not constant throughout the world but that it waxed and waned, ebbed and flowed sometimes with the constancy of perfection, sometimes with the irrationality of chaos.

So it was in the beginning, so it is now and so shall it always be.

From the Cosmology of the World, the wisdom of the Aratian philosopher Atan al-Rashish, written by his scribe Tiresh, 553 years before the founding of the Great Library of Norhault. Translated from the Arataic by Tolen Garanesh in the 57th year after the founding.

“Magic is the manipulation of patterns within the Universal Amalgam”

Morag Stone Cleaver, Clan Fergusson

Atefacts

In our world a magical artefact is that created device that possesses the inherent ability to command or release the power of magic in a defined manner.

The tool of a blacksmith, as a hammer, is not such a device in that it provides a channel for the strength and skill of its wielder to shape the iron by direct physical contact but it does not alter the skill or strength.

Yet the Hammer of Yosmalinthes is such a device, though it may have appearance and characteristics similar to that of the blacksmith’s, in that it channels the strength and skill of its wielder yet enhances and increases it such that it may penetrate the strongest protections. Possessing it even the fiercest of warriors can win great victories – and so it has been through all of history.

But such a thing need not be for war. Consider the Hammer of Yosnialinthes in the hands of a blacksmith. He would he the greatest smithy in the land able to work iron as no other.

Truly it was written by Atan al-Rashish:

Though one creates a tool for the working of good, nothing can be made that cannot be twisted to evil. For it is the mind of Man and all rational creatures that brings purpose to the tool. And the maker cannot dictate that purpose.

Though you may study to create such devices as would bring peace to all, remember these words for they are a warning and a guidance.

How They Work

It was the Master Toolcrafter, Joseph of Norhault, Founder of the Toolcrafters Guild at Norhault in the 67th year after the founding of the Great Library of Norhault, who first defined the understanding of artefacts and their functioning.

To understand these principles the student must consider the constitution of the universe itself as described by Atan al-Rashish:

When our forebears fell from perfection all was light, but the light became tainted by chaos and from this came the lands and the waters and all creatures that live and do not live. But pervading all the lands and the seas and all living things there exists the amalgam of light and chaos that is called in the common tongue Magic.

But know this, you who would work with this amalgam it is not constant.

It is clear that every artefact contains an intensity of the Universal Amalgam that is itself a pattern woven into the very texture of the artefact itself. Woven with such utmost care and craft that the very act or perhaps the merest intention, of using the artefact brings forth its potency.

Clearly such weaving requires minds most dedicated.

How They Are Made

The precise means of making an artefact are as many and as varied as there are tools to be made yet it will always pivot about a single Ritual to bind the Universal Amalgam into the, precise pattern to perform the task required.

The first step must always be delineating the goal, it may be that some great Lord calls upon a Toolcrafter and requires that such-and-such he made or this-and-that be made. But be wary to blindly obeying the dictates of Lord or peasant or even free emotion as it will lead only to destruction.

Delineate your goal with utmost precision; do not yield to the temptations of inexactitude. To name your goal a hammer that strikes with additional strength is not sufficient: How will you know the way to bind and weave the Universal Amalgam into a pattern to achieve such unclear purposes?

Consider the weaver of cloth, does he not design to the last thread how each colour will be placed? How would his cloth appear if he did not do so? We are the weavers of magic and needs be so much more precise than this lest it unravel us.

Now you must choose your threads, for material and colour, and your tools for working. These words are not spoken in levity; your very life depends upon it. Consider again the hammer, if you were to place the power into a hammer of poor construction how would it fare? Test it if you dare.

Find the best maker of hammers in the land and bid him outdo himself for the sake of your toolcrafting, but be sure you have payment ready for he will command the highest of prices for such work. Better still, be yourself the maker of the hammer, have such skill as to create perfection in the ingredients you will need, for none but yourself can truly comprehend your needs.

Listen, once more, to the words of Atan al-Rashish:

Though not all may work the Universal Amalgam to their own ends know this now, the closer to perfection a thing is so it is a vessel to perfection.

And listen not to the fools who command you create such perfection with magic, and perform such rash acts of foolishness only if you be brave, and foolhardy (you needs must be hardy to be such a fool).

If it is that you have delineated your purpose with a clear mind and have brought together the parts that will become the whole, so it is time to consider the Ritual.

