Magician

Magicians, known in Egyptian as shesh, are those with magical powers and trained in the methods of Egyptian mythology and magic and can cast a variety of spells. Magicians are often members of the House of Life and are trained by them.

History
The House of Life survived the fall of Egypt, but was forced underground. As a result, many of their most secret and powerful spells were lost. Since the end of the Egyptian dynastic period, members of the House of Life have been tasked with hunting the gods and trapping them, preventing them from having any contact with the mortal world. This is a stark contrast to previous actions by the House of Life, as they worked with the gods to better Egypt.

It has been implied by Zia Rashid that at one time there were a great deal of initiates in the House of Life until an unknown event occurred.

Skills, Abilities, and Limitations

 * See also: Magic

Magicians are trained in Egypt, the First Nome, beginning at no later than ten years. There, they learn the basics of spellcasting. They are assigned a new Nome at age thirteen. There are few dangerous exceptions, such as Carter and Sadie. While in training, a magician's specialty is determined. Initiates double as the First Nome's 'operators', scrying with bowls of oil and keeping in contact with magicians from other Nomes. Training is often intense and once the initiates are able to summon objects reasonably well, they will duel with another initiate while a full-fledged magician watches over them; this is done on the principle that magicians do not learn magic through study but rather from practicing.

A wand and staff is essential for a practicing magician. A wand, made of curved ivory, is generally used for defense. The staff is most often used for offense; in modern times magicians have taken to using collapsible or disguised staffs. On occasion, the staff may be replaced by an object that is better suited to one's specialty. For example a khopesh, a curved blade, is good for combat magic. In addition to a wand and staff, magicians also typically carry twine, paper, an ink set, and a ball of wax. Some may carry a shabti with them.

Magicians take a number of precautions to ensure the effectiveness of their spells. This includes wearing clothing made from plants (such as cotton) rather than animals as it may interfere with their magic; if a magician is strong enough, they are sometimes able to wear a small amount of animal products. Magicians may also tattoo a symbol of Ma'at on their tongues, and these tattoos may be temporary or permanent. The tattoo helps them speak magic words clearly. They also often drink water that has been purified by Thoth. This water helps magicians focus and gives them a great amount of energy.

Magicians typically use a special headrest when they sleep. It is made of ivory and engraved with hieroglyphs to prevent one's ba from entering the Duat while they slumber.

Magicians, as agents of Ma'at, will often trap monsters within statues and smash them to destroy the monster's essence. Failure to smash these objects may result in the monster later being unleashed.

A spell, at its most basic, turns words into reality. A magician may use any language to cast a spell, but Egyptian hieroglyphs are generally preferred as they are the language of creation and Ma'at. The simplest way of casting a spell is to write it out on a piece of paper. Should a magician use a hieroglyph for something alive, however, they must be careful to leave it incomplete, else the hieroglyph itself may come alive.

There are some limitations on the magic a magician can cast. Each magician has a limited reservoir of magic. When casting a spell, they draw upon this magic. If a magician overdraws their reservoir when they cast a spell, the lack of energy will be made up by their life force, killing them and often quite literally burning up. This limitation may be escaped in a few ways. Many magicians store reserves of magic in objects, such as a staff, amulet, scroll, or wand. They may also summon power directly from Ma'at, but this is only when using the Divine Words, the Ancient Egyptian pronunciation of hieroglyphs. When hosting a god, the god will add their own power to the magician's reservoir, although the god may choose not to. Another limitation is a magician's inability to summon a portal on the Demon Days unless possessed by a god of magic such as Thoth or Isis.

Specialties
Magicians, through training, can specialize in various forms of magic. A well-trained magician knows a little of everything. The Paths of Isis and Thoth can be used for Divine Words and elemental magic due to the two being magic gods. However, for elemental magic, the Path of Isis or Thoth isn't as specific as whichever god's path the element belongs to. Therefore, magicians following the Paths of Isis and Thoth have limited control over elemental magic.

Hieroglyphic Magician
Magicians that use normal magic are hieroglyphic magicians, as they do magic with hieroglyphs. Normally, all magicians are hieroglyphic magicians and this is a branch of magic shared by all. Every mage should know how to cast spells to make things into reality using hieroglyphs. People with exceptional skill with hieroglyphs and magic and start speaking Divine Words meaning they can speak spells instead of usual writing them on papyrus. The Path of Thoth or the Path of Isis can be followed to speak Divine Words, the Ancient Egyptian pronounciation of hieroglyphs.

Example: Amos Kane, Sadie Kane (Path of Isis), Carter Kane

Elementalist
Magicians that can control different elements, the main being: fire, water, earth, and cheese. There are also others but they are minor elements.

Fire Elementalist
Example: Zia Rashid
 * A type of elementalist who especializes in fire magic. A fire elementalist has great great skill and power over the control of the element fire. Fire elementalists possess pyrokinesis, as demonstrated by Zia Rashid in several times, especially during her battle with the scorpion goddess, Serqet . According to Isis, the strongest spell that a fire elementalist could cast is the Pillar of Fire, which is deemed to be unescapable. The Path of Ra can be used to harness this magic but the fire changes to a golden colour.

