Timothy Ferguson's Blog, page 83

Ars Magica Note: Ancient Egyptian magicians used formulaic and spontaneous magic

Note from Magic in Ancient Egypt, by Gerladine Pinch

Possibly two types of magic coexisted in Ancient Egypt: an intuitive, improvised magic, transmitted orally: and a literary tradition in which the formulae became fixed so that their exactness and antiquity were thought to give them power.

 

A new cover, and a note about the theme songs for my parts of some upcoming books

This is the cover for Antagonists, which is scheduled for early 2013. A group of us have another book coming out before then, but I wanted to share this. I like it, although the technique is very different to the woodcut style of many other Ars covers.

Just a quick note about the upcoming books. I can’t discuss the contents, but I can discuss part of the writing process. When I write, I usually listen to music, and it either has to have no lyrics at all, or they need to be ones I know so well they are not distracting.

For the last couple of books I have found that putting a track repeatedly into my playlist which ties in to the emotion I’m trying to get across helps me anchor the work so that what I’m writing flows toward a particular focus.

For “Against the Dark” it was “The Call” by Regina Spektor.

For “Antagonists” it was “Final Boss” by MC Frontalot.

 

The Habits of The Witches of Thessaly

What were Trianoma’s ancestresses doing before they joined the Order?  Here’s a quote from the Golden Ass, in which the witches do many other magical things. The text comes from Project Gutenberg.

When I was a young man I…fortuned in an evil hour to come to the City Larissa, where while I went up and down to view the streets to seeke some reliefe for my poore estate (for I had spent all my money) I espied an old man standing on a stone in the middest of the market place, crying with a loud voice and saying, that if any man would watch a dead corps that night hee should be reasonably rewarded for this paines. Which when I heard, I sayd to one who passed by, What is here to doe? Do dead men use to run away in this Countrey? Then answered he, Hold your peace, for you are but a Babe and a stranger here, and not without cause you are ignorant how you are in Thessaly, where the women Witches bite off by morsels the flesh and faces of dead men, and thereby work their sorceries and inchantments.

Then quoth I, In good fellowship tell me the order of this custody and how it is. Marry (quoth he) first you must watch all the night, with your eyes bent continually upon the Corps, never looking off, nor moving aside. For these Witches do turn themselves into sundry kindes of beasts, whereby they deceive the eyes of all men, sometimes they are transformed into birds, sometimes into Dogs and Mice, and sometimes into flies. Moreover they will charme the keepers of the corps asleepe, neither can it be declared what meanes and shifts these wicked women do use, to bring their purpose to passe: and the reward for such dangerous watching is no more than foure or sixe shillings. But hearken further (for I had well nigh forgotten) if the keeper of the dead body doe not render on the morning following, the corps whole and sound as he received the same, he shall be punished in this sort: That is, if the corps be diminished or spoyled in any part of his face, hands or toes, the same shall be diminished and spoyled in the keeper.

Which when I heard him I tooke a good heart, and went unto the Crier and bid him cease, for I would take the matter in hand, and so I demanded what I should have. Marry (quoth he) a thousand pence, but beware I say you young man, that you do wel defend the dead corps from the wicked witches, for hee was the son of one of the chiefest of the city. Tush (sayd I) you speak you cannot tell what, behold I am a man made all of iron, and have never desire to sleepe, and am more quicke of sight than Lynx or Argus. I had scarse spoken these words, when he tooke me by the hand and brought mee to a certaine house, the gate whereof was closed fast, so that I went through the wicket, then he brought me into a chamber somewhat darke, and shewed me a Matron cloathed in mourning vesture, and weeping in lamentable wise.

