Magically-empowered Humans can be found in all areas of society, but they are commonly found working for the SDA in one of the various Directorates.  Some have found employ in the branches of the TAAF, and others prefer working for the private sector in fields ranging from security, to prospecting, to just about any profession imaginable.

In humans, the gene that determines whether or not a person has the capability for innate magic is recessive, and can be inherited from either parent.  Some mages come from families with a long tradition of magic, while other mages are the result of two people with the recessive gene that were not talented having a child, and the genetics just happened to work out in favor of magical potential.  While magical talent is genetic, it does not determine what type of innate magic a person has – that is determined by training.  A magically-talented child of an Elementalist could just as easily be a Shaman or a Theurge.

 Popular Beliefs and Media-Fueled Misconceptions

Ask the average person to describe magic to you, and chances are good that one of two expressions will cross his face: excited fascination or abject fear (or sometimes a combination of the two). Magic holds a particular allure to the non-magical, and no wonder: even though most people don’t have much familiarity with the real thing, the media and popular culture are positively awash in it. While this can make for compelling entertainment, the downside is that the people who create the entertainments in question rarely bother to consult with actual magicians to verify that the mystical feats they’re portraying are actually possible. Let’s look at it from another standpoint: suppose a newly-encountered species were to enter orbit around Earth and attempt to learn about how Humans view magic using nothing but our mainstream, pop-culture entertainment sources. What might they discover? A few possibilities:

• MYTH: Magicians  fall  into  four  basic  types:  beautiful  human women wearing too little clothing; square-jawed human men with oddly-colored eyes or graying hair and beards; humans of both genders who are either sly or bumbling, and usually evil; and ninjas. A little more research might get you cold-eyed Asians or dark-skinned zombie masters,  but let’s stick with the highlights for now.
  • REALITY: There’s no particular “look” for magicians. Just like everyone else in the world, they can be male, female, young, old, fat, thin, tall, short, beautiful, or ugly. They can be of any race or nationality. Some of them like to emphasize their ability by wearing magical symbols or runes on their clothing or by carrying elaborate wands, staves, or other props (though these tends to be newcomers to their talent); others dress in nondescript styles and try not to draw attention to themselves (this covers most mages that predate the ‘going public’ of magic). There is no foolproof way to identify a magician, the closest thing would be to run a DNA analysis on them to see if they have the genetic capability for innate talent – but that does nothing to identify contractors or device users.  In truth, the only way to identify a mage is to see if spirits respond to them. In fact, in many cases, the people who look the most like magicians are likely not to be—“mystical” runes and arcane symbols are popular in current fashions.
• MYTH: Magicians are quite fearsome; they can sling powerful spells all day long with no adverse effects (unless, of course, the plot calls for the magician to suffer a setback, in which case a simple stagger spell will drop her to her knees immediately).
  • REALITY: Magic isn’t always easy, even for the most powerful magicians. In highly simplified layman’s terms, casting spells requires forcing your will upon incorporeal energy beings, which is a mentally draining experience.  Basic magic can be done with little impact on a mage, but casting incantations in rapid succession cause a noticeable drain on a mage’s fortitude. The point is, despite what they might show in the media, it’s not practical (and rarely possible) for a magician to sling powerful spells all day long with no adverse effects.
• MYTH: Magicians can do whatever they need to do in order to get the job done: summon powerful spirits, read minds, compel people to kill their own children, or teleport from one side of a town to another.
  • REALITY: Surely, you say, magicians can cast whatever spells they need at the moment, even if they can’t do it at world-shaking power levels, right? Not even close. The methods vary by tradition: a shaman might learn a technique from a mentor spirit, a theurgist from their familiar, or an elementalist by practice, but in any case the process is the same—the practitioner must learn a technique before she can use it. “But what about spontaneous manifestations?” you ask. “Like when children first discover their abilities?” This is more of a unique, time-gated exception to the rule, revolving around a child’s seemingly limitless capacity for imagination – and spirits’ tendency to take everything literally.
• MYTH: Magic requires elaborate gestures, recitation of complicated incantations, or other showy accompaniments. In the same vein, magic always results in a massive display of pyrotechnics, even if the spell in question is as prosaic as simple healing or invisibility.
  • REALITY: Well, magic can require elaborate gestures, complicated incantations, and other bits of ‘show’ – for the more powerful magic.  Most magic has been boiled down to its most effective, easiest-to-use form.  Basic spells require very little in the way of pomp and circumstance, and while they can be cast with the show, most mages forgo this since it greatly increases the amount of time it takes to get the spell off.
• MYTH: Magicians always use the showiest, most powerful, and most damaging spell that fits a situation. Magicians are proud  of being magicians and are never subtle (except when they’re invisible).
  • REALITY: This one varies from practitioner to practitioner.  There are mages who will immediately resort to their most powerful option – but they tend to not live long (or they are very talented).  For the most part, a mage will follow a pattern of force escalation, reserving the more powerful magics for a last-resort option.  Remember, the more powerful an ability it is, the more it is going to hurt you to use it.
• MYTH: Magicians can spy on your every move with spirits, no matter where you’re hiding.
  • REALITY: Let’s something straight about magic, specifically about what it can’t do. No matter how many times you see it in the media or how many friends of friends assure you that they’ve personally witnessed it, magicians can’t read minds. Not at all. Not even the ones on the SDA Council. Reading minds is the realm of psionics, and that’s a completely different beast from magic.
• MYTH: Mages are plotting to take over the world.
  • REALITY: “If mages were going to take over the world, they would have done it already,” is the feedback given to this accusation when it is leveled at the SDA.  Magic, save for extremely powerful and difficult-to-use abilities, has limited range, far lower than that of the most common weapon that would be leveled any sort of mage plot – a gun.  Plus mages are limited in number.

