Powerful Items Options

I was curious, in legends and stories there are usually items of extreme power like a staff or scepter endowed with certain abilities. Has anyone ver heard of anything like this existing in the real world.



Thanks,

Mike M.

Such items are probably best to be taken as a metaphor for good human characteristics. Otherwise all they do is drive people to want material possessions.

I agree totally with Acid09 as far as physical items go. But I have been given items of power in the astral by various deities. So I guess it's possible that maybe those stories come from 'magicians' getting astral weapons and then tellings tales of it which through time and word of mouth became physical weapons/items.

Such items are probably best to be taken as a metaphor for good human characteristics. Otherwise all they do is drive people to want material possessions.

Weapons made from the metal of meteorites were viewed as enchanted in the ancient world.

I have been given items of power in the astral by various deities.

Me too, though finding the meanings of them is almost impossible unless you know someone more advanced or knowledgeable in a similar area.

One thing is for sure, a gift from an entity should be taken seriously. Eventually you come across other magickians who have had similar experiences. They are more than just metaphor, they can be aids to magick and foretellings of your next stage even.

There are many weapons used in egyptian times that are known to contain real power. Even if the wrong person touches the weapons, severe curses fall on that dude... But coming to seeing a lazer beam coming out of a sword, that surely only in the astral.. But if you have been given like a wand in the astral, you make a physical copy of that, there must be a way to make some impact on the physical... any comment on that cause i also have been wondering on that..

Well the best stuff known to contain power are yantras, amulets and talisman and magical tools especially cause they have been charged for a certain purpose but if you see well they are not as such used to make like star war beam effect or dragon ball z blasts in the physical.. but that would be kool to achieve though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

There are many weapons used in egyptian times that are known to contain real power. Even if the wrong person touches the weapons, severe curses fall on that dude... But coming to seeing a lazer beam coming out of a sword, that surely only in the astral.. But if you have been given like a wand in the astral, you make a physical copy of that, there must be a way to make some impact on the physical... any comment on that cause i also have been wondering on that..

Well the best stuff known to contain power are yantras, amulets and talisman and magical tools especially cause they have been charged for a certain purpose but if you see well they are not as such used to make like star war beam effect or dragon ball z blasts in the physical.. but that would be kool to achieve though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Magick Weapons
by: Gerald and Betty Scheuler

The practice of Enochian Magick requires the use of a Wand. However, it is preferable to use all four main magickal weapons (one for each of the four Watchtowers). You should make your own weapons, or at least inscribe appropriate sigils and/or designs on them yourself.

1. The Wand represents the will of the magician. In Enochian Magick, the Wand is the weapon of Fire and is used for operations in the Watchtower of Fire.

2. The Sword represents the magician’s mind. In Enochian Magick, the Sword is the weapon of Air and is used for operations in the Watchtower of Air. (The Sword is sometimes replaced with the Dagger, its alternate.)

3. The Cup represents the understanding and compassion of the magician. In Enochian Magick, the Cup is the weapon of Water and is used for operations in the Watchtower of Water.

4. The Pentacle represents the magician’s body. In Enochian Magick, the Pentacle is the weapon of Earth and is used for operations in the Watchtower of Earth.

What makes a weapon magic? By: Michael Jotne Slayer


The purpose

What makes a weapon "magic"? I am tired of those good old magic weapons portrayed in fantasy and rpgs. I started to ponder about some new ways to portray magic weapons or enchanted items in general. And as the stories often goes, all I had to do was look back instead of forward. I started to look into some information in history.

People really believed then that some weapons were magical, and some cultures still do. What were their requirements?
If you rule out the those who have aquired a certain amount of fame because they belonged to someone legendary like Adolf Hitler or Julius Cesar, what was left? I came up with these categories of requirements;

It could be the materials it was made of, method of production, producers, decoration, consecration, possesion, accumulation of power, ritual function, martial practise.

I will go trough the categories one by one. I hope that this could be of some help and/or function as guidelines for those of us that wish to create magic items with a new/old look.


Materials

Many traditional weapons are said to derive power from having been made of sacred materials. Such materials in their natural state have affinity with the divine, so objects made from them are themselves sacred. Examples: Keris blades of the Indonesian archipelago made from meteorite iron, thought to have been sent by the gods; rhinoceros horns as hilts for Arabian janbiyya, believed to have healing and aphrodisiac properties. The list of ingredients that could be used for the making of different weapons are endless.


Method of Production

The act of making a weapon itself -- particularly the forging process for metal bladed weapons -- is thought to be a magical process, transmuting the essential nature of the materials such that they acquire new properties not found in their natural state. We find this often taking place in a forging environment where the production is encoded in ritual processes. Example: The forging of Japanese katana blades, in which the smith dons a priest's robes and makes numerous invocation to Shinto dieties.

We also often find that the method of production creates a visible pattern in the finished product, which is itself given specific supernatural attributes. Examples: Hamon on Japanese katana, pamor on keris, wootz patterns on Persian shamshir.


Producers

Many cultures regarded weaponmakers and blacksmiths to be imbued with magical power through their craft; their objects therefore inherit some of that power. Examples: Viking swords; West African swords.


Decoration

Empowering weapons through the application of spiritually significant artwork. This is very common throughout history, with everything from full figural artwork (Example: Hilts from Bali) to talimanic markings (Example: Magic squares on Middle Eastern swords) to prayers and religious inscriptions (Example: Biblical and other Christian mottoes on European swords).

In other cases certain decorative objects thought to impart power are added. Examples: Boar's tusks on scabbards; tiger jaws; gemstones on various European daggers.

With a few rare examples, the overall shape of the weapon itself is thought to be talismanic. the Achinese rencong, believed to spell out the Islamic Arabic invocation bismillah 'in the name of God'.


Consecration

Making weapons sacred through the blessing of ritual specialists.


Possession

Many cultures had rituals to animate weapons, calling spirits or other entities to reside in the weapons themselves.


Accumulation of Power



Some weapons were thought to absorb the strength and heroism of their previous owners, and impart those virtures onto their present owners. Examples: Viking and Medieval European swords. Others could be used to extend and focus a user's personal energy to cultivate spiritual awareness. Example: Chinese internal martial arts.


Ritual Function

Certain weapons are considered powerful because they are implements in specific rituals. Examples: Tomahawk peace pipes among many Native American tribes; sacrificial knives of all kinds; fraternal swords in Europe and America.


Martial Practice

For some, ordinary weapons can take on ritual importance through the practice of marital arts, which foster altered states of spiritual consciousness. Examples: Bolos in certain Filipino martial arts; rapiers and swords in certain Renaissance schools of fencing.

Last words

This article's purpose is to function as an inspiration for write-ups on magic weapons, thus I would like to challenge the lot of us to make a few posts with these guidelines "of old" in mind.

This post has been edited by smasher666: Sep 8 2006, 01:05 PM