Principles of Psychology Black Magic
I. Black magic
Black magic or dark magic is type of magic that draws on malevolent powers. It is used for malevolent acts or to deliberately cause harm in some way. It is alternatively spelt with a 'K' (magick), this term is also known as black magick, dark magick, the dark arts of magick and dark side magick.
In modern times, people who believe in or claim to practice magic use the term to describe the harmful magic that they consider taboo, as opposed to the good white magic that they do profess to practice.
Black magic would be invoked to kill, injure, or cause destruction, or for personal gain without regard to harmful consequences to others. As a term, "black magic" is normally used to describe a form of ritual that some group or person does not approve of. Not everything that is called black magic truly has malevolent intentions behind it, and some also consider it to have beneficial and benevolent uses, such as killing off diseases or pests.
II. History
Magic in the Greco-Roman world
Hecate, the ancient Greek goddess of magic.
The prototypical "magicians" were a class of priests, the Magi of Zoroastrianism, and their reputation together with that of Ancient Egypt shaped the hermeticism of Hellenistic religion. The Greek mystery religions had strongly magical components, and in Egypt, a large number of magical papyri, in Greek, Coptic, and Demotic, have been recovered. These sources contain early instances of much of the magical lore that later became part of Western cultural expectations about the practice of magic, especially ceremonial magic. They contain early instances of:
• the use of "magic words" said to have the power to command spirits;
- 1 - Principles of Psychology Black Magic
• the use of wands and other ritual tools; • the use of a magic circle to defend the magician against the spirits he is invoking or evoking; and • the use of mysterious symbols or sigils thought useful to invoke or evoke spirits.
The use of spirit mediums is also documented in these texts; many of the spells call for a child to be brought to the magic circle to act as a conduit for messages from the spirits. The time of the Emperor Julian of Rome, marked by a reaction against the influence of Christianity, saw a revival of magical practices associated with neo- Platonism under the guise of the urge
Middle Ages
Several medieval scholars were credited as magicians in popular legend, notably Gerbert d'Aurillac and Albertus Magnus: both men were active in scientific research of their day as well as in ecclesiastical matters, which was enough to attach to them a nimbus of the occult.
Magic practice was actively discouraged by the church, but remained widespread in folk religion throughout the medieval period. Magical thinking became syncretized with Christian dogma, expressing itself in practices like the judicial duel and relic veneration. The relics had become amulets, and various churches strove to purchase scarce or valuable examples, hoping to become places of pilgrimage. As in any other economic endeavour, demand gave rise to supply. Tales of the miracle-working relics of the saints were compiled later into quite popular collections like the Golden Legend of Jacobus de Voragine or the Dialogus miraculorum of Caesar of Heisterbach.
From the 13th century, the Jewish Kabbalah exerts influence on Christian occultism, giving rise to the first grimoires and the scholarly occultism that would develop into Renaissance magic. The demonology and angelology contained in the earliest grimoires assume a life surrounded by Christian implements and sacred rituals. The underlying theology in these works of Christian demonology encourages the magician to fortify himself with fasting, prayers, and sacraments, so that by using the
- 2 - Principles of Psychology Black Magic holy names of God in the sacred languages, he could use divine power to coërce demons into appearing and serving his usually lustful or avaricious magical goals.
13th century astrologers include Johannes de Sacrobosco and Guido Bonatti.
III. Classes of Magic
In Magic, there are numerous classes and subdivisions. In the world of Wyrd, these are the basic classes of Magic. Some are very general, while others are exclusive to certain races or are very rare. Each class is further divided into subclasses, which are listed but not described fully here. A person may use more than one kind of Magic, but depending on their race, physical or mental limitations, and the compatibility of the different Magics, it may weaken or completely cancel out the users ability to cast spells.
Black Magic (Sorcery)
Description: Magic that is used for destructive or offensive purposes. Not technically evil, despite the connotation of the term “Black Magic.” This Magic is like a weapon, which can be used by good, neutral, and evil folk alike.
Source: Draws upon the negative energies and emotions of all living things, as well as the life and magical force of the user.