Types of Magic

ELEMENTALISM: Among humanity, elementalism is most commonly associated with Europe, geographically, typically being viewed as in-line with the magic of European myth and legend (for obvious reasons), with wands, staves, words of power to launch short spells, and long incantations in archaic languages to shape and use more powerful spells.  Historically, Human elementalism’s roots are an outgrowth of theurgy that was exported to Europe in the Roman and Medieval eras.  Among Humans, elementalism is by far the most common of the 3 types of innate magic, with practitioners split relatively evenly between Diverse and Focused Elementalists.

SHAMANISM: Among humans shamanism is associated with more ‘aboriginal’ magic, with practitioners being viewed as medicine men, witch doctors, voodoo priests, and other ‘tribal’ themes.  Shamanism’s roots are in aboriginal magic found in North and South America, Africa, and Australia.  Shamanism is the oldest of the 3 innate magical schools, it developed into Theurgy in the Far East.

THEURGY: Theurgy, on Earth, is viewed as a more Asian form of magic.  The appeasing of spirits fits into line with Asian mysticism (and it possibly influenced them, or maybe vice versa), and Asia – with the exception of the Middle East – is possibly the area of the world that most readily accepted magic when it ‘went public.’  Theurgy’s roots lie with Eastern magic, where the implements used in focusing rituals were set up as wards against evil when not in use.  Theurgy was exported to Europe, where it developed into Elementalism.  A distinct version of European theurgy does exist along side of the more common Elementalism, utilizing gems, precious metals, and ornate staves as focusing implements.

DEVICE MAGIC: Device magic is essentially untraceable on Earth, as it is in most places.  There is no known ‘root’ of this form of magic, nor is there a common theme among practitioners of it across humanity.  Methods of reliably creating devices en-masse are still unknown to humans, with the last ‘successful experiment’ being destructively terminated in the wake of an unrelated experiment nearby creating a catastrophic explosion and the creation of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.  The SDA Sanctioned Group known as the Artificer’s Guild knows of a method to make devices, but their method is a heavily time-consuming and uses a lot of raw materials in the process, rendering it not useful for mass production.

SPIRIT BINDING: On Earth, as is the case with many species, Spirit Binding remains the oldest form of magic, dating back to times before humanity had developed the potential for innate magic.  Contractors are found across humanity, among every culture and society.  They are growing in number with the publicity of magic, as the spirits seem more willing to act openly now that they don’t have to worry about contractors being thrown into asylums or shot.

Magic And Religion

The way magic and religion interact depends largely on the flavors involved, the cultural background in which they operate, and the society at large. Religion’s reaction to the publicity of magic and its practitioners ranges from “It’s heresy! Burn them!” all the way to “Thank (fill in relevant deity, force, or expression of Nature) that magic has finally returned and assumed its rightful place!” Naturally, if you look hard enough you can find just about everything in the middle as well.

Given the way belief is entwined with the practice of magic, it is unsurprising that—even in the materialistic world—faith and religion, old and new, have a significant impact on the manner many of the magically-talented perceive and practice magic. Several traditions involve both formal magical systems and religious beliefs, and while this game makes no pretense to perfectly represent or endorse any such belief, it recognizes that, in the fictional context of the setting, many such magical traditions exist and thrive.

Traditions that involve both religion and magic generally take one of three forms:

• Religious mystical traditions that perceive the divine (miracle) and the esoteric (magic) as separate, but allow a place in their theologies for magic use. In this case magical talent might be seen as a sign that someone is touched by a deity, deities, or the spirits, even when the practice of magic is not inherently pious or miraculous. Christian Theurgy, Qabbalistic Theurgy, Aztec, and Norse magic are examples of this approach.
• Faiths that view magic as a universal force, a natural part of life, and integral to their beliefs and cosmologies. This approach is common to neo-pagan beliefs and revivals (such as indigenous shamanism, Wicca, and Druidism), but many Eastern religions also have similar outlooks (Hinduism and Shinto to name two). Mundane faithful sometimes, though not always, grant special deference to the magically talented, occasionally even according them clerical status.
• Sects in major faiths that consider magic a tool of evil. It is not unheard of for a magician from such a background to believe he does not use magic at all, but rather performs miracles. The absence of a true magical paradigm, spiritual cosmology, or common body of lore, however, makes these rarities “magical oddities.”

