Magic

**Magic** is a supernatural force harnessed through runes drawn with conjuring ink. People trained in the use of magic are called witches.

## Basics

Seals (also known as glyphs) are the means through which magic is performed. The size and cleanliness of a spell have a strong effect on the quality of the seal: larger seals are stronger than smaller ones, and neatly drawn seals last longer than messy ones. Glyphs are composed of three parts: sigils, signs, and rings.

### Sigils

*See main page, Signs Explained*

A sigil, typically located in the center of a glyph, is a spell's main component and controls the type of magic the spell will manipulate. For example, a fire spell like pyerball seal will contain a fire sigil, while an earth spell like wall breaker will contain an earth sigil.
The main sigil types are earth, air, water, fire, and light. (light is a variant of fire, but there are enough light spells to warrant a separate classification). Alongside these sigils, certain signs, such as vision, repetition, and billowing can serve the purpose of sigil within their respective spells, but fall outside the main sigils and as such are considered signs. The five main sigils are shown below.

Additionally, there are several variants of these sigils with slightly different effects, as well as a few niche and minor sigils that see a more limited usage.

*A description of each sigil can be viewed by visiting the Signs Explained page.*

### Signs (Keystones)

While sigils determine what the spell will effect, signs (unofficially referred to as keystones) control what form that effect will take, as well as it’s size and direction. For example, if a dispersion sign is used with a water sigil, water will pour out on all sides of the spell, like an overflowing bucket, while if a column sign is used, the water will shoot out at high speed, like a hose partially covered by one’s finger. Typically, signs are arranged around the central sigil, in either radial or bilateral symmetry, though asymmetrical spells are still perfectly valid, though sometimes unstable. Occasionally, as previously mentioned, signs can take the place of a sigil, occupying the center of the glyph such as in the serpent's bed of sand spell and the repetition seal.

*A description of each keystone can be found at "Signs Explained".*

### Ring

All seals and signs in a spell must be drawn within or somehow connecting to the spell’s outer ring, otherwise it won't count towards the spell's effect. Spells will only activate if their ring is complete, making it possible to prepare spells ahead of time by leaving a small gap in the ring which be filled to activate the spell on the fly. Additionally, It is possible to wrap a spell inside another ring and fill the gap between them with a second spell, allowing one to combine the effects of the two, even if the spells aren't drawn on the same object.[*citation needed*]

## Advanced concepts

Beyond the basics of spell construction, there exist concepts and phenomena which expand the options available in spell function and design.

### Linked spells

When two spells are connected by a line, their effects will link together, and if both spells are identical or similar, their power will increase. Due to this phenomenon, if several small, identical spells are linked together, it is possible to make the spells more powerful than a large spell that takes up the same amount of space, allowing for very powerful spells to be drawn on small areas, though drawing such small, intricate spells can be incredibly difficult.

### Reversed Signs

If a sign is flipped around, it will produce an effect opposite to the one it produces normally. Good examples of this can be seen in the floating expansion and spell of reduction, which grow and shrink objects respectively, as well as between wall breaker and integration, which pulverize and de-pulverize items respectively. In addition to this, if two spells which are identical except that one is normal and one is reversed, the spells will cancel out one another’s effects, negating their magic.

### Spell Toggling

As a spell will only activate when it’s ring is closed, it is possible to toggle spells on and of by completing and disconnecting their ring. To do this, it is necessary to draw the spell in two different parts on two separate objects. When the two halves are touched together, the ring will be completed and the spell will turn on, turning off as soon as the halves are separated. This can be seen in contraptions such as the glowstone path, which glows only when stepped on as the two halves of the spell are pressed together only when pressure is applied.

### Nested Glyphs

It is possible to have spells enclosed within one another, allowing their effects to combine, as is seen in serpent's bed of sand or in the cloak spell, this method working for both spells drawn on the same object or spells on seperate objects entirely.[*citation needed*] This technique can be used to boost the power of spells,[*citation needed*] quickly change part of a spell's effect without redrawing it entirely,[*citation needed*] or to create much more sophisticated and complex spells than otherwise possible. It isn't clear if spells that are nested inside one another have to be activated simultaneously or if they only activate once the outermost ring is complete.

## Spells

*See main page: Spells*

There are several spells which are in use by witches everywhere, by both Pointed Hat Witches and Brimhats.

Spell List:

* Beast Repellent
* Beldaruit's Smoke Sculpture
* Billowing Collection
* Bird of Light Beacon
* Boulder Stretch Rope
* Cloak Spell
* Crystal Shard
* Floatglow Lamp
* Floating Drops
* Floating Expansion
* Forbidden Flames
* Flying Puppet of Diversion
* Gathering Shadows
* Grasping Wind
* Integration
* Light Beam
* Mirror Spell
* Phantasmal Fireball
* Pyreball Seal
* Rainbringer Seal
* Rainflinger
* Repetition Seal
* Rising Platform of Water
* Rising Wave
* Sand Cage
* Sealchair Glyph
* Serpent's Bed of Sand
* Skysoaring Seal
* Snugstone Spell
* Spell of Reduction
* Sylph Shoes Seal
* Wall Breaker Seal
* Water Bolt
* Watershot Seal
* Water Horse Spell
* Water Pen
* Wind Wall

*A description of each spell can be viewed by clicking that spell's link.*

## Forbidden Magic

*See main page: Forbidden magic*

Forbidden Magic refers to any magic that is deemed excessively dangerous, has an uncanny amount of power, warps reality itself, or is drawn on/affects the body (including healing magic). They were declared forbidden by the Pointed Hat Witches after the Day of the Pact, and performing forbidden spells will result in expulsion from pointed hat witch society and/or the erasure of memories. The only permitted spell affecting the body is the memory erasure spell.

Forbidden Spells List:

* Anti Scalewolf Curse
* Scalewolf Curse
* Illusory Labyrinth
* Petrification
* Twin Bottle's Spell

*A description of each forbidden spell can be viewed by clicking that spell's link, or by visiting the page Spells page.*

## Contraptions

Contraptions are tools created by drawing a glyph somewhere onto an item. This gives the item the capability to preform magic on it's own, making it a valuable tool for the user. Contraptions are the only way in which unknowings are able to use magic.

The contraptions:

* Glowstone Path
* Guidance Orb
* Link Rings
* Magic Cookpot
* Mirror Mantle
* Palm Dragon Teacup
* Raincleaver
* Sealchair
* Snugstone
* Sylph Shoes
* Toilet of the Void
* Vapor Bubble
* Washing Barrels
* Windowway

## References

1. ↑ *Witch Hat Atelier* Manga: Chapter 10, Page 16
2. ↑ *Witch Hat Atelier* Manga: Chapter 29, Page 24
3. ↑ *Witch Hat Atelier* Manga: Chapter 7, Page 17
4. ↑ *Witch Hat Atelier* Manga: Chapter 7, Page 20