Magic (also called Sorcery or the Old Religion) is a multi-faceted, ever-present supernatural force of limitless potential. It is limitless in potential and can be utilized to achieve a wide array of effects, including the manipulation of reality and overriding the existing laws of physics and nature. There are several types of magic with creatures, places and objects harnessing it in different ways.
During The Great Purge most magical creatures, magic users and books on magic were destroyed or hidden. As a result, much knowledge about magic, its nature and practice has been lost. Knowledge that does survive is often incomplete or misunderstood.
Nature of Magic
As a neutral force, magic can be used for both good and evil.
Magic is basically neutral, like any other natural law such as weather patterns or astrological cycles. It can be utilised for good, evil or neutral purposes depending on who or what is harnessing it. However, it does have rules and laws that dictate its use, most of which are tied to the Old Religion. One of the strictest laws of magic concerns the power over life and death (The Mark of Nimueh, Le Morte d'Arthur, The Wicked Day, The Diamond of the Day).
Like most forms of power, magic has been known to corrupt those who use it for self-serving desires, revenge and other dark motives. Most notably, the High Priestesses who, before the Great Purge, created monsters like the Lamia. Later, Nimueh, Morgause and Morgana used their power to cause destruction and terror (Lamia (episode), The Mark of Nimueh, The Coming of Arthur, The Darkest Hour).
There are those who strive to use magic as a force for good, notably Merlin, Gaius and the Druids. (The Mark of Nimueh, The Sorcerer's Shadow, With All My Heart). Although, the path of good magic can lead to evil results such as when Alice, in a search for healing magic, unleashed an evil Manticore (Love in the Time of Dragons).
Magical Creatures
See Magical creatures for A-Z list
Different creatures and cultures can use magic different ways. There are some creatures that are completely magical and are born with innate magic. Others are created by sorcery, for example Afancs and the Lamia. Sapient species, including humans, can use magic by utilising spells, enchantments, potions and objects that focus or channel the innate magic of the earth (All episodes, Merlin:The Complete Guide).
For most people, magic is a skill that they learn. Learning certain words, sometimes together with gestures or material components, which form a spell to achieve a desired effect - for example moving an object or creating fire. It can take years of study and practice to understand and utilise (The Dragon's Call, The Nightmare Begins, Merlin:The Complete Guide).
Some are born with a natural aptitude for magic, for example Mordred and possibly Morgana[1] and Morgause[2]. Druids and High Priestesses of the Old Religion used to seek out these people and took them from their families at birth. Uther and his allies drowned many of them during the Great Purge (The Beginning of the End, A Herald of the New Age, The Kindness of Strangers, Merlin:The Complete Guide).
Merlin is considered an anomaly in that he was born with the instinctive ability to use and control magic. He is considered to be magic itself (The Dragon's Call, The Nightmare Begins, The Diamond of the Day).
A seers’ gift of prophecy and the art of the Dragonlord are similar to magic [3] [4].
Sorcerers
Sorcerer is used as a gender neutral term for people who practice magic. Other names include, sorceress, enchantress, witch, wizard and magician. The term warlock is only ever used to refer to Merlin. Mage is not a term used for people but there is a Mage Stone.
Witches and Practitioners of Witchcraft are sometimes considered separately. It is usually used in reference to sorcerers with sinister motives, or who use dark magic to achieve their aims. The term is possibly gendered but the Witchfinder looks for both men and women. (The Nightmare Begins, The Witchfinder, The Secret Sharer).
Additionally, magic is often synonymous with the Old Religion. People associated with the Old Religion may be referred to by their title such as High Priestess of the Triple Goddess/Old Religion, Bendrui, Blood Guard, Disir and High Priest of the Catha. Druids are a nomadic group of people, many of whom practice magic.
Practicing Magic
Morgana casts a powerful stunning spell.