It is easy to say, but be sure to consider this: All but the simplest artefacts will require many rituals to be performed before the Universal Amalgam is compressed and bound within the body of the target.

Once the Universal Amalgam has been bound into the body of the target, the vessel. That vessel becomes virtually impervious to physical influence. Though each time it serves its purpose it is weakened.

Unnumbered may be the occasions when those without wisdom have attempted to weave the Universal Amalgam into the body of one living. When one considers the rules commanding the perfection of the vessel one can deduce the results of such insanity.

The Key

Understand this, invocation of magical artefacts is not an essential ingredient in their making. But if no key is worked into the weaving its lifetime will he short.

You cannot make perfection and so you cannot bind the Universal Amalgam for eternity. If you attempt it you will fail. Master Toolcrafter Joseph of Norhault perceived this filing and codified it into his teachings, few before him understood and if they did they did not teach what they had learned.

Here is his truth: There’s no perfection in this world so don’t try to make it. It’s better to make your own imperfections and turn thetn to your benefit. When toolcrafting make the Key your imperfection, it’s a way to allow the controlled release of the magic, which is going to go eventually anyway. That way you’ll get the most lasting effect and the imperfection becomes a benefit, especially if your sponsor (supposing you’re lucky enough to get one) wants it for his own use only. There’ll be other smaller imperfections anyway but no one will notice if ‘you’re clever enough.

The Key permits the controlled release of the power of the artefact.

Since the days of Master Joseph a single key has been used for most ailefacts and that key is taught as, what the commoners call, Invocation. There are few who do not know this key. Yet it is not the only key.

What can be Made

There are two basic forms of the magical artefact, the one most common is the artefact that holds constant power and provides an enhancement to its wielder’s abilities. The Hammer of Yosmalinthes is such a one, its power is constant, and also there are the various forms of Seeing Eye.

The other form, the one most popular with the commoners and ignorant lordlings, will provide a magical effect upon command. The making of these must he two-fold as first the vessel must be prepared as an artefact woven to contain the Universal Amalgam. Then it must be charged with the power that, when released, forms a single effect.

Such weavings require enormous skill and are very rare.

The Scroll is a form of ibis artefact using the application of Low Magic, it is codified and ritualised to such an extent that if practised sufficiently, many can perform it safely.

Who Can Make Them

The Circle is close to perfection yet the more mages that combine the harder it is to create a balance of purpose and mind. It is true that more Mages may channel more power through a Circle but for delicate weaving the force of so many may not he needed.

Rehearse your rituals with utmost diligence lest a single slip will, at best, undo your work but, at worst, bring destruction upon you and your Circle.

How Are They Destroyed

No artefact can survive indefinitely but its longevity depends upon the skill of its crafting in both its physical and magical elements. If it should be that the vessel of the Universal Amalgam can no longer contain the magic within then it will fail.

The manner of its failing cannot be determined but such a release of magic is seldom inconsequential, no warrior keeps his magical weapon by his side save when he chooses to use it.

In the Battle of Bon Grimar the conclusion came when the Red Axe of Tolamayrin, wielded at that time by Lord Greman of the Axe, failed in the midst of the fighting and three thousand men and elves were slain where they stood. Know you that dragons always hoard their magic a safe distance from their skins?

But lest the battle-hungry think that this too would be a great weapon such failure cannot he predicted with certainty. Too much depends upon the local intensity of the Universal Amalgam and its perturbations.

Failure of a so-called Wand can be most damaging as all of its bound power is released in one, without a target to focus upon. Such power normally dissipates quickly but such bound energies may fall upon those nearby and affect them badly – though perhaps justly.

Intentional dismantling of an artefact can only be performed in a series of Rituals which must first determine how it may discharged safely and then bring about the conditions for such discharging.

Due to the avarice of so-called rational beings and their desire to cling to their power regardless of their state, magical artefacts are seldom discharged in this fashion.

Scrolls

As has been told to you already in this short treatise, scrolls are a very limited form of magical artefact which may be crafted by those skilled only in Low Magic, the manipulation of simple patterns of the Universal Amalgam, provided they study well and have sufficient resources.

