Page 161 of The Alchemists

ON THE NATURE OF ÆTHERIC MAGIC

The art of Magic⁠*, that is, the interplay between Man and Æther, is as old as recorded human history itself. Æther has always been a part of our world, though the ability to sense and manipulate it—to shape it to one’s will—is a trait that presents itself in only a fraction of any given population.

The Foundations of Modern Magic

Modern magic is categorized via one of three major domains:

Metaphysical Magic

Material Magic

Mental Magic

When represented visually, the major domains are depicted triangularly, with each domain balanced in harmony with the others.

The earliest depictions of Magic represented in this schema can be found in Sylphanus von Essen’s Animus Hermetica (1542) and were later refined into their current form by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in Theory of Æther (1818).

Much of magical practice resides in the spectrum between the sides of the triangle, or the melding of two major domains. For example, in the intersection between Metaphysical and Material magic lie the subdomains of Aegistics—the study and practice of creating magical wards—and Portalic Transplacement—the study and practice of creating transportive portals.

Metaphysical/Mental

Arcana

Vaticination

Illusion

Mental/Material

Enchantment

Psycho-somesthetics

Material/Metaphysical

Alchemy

Aegistics

Amplification

Portalic Transplacement

In the same way that most people are called to a certain vocation, most Magicians feel called to certain subdomains. With few exceptions, any individual who can wield Æther can theoretically work any magical discipline.

Words of Power

The Words of Power lie at the heart of personal Ætheric magic and have been used in some form for millennia as a way to channel magic through an individual practitioner. The Words of Power are not a spell; rather, they act as a tether, connecting a Magician to, and solidifying their relationship with, Magic. The Words function to call Æther to them so that it may be employed in the form of magic.

Though poetry and prose are the most common forms this channeling takes, the tether could be anything that strikes a chord within an individual and sparks their connection to Magic. Works of visual art, snippets of music, and even personal favors or tokens have all been recorded as effective Words of Power.

A personal connection with Magic is fostered in Magicians from a young age through the Nursery Words—a stanza of simple poetry⁠* intended to help young Magicians train the channeling of Words until such time as they can find their own. Many Magicians hold great nostalgia for their first set of found Words. A Magician’s Words may change many times throughout their lifetime as their relationship and understanding of both Magic and themselves evolve and deepen.

Because the Words of Power are deeply personal and highly individualized, they are often kept a closely guarded secret. Despite this, there are records—as well as fictional and mythic works⁠* —of Words being shared between lovers as a show of intimacy. To admit one’s Words is to share a fundamental truth of oneself, which can purportedly give another individual power over the sharer. Ergo, to share one’s Words of Power with another requires absolute trust. Given the rarity of sharing one’s Words, it is impossible to verify whether knowing another’s Words truly bestows power over another individual, as all standing accounts are fictional in nature, as in Marlowe’s “lost” tragedy The Enchantress of Sylvane.

Spells, Cantrips, and Spontaneous Magic

Magic is most often cast via one of three methods—spells, cantrips, and spontaneous magic. These methods vary greatly in both applicability and difficulty.