Materials Used: Often a staff or wand, sometimes a special knife, but usually only the mage’s bare hands are needed for casting. Casting is done with spoken words and/or gestures of the hands and body.
Typical Mage: As a very general field of Magic, just about any sentient creature can use it with enough training. It is especially popular with traveling mages, as they often have nothing more than Magic for protection, hunting, and fire-lighting purposes. Most often used by humans, elves, and other humanoid types.
Compatible With: Nearly all Magics.
- 3 - Principles of Psychology Black Magic
Incompatible With: White, Green, and Fey.
Subclasses: Sorcerer, Wizard, Mage, Necromancer (any death-related Black Magic).
White Magic (Clerical)
Description: Magic that is used for clerical or defensive purposes. This Magic can be used by good, neutral, and evil folk alike.
Source: Draws upon the positive energies and emotions of all living things, as well as the magical force of the user.
Materials Used: Staff, wand, crystals, or other magically imbued objects. Most often, the user needs only bare hands.
Typical Mage: As a very general field of Magic, just about any sentient creature can use it with enough training. It is especially popular with traveling mages, as they often have nothing more than Magic for defensive, healing, and lighting purposes. Most often used by humans, elves, and other humanoid types.
Compatible With: Nearly all Magics.
Incompatible With: Black, Fey, and Sword.
Subclasses: Healer, Protector, Cleric, Priest/Priestess
Description: A very rare class. This is the only way one can use both Black and White Magics without canceling out both types of opposing forces. In other words, the user may be skilled in both Black and White without depleting his or her life force, or weakening the Magics’ effects. It also grants the user more
- 4 - Principles of Psychology Black Magic
compatibility with other Magics. This is an incredibly difficult class to learn, and is therefore seldom seen.
Source: See Black and White Magic sources.
Materials Used: A special tool that is part staff, part weapon. There is a crystal on one end, a double-sided blade on the other. The staff is as tall as the user, and the blade is always exactly as long as the user’s hand, from wrist to middle fingertip.
Typical Mage: Usually a humanoid type, but only in rare cases an actual human.
Compatible With: Nearly all Magics.
Incompatible With: Fey.
Subclasses: None
Red Magic
Description: Magic that requires blood for casting, thus the name. Red spells are actually powerful seals and curses, spells that are permanent even when the caster is not present. Some spells have time limits, special conditions for dispelling (i.e.; the caster’s death), or are infinitely permanent. The last type, thankfully, is quite rare.
Source: Energy of the caster and the source of the blood, as well as the blood itself.
Materials Used: Blood (of course), knife or sharp object for cutting, special quill or brush to write the casting runes, and in cases that require a lot of blood, a bowl or chalice (usually made of silver or bone).
Typical Mage: Usually a Black, White, or Gray mage with great power.
- 5 - Principles of Psychology Black Magic
Compatible With: Nearly all types.
Incompatible With: Fey.
Subclasses: Sealer, Curse-witch
Amber Magic
Description: Magic used for summoning objects, creatures, or deities. Fairly rare.
Source: User and the things the user summons.
Materials Used: Whatever is needed to mark the summoning seal. Seals are different shapes, depending on what is summoned.
Typical Mage: Usually a mage that is already skilled in other Magics, particularly Green.
Compatible With: Most other Magics, particularly green.
Incompatible With: Fey.
Subclasses: Summoner, Procurer, Conjurer, Acolyte
Green Magic
Description: Magic that deals with nature.
Source: The life energy of all living things, including the user.
Materials Used: Usually none, unless they are materials found in nature.
Typical Mage: Humanoid, often those with Fey blood in them, and Elves.
Compatible With: Nearly all kinds.
- 6 - Principles of Psychology Black Magic
Incompatible With: Black and Sword.
Subclasses: Greenthumb, Tamer, Dryadic
Blue Magic
Description: Magic that deals with Illusions.
Source: Mage’s energies and power of imagination.
Materials Used: Usually nothing more than the hands, though crystals and other objects can be used to “anchor” an illusion in place.
Typical Mage: Usually one skilled in other Magics, especially Violet.
Compatible With: Most other Magics, especially Violet.
Incompatible With: Fey.