Specific Faiths and Magic

• Christianity: Pope Joan II’s “Potentiae Fidei” (Power of Faith) papal encyclical declaring that magic itself was not inherently evil (which was mainly just a way for the Roman Catholic Church to cover it’s use of magic over the centuries).Most Christian churches followed Rome’s lead, accepting magic to at least some degree and incorporating it into their doctrines and practices. The Catholics, though they accept the existence and practice of magic, declared that some practices such as conjuring touch on so many questions of faith and doctrine that church members may not practice them without permission. Some, like the Methodists and Unitarians, took a more liberal view, embracing magic and the good works it could enable. Only the most rigidly fundamentalist of Christian denominations (including more than a few evangelicals) completely resisted magic and all of its trappings.
  Some  churches  even  maintain  separate  groups  of  magicians—for instance, the Catholics have three entire holy orders, that are comprised mainly of mages. You do not want to get on the wrong side of those folks.
• Eastern Religions: In most cases, the major Eastern religions (such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Shinto) embrace magic—since its existence only supports and reinforces beliefs that have existed for thousands of years, its reintegration into Asian society has been a relatively painless one. The flavor of magic practiced varies greatly by faith.  It’s rare to find an Eastern religion that does not accept, revere, and make use of the magical arts in one way or another.
• Islam: The way in which Muslims view magic depends upon which sect a believer belongs to. Largely, Islam reluctantly accepts magic, and its scholars spend much time studying it and its manifestations. The exception is the more conservative factions of both the Shi’ite and Sunni sects (including the Wahhabis), which maintain that the Qu’ran strictly forbids the practice of magic—in fact, it is a capital crime to do so in many areas these groups control.
• Judaiusm: The three main theologies of Judaism accept magic as a divine gift. Orthodox Judaism allows it only for healing and defense against harmful magic and spirits. Some esoteric, ultra-Orthodox theologies with qabbalistic traditions don’t restrict magical activities, nor do Conservative and Reform Judaism. All three theologies forbid magic on the Sabbath, however, and consider it a sin to use it for evil purposes. When we’re talking about Jewish magical traditions, we need to differentiate between Orthodox qabbalistic tradition (which is kept strictly within the faith) and the more modern, “New Age” variety that keeps turning up in the media and that pretty much anybody can pick up.
• Neo-Paganism: The neo-pagan religions (Wicca or witchcraft, Druidism, Native American spirituality, and similar faiths) experienced a significant resurgence following the revelation of magic, due at least in part to the fact that the magic and wonder-working that formerly had to be taken on faith by many believers now became visible and tangible to all. These days, the number of neo-pagan have grown significantly over the numbers pre-2019, but the faiths are still vastly outnumbered by ‘more traditional’ religions.  Neo-pagans embrace magic , and most of them are active in mage rights, and eco-activist organizations.

Human Spellcasting Traditions

This section details out various spellcasting traditions that exist, who uses them, where they originate, and any special game rules that being a practitioner of this methodology brings into play.  An innate spellcaster (Elementalist, Shaman, Theurgist) must have a tradition.  Contractors and Device Users can forgo a tradition if they lack the Magery Training feat, but if they get the feat they must choose a tradition – however, they can choose from any tradition.

Tradition Name
Schools: This is what schools of magic this tradition has access to.  For the most part, this will only include innate magic schools (Elementalism, Shamanism, or Theurgy), but a few traditions may have access to Spirit Binding.  A school that has Elementalism listed with an Element is not restricted to that element, but that is the element which is commonly associated with that tradition.  No tradition has access to Device Magic.  “Has access to” for this purpose means “this tradition can be used with this school.”  For example, a mage who practices Christian Theurgy is either a Theurgist or an Elementalist.
Origin: This is when and where the tradition originated.
Focus Items: A mage who chooses to subscribe to a spellcasting tradition should have an appropriate focus item on-hand and wielded in order to cast a spell.  Doing so grants them a +2 bonus to their Magery check.  Failing to have the focus item on hand and wielded imposes a -4 penalty on the Magery check.  Wielding a focus item requires the use of a hand, preventing the use of wielding a 2-handed weapon such as a rifle.  If your tradition has focus items listed as ‘varied’ you cannot gain a bonus from this, but must still manipulate a focus item to avoid the -4 penalty (you just get to choose what your focus item is).  A mage who uses an object such as a staff as their focus item could still cast spells without penalty, provided they spend a swift action to change to wielding the staff 1-handed before they cast.
Language Restrictions: Some traditions practice their magic in a specific language or set of languages.  Failing to use this language imposes a -2 penalty on a mage’s Magery check made to cast spells of that tradition, while using it infers no special bonus.  If your tradition has no restrictions, you may speak in any language when casting.  Not speaking at all imposes a -4 penalty to your Magery check.

