Ladies and Gentlemen, I Give You, The Magic-User

Ok, it’s been a really, really busy week and I haven’t had very much time for writing. I’ve been working on some campaign stuff, but the shit just isn’t coming together. I’ve been in a foul mood for days, so I should probably give it a rest for a little while. Too obstinate for that, though.

While I wasn’t nearly as impressed with the author’s magic system, as the cover blurb wanted me to be, Master of the Five Magics was still a good read.

In the traditional lore, when the Magus attempted to summon an angel, demons would appear and attempt to hinder his work. There is more than one interpretation as to what that means. The Magician is inside a Magic Circle, which has been fortified by various names of God.

Erasmus Craven, from The Raven. Great film. One of my favorites. Had very little to do with the poem. GG’s inspiration for the Shield spell.

Aleister Crowley in full regalia. 

Nicol Williamson, so owned that role.

Hermes Thrice-Greatest.

I need to get a print, of this. One of my favorite Frazetta pieces.

Was Mordenkainen the first D&D Arch-mage?

 

John Dee. Advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. In his time, he was widely regarded as the finest mind of his generation. If you’ve never heard of him, you can blame modern prejudices, which have little respect for Renaissance Era Religious Theoreticians. Or, those of any other era, for that matter.

I finally tracked down a copy of this book, only available in a Signed, Limited edition. The asshole who sold it to me, via ebay, lied when he said it was an unread copy. Just as well, I was planning on reading it, anyway. Amongst other things, it collects the various short stories by Tom Piccirilli, which feature The Necromancer and his familiar, Self. That’s The Necromancer in the center, looking like he’s already half-way to Lichdom. The character is also the protagonist of the author’s novel, A Lower Deep.