And he spake unto her and said, Behold here is one that will enterprise to watch the corpes of your husband this night. Which when she heard she turned her blubbered face covered with haire unto me saying, I pray you good man take good heed, and see well to your office. Have no care (quoth I) so you will give mee any thing above that which is due to be given. Wherewith shee was contented, and then she arose and brought me into a chamber whereas the corps lay covered with white sheets, and shee called seven witnesses, before whom she shewed the dead body, and every part and parcell thereof, and with weeping eyes desired them all to testifie the matter. Which done, she sayd these words of course as follow: Behold, his nose is whole, his eyes safe, his eares without scarre, his lips untouched, and his chin sound: all which was written and noted in tables, and subscribed with the hands of witnesses to confirme the same. Which done I sayd unto the matron, Madam I pray you that I may have all things here necessary. What is that? (quoth she). Marry (quoth I) a great lampe with oyle, pots of wine, and water to delay the same, and some other drinke and dainty dish that was left at supper. Then she shaked her head and sayd, Away fool as thou art, thinkest thou to play the glutton here and to looke for dainty meats where so long time hath not been seene any smoke at all? Commest thou hither to eat, where we should weepe and lament? And therewithall she turned backe, and commanded her maiden Myrrhena to deliver me a lampe with oyle, which when shee had done they closed the chamber doore and departed.

Now when I was alone, I rubbed myne eyes, and armed my selfe to keep the corpes, and to the intent I would not sleepe, I began to sing, and so I passed the time until it was midnight, when as behold there crept in a Wesel into the chamber, and she came against me and put me in very great feare, insomuch that I marvelled greatly at the audacity of so little a beast. To whom I said, get thou hence thou whore and hie thee to thy fellowes, lest thou feele my fingers. Why wilt thou not goe? Then incontinently she ranne away, and when she was gon, I fell on the ground so fast asleepe, that Apollo himself could not discern which of us two was the dead corps, for I lay prostrat as one without life, and needed a keeper likewise.

At length the cockes began to crow, declaring that it was day: wherewithall I awaked, and being greatly afeard ran to the dead body with the lamp in my hand, and I viewed him round about: and immediately came in the matron weeping with her Witnesses, and ran to the corps, and eftsoons kissing him, she turned his body and found no part diminished. Then she willed Philodespotus her steward to pay me my wages forthwith…

And by and by the corps came forth, which because it was the body of one of the chiefe of the city, was carried in funeral pompe round about the market place, according to the right of the countrey there. And forthwith stepped out an old man weeping and lamenting, and ranne unto the Biere and embraced it, and with deepe sighes and sobs cried out in this sort, O masters, I pray you by the faith which you professe, and by the duty which you owe unto the weale publique, take pitty and mercy upon this dead corps, who is miserably murdered, and doe vengeance on this wicked and cursed woman his wife which hath committed this fact: for it is shee and no other which hath poysoned her husband my sisters sonne, to the intent to maintaine her whoredome, and to get his heritage. In this sort the old man complained before the face of all people. Then they (astonied at these sayings, and because the thing seemed to be true) cried out, Burne her, burne her, and they sought for stones to throw at her, and willed the boys in the street to doe the same. But shee weeping in lamentable wise, did swear by all the gods, that shee was not culpable of this crime.

No quoth the old man, here is one sent by the providence of God to try out the matter, even Zachlas an Egypptian, who is the most principall Prophecier in all this countrey, and who was hired of me for money to reduce the soule of this man from hell, and to revive his body for the triall hereof. And therewithall he brought forth a certaine young man cloathed in linnen rayment, having on his feet a paire of pantofiles, and his crowne shaven, who kissed his hands and knees, saying, O priest have mercy, have mercy I pray thee by the Celestiall Planets, by the Powers infernall, by the vertue of the naturall elements, by the silences of the night, by the building of Swallows nigh unto the towne Copton, by the increase of the floud Nilus, by the secret mysteries of Memphis, and by the instruments and trumpets of the Isle Pharos, have mercy I say, and call to life this dead body, and make that his eyes which he closed and shut, may be open and see. Howbeit we meane not to strive against the law of death, neither intend we to deprive the earth of his right, but to the end this fact may be knowne, we crave but a small time and space of life.

