Various new jargon for the occult sciences
In Nephilim: Revelation, the French third edition, the Occult Sciences got some new jargon for their practitioners and spells. These were:
Occult Science | Keyword | Practitioner | Spells |
---|---|---|---|
Magic | Intuition | Mage | Sortileges |
Kabbalah | Relation | Kabbalist | Invocations |
Alchemy | Construction | Alchemist | Formulae |
Each Occult Science had some further jargon specific to it, the "symbolic and social", including titles for each circle, colors, and attributes. The third edition structured these after the medieval tradesmen system of Apprentice, Companion (Journeyman) and Master. E.g. an Apprentice Mage was titled a Disciple, and one with mastery in Lower Magic was ranked as a Master Disciple.
Technique | Title | Color | Attribute |
---|---|---|---|
Lower Magic | Disciple | Purple and Sable (black) | Crook |
Higher Magic | Magician | Gullet (red) and Silver | Crown |
Grand Secret | Magistery | Sinople (green) and Gold | Chalice |
Malkut | Neophyte | None | Bracelet |
Yesod | Seminarian | Black | Star |
Hod | Ochre | Feather | |
Netzah | White | Ring | |
Tipheret | Cenobite | Yellow-green | Medallion |
Geburah | Red and amber | Vial | |
Chesed | Blue | Scepter | |
Binah | Unknowable | Green | Signet ring |
Chokmah | Emerald | Pendulum | |
Kether | Silver | Book | |
Black Work | Melanossi | Black | Incense |
White Work | Leukossi | White | Lantern |
Great Work | Adept | Red | Crystal egg |
For the US version
I find this an interesting bit of roleplay and the jargon can be useful for gameplay, so I decided to adapt this to the US version and the revised magic rules from Liber Ka and Slaying the Dragon (reprinted in Enlightened Magic) and Ramos-Tavener's revised Summoning rules. Like so:
Occult Science | Keyword | Practitioner | Spells |
---|---|---|---|
Sorcery | Intuition | Sorcerer | Sortileges |
Summoning | Relation | Summoner | Invocations |
Alchemy | Construction | Alchemist | Formulae |
From there, each Occult Science has some more specific jargon:
Technique | Title | Spells |
---|---|---|
Casual Magic | Neophyte | Sortileges |
Ritual Magic | Disciple | Habiti* |
High Magic | Magister | Habiti* |
Lesser Theurgy | Seminarian | Seals* |
Greater Theurgy | Cenobite | Pentacles* |
High Theurgy | Unknowable | Keys* |
Black Stone | Craftsman | Procedures |
White Stone | Artisan | Works |
Philosopher's Stone | Siddha | Meditations |
For purposes of quick reference, I renamed a number of the Spells compared to the original rules. A Casual Magic Spell is a Sortilege, cast quickly and easily without any ritual. A Habitus (Ritual Magic or High Magic Spell) or Invocation (Summoning Spell) must be cast as a ritual unless inscribed. (The name "Habitus" comes from the French and refers to a Magic (i.e. Sorcery) Spell that is fixed and cast from a Focus or Inscription, in contrast to the freeform Sortileges.)
For Summoning, I picked a hybrid between Ramos-Tavener's renamed Techniques and those from the rulebook. The Techniques were renamed in accordance with his notes, while the old names were retained as names for the Invocations by Circle. The names "Seals, Pentacles and Keys" aren't arbitrary but refer to the type of magic circle used for that Circle. (The French version uses them to refer to Kabbalah (i.e. Summoning) Spells and the corresponding Techniques, as in "Seals of Malkuth" or "Pentacles of Tiferet," but for clarity I've split these uses.)
I didn't give separate jargon for Ritual Magic and High Magic Spells, though I might change my mind in the future. All of these choices are tentative for now.
Hope you enjoyed!
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