They are also the primary means by which the Guild of Alchemy maintains their otherwise precarious position in the Convocation of Guilds. It is the Alchemists who have held the secret of the ink that holds the spell in suspension until its invocation, that which they call the Blood of Tarl.

Know you that it was Alchemy Master Tarl, in the 119th year from the Founding of the Great Library. That discovered how to make the ink and presented the first demonstration to the Convocation wherein a child, barely able to stand but that had been taught the key, caused half the Convocation to he slept in their chairs. Always the Alchemists have been wont to perform such undignified demonstrations of their power wherein they cause embarrassment to their betters. Be warned.

What Are They

The substance upon which a scroll is written is without importance, it is most improper to call such artefacts scrolls but that is their most common form and so the name persists. But do not forget that a scroll can be upon cloth, upon stone and even upon the water.

When the Princess Melin of Aratia was travelling to the kingdom of Grec to be wed, by way of bride price she also carried with her one thousand scrolls. ‘Me ship was struck by a terrible storm and many were drowned (including, unfortunately, the Princess who was most beauteous and kind). Amongst the scrolls was the Great Scroll of Kazmarin that was said to contain such power that it could wipe an army from the battle plain. Of the survivors more than one who clung to a piece of mast reported seeing the words of the Great Scroll glowing deep within the water, but that debris was seen to pass both in front and behind the words. For the parchment upon which they had been enscripted had dissolved into the water.

The Universal Amalgam is woven into a pattern with the ink which is prepared carefully to be as close to perfection as can be created by the Alchemists.

How They Work

The release of the energies of a scroll is as it is with other magical artefacts, once the key has been spoken the Universal Amalgam that is woven into the ink is set free and performs the function it has been prepared for. Due to the nature of the ink, the Key for a scroll except in very special cases will always be through the common skill of invocation. Skilled mages of High magic may be able to alter the key in some fashion making the scroll usable only those who know the new key.

How They Are Made

You must purchase the ink from an alchemist; you do not need to tell them what it is for, and if you prefer you may buy it through an intermediary. If you dwell close to a building of the Mages’ Guild you may purchase from there as the storekeeper will deal with the Alchemy Guild.

You will also need parchment that the Alchemists will delight in selling to you although other sources are possible; however, they do have good quality materials. The same passes for your quills that must be of the highest quality – without good instruments the magic will not hold well to the ink.

You must, of course, have learnt the necessary skills of writing, a common failing in mages that should be rectified – I myself am able to converse in three languages, how else can you read the words of the learned in their native tongue?

Following your training in the Third Rank of Low Magic you will learn the skill of Enscription which shows the techniques for binding specific Low Magic spells into the ink, creating the pattern that holds the magic. Once the Third Rank has been mastered it is not difficult to inscribe scrolls but it does require concentration and time – and the resources.

The Key

The standard key of Toolcrafter Joseph is taught and is one with the techniques, with much practise and development you may learn how to alter this but for such as scrolls this is barely important.

How Are They Destroyed

Disruption of the pattern of words in a scroll is sufficient to destroy it. The release of energy in such an act is minimal – such is the power of Low Magic. The Great Scroll of Kazmarin was clearly an exception, the pattern and magic were so intertwined and so powerful that they were able to hold their form without the support of the parchment, and there may he others of this ilk.

Yet to combine such power into such a simple medium seems a waste of skill.

Potions

It is essential that you understand that there are three forms of potion, two are of a magical nature while the other is not. This last comprises those creations of Alchemy, which possess nothing of the Universal Amalgam bound into their nature. We are not concerned with such as these nor the poisons that they devise to bring such havoc to the courts of kings.

The potions which are our concern are those which contain the Universal Amalgam bound into them in a pattern of suspension which is similar in many ways to a scroll but no invocation is required to release their power.

Of these two forms one is of relative simplicity to produce, once you have learned the skills required and practised them completely. This form is that which brings about the result within the one that imbibes it, such as one that dissipates poisons in the body.

The second is most complex and perhaps least useful, this form empowers the recipient to work a spell specific to the potion. Thus one may create such a potion whereby he who drinks it may dissipate the poisons within another’s body. The extreme difficulty in making such a potion surely outweighs its usefulness; I will leave it to you, the reader, to determine just how difficult it is by considering such information as I convey within these pages. How They Work

When a magical potion is imbibed the pattern that holds the magic is broken down by the action of the body; the magic is thus released within the body of the recipient and will act almost immediately.

