• KL Forslund

Wizard's Glossary

Updated: Nov 29, 2019

Ever want a comprehensive list of magical terms and tools that a wizard would know? Yeah me, too. In my current project, Alex Rune and his friends have created technology in the form of wizardly powers and tools. I need a glossary of that kind of thing, and my need is your free research. Some of these are kind of obvious, but I like to be thorough.

Wizard Words

Homunculus - latin for a small representation of a fully formed humanoid being

Golem - hebrew for an animated humanoid made of clay

Familiar - a demon supposedly obeying the commands of a which, usually in the guise of an animal, or an animal guide

Daemon - latin for a lesser deity or guiding spirit. In computing, it’s a background process, rather than one under direct user control

Demon - freek, a typically malevolent spirit, unlike a Daemon

Charm - to control by magic

Ward - a type of magic to harm or turn away evil or a specified target. Usually a symbol or gesture. Technical name is Apotropaic magic.

Incantation - words spoken as part of a spell or charm

Spell - an incantation that isn’t to charm something, pretty much everything else.

Summoning - a spell to bring someone or something to the caster

Banishment - a spell to remove someone or something from the caster

Caster - the person invoking a spell

Ritual - a long form spell or ceremony.

Carbuncle - as a medical condition, it’s a cluster of boils made of Staphylococcus under the skin. It also refers to a type of gemstone, usually red garnet. In the book The Troll’s Grindstone, it was a gem, imbued with a person’s memories, implanted under the skin of another. A magical USB drive.

Talisman - unlike an amulet, this is an object to attract good luck, health, prosperity

Curse - a spell to cause harm or injury to another

Wand - can be a synonym for Rod, but is usually a thin stick, used for casting a spell and directing it at a target.

Scepter - thicker than a wand, usually with something large and ornate at the end

Rod - thicker than a wand, used for casting either directing at a target or emitting energy or force

Staff - Tall enough to be used as a walking stick, usually the height of a person. Can be used to direct at a target or emit energy or force.

Ring - a magical ring might store energy, grant protection or identify the bearer, or bestow a power.

Amulet - typically carries a ward, but might provider other functions.

Exorcism - a spell to expel an evil spirit from a person, place or thing

Phylactery - a container that holds an essence of the wizard. Horcrux may be a form of phylactery

Words to Spell By

That wraps up the list of words I’ve encountered through fiction and familiarity with occult subjects. None of these are going to summon a dyslexic Santa, if that’s something you worry about. For my purposes, I needed this list so my technomages know how to present their powers and abilities in mystical form.




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