One of the things that I find delightfully different about the Hidden Realms is that magic actually works there, or at least, it usually does. As a consequence there are a great number of wizards, warlocks, sorcerers, enchanters, alchemists, magicians and so on in the Hidden Realms. You could say that magic replaces technology in that world, at least to a certain degree, although it is important to clarify that, in general, magic is not terrifically reliable !

Magic works by mixing the right ingredients, in the correct way, at the correct time, basically by following a recipe. Just as when making a good sponge or soufflé it has to be perfect to work ~ so it is with most magic. Nearly all magic works through potions or magical objects (doors, chests, rings) rather than ‘cast’ spells which is sorcery and something I cannot claim to even remotely understand.

In the brewing of potions and powders for magical or medical uses, the Alchemist often does not actually use magic, for if the recipe is followed completely accurately the potion or whatever will work of its own accord. Such recipes are generally complex, involve a lot of mumbo-jumbo (which may or may not be relevant) and have a number of vague, subjective elements. For example; lightly fry fifteen newt’s eyes under a full moon at midnight to make a paste. Then mix this with a sprig of belladonna, twelve grains of mandrake root and suspend the resulting goo in finest wine. If the frying is not quite right, or one of the newt’s eyes is not perfect then the potion will not work. This is (apparently) where the skill comes in.

Spells are cast into the magical item or potion or even a book or scroll. Drink the potion or read the spell (without making any mistakes!) and it may work. Make a mistake pronouncing a word and the spell intended to turn a flower into a loaf of bread might turn your foot into a slice of sponge cake! This makes books of spells or magic tomes very valuable. Scrolls are often enchanted to work only once so that they crumble to dust or burst into flames once the spell has been cast. Magic is also notoriously unreliable and often has amusing consequences.

As to exactly how magic works in the Hidden Realms; nobody really knows for certain. There are two main theories. The first is that the ingredients in a potion or magical artefact are the thing; dragons’ teeth, faerie dust or toads’ eyes or whatever. Note that magic ingredients are often from creatures with observable magical abilities. The other (put forward most eloquently by Professor Snarpgiggle, from the Department of Magical Studies, The University of Imradd) is that it all comes down to belief. If the person observing, or the subject of, the magic spell, truly believes in it, then it will work. If they do not, then it will not.

The trouble is the two ideas tend to reinforce each other and become inextricably interlinked. Try doing some magic on belief alone ~ and it probably will not work. But would that be because your belief was not true, or was perhaps insufficient? Similarly, if you did not believe that the magic potion (containing ground fairy dust) would enable you to fly after you had swallowed it, would it, in fact, work?

Personally, I am convinced that belief is the key to magic. If you want something enough, and really focus on it, then it has a tendency to happen, often inexplicably and against all logic. Perhaps both theories are partially correct; mayhap magical ingredients and belief are both needed for any magic to work potently.

                                               Cornelius Clifford

                                                                    By the Sign of the Vexed Mage