Sigil Magic

Sigil magic is the most common type of magic employed by Atlanteans. It involves storing spells inside special artifacts and releasing them when needed. The use of sigils has been described as the 'bedrock' of Atlantean's magical power; many magic users, including most scions, are not capable of performing magic without them.

Sigils
Sigils are artifacts that have been magically altered in a way that allows them to store spells. Any artifact can be transformed into a sigil, although especially old sigils tend to be "grim," like Ciaran's bone necklace. The knowledge to make these important and specialized items disappeared sometime in the 20th century. They are therefore considered extremely precious, finite in number and "irreplaceable." Because of their magical nature, they are nearly impossible to destroy, although null threads cancel their spells and have the potential to physically warp the artifact and make it unusable.

Mass sigils are significantly more powerful than a normal example, but difficult to use for most Atlanteans.

There may be more to sigil lore than generally known. For example, Quinn suggests that sigils may be drawn to people. About a platinum sigil, he says to Rune "it wants you...it recognizes you now. It sings for you."

Using Sigils
In order to use sigils, one must have a bond with the artifact. This bond can be created, for example, by one practitioner sharing a sigil with the potent phrase "I give this sigil freely; your will is now its will." By meditating in a sanctum, magic practitioners connect the sigil and their willpower, with the result that the sigil manifests the user's magic in the form of a specific spell. Once the sigil has been filled, others usually cannot determine the nature and function of the magic. Releasing a spell requires that the person both touch the item and concentrate closely. The spell has a limited life span thereafter, and must be used before it dissipates. Successfully distracting someone thus prevents them from using their stored spells.

Sigil Spells
The following are either directly described as sigil spells or can be assumed to be so. They are listed roughly in the order they first appear in the series.
 * Air lens
 * Antitoxin
 * Atmospheric effect (making tobacco smoke turn into alpine mist, throw laughter behind you)
 * Bless-fire, used against the undead and unconsecrated
 * Balls of pure energy that look like globes of mercury
 * Breaks through magical barriers
 * Breathable air
 * Burn ball of light
 * Camouflage
 * Clarity of mind
 * Cleansing
 * Colored light
 * Cosmetic effect (colorful glowing veins, silvery scales for skin, changing eye color, hide flatulence, make eyebrows look plucked, clean cigarette smoke from clothes, freshen breath, make eyes glow in black light, increase the size of a penis)
 * Confusion
 * Creation of a defended safe road
 * Didactic memory
 * Eidetic memory
 * Elemental Spells
 * Air
 * Earth
 * Fire
 * Frost
 * Frost touch
 * Wind
 * Exodus
 * Far-seeing, a spell that allows one's spirit to separate from one's body
 * Flight
 * Glamor, an illusion that changes the appearance of the subject
 * Glowing defense spell that targets dangerous things in the Westlands
 * Harden bones
 * Healing
 * Increase speed
 * Increase strength
 * Infuse another with adrenaline
 * Jumping
 * Knockout spell that causes unconsciousness; protection against it provided by a countercharm
 * Levitation
 * Lightning strike
 * Make a doorway
 * Manipulate water
 * Melting gemstones
 * Mind-control
 * Move in silence
 * Opening
 * Physical disguise
 * Protect skin from effects of great speed
 * Psychometry, a tactile magic that allows users to access 'psychic snapshots' left on material things
 * Recharge defense wards
 * Reinforce muscles
 * Search out living creatures
 * See and read in the dark
 * Shatter
 * Shield
 * Silence
 * Slices through flesh
 * Slingshot
 * Soul Bind, puts undead to their final rest
 * Soul unraveling
 * Spell that hides things
 * Spell that thins out solid material, making it more insubstantial
 * Stasis
 * Stun
 * Suffocation
 * Summon a gargoyle
 * Telekinesis
 * Teleport
 * Tracking spell
 * Vision, which allows one to see through solid matter
 * Water or mineral spikes (earth magic)