• Aboriginal Australian: In the Dreamtime, a koradji (an aboriginal shaman) can walk the songlines with the spirits that shaped the world and call upon them to reach into the world of today.
  • Schools: Shamanism, Theurgy
  • Practitioner Titles: Koradji
  • Origin: Australia, Ancient
  • Focus Items: Varied
  • Language Restrictions: Any indigenous Australian aboriginal language (Aboriginal)
  • The Dreamtime is the world of myth that stands out of place and time, where a koradji can meet the spirits whose footsteps  created  the  Outback  millions  of  years  ago.  The Aboriginal tradition is probably the oldest surviving tradition on Earth, passing down stories of the ancient Sky Heroes told by koradji tens of thousands of years in the past. It is tied closely to the land, which itself is a physical footprint of the actions of countless spirits. By communing with the land and entering the Dreamtime, the koradji can persuade these prehistoric spirits to change fate and the physical world.  Most Dreamtime spirits are primeval, taking the form of the animals whose movements created the mountains, deserts, and rivers. Some are humanoid, such as the Sky Heroes who came from the heavens and shaped Creation. All are truly ancient and endlessly wise, with patience that stretches across millennia. To the modern urban man, they would seem alien and strange, but to the koradji who still make the Outback their home, they are as fundamental as can be  imagined. While learning to master their abilities, a Dreamtime spirit will become especially interested in a koradji and will become his mentor spirit.  The Aboriginal tradition has not spread globally, but it has grown in strength in the Outback where the Dreamtime pierces into the physical world through raging storms caused by angry spirits. Nearly all koradji prefer to stay in their native lands, where they claim to keep a close eye on primal spirits who could destroy the world if freed from their prisons, though with the appearance of spirit beasts across the world some of them have taken it upon themselves to try and calm these creatures where they appear.
• Black Magic: A black magician’s ultimate focus is a quest for personal power, regardless of whether this comes from mastery of the dark arts, secular power-brokering, or pacts with the dark powers from beyond the mortal realm.
  • Schools: Theurgy
  • Practitioner Titles: Nothing specific, most practitioners of black magic tend to not make their tradition known due to deep-seated fears that members of this tradition are ‘evil.’
  • Origin: Europe, Dark Ages
  • Focus Items: Easily-concealed items such as rings, amulets, and wrist ornamentation. (The hand motions you must make still occupy your hand for the purposes of manipulating a focus item)
  • Language Restrictions: None.
  • Of the modern Western traditions, black magic suffers the worst reputation. Rather than subscribing to true evil, however, most black magic groups follow a credo which is part hedonist and part fascist—seeking self-serving advancement, emphasizing a will to power, and advocating freedom from the blinders and shackles imposed by “straight” society. This, coupled with their unsavory reputations fueled by persistent rumors of pacts with dark spirits, taints public and scholarly perception—not that such magicians care for mainstream opinion anyway.  Steeped in Christian, hermetic, and pagan symbolism, black magic is at times as rigid and disciplined as hermeticism and as ecstatic as shamanism. Various reversed Christian tropes (the Black Mass, inverted cross, and so on), and the pentagram are common symbolism. Hermetic and qabbalistic symbols are also given a darker twist and elaborate rituals are favored.  Black magic is the art of imposing one’s will on the fabric of existence and the hidden energies and dominions of  reality.  Lesser spirits are seen as mischievous paraelemental entities and demons to be brought to heel under the black magician’s iron grip. Conversely, black magicians are prone to striking pacts with more powerful spirits. It is not uncommon for such magicians to become entangled in a web of pacts with various spirits in their quest for personal power—forcing them to tread carefully and be watchful of their allegiances.  Black magic is a minor tradition found throughout the Western world. Black magicians have a hard time finding acceptance, given the public perception of their art, but have been known to pass themselves off as mages of other traditions (many of their trappings and rituals are sufficiently similar) and to live on the fringes of magical society.
• Chaos Magic: Magic is all about hacking the hidden operating system of the world. The signs and language used are means of rewriting the “machine code” that underlies reality. Ultimately, one’s tradition is merely a mental tool to focus one’s will to bring change in conformity—and like any good tool, it can be amply customized.  No matter how much Chaos Mages think they are hacking reality, they aren’t.  Chaos Magic works just like every other magic.
  • Schools: Elementalism
  • Practitioner Titles: Nothing specific
  • Origin: Modern
  • Focus Items: Varied
  • Language Restrictions: No restrictions
