The Universal Spell Book

Magic 4040.

Welcome to Magic 4040. First, off, we have standards and I expect each one of you to conduct yourself in an orderly fashion. That means "No Talking" while reading this text. I mean you Mr. Thomas. Yes... that's right. This is a magical text. Now be quiet so the rest of the students can concentrate and read on.

If you're reading this, I assume you have either an interest in, or an abject objection to, magic and spells. Whether you are ready to embrace your heritage or your parents are sick of you simply lying about the house with your eyes glued to your electronic devices, you're here. Put away your phone Mr. Thomas. Now. Thank you. ...I welcome all who would seek to expand their understanding of the real world, and how magic works. Real Magic.

Now before you go spouting off about how magic isn't real and every magic "trick" can be explained by science, consider this; Everything scientific can be explained by magic, in much simpler terms as well. I'll give you a quick example.

Atoms. Atoms are matter, and as Scientists seek to break them down into ever smaller pieces and figure out exactly what each piece is, and how they work independently of each other, a Magic Users explanation of atoms might be much easier to digest. Atoms are the smallest piece of an element, which all things are made of. You can break an atom, and you get building block pieces to create atoms. If you have enough power, you can disassemble and reassemble your atoms into whatever element you want. Electrons? A building block. Protons, Neutrons? Building blocks. Each is unique and behaves a certain way, in certain conditions. Fickle little things they are. You can never really count on the building blocks, working independently, to act as they should. Have you ever heard of a proper electron? No. Neither have I.

While magic may offer a less in depth and technical look into things considered specifically "scientific only", it explains almost everything else, including giving those skeptics nothing to really grasp hold of. Why is air invisible? Magic explains, it is one of the life givers, and therefore has no color. Water, Magic, Air, Love, all clear, some invisible to some extent.

Well, enough of the hub-bub about what magic can do to make people understand science better. Let's get into the nitty gritty of things. First, consider many of the stories you've heard down the ages about magic. Many of them, believe it or not, are true. If you believe the scriptures of any religious text, then you know magic is real. You simply haven't been able to repeat any spell with any easy, or noticeable outcome. We're about to change that for you.

Now, before I start just throwing it at you all at once, and I know this feels like click bait at this point but it's not, I must first point out a few more key observations.

1. There are a lot more people on the planet, and in the universe, than there once was. Magic is life sustaining. Since the creation of magic, back before the universe was wrought from simple thought, it has been working to ensure that you still live. As more people are born, magic is spread thin. Think of it like the soul pool that god dips his hand into each and every time a baby is conceived. The level in the pool never drops below half full, but what once was a roiling boil of thick white purity, now resembles a lukewarm cat bowl filled with 2%. This also explains why many younger people seem soulless and only focused on material possessions, that is, until they realize there is more to life than owning things.
2. Everything is in flux, including magic. There are days when magical might is diminished, and days when it is at its apex. You may have felt this and noticed its prevalence. Have you ever felt that the day was speeding by so quickly and you just couldn't get enough done? Anything? Nothing? And then there are those days when you seem super human, accomplishing so many tasks within such a short amount of time, you astonish yourself. This is the effect of the waxing and waning of magical might. It affects everything from your ability to move and live, breathe and exist, to space and time itself.
3. Magic, the kind that we're interested in learning about a practicing on a very real and noticeable level, takes a number of things. The first and foremost of these requirements is practice, which entails a great deal of time, which happens to be the second requirement. Focus and concentration, not one and the same I assure you, are number three and four. Most reliably, another great requirement of casting real effective spells is will. Some call it determination, others call it intent, purpose, need, desire... There are many ways to describe this last factor but it may be the most important factor among them. If you truly don't care, want, need, believe, in the spell you are casting, it will not succeed. That perhaps, is the best advocate for spell casting VS contemporary weaponry. Nobody ever accidentally cast a fireball spell. It's simply impossible to accidentally cast a spell. Sorry Harry fans.
4. Another thing to consider, and this is actually a big one, magic can be unpredictable. It's a chance we all take on by beginning this journey into spell casting with our goals clearly defined. As you read this, you probably have a long list of spells you'd like to cast already selected and a network of life goals outlined. Well done. Next, you'll want to recite this text, verbatim. It will begin the awakening of magic in your mind and prepare you for the next step. Okay, here it is. "I solemnly swear-" ... Ha! I'm joking. Haha! I love intro to magic. So gullible. Come on Mr. Thomas. Stop reciting the words and read this passage. Yes. There you go. No need to be embarrassed. Mr. Thomas. Come now. Get yourself together. There you go. Alright. Did I mention, anything is possible with magic? Wild magic is also possible. I'll leave it at that. I don't want to scare anyone off. Just take care when casting spells. That was the main point.
5. Lastly, the use of quicksilver, otherwise known as Mauracite, the material used to create magical sinks and anchoring devices, is strictly prohibited by all commoners. Only the High Council may make, create, or possess such materials and things, and their use is restricted to the binding and shackling of witches and wizards who have committed crimes using their magical ability. Any witch or wizard found in the possession of such materials without strict and specific authorization to transport and/or use such a device, shall suffer the same punishment of binding or shackling by such material.