Subclasses: Illusionist, Hallucinist, Delusionist
Violet Magic
Description: Magic that deals with scrying, destiny, and psychic powers.
Source: The user’s mind, spiritual energy, and (some say) the gods.
Materials Used: Usually a reflective surface for scrying; card, sticks, or stones for determining future events and exploring past and present events more thoroughly; special headbands can enhance the psychic abilities.
Typical Mage: Usually humanoid, most often a human with some extrasensory or precognitive abilities to begin with.
Compatible With: Nearly all Magics.
- 7 - Principles of Psychology Black Magic
Incompatible With: Fey.
Subclasses: Seer, Pyrokinetic, Telekinetic, Telepath, Empath, Oracle, Fortune- teller, Rune-master, Puzzler, and Teleporter
Prism Magic
Description: An extremely rare type of class, even more so than Gray, which allows the user to know all types of “color” magic without compromising the strength of any of the Magics. As this is nearly impossible for most mages, it is only seen once or twice in a millennium.
Source: See other “color” Magics.
Materials Used: A special crystal which, when held up to light, is rainbow- colored. However, depending on which Magics the mage uses, only those colors will appear. The crystal can even cast White and Black light! Crystals may be of any size, and either worn in jewelry or set in a staff or weapon.
Typical Mage: Since these mages are so rare, there is no such thing as a “typical” Prism mage. However, most of the recorded mages have been— surprisingly—human.
Compatible With: Nearly all Magics.
Incompatible With: Fey.
Subclasses: Bicolor, Tricolor, Quatcolor, Quintcolor, Full Prism Mage
Sword Magic
Description: Magic that can be used in combination with specially made weapons, like swords. Usually Black or other colored Magics, but almost never White or Green.
- 8 - Principles of Psychology Black Magic
Source: The user’s physical and magical energy, as well as whatever other sources the Magics require.
Materials Used: Usually bladed weapons, like swords and daggers, although staves, maces, whips, and other non-bladed weapons are sometimes used.
Typical Mage: Often the more physically active mages who can handle weapons as easily as they do Magic. Such a class is good to learn, since it provides a backup weapon to be used in situations where magic would be useless.
Compatible With: Nearly all types.
Incompatible With: Fey, White, and Green.
Subclasses: Sword Mage, Paladin (Amber and Black, usually), Duelist
Thief Magic
Description: A collection of spells that aid thieves and other persons that live by stealth and cunning. Mainly concerned with disappearing, agility, and opening locks.
Source: The user’s skill and energy.
Materials Used: Picks, bags (for carrying loot), daggers, and shoes.
Typical Mage: Intelligent thieves, rogues, and other folk of that type will often learn at least a few useful spells from their fellows over time. Some of these spells seem to have no affiliation with other types of Magic, though some are merely variations of already existing spells in other classes.
Compatible With: Everything, including Fey, as this Magic has no real affiliation.
Incompatible With: Nothing.
- 9 - Principles of Psychology Black Magic
Subclasses: Pickpocket, Burglar, Con Artist, Spy, Assassin, Acrobat
Bardic Magic
Description: Magic that is strongly connected to sound, especially music. These spells, like Thief Magic, have no affiliation and can be used in conjunction with other Magics. Some spells are basic and useful for traveling, like healing spells (though not usually as powerful as true White spells). Other spells are unique, like Charm, Sleep, Confuse, Enamor, and so forth.
Source: The bard’s energies, music, and sometimes instrument.
Materials Used: Either voice or some type of musical instrument.
Typical Mage: Poets, story weavers, and musicians of all types and races.
Compatible With: Everything.
Incompatible With: Nothing.
Subclasses: Singer, Bard, Lutist, Flutist, Drummer, Harpist, Story-weaver, Dancer, Writer
Fey Magic
Description: Magic that can only be used by those with Fey or Elven blood. Spells are widely varied, but only a few are documented, as this is an extremely obscure Magic. Fey folk do not share secrets easily.
Source: Fey energy.
Materials Used: None needed.
Typical Mage: Fey creatures, like Faeries, Unicorns, etc, and Elves. Humans cannot use Fey Magic at all unless they have some Fey or Elven blood in them.
- 10 -