  • Chaos magic began as an occult movement in the early 2020s, designed to distill a “pure” magical system, devoid of dogma or credo, from the many different paths of power offered by myriad traditions, a system that would frame any belief system and transcend them all. The result was a highly eclectic and postmodern style, incorporating many symbols and ideas from different cultures and belief systems.  The intent was to make a more easily-accessible system for the newcomers to magic, one free of the religious undertones that are so pervasive among the older traditions.  Chaos magic is a unique hybrid that seeks the inherent power and underlying potential  of  the  symbols  and  trappings used  by  other  traditions.  Chaos  mages usually  favor  a  methodical  quasi-hermetic foundation to their personal styles and beliefs, though their practice incorporates symbols and concepts from many different sources.  By nature, this magic system is a hodgepodge of styles and trappings that drinks from numerous sources. A chaos ritual circle might include qabbalistic, norse, and even christian design elements, and their places of power range from wiccan-style libraries to  witchcraft-esque stone circles to cavernous basements decked in elaborate Aboriginal drawings.  While it aspires to be universal, chaos magic shows clear signs of its heritage in regard to its understanding of spirits. Chaos mages subscribe to the belief that spirits are manifestations of the basic universal elements spontaneously generated from the fabric of reality by the magician’s own will (hence their myriad guises).  Chaos  mages  are  the  unabashed  technophiles  of  the magically-talented community, and commonly use technology in their magic to complement traditional ritual materials and resources.  For the time being this strange symbiosis of magic and technology can hold true, but once devotees of chaos magic unlock higher levels of power they may be forced to abandon their love of technology.  Currently, the vast majority of CEC personnel who are studying technomagery are followers of chaos magic, due to it’s “pure” view of magic as a science.
• Christian Theurgy: Combining  Renaissance  hermeticism  with Christian  qabbalism  and  Gnostic  cosmology,  theurgists  are those gifted by God with the ability to wield the natural energies of magic, and they devote their skills to the service of the congregations of the faith.
  • Schools: Theurgy, Elementalism (Fire)
  • Practitioner Titles: Various pre-existing church titles.  Mages who practice this tradition who are not part of the church hierarchy use the titles Brother or Sister, depending on gender.  Paladin is sometimes used.
  • Origin: Pre-Reformation Catholic Church, circa 800 CE
  • Focus Items: Crosses and crucifixes, bibles, rosaries, and similar items of import to Christians
  • Language Restrictions: Spells cast in this tradition must be cast in Medieval Latin
  • To most devout Christians, magic is a powerful force created by God and bestowed upon mankind, as is any  other force of nature. While some Christians still harbor doubts, the landmark Potentiae Fidei  encyclical redefined Catholic doctrine and led the way to similar edicts  from  other  branches  of  Christianity. Most modern Christians believe the practice of magic is not divine, and consequently not a form of miracle (which remains a tell-tale sign of sainthood)—an understanding that often stigmatizes  those  who  believe  their  power is divinely inspired. Hence the (public) resurgence of Christian Theurgy, a uniquely Christian tradition, laden with the faith’s symbolism and doctrine, with roots in a mystical heritage that encompasses first-century Gnostic works, the writings of scholars such as St. Thomas Aquinas, and the arcane lore of centuries, carefully collected in the Church’s libraries.  In truth, this tradition has been in continuous existence inside the church since around 800 CE, it was just concealed under the church’s network of information suppression and disguised as standard religious practices.  Though all major Christian theologies acknowledge magic is neither inherently good nor evil,  and  spirits  are  merely another component of God’s Creation, magically-talented clergy carefully regulate magic use according to the tenets and strictures of the faith. Most magic is performed on consecrated ground in the church or monastery that serves as a theurgist’s lodge—under the watchful eyes of their peers and superiors. Communing with spirits is discouraged as it brings up nebulous issues of doctrine and faith. Those theurgists granted special dispensation may summon spirits associated with the Archangels and their domains: Michael (fire), Gabriel (water), Raphael (air), Uriel (earth) and seraphim at the service of the Holy Spirit (mankind).  Of course, these are just spirits like any other, though particularly devout mages may seek out more advanced spirits who seem willing to take on those identities.  Christian Theurgy’s trappings and symbols are those of  the Christian faith: the Bible, prayer, the cross or crucifix, the rosary, and holy water. God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the various saints, and archangels are often invoked in healing, warding, and protective magic.  In most congregations the strict guidelines of Christian Theurgy are only enforced among clerical magicians; secular believers are free to follow or disregard the guidelines set down by each church at their own peril. The Roman Catholic orders of magician-priests known as the Order of Saint Focherini and the Order of Saint Ponteleon are the most public organization of Christian theurgists, but others exist, such as the Roman Catholic’s third Holy Order – the Pontifical Order of Saint Joan of Arc.
• Native American Shamanism: Native American shamans commune with spirits of nature to shape their magics and protect the land and its inhabitants from danger.
  • Schools: Shamanism, Theurgy
  • Practitioner Titles: Shaman (Native American)
  • Origin: North America, Ancient
  • Focus Items: Varied, usually primitive weaponry (hatchets are common) or pieces of nature