The pattern is the most important part of the potion; it is this that maintains the spell in its structure it is the weaving that holds the Universal Amalgam. For Low Magic specific patterns have been devised that will always work within the fluid medium and this is what is taught at the Third Rank.

How They Are Made

It must be said once more that we must trade with Guild of Alchemy for our main ingredient, the Base, which holds the pattern and maintains the spell. We do not know its composition, but it was created by Alchemy Master Tarl in the I24th year after the Founding of the Great Library of Norhault. Its secret has been guarded jealously by the Alchemists since that time.

It is perhaps something for which we should be grateful that Alchemy Master Tarl required the help of Master Toolcrafter Joseph for the development of the skills to weave a spell into an unsupported liquid. One dare not think what terrible demonstration Tarl would have carried out to the embarrassment of our Guild.

The skill of Pattern Binding you are taught at the Third Rank is the one required for the creation of magical potions. And indeed an understanding of this is most helpful in the creation of magical artefacts as it incorporates the fundamentals taught by Master Toolcrafter Joseph. As he wrote:

When you try to bind a spell into a liquid it’s like trying to catch a pig. You have to know where it’s going next before it does one little slip and it’s away and you’re lying face down in the muck.

Once the binding is accomplished the liquid must sealed immediately within a suitable container lest as the liquid dissipates and the structure of the pattern will no longer hold and the power of spell will he used up without effect. Once sealed the potion should hold its potency for many years, but it depends much on the skill of the maker.

How Are They Destroyed

Due to the nature of binding a pattern into a liquid it is most unstable and once unsealed the pattern will breakdown speedily, it is dependent upon its age, the complexity of the pattern and its weaving, the power of the spell contained and the initial skill of the maker.

Some Considerations

As a form of artefact the magical potion is perhaps the least useful in many of its aspects, difficult to make and of short lifetime. Yet it is easy to transport and may be used by anyone, or indeed an animal may consume one to receive its effects.

On the darker side it is easier to introduce the spell effect to one who is unknowing by this method and the instigator need not he present when the effect occurs.

Natural Artefacts

There are instances, occasions in nature, when a magical artefact is created through natural forces and not the hand of a rational creature. Though it may be that it is the hand of perfection and chaos that works unseen.

Such an artefact can take any form, although it mostly the form of rock or crystal squeezed into perfection in the bosom of the world. Such things can be precious like diamonds, emeralds or sapphires but they may appear as simple stones.

Yet others that have been known: One such was the Whirlpool of Vyseria, this appeared unpredicted at the mouth of the River Ratel 200 years ago, it swallowed many ships before its nature was determined. It was an artefact created in the water by nature itself and the structure of its patterning was such that it formed a whirlpool and sucked ships to their doom. The circle formed by the whirlpool was a form close to perfection and it was no easy task for Grand Master Mage Floris Ilias to disrupt it sufficiently to banish its power especially with no Ritual Circle close at hand.

A fairly common effect is what the unknowing call the Fire Sprites. These short-lived elemental forms often appear within a fire when powerful rituals are being cast and swirls of the Universal Amalgam combine with a camp fire and fly off ravaging all about. These are most unstable and usually dissipate within 6nutes, however they can cause the most terrible destruction in that short time.

So-called Wind Fiends, similar to Fire Sprites, also occur but with much less frequency as air is more difficult to bind with a pattern from random weavings. It must be understood that none of these effects have anything even approaching intelligence or understanding, though the ignorant masses are wont to think otherwise.

Of most importance are the permanent earth effects as these have the longest duration. But the actual effects that these may have cannot be predicted. They are random creations where no mind of rational being has given them purpose. They may perform no function at all being merely magical. Or they may have such subtle or small effect that it passes recognition.

Within the walls of the Guildhouse of Mages floats the Machtanikin Stone, it has no weight and may be blown to and fro like a feather. It is used for example and allows itself to be tested by novices for it seems completely stable. This state of perfection is impossible, but no flaw has yet been found.

Then there are those that bring chaos to the minds of rational creatures, or distort them in some fashion. It is said that such a stone lies at the heart of Fortress Rieskarg, the castle of the royal line in Teutonia but this has never been proven.

