Magical Incantation: Difference between revisions

 

== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==

** In the books, they're simply SQL.

* Magic in ''[[Slayers]]'' requires an incantation of at least the name. Whether the full incantation of a spell is required seems to be based on whatever flows better in the show, but powerful spells NEED the incantation (Lina's big three spells are never cast without incantation, except when she used Dragon Slave to comically abuse Gourry.)

{{quote| ''Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows... [[Crowning Moment of Funny|I'll skip the rest]]. DRAGON SLAY!''}}

{{quote| Tiara: "Powerful subjects, show me the source of your powers. Fulfill your contract with Tiara! Bring forth the powers of the ancient scriptures and place them upon the name of Tiara. Fulfill your contract! Geil Eldo Samath!"}}

* [[Bible Black|Heikas, heikas. Estai, bebroi. Zazas, zazas. Natasatana zazas...]]

* ''[[Mahou Tsukaitai]]'' uses funky gibberish as incantations that are strangely [[Ear Worm|Ear wormy...]]

{{quote| "Realm, Realm, the light that fills the Magical World, as a sign of protecting the foreign world, grant me power!"}}

 

* In [[The Belgariad]] by David Eddings people use the "Will and Word" to cast spells. They concentrate on what they want to happen, and speak. What they actually say doesn't matter, and Garion once gets told off for using "Push" to move a rock - not because it didn't work, but because wizards lose respect if they going around telling things to "push" or "flop".

** In his "Tamuli" and "Elenium", a mage or wizard is expected to ask the [[Religion Is Magic|god of his choice]] for assistance in their particular language, but Sparhawk seems to be able to get away with fudging this at least once through his particularly close relationship with one of the gods.

{{quote| ''he whispered dark names and grisly incantations forgotten the world over save in the grim hinterlands of dark Stygia, where monstrous shapes move in the dusk of the tombs.''}}

* Magic users in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' sometimes use incantations and sometimes don't- exactly why is never made clear, though as a professional philologist Tolkien certainly had respect for the power of language. Some individuals, such as certain elves and [[Our Angels Are Different|Maiar]], uses songs instead.

* [[True Blood|"Lo lo, Bromios. Lo lo, Dendrites. Lo lo, Eleutherios. Lo lo, Enorches."]]

* On ''[[Supernatural]]'' Latin and Enochian appear to be the languages of choice for the banishment of both angels and demons.

 

== [[Video Games]] ==

** Sadly, this was removed entirely from the remake.

* ''[[Valkyrie Profile]]'' and [[Valkyrie Profile Silmeria|its]] [[Valkyrie Profile Covenant of the Plume|sequels]] are full of these when big magic is performed by a spell-casting character or even some of the bosses. Bloodbane's rendition of Gravity Blessing is an incantation of pure horror. Celestial Star, quoted in the quotes section, is the most well-known because it delivers the most hits in the first game.

** Although it's subverted in ''[[Tales of Vesperia]]'' if Rita is in [[Super Mode]], when she'll literally say "[[Blah Blah Blah]]" followed by the spell name.

* The Power of Words in ''[[Yggdra Union]]'' and ''[[Blaze Union]]'' is an insanely powerful, face-meltingly rare ability that essentially lets the user play with reality using only magic and self-created incantations. There's only one person who's ever mastered it in the realm of Ancardia (that would be {{spoiler|Nessiah}}), and the hell that said person went through to master it ought to be enough to discourage anybody else from trying. The general-use magic system in Ancardia, Tactics Cards, was set up by the Power of Words but can be used by any character via [[Invocation]].

 

== Webcomic ==

** Actually that's a mild parody more than anything else. It is true the D&D rulebooks before 4th edition (where from memory the issue seems to be dropped) do specify which spells have verbal components (because it could be relevant for gameplay - eg if your character is caught in a silence spell or gagged or similar), but it isn't specified what the actual words are. If you were interested in that sort of thing I suppose you could make up and actually say 'words of power' for specific spells but the usual procedure is just to tell the DM 'my character casts spell X', and it is assumed your experienced wizard or whatever your character happens to be knows what to do. Incedentally, for those unfamiliar with the system it is worth mentioning that the magical incantations aren't strictly necessary in 3rd edition, you can cast spells without them. However your character must be trained to do so and the spell counts as being one level higher than it otherwise would have.

 

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

** or from a different magical tradition like the Jewish/Kabbalahist in 'Golem' or the Emir in 'Grief'. They used incantations in Hebrew and English but the Emir's incantation referenced Egyptian deities. Also, a caster of significant power could use one-word incantations, like the Archmage with the Eye of Odin, Phoenix Gate, and Grimorum Arcanorum all adding to his power.

** [[Word of God]] is that certain languages, such as Latin and Hebrew, are simply better for this sort of thing than modern English (at least if you're a mortal wizard- Children of Oberon don't seem bound by language and just say what they want to happen, usually in rhyme).

 

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