  • Language Restrictions: Any indigenous Native American language
  • The indigenous magic of North America was dismissed as superstition and drug-induced visions for centuries by Westerners, which suited the shamans just fine.  Their brand of magic was far different from the magic that had developed in Europe, and they saw no need for acceptance by these foreigners.  Native American shamanism differs from Aboriginal shamanism in the sense that it believes that the spirits are actively still changing the world without impetus from humans.  The spirits that Native American shamans interact with take more recognizable forms than the ones found in Australia.  A shaman is chosen by their mentor spirit at the earliest stages of their training, and often forms a close tie to spirits of that type as the shaman grows in power.  Often, a shaman echoes elements of their mentor spirit noticeable to anyone – Air shamans tend to be flighty, Animal shamans are good with animals, Earth shamans are stoic, Nature shamans have a green thumb, and Water shamans tend to ‘roll with the punches’ in a manner of speaking.  Shamans often cross-train into another school of magic, either Elementalism or Theurgy, and often adopt elements of another tradition to cover that school.  Native American shamanism dwindled from the 1500s through the modern era, due in no small part to the damage done to the Native American population as a whole by the immigration and spread of Europeans across the continent.  By the time of the revelation of magic to the world after World War III, it was estimated that there were less than 4,000 practicing members of this tradition left worldwide.  Since 2019, the population has seen a steady increase as more new shamans are adopting this ancient tradition.
• Norse Ásatru: Norse magicians believe the Old Gods once again watch over Midgard. Ásatru, the old faith of the Norse, has seen a popular comeback and with it the revival of its visceral and pagan magic. Norse magic embraces the cult of the Aesir (the Norse gods), galdor (the lore of runes), gannr (the weaving of spells) and seidr (the lore of visions and communing with spirits).
  • Schools: Shamanism, Theurgy
  • Practitioner Titles: gode (male) or gydje (female), seidman, runemaster
  • Origin: Scandanavia, 8th Century CE
  • Focus Items: Rune stones
  • Language Restrictions: Old Norse or Norn
  • A rich and multifaceted magical system, Ásatru received a remarkable boost in Scandinavia following the Awakening and  remains  a  popular  tradition  in  the  Northern  Europe and the Baltic region.  Norse cosmology is pantheistic, and all Ásatru magicians show some degree of devotion to the Norse pantheon or to one particular Ás (singular of Aesir). Popular sects include the cults of Odin, Thor, Freya, and the Vanir.  In many Ásatru cults, the talented fulfill the role of gode (priest) or gydje (priestess of clerics). While all share the Ásatru paradigm of magic, not all Norse magicians become priests. A ganner is a spellweaver. A seidman uses ecstatic trances to perform magic and summon spirits. A runemaster uses futhark runes (carved, spoken, and chanted) to enhance the potency of his magic.  Norse magicians believe they deal with the denizens of the other Realms of the World Tree. Those that can cross to Midgard are the fire giants of Muspellheim (fire spirits), the dark fae of Niffellheim (spirits of water), the dwarves of Nidavellir (earth spirits), the storm spirits of Thrudheim (air spirits), and the Valkyrie (guardian spirits). Some are intractable and treacherous, disliking humans, and most require tribute before performing services.  Both talented and mundane Ásatru gather for great ceremonies known as blots and sumbles. These are traditionally held on Midsummer’s or Midwinter’s Day and the spring or autumn equinoxes. Common ritual elements include trances, shaking or dancing, libations of mead or blood, and torches. Blots are also often marked by ritual animal sacrifice.
• Qabbalistic Judaism: The  ancestral  Hebrew  paradigm  of  mystical and divine correspondences describes a qabbalist’s initiatory roadmap  to  self-illumination  through  understanding  of  the Sephiroths, the 10 dominions and emanations that form the mystical Tree of Life.
  • Schools: Theurgy, Elementalism (Earth)
  • Practitioner Titles: Nothing standardized, but some practitioners are also rabbis.
  • Origin: Believed to be 2nd-Century BCE, in the area that currently comprises Israel, Syria, and Lebanon.
  • Focus Items: Holy texts
  • Language Restrictions: Spells cast in this method must be cast in any Canaanite language (Hebrew, Phoenician, Edomite, etc)
  • Grounded in both scripture of the Torah and the seminal works known as the Zohar, the Sefer Yetzirah, and the Sefer HaBahir, qabbalism is arguably one of the most ancient mystical traditions practiced today. Through the ages many other traditions, not least of which is Christian theurgy, have adapted the qabbalistic psychocosm (model of the universe) and incorporated aspects into their own paradigms.  The qabbalah is a complex system of occult or esoteric philosophy,  describing  the  influence  and  correspondences  of the ten Sephiroths in the material and spiritual worlds and how to harness that power. The mystical potency and significance of the 22 letters of the ancient Hebrew alphabet, their numerical correspondences, and the true names they  describe play an important role in qabbalistic magic. Ancient Hebrew is therefore often used in spellcraft and in the intricate formulae, equations, and diagrams at the heart of qabbalistic magic. Spells are often spoken in ancient Hebrew, numerical equations are used in diagrams and symbols on foci, and numerology and astrology are important elements in various rites.  