Ritual Circles

It behoves me now to write at some length on the High Magic and Lore composing places of power, commonly known as Ritual Circles. Whether one practices High Magic or Low Magic it is most important to understand the nature of the world in which we abide, the greatest philosopher is Atan al-Rashish and I chose his words to open this treatise for his understanding surpasses all.

To read his words The Cosmology of the World as he wrote them in his own tongue is to bring the most understanding, yet not all can learn the intricacies of philosophic Arataic and it is agreed that the truest translation of the Philosopher’s words was submitted by Tolen Garanesh. I may condense much here yet be sure that true comprehension and understanding will not come to you in this wise.

The Universal Amalgam

As the Great Philosopher determined throughout, behind and intermingled all existence lies the Universal Amalgam which stems from the birth of all and is an admixture of order and chaos.

Yet the Universal Amalgam is not constant and it varies from place to place, and it is not stable, it fluctuates, ebbs and flows, strengthening and weakening as it goes. For the most pail it d” not alter with rapidity, in most cases its tides are so slow that in the life of one or many it will not change as may be noticed.

Nor can there be true prediction of how it will change. In the 237th year after the founding of the Great Library of Norhault. Grand Master Mage Thomas the Wise perceived a creeping wave of power flowing across the world it moved with speed, crossing Albion in less than a year and in that time many great feats of magic were performed. Following it was a great trough of power as if the Universal Amalgam had been withdrawn from the world and disease was rife through the land as healers lost their strength.

For the most part, however, the Universal Amalgam is quite stable though patterns may still flow through it. Part of that pattern is the strengthening and thickening of the Universal Amalgam in certain areas. These places of power are to all intents, concentrations of the Universal Amalgam that do not move they are Ritual Circles.

The Circles

Such is the greed for power of so-called rational creatures that one can imagine the response to discovering the power of the Ritual Circle. Such a Warlord would command his people to build a keep above the Ritual Circle so that he alone might control it.

The Universal Amalgam shifts and flows in patterns, and those patterns are more certain the stronger the concentration of power. Yet it has always been found that the concentrations of power grow and grow until they must release their energies upon the world in a most destructive and chaotic way. The more potent the Ritual Circle the more destructive the release.

The Wellspring of Life is a name given to the Ritual Circle near Norhault and it is perhaps the most potent Ritual Circle that is known. Yet with such a powerful Ritual Circle nearby one might wonder why the Guildhouse of Mages is not constructed right upon it? Every 47 years the Wellspring of Life erupts into the most dangerous explosion of power. Such that no living thing may stand to be within three leagues of it and in the three years of its activity the lands about it become distorted beyond recognition, as if a new place had been created. It is many years since anyone dared build a keep in a vain attempt to monopolise it for their own use.

Lesser Ritual Circles release their energies less harmfully and a keep may be built that will not be harmed, yet there are other difficulties in trying to hold a Ritual Circle for oneself

Paths of Light

It was in the I0Ist year after the founding of the Great Library at Norhault that the badly damaged fragment of manuscript named the Paths of Light written by Atan al-Rashish was finally deciphered:

… have walked the Paths of Light, across the seas of truth and chaos, through order … place of cold and a place of heat … stood beneath a starry sky while the sun was … of Light stepped beyond the Eye of Power at Gizan…

It was determined that given sufficient power in a Mage of the High Magic could open a path from one Ritual Circle to another, these are the Paths of Light. The paths are generally fixed and may reach to a distance of perhaps one hundred leagues, though such limits are not certain and the fragment speaks of standing beneath a s” sky when the sun is what? Perhaps high? How far must one go for such a thing? The Eye of Power at Gizanara is reputed to be almost as powerful as the Wellspring of Life so perhaps it may be so.

With still greater power it is possible to open new paths and close those that stand open. The power to step from one place into another so easily? It is a dream, of course. The power required for such an act is great, the only individual known to be able to pass unhindered by his will alone is the Grand Master Mage Floris llias and he is beyond our knowledge, as have all Grand Master Mages been before him.

Thus it was that, as knowledge of the Paths of Light spread, those fools who had built their keeps upon a Ritual Circle, if they survived the eruptions, fell victim to invasions from within. It did not take long for them to learn that they must be fortified within as well as without.

