Magus

**Magus** (魔術師, *Majutsushi*?, pl. *Magi*) is the term for a human practitioner of Magecraft, the magical science, as opposed to a Magician, who is capable of bringing forth true miracles that are impossible to be reenacted at the current scientific stage. In ancient times, the term **magus** was used for both the users of Thaumaturgy and Magic, but with the advancement of science that made past miracles possible and the decline of the overall power of Magecraft, the differences between the two became clearer. In the modern age, there are only five Magicians left. A wizard, just like a magus, has a long life. If one uses life-prolonging magic, it wouldn't be impossible to live a few hundred or thousand years, either.

Magi frequently, but not necessarily, descend from old magical families, as affinity to magecraft is something transmitted through blood relations.

More than just a name, the term "Magus" defines a whole set of beliefs and lifestyles, the first of which is the desire to reach the "Truth". No matter the cost, they use all their assets and abilities to reach that goal, and any abilities gained in the process are a by-product. They hold no meaning except as a means to reach the Truth. A magus also dedicates himself to the study and refinement of Thaumaturgy while driving himself apart of the values of common people in the process. He searches for the greater truths of the universe not to answer existential questions, but just for the sake of knowing. Ideally, a magus would render his own self transparent while still retaining his ego. In reality, however, most magi, especially those of the Mage's Association, are often caught up in petty power struggles. On the other hand, those who openly deviate from the way of magi, such as Kiritsugu Emiya and Shirou Emiya, are perceived as heretics that do not deserve to be called a magus. They have no interest in the Truth and see magecraft as a useful tool. They are called spell-casters.

## Classifications

* **Faker** (複製者, *Fukuseisha*?) - Faker is used as a term for Shirou Emiya and Archer for their usage of Gradation Air. Rin Tohsaka uses it as a regular term, while Gilgamesh uses it as a term of derision. Faker is also a Servant class, but it has no known connection to this terminology.
* **Law Technician** (法術師, *Hōjutsushi*?) - Those who exorcise spirits through Sūtra, prayers, and faith. The ones who achieved true enlightenment can draw upon the power of supernatural entities to perform miracles, but those with insufficient training have to fill the gap by adding their own power, just like the Western magi do. In Japan, there is a very secretive organization of Law Technicians. Currently, none of the monks of Ryuudou Temple are Law Technicians but there were a small number of them in the past.
* Shaman/Witch (呪術師, *Jujutsushi*?) - The practitioners of Witchcraft, though similar in concept they are seen as a different kind from the regular magus. Users include Alice Kuonji and, at first, Ayaka Sajyou.
* **Spellcaster** (魔術使い, *Majutsu Tsukai*?) - The name given to those who use Magecraft without following the way of the magus, such as Kiritsugu Emiya and Flueger who treated Magecraft as just a tool. Usually, their general skill with Thaumaturgy is low, but it is not uncommon for them to be highly proficient in a single field that they choose to specialize at. This term also includes mages who lack formal training such as Shirou Emiya and Sakura Matou.
* **Spiritual Doctor** (霊媒医師, *Reibai Ishi*?) - A magus that uses Spiritual Invocation to perform medical operations, one who heals not through the flesh, but through the soul. Can also be found among the members of the Church, thus hinting that these procedures are not completely seen as Thaumaturgy. Kirei Kotomine was an excellent Spiritual Doctor who was capable of removing Command Spells from a Master without damaging their nervous system.

## Characteristics

Depending on their craft, the appearance of magi may become distorted due to the chemicals with which they work or type of magecraft they practice. Rather than become ashamed over it as a mark of humiliation, it is normal for them to see it as a source of pride.

Many magi look down on those like freelancers who use magecraft to earn a profit, believing it to be solely a field of research that should not be used in such a manner. Only those with more worldly experience or those practicing more controversial magecraft can look past the initial disdain and bewilderment other magi have for such people.

It is possible for magi to obtain magical patents recognized by the Clock Tower, allowing them to obtain money from theories and rituals in the same manner as for regular patents. The Tohsaka family earns tens of millions of yen annually from those that they own.

Most magi of long lineages do not find convenience in using modern technology, believing that the comparable magical tools they have possessed since long before the technology was invented will never be inferior. Compared to communication tools that are susceptible to spying and that will stop working with power outages, they feel their own apparatuses like the Tokiomi Tohsaka's implements in place of fax machines and phones will remain superior due to not having such issues. It is rare for there to be magi who are not repulsed by the idea of using such technology, with Irisviel von Einzbern being hard-pressed to understand how to properly use a phone, and Jubstacheit von Einzbern fervently arguing against Kiritsugu Emiya having a telephone line and power generator installed at the Einzbern Castle. People like Kirei Kotomine cannot truly understand this train of thought, believing that a fax machine that can be used by anyone is more convenient, and Kiritsugu, a magus who frequently uses such technology, finds that the tendency of magi to ignore such technology as a legitimate threat, not understanding what a regular human can accomplish without magecraft, is a blind spot he can exploit in his work as a magus killer. Those of families that do not follow such traditions like Waver Velvet are easily capable of using them to the degree of any ordinary person.