Water Elementalist

 * A type of elementalist which has adept control over the element water. Abilities of such type of elementalist is unknown. Because both Sobek and Nephthys are water gods, it is presumed that their paths can be used for this element.

Earth Elementalist
Example: Alyssa (Path of Geb), Desjardins
 * A type of elementalist capable of controling rocks, stones, crystals and the earth. They are presumed to be able to summon earthquakes. Earth elementalists has geokinesis as demonstrated by 21st Nome initiate Alyssa during the battle with the 3-headed snake. The Path of Geb can be used for this.

Cheese Elementalist

 * A type of elementalist who can generate cheese and has power over cheese. A fat rebel magician was seen using this element in The Serpent's Shadow.

Lava Elementalist
Example: Zia Rashid (Eye of Ra)
 * A type of elementalist who can intensify fire and ultimately end up with lava. However, this element is cannot be harnessed unless using the Path of Ra, or hosting Ra but the path of magic gods like Isis or Thoth can be used to make lava. There is only one magician, with control over lava.

Ice Elementalist
Example: Felix
 * A type of elementalist who has great power over ice and snow. They can shoot icebergs at their opponents and freeze them into blocks of ice. Since there is hardly any ice in Egypt, there is no ice goddess and thus, only the Path of Isis or Thoth can be used.

Air Elementalist
Example: Wayne, Leonid (Path of Shu), Amos Kane (Path of Set)
 * A type of elementalist which has great powers of the air and winds. They may also be able to summon gusts of wind to deflect their opponent's attack. Further abilities of such type is unknown. The Path of Shu can be used for this element. Extreme winds are considered part of Chaos Magic and the Path of Set can also be used for them.

Lightning Elemantalist
Example: Amos Kane (Path of Set) Kwai (path of Apophis)
 * A type of elementalist who can generate, manipulate electricity, and project lightning. This is considered to be Chaos Magic and the Path of Set can be used for this.

Combat Magician
Combat magic is used by people, who have a specialty in combat. It is the ability to summon a magic battle avatar, which is a holographic shell that mimicks the movements of the user. The head and appearance of each combat avatar is usually different or can change with time. The Path of Horus, Bast, or Sobek can be harnessed to use this magic with their avatar heads. The Path of Set can also be channeled to use the god's own unique Set avatar.

Example: Carter Kane (Path of Horus), Julian (Path of Horus), Amos Kane (Path of Set)

Statuary
A magician skilled in making shabti.

Example': Iskandar; Nectanebo II.

Healer (Sunu)
A magician adept at healing magic. The Path of Sekhmet can be used for healing, allowing them to control famine, plague, and bau .Others include following the Path of Bes. Healers are also known as good dancers, good singers, and actors.

Example: Jaz (Path of Sekhmet), one of Carter and Sadie's trainees, is a healer; Bast has healed Carter and Sadie many times, fitting her role as a protective goddess.

Charm Maker (Sau)
A sau is one who makes amulets and charms and can fight with these.

Example: Walt, a trainee of the Kanes, has a talent in making magical amulets.

Animal Charmer
One who can communicate with, summon, or transform other people into various animals. Such animals include cats, serpents, penguins, and lizards. Animal charmers are usually very adequate at transforming their staffs into animals. The Path of Bast can be used to an animal charmer of cats. It is unknown which god's path the trainee Felix follows to animal charm penguins. He never found it out himself.

Example: Bast, Vladimir, Felix, Jerrod, and Sadie

Necromancer (Rehket)
Presumably one who can summon or drive away ghosts. Also known as a seer or rehket'''. '''Spirits of the dead can be summoned to advise or carry out a task. The Path of Osiris can be used for this type of magic and maybe even the Path of Anubis.

Death Magic
A magician that can turn things into dust. The Path of Anubis, or hosting the god, can be used to achieve this magic.

Example: Walt Stone (Eye of Anubis)

Diviner
Said to be extremely rare, these magicians can see the future. The Path of Nut can be used for this branch of magic.

Example: Ruby Kane.

Baboon Magic
Rude noises, poking, and trying to insert jelly beans into your mouth. Also healing and traveling great distances.

Example: Khufu

Chaos Magic
A magician can be a wind and/or lightning elementalist and be a Chaos Mage at the same time. Chaos Magic, also known as Storm Magic, is control over the element of lightning and extreme winds. If one follows the path of the gods, the Path of Set can be used for this magic.

Example: Amos Kane (Path of Set)

The Path of the Gods
A specialty that has fallen out of practice in the House of Life since the fall of Egypt, the Kane siblings are now attempting to revive it by calling magicians with the blood of the pharaohs to Brooklyn House. In ancient times, all members of the House of Life followed the Path of the Gods. Some only called upon the power of the gods on occasion, while others sought be become the 'Eye' of a god: a perfect union between god and magician. There was great risk in this, however, and if it is done improperly the host can die or even be driven mad. In other instances the god may overpower their host and literally burn them up. These tragedies are evidenced by King Tutankhamun and Cleopatra VII. In modern times, those that practice the path of the gods are persecuted by the House of Life.

Example: Sadie (Path of Isis) and Carter (Path of Horus) and Cleo (Path of Thoth) and Leonid (Path of Shu)