Magic can be used to achieve a wide range of effects, including telepathy, telekinesis, shape-shifting, generating energy blasts, slowing down time, and summoning creatures and the undead. In most cases, the effects of magic can only be undone by the use of further magic.
Most people invoke their magic voluntarily through using spells, enchantments and magical objects. Spells can take a long time to master as they must be pronounced properly and with the right intonation (Valiant). Some, possibly those who are experienced or naturally talented, can also learn to direct their powers non-verbally and incant a spell in their mind (The Dragon's Call, The Gates of Avalon).
Non verbal magic can become unpredictable, especially in children and inexperienced magic users and they appear to lose control of their powers in high stress situations or times of emotional upheaval. For example, Mordred, for example, broke a mirror with a telepathic scream when Cerdan was executed, and Morgana's anguished cries over the loss of her sister and immortal army caused the throne room to collapse around her (The Beginning of the End, The Coming of Arthur).
There are often physical signs that accompany the use of magic. The irises of human sorcerers, for example, briefly glow gold while their magic is being channelled. Similarly, the outcast Sidhe Aulfric and Sophia's eyes turned red when they used their magic, and the Lamia's eyes glowed green (The Gates of Avalon, Lamia).
The implementation of spells varies hugely. Some take effect immediately after being cast, while others required the use of specific objects such as crystals, poppets, herbs, or potions. There are also some spells and rituals that must be performed at specific times or places. Blood sacrifices, for example, must be performed at the stroke of midnight on Samhain's Eve (The Darkest Hour).
Types of Magic
See also Category:Types of Magic.
Creature-Exclusive Magic
Several Magical creatures and beings have their own type of magic.
| Type of Magic | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Dragonlord Magic | A subcategory of magic used by Dragonlords to talk to and control Dragons. |  |
| Goblin Magic | A branch of magic practiced by Goblins to play tricks and pull pranks, usually in pursuit of gold. |   |
| Magic of the Old Religion | The branch of magic practiced by most human sorcerers and creatures of magic, it draws its power from the Old Religion itself. |   |
| Seer Magic | A subcategory of magic that allows Seers to view future events. |   |
| Sidhe Magic | A branch of magic practiced by the Sidhe, who are known as masters of enchantment. |   |
| Troll Magic | A branch of magic practiced by Trolls. |   |
Branches of Magic
| Type of Magic | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Alchemy | A form of magic used to change the nature of one thing to another, such as turning lead to gold. |   |
| Dark Magic | A subcategory of magic used primarily for evil or sinister purposes, such as killing, torturing, or controlling other people. |   |
| Elemental Magic | A subcategory of magic used to control the four base elements of the world: fire, water, earth, and air. |   |
| Necromancy | A subcategory of magic primarily used to summon spirits and other undead creatures. It is one of the most dangerous practices. |   |
| Possession | A form of magic used to take control of another person's body. |   |
| Power Over Life and Death | A subcategory of magic that can be used to revive the dead or create entirely new life, as long as another life is given in return. |   |
| Telepathy | A form of magic used to transmit speech into another person's mind. |   |
| Time Magic | A subcategory of magic used to manipulate time itself. |   |
History
Main Article Timeline. See also Spells for a list of times magic has been used.
Centuries Ago
Magic began in the Crystal Cave and, according to Gaius, the Sidhe in Avalon and dragons are the most ancient powers in the land (The Crystal Cave, The Diamond of the Day).
For centuries, magic users and non magic users have been in conflict. Notable historical conflicts include the war between the High Priestesses and the Ancient Kings as well as the Sorceress Medhir and the Knights of Camelot/Idirsholas (The Coming of Arthur, Lamia, The Fires of Idirsholas).
It is possible that magic and magical creatures were on the decline before Uther’s reign. There hadn’t been any new dragon eggs for 400 years and Merlin once believed that the Old Religion had died out centuries ago (Aithusa, Le Morte d'Arthur).
Uther's Reign and The Great Purge
- “When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help magic was driven from the realm.”
