History[]
Western & Eastern Mages
On LH, the two main divisions of magic shown are Western (European) and Eastern (Asian). Western magic is largely based on real-life Western fantasy myths and lore, with monsters and spiritual entities such as dragons, salamanders, and valkyries. Western magic is commonly invoked through the chanting of Latinite incantations, though incantations in Ancient Greek and Sanskrit have been demonstrated, and future storylines may include others. However, skilled mages have been shown to use magic without incantations, eliminating one of the greatest vulnerabilities of a magic-user.
What has been seen of Eastern magic so far is that it is largely based on traditional Far-Eastern religion and folk belief. Eastern Mages often exclusively utilize talismans and charms to invoke magic and summon demons, although incantations to activate them are common as well. There are also significant differences between Western and Eastern schools in how mages typically apply magic in the field. The Western school of mages emphasizes the mage as a part of a team; the mage casts spells, whilst the partner or allies provide support, protecting the magician. In this way, many of the spells have a focus on two main sections: support powers, such as magic barriers, healing, and precognition, and assault powers, designed to either fire too many attacks to dodge, or to make an extremely powerful attack to break through any magic barriers. Even in this grouping however, many of these spells are designed for sealing, capture, and disarming rather than for outright destruction of the enemy.
On the other hand, Eastern Mage schools emphasize the mage as a lone operative, with many of the spells devised to disrupt and confuse rather than to play a role in direct combat. In addition, the Eastern mage's talismans are highly specific. An assault demon, for example, will last until it is either destroyed, or until no more enemies remain, and then dissipate. In much the same way, a defensive demon will only last until it defends the mage from an assault. Once there are no possible threats, they dissipate. Talisman monsters, such as the assault (zenki) and protective (goki) demons, are an exception; these talisman monsters last until their purpose is accomplished, or until they are destroyed. In the case that no orders are given to talismans, they will take whatever task they are first given, and attempt to complete that. Once that task is completed, they return to paper.
Activation Keyword[]
All Western Mages use an activation keyword or phrase, usually the latter, before chanting a spell. According to Celestia Solaria, the keyword unlocks the mage's magical pathways and can considered to be like a focal point. The keyword can be any kind of phrase or even nonsense, as long it feels comfortable and natural to the user. Some activation keys are known as follows:
- Celestia Solaria - Ego sum Celestia Solaria, invoco te! (I am Celestia Solaria, I call upon thee!)
- Fai Flourite - Te invoco (I invoke thee)
- Anya Kururugi - Ignis atque flammarum (Fire and Flames)
Magic Barriers & Argumentions[]
While not an actual spell, most mages and magical beings use magic to augment their physical abilities and for protection. For example, the ten-year-old Negi Springfield is, with the help of his magic, slightly more physically capable than a normal adult male. Mages can also increase this boost deliberately, for protection or to increase combat abilities, if a combat mage. Negi has discovered two methods of doing this. The first is by essentially invoking a pactio with himself, giving himself a timed boost of energy. The second is with a spell called Cantus Bellax. The first method, however, causes physical pain after a few seconds of use, therefore is not recommended.
Most mages have a low-level barrier that protects them against physical blows, letting only a fraction of the force behind them pass through to strike the mage. This barrier is not a perfect defense, as it can be worn down by repeated blows, or can be broken by a spell as a prelude to an attack. In addition, some people are capable of breaking or bypassing barriers altogether. Eishoin Ryuuga Lawliet (in various situations - see Magic Canceller below) and Sen Ryuuga Lawliet (when striking a demon with her hand) have both been shown capable of getting past barriers, often completely by accident. (Though it is likely, especially in Sen's case, that this natural barrier is only 'active' if the magic user is aware of any danger.)
In addition, a popular form of barrier is an area-effect shield used to prevent mundanes from getting in an area where mages battle or otherwise conduct business in the open. This barrier works to mask sound, to prevent overhearing, and causes a desire of anyone outside the barrier to want to leave the area. This is more of a suggestion than outright mental control, as a person can choose to fight the feeling if they are aware of it.
Magic Vampirism[]
The former student of Negi Springfield, Evangeline A.K. McDowell does not have any of the weaknesses of a vampire; she still makes use of vampirism to empower herself. Before being cursed, she wielded immense magical power, which was likely what prevented any aging. However, the Infernus Scholacticus curse placed upon her by Nagi sealed most of that magic power away, leaving her extremely vulnerable. Judging by her physical weaknesses, it can probably be assumed that Evangeline's magical powers probably boosted her physical capabilities. However, upon losing them, her body, which was now more dependent on magic, became far more susceptible to disease than that of an ordinary human, evident in her constant bouts of allergies and hayfever. In fact, it appears the only thing the remaining magic seems to do is prevent her from aging.
In an attempt to counter this, Evangeline has taken to many different techniques to boost her magical capabilities. The first is her use of catalysts that reduce the drain each spell cast has upon her. The second is vampirism, in which the magical power within the blood is consumed, rather than the blood itself. Thus, Evangeline can keep herself from becoming sick, and allow herself to use stronger magic by drinking the blood of someone with significant magic power. This can also explain why Evangeline is significantly healthier and capable of stronger magic later on.
