Ageing Spell



An ageing spell allows the caster to age himself so that he appears physically older. Ageing spells can be considered advanced forms of another kind of spell, the glamour, and are notoriously difficult and unpredictable.

It's not clear if the warlock or witch can control the spell and decide how much to get older. When Merlin used this spell, he turned into an 80-year-old man, declaring before that it was his intention to get this old.

Use by Merlin


In an attempt to take the blame for practicing sorcery away from Guinevere, Merlin decided to use an ageing spell to make himself older, thereby avoiding the blame himself.

In his chambers, Merlin prepared an unknown powder that he threw in a cauldron while he chanted: "Miht dagan, beþecce me. Adeadaþ þisne gast min freondum ond min feondum". The powder exploded and as white smoke rose to his face, Merlin transformed into an old man.

He was purposely caught by Arthur Pendragon planting a poultice but he was unable to then escape, as was his intention. Merlin tried to break the spell (with the incantation "Edniwe min geoguð"), but it was too strong for him.



Merlin was moments from being burned at the stake when Gaius finished working on an antidote which the young warlock was able to seize in the commotion caused by a fire spell and then consume as he fled the scene, changing him back to his former self (Queen of Hearts).

Merlin used this spell again to transform himself into "Dragoon the Great" when Arthur was willing to use magic to save his father's life. This time Merlin had Gaius prepare the potion that could reverse the effects of his spell so that he would not be trapped in this form. Merlin also cast the spell in a different way, only chanted the words of power of the Old Religion, without any magical potion (The Wicked Day).

The third time Merlin used this spell was when he sneaked into Morgana's hut to steal and then kill the Fomorroh that was controlling him. This time his old age caused him to be rather slow when he tried to run away from her and suffered greatly because of the stunning spells Morgana put on him. His magic (a whirlwind spell, in particular) was still too powerful for Morgana to beat (A Servant of Two Masters).

Merlin used again this spell when he entered the castle of Camelot, after it had been conquered by Helios and Morgana, to put an enchanted poppet under the High Priestess' bed. It seems that this time Emrys didn't need Gaius' potion to turn back into himself (The Sword in the Stone: Part Two).



Other uses
It is possible that Morgause used an ageing spell as well to take on the form of a poor old beggar woman so she could meet Morgana in the city market. Her spell wasn't as powerful as Merlin's, for her true form could be revealed in a mirror. This may indicate that this enchantment wasn't a real ageing spell, but just a glamour (The Eye of the Phoenix).