The Association does not base its principals on normal morality, but rather the preservation of the secrets of magecraft. Magi may commit many horrendous crimes, but they will not be targeted so long as it does not become a threat to their secrecy. While many people may perish in the Holy Grail War rituals, the Association only seeks to make sure the media is properly manipulated to avoid letting it become public and having the Einzbern cover any monetary damage. When hunting those who have been given a Sealing Designation, their greatest priority is ensuring the safety of the results of the designated's research over all else. Competing with the Church in their goal of wiping out all heretical knowledge, they seek most of all to obtain the Magic Crests of the designated as the most precious of a magus' work. In the case of Norikata Emiya and his successor Kiritsugu Emiya, the Association keeps the majority of the crest, and only through negotiations of the one selling it to them, Natalia Kaminski, is Kiritsugu able to inherit a minor portion.

## Magi Bloodlines

*This section lists fanon magi families only. For canon families, refer to Magus#Magi Bloodlines.*

* Canterbury
* Chen
* Edelfelt
* Einzbern
* Emiya
* Hiiragi
* Matou
* McGuiness
* Reiroukan
* Sajyou
* Tohsaka
* Yggdmillennia

### Archisorte

The **Archisorte** (アーチゾルテ, *Āchizorute*?) family is the sole branch lineage of the Archibald family that was relatively unknown until the death of Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald. Without an heir, the mantle of head of the family fell onto the shoulders of the genius, Reines El-Melloi Archisorte. The lineage basically ends with Reines due to her marriage with the heir of the Velvet family and the mixing of her blood with that of her husband's.

Known Members
* Jolenne Sutlynn Archisorte
* Reines Sutlynn Archisorte (formerly Reines El-Melloi Archisorte)

### Arlington

The **Arlington** (アーリントン *Aarinton*) family is one of the earliest members of the North American Magus Association. Their first-generation, Carbine Arlington joined the NAMA during its founding as the Director of Security. The Arlington family is a long time ally of the McGuiness family however ever since the start of the Union Holy Grail War, the Arlington family has cut ties with them.

Known Members
* Thomas Reber Arlington

### Ayanokouji

The **Ayanokouji** (綾小路, *Ayanokōji*?) is a Japanese magus lineage and is the most prominent family on the island of Kyushu. They are an ancient lineage and one of the foremost families in the Exorcist Union. They are one of the Twelve Heavenly Commander families with governance over Touda, the Soaring Serpent.

Known Members
* Arisa Ayanokouji
* Marina Ayanokouji
* Nagisa Ayanokouji

### Bancroft

The **Bancroft** (バンクロフト, **Bankurofuto**?) is a magus family originally hailing from Birmingham, England. They are spiritual doctors often helping out mages in need of help. They are a very private family very rarely getting involved in the squabbles of the Mage's Associations. The family moved to North America, becoming the founding families of the North American Magus Association. They are still very private in their practices and deeds up to this day, but they still often help out with helping the removal of command spells at times.

Despite their status of spiritual doctors, the servants which the family summons always has a connection with death in some form.

Known Members
* Darlian Bancroft
* Wilfred Bancroft

### Jinga

The **Jinga** (仁賀, *Jinga*?) family is a Japanese magus lineage that similar to the Reiroukan, practice Alchemy. However, they are still a small family with an equally small Magic Crest. They gained some fame as a helper of the Reiroukans in constructing the Lesser Grail for the Tokyo Holy Grail Wars. This did not last long, however, as they faded back into obscurity.

Later, the destruction of the family was nearly assured when Seiji Jinga was born, a completely talentless heir. Luckily, they managed to scrape past when his younger sister was born. Seiji was subsequently disinherited from his family and lived away from them until he was welcomed back upon being chosen as a Master in the First Holy Grail War. Unfortunately, he died an early death due to mishandling his Servant.

Known Members
* **Azusa Jinga**
* Seiji Jinga

### Kápárty

The **Kápárty** (カパールティ, *Kapārutei*?) family is a relatively new magus lineage. They originate from the nameless first son of Elizabeth Báthory and has innately inherited a weaker version of the Thaumaturgical System invented by the aforementioned. The family's main goal is to successfully recreate their matriarch's powerful magecrafts.

Known Members
* Edvárd Kápárty

### Shiratsuyu

The **Shiratsuyu** (白露, *Shiratsuyu*?) family is a Japanese magus lineage. They are an ancient lineage and one of the most prominent families in the Exorcist Union, the Japanese equivalent of the Mage's Association. Their claim to fame is their claim as one of the Twelve Heavenly Commander families, inheriting the rights to wielding Abe no Seimei's *shikigami*, Byakko, the White Tiger.

Known Members
* Kotomi Shiratsuyu