I suppose I should add this little tidbit of information. Magic is for personal use, personification, and enlightenment. It is not to be used as a tool of torture or a weapon of war. This is all outlined in the texts of Maura, the mother of magic, a document most coveted and studied in the very first year of mage school. Yes, what use is a fireball if you can't hurl it at someone, right? Well, the most basic answer is, self-defense. Along with opening your mind to the greater world, one of magic and mysticism, where most things have an alternate meaning and purpose, you also subject yourself to those things that most common folk can't see, believe, or understand. The Loch Ness Monster perhaps? Think bigger. Sleeping dragons at the belly of every volcano? Bigger. Now that I've got you thinking, you're ready for the next step.

TWPFC. Stands for "That Was Pretty Fucking Cool!" No... No it doesn't. Sorry. Don't tell your parents I swore in your text book. It would be pretty fucking cool if that was what it actually stood for, right? But no. TWPFC stands for Time, Will, Practice, Focus, and Concentration. The basic five things you need for spell casting. Remember that! It will be on the quiz at the end of the week. But those aren't all you need to cast effective spells. You'll need more. Much more.

The Wand.

You'll need a wand. For those of you who couldn't leave your electronics at home, go ahead, google it. I'll give you a minute.

Okay. A wand can be made from ANY material. Some magic users get creative and create talismans to hold, necklaces to clutch (this is common among you ladies), orbs, little dolls... and of course, the classic standard wand... Speaking of standard wands, you'll want to note the use of bone, or any part of a human being, is strictly prohibited. Don't do it. You can use pretty much anything else. Even an ink pen or an eye glass. No not... not prescription eye glasses. A looking glass, an long eye, an eye sight, a magnifying glass, even a chunk of quartz can do, although, depending on the spell it might consume the quartz in the process. You'll want to read about spell components before selecting a wand. Many a novice wizard has failed their first-year exams because they made their wand out of a material that was also a common spell component. Upon casting a spell or two, suddenly, their wand was missing! Oh, where could it have gone... That brings me to the next physical requirement.

Spell Components.

Spell components are physical materials that amplify a spell. Some spells require no spell components and using a spell component has no effect on the spell's strength, duration, or effect. Other spells don't require a spell component but using one or more can dramatically improve said effects. And lastly, some spells require spell components in order to be cast at all. Some of the hardest and most complex spells require so many spell components and ones of such rarity that casting the spell is rarely achievable, not to mention so costly. Spells such as those involving time travel, life and death, immortality, and... others I shall not mention due to their vile and abhorrent nature, are such spells.

The Pattern.

Lastly, spell casting may require a pattern. Patterns can be visual, physical, and/or audible. Speaking the words of a spell repetitively is a pattern. Drawing a sigil, symbol, sign or glyph is tracing a pattern. Making a hand motion, moving the fingers in a motion, moving the wand or focal point in a motion... all patterns. Some of the simplest spells such as gain focus require nothing more than a pattern of repetition.

Unpredictability.