Magic Cancelling[]
Magic Cancel is a rare ability that completely nullifies magic. Certain magic cast or used on a person with this ability has no effect. However, not all types of magic are nullified. Magic that harms the person is stopped, (excluding spells not directly harming but disabling such as a disarm spell) while magic that helps the person is not. It is unclear how one gets this ability, as it is rare. The only person known to have this ability is Jasmine Ryuuga Lawliet, Eishoin Ryuuga Lawliet, Shingo Tsukino, and Negi's former student Asuna which may have something to do with their family lineage or Asuna's relations to the Thousand Master
Magical Cancel does not explain all events, such as magic cancellors are able to protect herself from magically produced monsters. A possible explanation for this is that magical spells are stopped by magic neutralization but they do not stop physical attacks, so even if the attacker is a demon, monster or a person powered by magic any attack that is physical like punching, kicking or using a weapon will not be stopped. The use of love potions with Magic Cancel is not entirely understood. If another person drinks a love potion that causes anyone who sees them to be affected, a person with Magic Cancel would not be affected. However, if someone with Magic Cancel were to drink a love potion that causes them to fall in love with the first person they see, they will be affected. An example is when Asuna accidentally ate a chocolate that contained such a love potion and Asuna was falling in love with Negi even though she had Magic Cancel. Likely, the potion bypassed cancellation through her eating of it, while the previous potion was an effect coming from the person who drank it.
It is possible that because Magic Cancel does not block helpful magic that it only effects magic that the possessor would not want to happen, such as attacks on their person. But in eating the candy it could be said that Asuna accepted the candy, and the spell on it, into herself in a way that bent whatever rules stipulate the effects of her power. Her ignorance of the spell could explain its weakened power over her because of the fact that she did not understand totally what she had accepted and thus she could not totally accept it. Possible explanations have been offered for various seeming discrepancies. If Magic Cancel is a protective field that surrounds its source, it would ideally be able to hold out any foreign influence trying to enter said source. Also, the source might use it as an augmentation to physical attacks, allowing it to batter through magical fields, such as Asuna has been seen to do to Evangeline several times, kicking her despite the presence of Eva's defensive shield magic. Any influence working out from the inside, such as a love potion ingested or essence of a Magi absorbed through a kiss or exchange of blood, would not be affected however.
Pactio[]
Pactio is a magically binding "Contract" between a Magister/Magistra Magus and his Minister/Ministra Magus that comes from the Negima series but it is commonly used on the forum of LH. The pactio enables the Magister casting the spell to transfer some of his/her magic power to the other person involved in the "pactio", improving the Ministra's natural capabilities, by an average of ten times their normal capacity, according to Chamo. Another advantage included in having a pactio is the ability for the Ministra to summon a "magic artifact". Each magic artifact reflects the Ministra summoning it, and as such, the vast majority of magic artifacts will be quite different. In the case of Nodoka, she received a magic picture diary, which reflects her title as a librarian. With Haruna, she received a magic quill and sketchbook, which ties in with her personality as an artist. As Chamo stated, there is no real way of determining just what kind of artifact is given to each new Ministra, but one can assume that the artifact will reflect an aspect of the Ministra's personality.
When a pactio is established, a card is created as proof of the contract. Copies can be made (the Magister keeps hold over the originals), and these cards allow for telepathic communication between the Magister and Ministra by using the incantation Telepathia. It also allows the Magister to summon the Ministra at any time. This ability has so far been shown four times in the Manga series, when Negi called Asuna and Setsuna in Kyoto, when he summoned Asuna later andmuch to her horror since she was taking a bath at the time, when he summoned Setsuna, and when Fate Averruncus summoned his Ministra. Apparently, there is a limit as to how far away a magister can summon his/her ministra. According to Chachamaru, the maximum distance is around 10 km.
If the Ministra should be left to his/her own wits, he/she can use the copy of the "pactio" card to borrow magical energy from the Magister, or to summon his/her artifacts. To summon forth the artifact, the Ministra invokes the phrase Adeat, meaning to "bring forth" in Latin. This causes the copy card to transform into the artifact. To return the artifact to its card form, the phrase Abeat is used. The Magister can also make the artifact to appear by using the Master Copy. Much recently, at the school of Tsukuba Academy, there have been a few students who have pactios that are similar to regular pactios but they're considered 'Dark Pactios' because the card and the magic that comes with it is dark. They work in the same way of regular pactios except they're considerably more powerful and have the innate ability to cancel out another's pactio if need be.
Pactios Made at Tsukuba Academy[]
- Judai Yuki & Jun Princeton
- Meiling Ogata
- Yui Hinoka
- Nadia Karagawa
Dark Pactios Made at Tsukuba Academy[]
- Shizuku Sango
Pactios Made Elswhere[]
- Hayden Yuki & Ian Kurosuwa
- Gin Ichimaru &Shizuka Sendou
Known Mages[]
- Negi Springfield
- Nagi Springfield
- Yume Nagase
- Fai Flourite
- Nadia Karagawa
- Satoru Karagawa
- Kai Nagisa
- Mokona Modoki
- Yui Hinoka
- Meiling Ogata
- Celestia Solaria
- Luna Solaria
- Chojiro Arashima
- Beatrix Diaspro
- Abel Blackwater
- Diana Arashima
- Hayden Yuki
- Ian Kurosuwa
- Anya Kururugi
- Konoka Konoe