Whereat this Prophet was mooved, and took a certaine herb and layd it three times against the mouth of the dead, and he took another and laid upon his breast in like sort. Thus when hee had done hee turned himself into the East, and made certaine orisons unto the Sunne, which caused all the people to marvell greatly, and to looke for this strange miracle that should happen. Then I pressed in amongst them nigh unto the biere, and got upon a stone to see this mysterie, and behold incontinently the dead body began to receive spirit, his principall veines did moove, his life came again and he held up his head and spake in this sort: Why doe you call mee backe againe to this transitorie life, that have already tasted of the water of Lethe, and likewise been in the deadly den of Styx? Leave off, I pray, leave off, and let me lie in quiet rest. When these words were uttered by the dead corps, the Prophet drew nigh unto the Biere and sayd, I charge thee to tell before the face of all the people here the occasion of thy death: What, dost thou thinke that I cannot by my conjurations call up the dead, and by my puissance torment thy body? Then the corps moved his head again, and made reverence to the people and sayd, Verily I was poisoned by the meanes of my wicked wife, and so thereby yeelded my bed unto an adulterer. Whereat his wife taking present audacity, and reproving his sayings, with a cursed minde did deny it. The people were bent against her sundry wayes, some thought best that shee should be buried alive with her husband: but some said that there ought no credit to be given to the dead body.

Which opinion was cleane taken away, by the words which the corps spoke againe and sayd, Behold I will give you some evident token, which never yet any other man knew, whereby you shall perceive that I declare the truth: and by and by he pointed towards me that stood on the stone, and sayd, When this the good Gard of my body watched me diligently in the night, and that the wicked Witches and enchantresses came into the chamber to spoyle mee of my limbes, and to bring such their purpose did transforme themselves into the shape of beasts: and when as they could in no wise deceive or beguile his vigilant eyes, they cast him into so dead and sound a sleepe, that by their witchcraft he seemed without spirit or life. After this they did call me by my name, and never did cease til as the cold members of my body began by little and little and little to revive.

Then he being of more lively soule, howbeit buried in sleep, in that he and I were named by one name, and because he knew not that they called me, rose up first, and as one without sence or perseverance passed by the dore fast closed, unto a certain hole, whereas the Witches cut off first his nose, and then his ears, and so that was done to him which was appointed to be done to me. And that such their subtility might not be perceived, they made him a like paire of eares and nose of wax: wherfore you may see that the poore miser for lucre of a little mony sustained losse of his members.

Which when he had said I was greatly astonied, and minding to prove whether his words were true or no, put my hand to my nose, and my nose fell off, and put my hand to my ears and my ears fell off. Wherat all the people wondred greatly, and laughed me to scorne: but I beeing strucken in a cold sweat, crept between their legs for shame and escaped away. So I disfigured returned home againe, and covered the losse of myne ears with my long hair, and glewed this clout to my face to hide my shame.

Just a quick note to mention the cover of the new book

Brace youself for some seriously cool art.

 

Not Dead, Just Sleepng

Hi!

No updates for three months, but don’t worry, the blog’s not dead.

Basically I’ve been commissioned to write four book contributions, split between two publishers. That’s at the upper edge of what I can manage, with my current writing time. I have been tackling it and two are in the bag, and one is within sight of being finished.  The fourth one is half done, because I started writing it first (odd story there…I’ll tell it to you in about three years, when the book comes out of NDA.)

The thing is, because I’ve not been reading recreationally much, to put more time into my writing, I’ve not had anything novel to say here.

I did contribute to the new Ars Magica book, Grogs, and so I’ll put a page up for it when I finish the maps for one book, the first draft for another, and recording Malvolio for Librivox.  Which is to say, next weekend, probably.

Legends of Hermes page now up

Some spare material, and thoughts on the writing process, for my newest book. Basically, when I was designing this, I hit a roadblock which stopped my initial plans, but recovered from that. I think the work I did the second time around is better than the first. It suits the setting better and doesn’t need a Mystery mechanic to get it to work.