To modern qabbalists, spirits are elohim, emanations of the various Sephiroth embodying their esoteric aspects of there dominions (angels, though not in a Christian sense).  The distinct approaches to qabbalistic magic can be simplified to two main schools: magicians who subscribe to an almost secular understanding of qabbalistic practices lore, and qabbalists of ultra-orthodox Hebrew sects who believe they follow their own undiluted teachings. The former are often thought to be a sub-school of hermeticism and are quite widespread, featuring prominently in some academic circles. The latter are found almost exclusively in Orthodox Jewish enclaves and in the CRIP (Combined Republics of Israel and Palestine), rarely interacting with the world outside of their community.
• Shinto Onmyōdō: Shinto magic originates in the relationship between the practitioner and the kami, spirits that invest every aspect of the world (translation: the same thing everyone else just calls ‘spirits’). It primarily concerns itself with ensuring that the practitioner acts in harmony with the kami spirits, with magic being a natural extension of this harmony.
  • Schools: Theurgy, Shamanism
  • Practitioner Titles: Kannushi (Male), Miko (Female), Onmyōji
  • Origin: Japan, Circa 7th Century CE
  • Focus Item(s): Paper talismans (ofuda, haraigushi), various other implements
  • Language Restrictions: Spells cast in this tradition must be cast in Japanese.
  • Easily one of the most influential tradition in Asia, Shinto shares many similarities with Native American shamanism, though the two are distinct traditions. Unlike Native American shamanism, Shinto practitioners do not follow the ideals of a particular totem, but instead try to reach a state of harmony with the collective body of kami spirits that inhabit all things. Respect for nature is a key concept of Shinto tradition, as is the idea of remaining physically and spiritually “clean” through careful attention to proper rituals. The kami are honored at hundreds of thousands of shrines that range in size and shape, though most include the iconic torii gate. Honoring the kami is necessary, since practitioners typically ask many favors of them, including the use of magic.  Kami spirits come in all varieties, from elemental spirits to the ghosts of ancestors to strange and wonderful animals. They are so numerous that they are commonly referred to as the “Eight Million Kami.” Some are kindly and helpful, while others are mischievous or selfish. Shinto practitioners use many ritual tools in their magic, including haraigushi, a wand covered in paper streamers used to purify an area, and ofuda, paper prayer strips used for good luck or to deal with malicious spirits.  While Shinto is no longer the state religion of Japan (and has not been since the end of World War 2), it is still the most common religion in Japan, followed by the closely-related Japanese Buddhism.  Shinto has spread thanks to the diaspora of the Japanese people during the 20th century, and it has seen a rise in popularity since the revelation of magic in 2019 like most spirit-oriented religions have.
• “Traditional Witchcraft”: Hedge witches weave magic the way they always have, through subtle incantations, hexes, poxes, and potions, in accordance with half-forgotten lore of the natural world and ancient women’s mysteries known as the Old Ways.  This was prevalent in Europe up until the infamous purges and witch hunts of the Dark Ages.
  • Schools: Theurgy, Elementalism (Fire)
  • Practitioner Titles: Witch, Warlock, or just generic “Mage”
  • Origin: Eastern Europe, before the rise of Christianity
  • Focus Items: Varied
  • Language Restrictions: None
  • Traditional hex-casters and wise women, the practitioners of this venerable tradition are known diversely as weise frauen, sorcières, streghe, brujas,  bruxas, or hedge  witches depending on their country of origin. Witches tend to be secretive about their craft and are often confused with Wiccans. Most hedge witches, however, conform better to fairytale images of hex-casting women than to neo-pagans. Another departure from Wicca is that traditional witchcraft is exclusive to women, passed down from witch to apprentice across generations. Exceptions are only made when a witch lacks a female heir and the line risks being lost.  Witches are notorious for pillaging Christian, pagan, and hermetic symbolism and practices and mismatching them with traditional practices such as hexcraft, charms, the evil eye, dowsing, cartomancy, and spirit pacts. In fact, traditional witchcraft eschews any form of religious definition, and hedge witches are wary of mentor spirits.  To witches, the inhabitants of the world of spirits include the disembodied souls of the deceased (good and evil), mischievous fey, and the animistic powers of animals and plants. Dealing with these entities is an art fraught with dangers, one that witches are normally discouraged from pursuing.  Cauldrons, wands, herbs, candles, concoctions, and potions are a few of the common staples of a hedge witch’s magical style, though many variations exist. Hedge witches—seers, herbalists, crones, and midwives—can still be found plying their trade in the rural areas and the backstreets of Old World villages and sprawls from Lisbon to Vladivostok. In North America some are still found among ethnic communities.  Traditional witchcraft can also be used as a template for numerous minor traditions focused on women’s mysteries and witchcraft  around  the  globe.  For  instance  Romany  (gypsy) magic and Shakti/Devi (ecstatic Hindu goddess worship) have enough similarities with the template above that it can be used as a guideline.