- — King Uther Pendragon[src]
When Uther Pendragon first took the throne, misuse of magic and the corruption of the Old Religion had thrown the natural order into chaos. Uther made it his mission to destroy everything and rid the land of sorcery.
The Great Purge started an era of intense persecution of magic users in Camelot and most of the land. Magic was outlawed and its use made punishable by death, resulting in the execution and displacement of hundreds of Druids and magic users. In addition to this, Uther also laid siege to sacred sites such as the Isle of the Blessed, confiscated or destroyed important magical objects such as the Crystal of Neahtid, and hunted creatures of magic such as Dragons and Dragonlords to extinction (The Dragon's Call, Excalibur, The Witch's Quickening, The Last Dragonlord, The Coming of Arthur).
Uther's Reign and The Persecution of Magic Users
In Camelot, the practice of magic was punishable by death.
After the Great Purge, those who practiced magic were regularly treated with hatred and distrust. Sorcerers were shunned and persecuted in almost every corner of the Five Kingdoms - with the exception of Helva - often to the extent of being hunted by knights, bounty hunters and witchfinders. However, individuals seem content to employ or tolerate sorcerers when it suits their own interests and they think they wont get caught, Notably, Valiant, King Cenred, Gwen’s father, Arthur Pendragon and Uther Pendragon himself.
In Camelot, common punishments for the use of magic were execution, by axe or by pyre. (Dragon's Call, The Mark of Nimueh, The Beginning of the End, The Nightmare Begins).
In other areas, more extreme punishments were practiced, for example Sarrum of Amata trapped the High Priestess Morgana Pendragon in a well for two years, listening to the tortured cries of the white dragon, Aithusa (The Hollow Queen).
Arthur's Reign
After Uther died, his son Arthur ascended the throne. Though he had expressed uncertainty about Camelot's persecution of magic in the past, after Uther was killed by a sabotaged healing spell, Arthur came to believe that magic was pure evil (The Wicked Day).
Throughout Arthur's reign, magic continued to be illegal but he was more tolerant than his father. Arthur did not actively persecute sorcery and he did attempt to reform some of their existing laws. For example, Arthur decreed that anyone suspected of sorcery was to be given a fair trial, and once rescued a sorceress from execution because he felt she'd been judged unfairly (The Death Song of Uther Pendragon).
Arthur vowed to treat the Druids with the respect that they deserved.
After he was haunted by the spirit of a Druid boy whose camp he'd once raided, Arthur also vowed that the Druids would be treated with respect under his rule and put a stop to Camelot's policy of executing them without cause. For example, when Kara was arrested, Arthur made it clear that she was on trial for treason and not for any magic she may have used (A Herald of the New Age, The Drawing of the Dark).
See Also
- ↑ Morgana was possibly born with a natural aptitude for magic or her powers are linked to her being a Seer which is "close to magic"/"magic of a kind" (The Nightmare Begins, To Kill the King). It is also possible that Morgana was taught magic as a young child before coming to Camelot when she was 10 and that it only returned to her when she was panicked or distressed, much like the child Mordred in the Beginning of the End.
- ↑ Not confirmed in canon but, it is possible that Morgause was one of the people selected at birth to join the High Priestesses. Gaius smuggled her out of Camelot and gave her to them for unconfirmed reasons. It is possible that he took her against her parents wishes (The Sins of the Father, The Kindness of Strangers).
- ↑ "The gift of prophecy is too close to the work of magic" -Gaius to Merlin in The Gates of Avalon & "Is it magic?" "Of a Kind" - Morgana and Aglain in The Nightmare Begins. However, Morgana doesn't only have the Seers' gift, she is also a powerful sorceress.
- ↑ "Uther believed that the art of the Dragonlord was too close to magic." — Gaius to Merlin in The Last Dragonlord. However, Balinor and Merlin are also both sorcerers. Balinor says that the Old Religion is something that is part of him and isn’t something you can learn.