A scratchpad for some ideas, so I don’t forget them

So, I had this idea for a convention one-shot scenario. I’m writing it up here because there’s no chance I’ll work on it this year, and I don’t want to forget the elements which have started to congeal in my mind.

The background of it works like this: the Criamon cosmology contains a couple of apocalyptic elements. Twilight is only possible because Criamon holds the way to Twilight open (in this sense he’s similar to certain types of Buddha) and his followers are seeking Wisdom because they are meant to find a better solution before his strength fails and he must pass into Twilight himself, which will close the way behind him. The genius locus of the Cave of Twisting Shadows has something to do with the plan, as does the prophesied return of the missing Primi. Some Criamon even believe they know which number is the final Primus (because Criamon designed their sepulchres and only left a certain number of spaces).

There’s also this idea that the parts of the psyches of magi who go into Twilight in an impure state fall back into the world, as magical aberrations. This hasn’t been picked up in any of the later books, and if the whole combined writing project for November  falls through I might do thirty of these. Basically there are a heap of these aberrant magical begins out there, and they can combine into new and worse forms. Criamon himself potentially left one of these things behind. He’s hinted at a couple of times: he’s an embodiment of all of Criamon’s spiritual failures. That  doesn’t make him powerful, because Criamon was a great guy, but it does make him dangerous, because he probably understand the apocalypse better than anyone else.

So, he’s the villain.

A time comes when the path to twilight, which is represented as the World Tree, which the Hermetics stole from Transylvania (which is from Hedge Magic, not the upcoming book) is about to fail. Various old magi don’t go into Twilight when they botch spells, they just die horrifically. The shadow of the tree leads to a piece of the magic realm where the leftover bits of Criamon’s psyche are about to poison the world, using centuries of Hermetic aberrations to do the damage. The Genius of the Cave knows it can’t send magi against the creature, because it can just pull fresh aberrations from the souls of magi, sending them into Twilight and bolstering its forces, so it calls champions from the Redcap tradition, reaching out through time and selecting those with non-Hermetic powers.

The player characters are:

Belin was active in the early years of the Order, and is the oldest. She has the skills to deal with mortals, and understands much of the structure of the Order in 1220. She knew Criamon, and may have some inkling of how the Enigma works. Belin is a throwback to the Bloodline of Heroes, which predates the Order.

Characters from after Belin remember her as the Perfect Redcap, and that she mysteriously disappeared.

Ricardo is in his forties, and comes from the Renaissance, from an Order which fought a shadowy war against the Ventetians and was given land and concessions in exchange for peace. The Knights of the Ibis, of which he is a ranked member, are the putative owners of this small territory, but they are just a face for the Order. Ricardo has the sort of military hardware you’d associate with the leader of a magical band of musketeers. He brings the firepower, and can at least understand much of the Order, because he knows the pre-war layout of Europe. He has some items of Strange Magic, a Realm which appeared after 1220, filled with clockwork spirits.

Characters from after Ricardo’s time remember him as the Order’s point man in the Blue Hummingbird War, against the Diedne Empire in South America. During the War he rose to the Generalship of the Knights, and subdued Feathered Serpent Territories, which were all-but ruled by the Order through the Knights.

Montpellier is in his late twenties, and is the descendant of a mid-African tribe of blacksmith wizards who joined the Order in the late 1600s, although he comes from 1890. Montpellier is an amputee, but it is hard to tell, because he wears a suit of thin, super-toughened, bronze that moves like a body would, giving him a full body prosthesis. He can’t project force, but he’s basically unkillable in the suit, and has heroic strength and stamina. The suit’s strangest device is its Baraka Engine, which allows him to swap vis, confidence points, and pips on rolled dice around. This is non-Hermetic magic, from the Sudanese tradition.

Janet remembers Montpellier as the first leader of both the Sudanese and Verditius traditions, merging them, and being the first Primus to move a Domus Magnus outside of Europe. He also invented methods of sending spells over telegraph wires, using old Roman Road magic.