• Voodoo: A profoundly mystic religion where those touched by the great loa as their serviteurs (servants) on earth learn to deal and court the favor of the invisibles, the subtle inhabitants of the spirit world, and through them unlock the higher mysteries and the gates to the mystic realm of Guinee.  Contrary to popular belief, the do not create zombies.
  • Schools: Shamanism, Theurgy
  • Practitioner Titles: Houngan or Santero (Male); Mambo or Santera (Female)
  • Origin: Southeastern North America and Caribbean Islands, 17th Century CE
  • Focus Items: Varied
  • Language Restrictions: Ewe, Fon, French, French Creole, or Haitian Creole
  • Voodoo  is  the  tradition  of  those  that  follow  the  spirits known as loa (both singular and plural). It descends from the African tribal lore brought across the Atlantic by black slaves, mixed with Native American mysticism and elements borrowed from Catholicism in the melting pot of the Americas.  Voodoo takes many forms: Voudoun is the tradition as it is practiced in Haiti and New Orleans, Santeria and Orishá are its names in Hispanic areas, and in Amazonia it is practiced as Candomblé. Male practitioners of Voudoun are referred to as houngans, female as mambos. In Santeria, a practitioner is known as a santero (feminine:  santera). The tradition as presented here is meant as a guideline for the various traditions descended from the African Diaspora.  A Voodoo magician’s power is intimately linked to les invisibles (ethereal and intangible entities believed to be spirits of nature and the deceased), and magicians are seen by the mundane faithful as handpicked by the loa. While all the loa are worthy of devotion, each magician is believed to have been chosen at birth by a patron loa, known as his mait-tete (literally “master of the head”). To walk the path of the loa, the magician must seek to emulate his mentor’s demeanor and behavior as closely as possible or suffer the patron’s wrath.  The major loa go by various names but are most commonly known as Agwe, Azaca, Damballah, Erzulie, Ghede, Legba, Obatata, Shango, and Ogoun. The key to interacting with loa and the lesser spirits of their courts is tribute and respect for their powers. They must be courted and flattered, not commanded, in order to garner favor and service.  Houngans use lodges known as hounfours (or a casa de santo in Santeria) to focus their abilties when not in the field. This is most often a circular hut built around a poteau-mitain (center post), which represents the cosmic axis or crossroads. During important rituals, hounfours are decorated with vevers, evocative images of the loa drawn in flour or cornmeal on the floor. Dancing, chanting, and drumming play a major role in Voodoo ritual. Typical focus items are made from seashells, bone, and feathers.
• Wiccan Spellcasting: The “Craft of the Wise” teaches how to live in harmony with nature and harnesses the Earth’s natural energies and animistic spirits through Wiccan workings. The craft is also a belief built on the feminine/masculine duality of the natural world in the form of the God and Goddess.
  • Schools: Elementalism (Fire), Theurgy
  • Practitioner Titles: Wiccan, Witch (female), Wizard (male)
  • Origin: 1st half of the 20th Century, England
  • Focus Items: athames, bolines, pentacles, swords, wands, cups, candles, staves, cauldrons, brooms
  • Language Restrictions: None, English is common.  The ‘safety factor’ of Wiccan Spellcasting comes more from the emphasis of the focus item rather than the language.
  • Though  inspired  by  ancient  nature  worship,  neo-pagan Wicca owes as much to nineteenth century spirituality and modern New Age philosophy as to ancestral traditions. Wiccans believe in a unique blend of nature worship, fertility cult, and modern mysticism, the essence of which lies in the belief in their personal relationship with the powerful energies and spirits of nature, and communion with the spiritual figures of the Goddess and the God.  Wicca is not monolithic and instead groups several diverse sub-traditions or lineages. The two most popular branches of Wicca are the Gardnerian lineage, which integrates the religious observances and tenets of Wicca with a distinctly hermetic style, and the revitalized nature rites of witches following the cult of the Goddess. Minor lineages include Celtic Wicca, feminist “Dianic” Wicca, and the “Eclectics” (who, not unlike Chaos mages, combine various styles into their Wiccan rites).  Wiccans, depending on their lineage, see spirits as animistic forces coalesced from Gaia’s own energies on the astral plane, as fickle entities channeling elemental forces, or as the fae of legend. In all cases, spirits are dealt with care, and small offerings are often made as a sign of respect and goodwill during summonings.  Wiccans of all lineages, magically-talented and mundane, traditionally gather in covens and circles. To focus their workings and sortileges, witches use a number of common foci and ritual trappings: the traditional athame (ritual dagger), a boline, a pentacle, a ritual sword, wand, and the cup. Candles, staffs, cauldrons, and brooms are also quite common. Practitioners commonly perform ritual magic according to the cycles of the moon.  These days, Wicca is slowly becoming widespread in North America, Britain,  and  Northern  Europe  with  a growing number of followers, magically-talented and mundane alike, coming from all walks of life, from corporate suits to radical eco-activists.