Ritual Magic

The performance of Ritual Magic is a personal thing, it is monitored by the three C’s: Conjuring, Concentration and Control of sufficient power to evoke the desired effect.

The Conjuring involves the gathering of the power from all about the Ritual Circle, for this the largest number of members in the Ritual Group is advantageous. Each member is able, within the limits of his or her capacity, to gather up a certain amount of the Universal Amalgam to be used to carry out the effect.

It is in the nature of the Universal Amalgam that it resists the influence of conscious thought and thus to bring it together may take time, the more potent the desired effect the longer must the gathering be. While powerful minds may force the Universal Amalgam to be subordinate, it is very tiring to do so.

Clearly the time spent in the performance of this stage is a delicate bAtance between the gentle gathering of the Universal Amalgam and speed with which the members of the Ritual Group will become tired.

The Concentration is simply bringing together the Universal Amalgam that has been conjured and delivering it to the Ritualist for his use. It is most important that the Ritual Group is very close and in harmony one with the other, and most particularly with the Ritualist himself. Discord within the group will most certainly reduce the effectiveness and potency of the gathered amalgam.

You must imagine there to be a delicate conduit from each member to their Ritualist which May disrupted by any form Of disagreement, it is for this reason that Ritual Groups fare best when its members are well-known to each other and of most similar views and opinions. Even a differing Opinion on what constitutes beauty may be sufficient discord to nullify all efforts.

A Ritual Group must have a strong Ritualist who is admired by his group and who takes pleasure with his group as friends. It may also he postulated that a Ritual Group that works well at all times may fail if a Ritual is attempted on one subject wherein there is disagreement. But be warned that one failure will sow the seeds of future discord and failure, and is the beginning of a dangerous downward path.

There is a fundamental opposition between the requirements of Conjuration and the needs of Concentration: For the former the more within the group the better, more of the Universal Amalgam can be gathered in a shorter time. But within a large group there is more room for disagreement hence Concentration may be degraded severely.

Finally comes the Control, this is the sole province of the Ritualist himself for he is the one who weaves the final pattern and sets the energy free to perform its task. But as has been stated he cannot deceive his Ritual Group for such deception will of itself introduce discord that will force failure.

Control is a matter of skill, experience and confidence. The adept will find it easier to render any specific result using a smaller concentration of the Universal Amalgam than would a neophyte whom often substitutes subtlety with mere quantity.

A Ritualist must see in his mind the effect that he chooses to render, and must see it rendered before it happens. He must be positive, any lack of clarity will at best diminish the result, at worst he may create a pattern that will destroy himself and those about him, or worse. There are uncounted ways of incorrectly performing a Ritual.

Performing a Ritual

Music is an element of most rituals, from the foregoing it is clear to see why. Music is able to concentrate the mind most effectively and, it is said wisely, music is the closest to being the Universal Amalgam comprising as it does order and chaos.

The words of the Ritual are best done with rhythm though rhyme, if poor, may be quite distracting.

The members of the Ritual Group must be well fed and rested for the task will drain one’s energies quite completely and it can be dangerous to lose one’s strength. Meditation upon the nature of the World and the Universal Amalgam has been found to be beneficial as it aids one’s visualisations.

It is the opinion of the ignorant that intoxication releases one’s mind. This may he so but concentration is not aided one iota by any form of intoxication, quite the con”, one tends to wander most terribly. From the above it is clear that such a state is not conducive to the successful performance of a Ritual.

One would he quite ill advised to attempt it for it counters all three C’s: Conjuring requires positive concentration to gather the Universal Amalgam to the Ritual Member, intoxication interferes with this. Concentration has already been spoken of, and Control is not a thing that those who are influenced by intoxicating liquors are noted for.

A Word to the Wise

Within these pages I have attempted to bring some understanding to the strangeness and charm of our world. But as a wielder of magic you, as I, are under obligation to keep secret much, if not all, of what is contained herein.

It has been said that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and it is so. A partial understanding of the nature of our world, such as would be imparted by perusal of these words would bring ordinary folk to their knees, and would give those with the ability to tap into the Universal Amalgam uncontrolled access to power. They could wreak great harm before they were destroyed – by their own uncontrolled and untrained actions.

I trust your judgement in these matters, go in peace and understanding.

Grand Master Toolcrafter Michael of Norhault