Janet is a courier in a modern world, serving a secret cabal of wizards. Her magic items are all implants, although they are not detectable to casual observation. She has a familiar-spirit which was personally tailored for her, and force grown using something that the Soqotrans might vaguely recognise as tree spirit binding. It looks like a mobile  phone most of the time. It also works as a phone, and is filled with preloaded incantations. Once pulled into the past she can feed her phone with Magical Ambience or vis, but can’t get a signal to change her apps. She’s a bit of a history nerd, so she’s not absolutely lost, and she was swept from time while on a camping holiday so she has some excellent modern gear, but she’s the least experienced character.

There’ no-one here to tell Janet what she does that makes her an epitome of redcapness.

Quick rumor control post

I mentioned an upcoming event on a webpage for an Australian convention, and I’ve had some questions in the various fora I participate in, so:

Yes, Linda and I are expecting our first child soonish, and so I have not volunteered to run anything at AusCon in May.  If it turns out that fatherhood is substantially simpler than my research indicates, I’ll be along.  (joke!)

There won’t be any delay in my next book.  David, the Line Manager, keeps the Ars Magica pipeline stuffed with books. The team finished Transylvania (which is formally called Against the Dark) back in 2010, if recollection is accurate.  Actually, Transylvania’s not my next book, Grogs is, and I wrote the main parts of what I eventually contributed to that in 2007 and 2009. They didn’t fit in the projects I’d written them for, and so they sort of waited around on my hard drive until the perfect project came along.

There won’t be any delay in any of the books I’m contributing to after Transylvania. My slate’s clear on primary drafting: I didn’t pitch for a couple of books, so there will be a patch in 2013 somewhere where I’m not an author on anything, rather like the recent patch, which corresponded to a health scare I had in May 2010. Mark will overtake me as “Guy who has written the most Ars books” in the next little while.  8)  Well, other than David of course.

I am still working on some ideas. I can’t discuss them at this stage, but basically on a recent project I threw aside my more recent, quite tidy style of writing and went back to my old, more meandering style. As a result I have these two huge chunks of text and research which don’t fit anything and will eventually become chapters in books, or articles, or web page material. I also have three..I don’t know what to call them.  Guided saga arcs?  I haven’t even started writing them yet, but I have solid ideas.

So, basically, if you’ve asked why I mentioned it in AusCon circles but not in Ars circles, it’s not because its putting anything behind: I just didn’t think to mention it until after the baby actually arrives.

Ars Magica Note: There are No Nosferatu

Interesting note: the term “nosferatu”, which is widely believed to be Romanian for vampire, comes into English through a book called “The Land Beyond the Forest”, which Bram Stoker used as a source for his research for “Dracula”.

The Romanian term for vampire is, however, vampir.

The word nosferatu does not exist before it appears in The Land Beyond the Forest.

The word nosferatu is, therefore, an English word. It is not found in any other language, except where, like English, it has arisen out of this odd little chain of provenance.

I have this idea that this could be a plot in setting, to craft faeries with the features we associate with the word.

Stuffed crocodilles in the laboratory, a pre-Pratchettian source

While writing Covenants, and describing the laboratories of magicians, some of us wanted to include a bonus for having a stuffed crocodille hanging from the ceiling. That didn’t come through, but now I can prove it comes from a public domain source, which means you can use it in your games, and if told you are stealing from PTerry, you can say “No, no…”

Washington ”Legend of Sleepy Hollow” Irving:

Little Britain has likewise its sages and great men. One of the most important of the former is a tall, dry old gentleman, of the name of Skryme, who keeps a small apothecary’s shop. He has a cadaverous countenance, full of cavities and projections; with a brown circle round each eye, like a pair of horned spectacles. He is much thought of by the old women, who consider him a kind of conjurer, because he has two of three stuffed alligators hanging up in his shop, and several snakes in bottles.

Now, Irving is an American and calls them alligators, but I think that will do nicely. The fact that he’s apparently called Skyrim is just a bonus.