Another interesting aspect of casting effective spells is the fact that many spells can be cast in many different ways with the exact same outcome. And some spells can be cast the exact same way, but different magic users, and produce vastly different results. Again, the unpredictability of magic showing itself off.

Magical Items.

Now that you know what it takes to cast a spell, let's go over the different types of spells. This text won't specifically cover all the different spells you can cast. The number is actually limitless. As long as there is magic, there is possibility. New spells are being "found" every day. Other spells are being tweaked and improved, simplified, or being made more complex so as to involve many more aspects of spell casting, such as imbuing an object with magic, or locking spell effects into things such as garments, wands, or even the most mundane of things, like ordinary stones.

Magic Groups.

Magic can be divided into "groups" based on a variety of different things such as element, intended result, or what the spell is supposed to have an effect on. Let's start with the elements. Air, Water, Mother(Magic), Nature(Earth), Fire, Storm(Lightning or Electricity), Metal, Love. Some elements may overlap as you may imagine, a storm summoning spell will use both Water and Storm elements. Converting Water to Air or Metal to Fire also overlap. Time is considered an observance and an element at the same time. Space is considered nothingness, and creating something from nothing actually overlaps Time and Space. Life overlaps many other elements but is not considered an element in itself but a result of the elements and love.

"No life shall be created without love, for I love all life for the simple joy of it." - Maura, The First Witch.

It is because of Maura, hallowed be thy name, that magic users today can cast spells to aid in their own reproduction, life, health and energy. It's actually because of her that we magic users can cast any spells. In her last moments, those we often take for granted and assume were like any other person's dying breath, Maura gave us all immeasurable powers. It is said, in that moment, before she gave herself to the magic, becoming one with everything we know, Maura penned the document now referred to as "The Texts of Maura" instructing all future generations not only on how to harness magical ability and use it for our own good, but cautioning those who might otherwise seek to twist and pervert it's nature to their own devices, against doing so. Magic is about harmony, and peace, not violence and war. I cannot stress this enough.

The Fireball.

The next subject is spell components which is perhaps the briefest section of this manual. Spell components are materials that may or may not be consumed in the casting of a spell. A favorite of mine, the fireball spell, requires an iron pebble that has sat in a mixture of powdered sulfur and potassium perchlorate. Yes, that is known as "flash powder" and I recommend that anyone who stores their spell components make sure their iron pebbles are not stored for long periods of time in such materials. A promising young wizard apprentice of mine once simply dumped the flash powder into his bag of iron pebbles and strung it on his waist for easy retrieval. I watched as he cast numerous small fireballs before tripping on the hem of his robe and falling forward where I can only assume he crushed his pouch between himself and a rock. We buried six young wizards and two witches that day, and not because of magic, but because of ignorance, because of science, and because of the brash young heart of those who don't think about the possible consequences of what they do, before they do it.

Safety First.

As a quick note, a common practice, one I instituted after that horrible day and one that most wizards and witches now practice, is that of dividing spell components and not just iron pebbles. Items that may interact scientifically should not be stored within the same general vicinity. Water balloons and cesium for example. More specifically, iron pebbles in flash powder can be stored individually wrapped in a piece of tissue paper. Coincidentally, the tissue paper is not only consumed in the fireball spell but actually improves the strength of the spell. Who knew? Apparently, I did, but I must admit, I stumbled upon that discovery out of great tragedy and every time someone congratulates me, I am reminded of the many lives needlessly lost to those who were reckless in their spell casting or their preparations. I say again, and you may quote me on this, "a safe witch is a living witch."

Elemental Groups.

The next and final step is the vocal component of each spell element or group. I will try to be as thorough as I can, but keep in mind, as I said before, new spells and new effects are being developed every day. Eh, for the most part this should suffice. Fireball anyone?

Elemental AIR: "Ss" and "Sh". You might note that the sound precursors for this element sound much like the natural sound you might hear from this element interacting with the real world. The "Woosh" of air is evident in spell casting. In more complex spells, mimicking the whistle of wind is critical. In the most complex spells, such as "Summon Hurricane Wind" the spoken words of the spell are almost identical to the roar of wind, with much less breath expended to be sure.

