4 Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard
tify themselves as Sages.
Mystic: A Mystic (from Greek mystai, meaning some-
one who has been initiated into secret Mysteries) is
a person whose profound spiritual or “otherworldly”
experiences have given them a deep intuitive com-
prehension or vision of hidden truths and aware-
ness. Such experiences are usually indescribable
and therefore beyond rational human understand-
ing and explanation.
Druid: The Druids were the priest class, the highly
trained, intellectual elite of the Celtic tribes. They
included both men and women.
Bard: In ancient Celtic tradition, Bards were part of
the Orders that were headed by the Druids. Bards
were the poets, musicians, and singers of the epic
songs and tales that conveyed the history and lore
of the people. At a time when very little was writ-
ten down, a Bard was expected to memorize enor-
mous amounts of poetry, songs, and stories.
Magician: Simply, any practitioner of the magickal
arts. There are performance Magicians who create
seemingly “impossible” illusions and feats with
sleight-of-hand (“prestidigitation”) and special ef-
fects. And there are Ceremonial Magicians who
create elaborate rituals designed to alter and trans-
form the consciousness of themselves and others.
Alchemist: Alchemy was the forerunner of modern
chemistry, blending Egyptian metallurgy with
Greek philosophy and Middle Eastern mysticism.
The goals of Alchemists were the discovery of the
“Philosopher’s Stone” that would transform “base
metals” into gold and the “Elixir of Life” that would
heal all ills and allow one to live forever.
Sorcerer/Sorceress: Sorcery implies some sort of
supernatural power over people and their affairs.
People who wield such magickal charm or influ-
ence are called Sorcerers (or Sorceresses in the case
of women). This term has a generally negative con-
notation, implying evil or “black” magick. The most
famous Sorceress of legend was Circe (SUR-see).
In Homer’s Odyssey, she turned Odysseus’s men
into pigs.
Enchantress/Enchanter: Unlike sorcery, enchant-
ment has very positive connotations. Enchantresses
are “bewitching,” fascinating, charming, sexy
women whose magick brings delight and pleasure
to others. The word is often used as a compliment
for particularly attractive and charismatic Witches
and Gypsies. A man who embodies those charac-
teristics may be known as an Enchanter, though this
term is rarely used for men.
Soothsayer: Literally, “truth sayer.” An old word for
prophets, visionaries, seers, and fortunetellers. The
word could be used for anyone who predicts the
future. Another word meaning the same thing is
Mantis (“Diviner”), as in the insect known as the
Praying Mantis. The many techniques of divina-tion are called “The Mantic Arts,” and practitio-
ners are called “-mancers.”
Seer: This term dates from the 14th century and means
“one who sees.” A Seer is a person credited with
extraordinary moral and spiritual insight, who pre-
dicts events or developments. The term may be used
for anyone who practices divination (magickal tech-
niques for finding lost information or predicting the
future) especially by concentrating on a glass or
crystal globe (scrying). Other words for Seer are
Sibyl and Oracle.
Necromancer: Someone who conjures up the spirits
of the dead to speak with them and learn hidden
knowledge and secret information, and to foretell
the future. Today people who do this are usually
called Mediums or Channels. Necromancy is a form
of divination.
Cybermancer: This word refers to “Computer Wiz-
ards”—particularly “hackers” and those who spe-
cialize in seeking out and ob-
taining obscure informa-
tion through sophis-
ticated Internet
search tech-
niques. An-
other name
for this is
Technomage,
from the sci-
ence-fiction TV
series Babylon 5.
Prophet: Prophets are usuallydivinely inspired
preachers, who often speak on behalf of the Gods
and Goddesses themselves. They are great teach-
ers, known for compelling religious visions and
revelations—often completely transforming their
societies. Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed
are considered the great Prophets of Judaism, Chris-
tianity, and Islam.
Philosopher: From the earliest beginnings in ancient
Greece, Philosophers have sought to understand the
underlying principles and nature of “life, the uni-
verse, and everything.” They seek to apply wisdom,
knowledge, and reason to every aspect of life and
society, and they are particularly known for being
great teachers. Since philosophy includes metaphys-
ics (the nature of reality and the origins of every-
thing), Wizards are often also referred to as “Natu-
ral Philosophers.”
Shaman: The spiritual leaders in traditional tribal cul-
tures are the Shamans, or medicine men and women,
who are both gifted and learned in talents and skills
of divination, herbalism, hypnosis, psychic work,
and sorcery. In some places these may be called
“Witch Doctors.” They are the village teachers, ma-
gicians, spirit guides, healers, and midwives. In par-
ticular, the Shaman uses altered states of conscious-Scott Fray- Wizardry.p65 4 1/14/2004, 3:23 PM