Elemental FIRE: "Ra" and "Rr". It is no coincidence that Fire and Red and the word "R" and the deep "Rrrrrr" sound are all synonymous. The same holds true in spell casting. There are many spell precursors that are still unknown. Many are more than a simple starting sound. Only through years of steady practice and manipulation can we hope to unlock the secrets of magic, otherwise known as "The riddles of Maura".

Elemental METAL: "Ka" and "Kur", also "Ko". Many a student have asked if the sound metal makes when you clang it together is the proper sound precursor. To some extent, yes. But making this sound is not an easy task. The closest many of us have come to this is the high ringing "Kang" sound, and in some circles a theory has arisen that the sound of a "Gong" should suffice as well, although I do not know of a single successful spell cast in that way.

Elemental NATURE: (Earth) "Da" and "Di", also "De" (Plants) "Do" and "Du" (Animals) "Ba" and "Br". These spell precursors are often used extensively by druids and natural witches. I'll cover schools of magic later. Just know that Nature in itself is a big thing. It is no shock that it uses two entirely different spell precursor sounds.

Elemental STORM: "Zz" and also, "Za", "Ze", "Zi", "Zo", "Zy". Lightning and Electricity. Note; "Zu" is an elemental overlap in spells affecting time which require elemental storm as a component. These spells should not be cast by novice witches or wizards. Dealing with electricity and charges is not an easy or flippant thing to do. It can lead to serious injury or death.

Elemental WATER: "Wa" and "Wsh", also "Sh" when affecting air. Water is a stronger element than air and take's air's magic when cast together. So there is a clear circle of hierarchy that we speak of in the spell casting community. Certain elements are stronger than others, in given situations. I will expound upon this after the precursor sound list.

DEATH: "Na" and "Nn".

LIFE: "Lo" and "Le", also "Lu". Note; While Life is stronger than Love, Love can sometimes take precedence when casting a spell of both factors.

LOVE: "La" and "Li". Note; While Life is stronger than Love, Love can sometimes take precedence when casting a spell of both factors.

MOTHER: All Magic. "Ma", "Mo", "Mm", "Mu".

OBSERVATION: "Fa", "Fu", also "Fe". Illusions and Glamour.

SPACE: "Ta", "Tra", also "Tur"

TIME: "Ur", "Uu", also "Ut"

Elemental Hierarchy.

Some elements can absorb, transform, or completely negate other elements when combined in a spell. Attempting to cast a combination of a fire spell and a water spell, for example, may result in a spell that produces a water effect, a hot water effect, a steam effect, a drying effect, or nothing. You will never get a flame or flames made of water. It simply doesn't happen. Knowing this, if you do see flames made of water, you can be assured it is a glamour, otherwise known as an illusion.

For the most part Elemental Hierarchy follows the same principles as nature. Water puts out Fire. Fire burns hotter with wind and air. Plants wither and die from fire, but rocks are largely unaffected. Water can move mountains, erode sand and rock. Lightning can destroy some rock, cannot affect fire, channels through water easily, and cannot easily affect most other elements other than plants and animals. Space, Time, Love, Mother, and Observation are all equals to some extent, but Mother is always the dominant precursor if ever casting a spell that mixes it with one or more other precursors.

Classes of Magic.

Magic in modern day can be subdivided into classes for those who wish to specialize in a specific type or element of spell casting. The rough classes are Elementalists, and Non-Elementalists or "Natural Witches".

Elementalists focus their training on the six most basic elements. Water, Air, Fire, Earth, Metal, Storm. That's not to say that an Elementalist doesn't dabble in any of the other magic groups, it's just that they primarily concern themselves with the six material elements.

Natural Witches don't necessarily focus on non-material elements but they don't devote themselves to any one specific element either. There is a great debate that has been going for centuries, which is the stronger lot? I can tell you, as a member of the latter persuasion, natural witches are more worldly, but stronger? We have no need to be strong. With the right spell, for the right task, even the simplest of spells can counter the strongest.

Now that you know the basics, you can begin your practice. Grab your wand, spell components, and don't forget your spell book and then head outside. I'll meet you under the womping... I'm joking. We'll meet at the edge of the forest behind the school.