Theurgy

Theurgy is the Pagan magic of Air, granted by Stratos on her free will. It is practiced by the theurgists of Argentrock Isle, and mainly deals with spells of knowledge, illusion and healing. This all is possible thanks to the Breath of Air, an artifact used by Stratos to channel her power to her followers, so that no reagents are needed, only foci to channel the power. With many years of study, foci are no longer needed for casting

The Ritual to Gain spells

The art of gaining the spells of Theurgy is very simple. Once a novice is initiated into the order, he must first learn about the various spells from books and then gather silver ore from the catacombs of Argentrock Isle. As the next step he lets the blacksmith in Tenebrae form it into the different foci needed for spells. Once this is done, these foci have to be put on the Altar of Focus in the main hall of the monastery. Thus, they will be charged, and the spells can be used as often as desired, as long as enough mana is available.

There are two exceptions to the rule: The spell Air Walk can only be granted by Stratos, while Resurrection has no foci, and can only be used by old and wise Stellos and no one else.

The Spells

The following Spells are available for the Theurgist:

Spells corresponding to Thaumaturgy scrolls or potions
	Spell	Words of Power	Foci	Description
	Healing Touch	IN MANI	Pointing hand	Heals lesser injuries.
	Restoration	VAS IN MANI	Open hand	Heals a person completely.
	Reveal	ORT LOR	Open eye	Destroys any illusion and dissipates invisibility.
	Fade from Sight	QUAS AN LOR	Closed eye	Makes the spellcaster invisible to the foes.
	Intervention	IN SANCT AN JUX	Closed fist	Creates an air barrier, which prevents the foes from coming near.
Original air spells
	Spell	Words of Power	Foci	Description
	Divination	IN WIS	Sextant	Tells the spellcaster the exact date and the current location.
	Aerial Servant	KAL ORT XEN	Arm band	Creates Aerial Servants to do the casters bidding to carry things and push levers.
	Air Walk	WAS HUR POR	Wings	Makes it possible to jump much farther than normal. This spell can only be granted by Stratos herself.
	Hear Truth	AN QUAS LOR	Chain	If someone lies, this spell reveals the truth to the caster.
none	Resurrection	VAS AN CORP	none	Resurrects a person, but the price is eternal blindness. Therefore, only Stellos can use it and the spell is not freely available otherwise.

Lore

“

The Order of Enlightenment from which issued this magical discipline believes that to purify oneself and focus the inner energies of the mind eliminates the need to find power in the world around. Therefore these mages require no reagents of any sort. However, in the process of becoming attuned to Stratos, the Titan of Air, small silver tokens representing the spells become necessary. These tokens are the doorways to power for the Novice, unlocked by words of magic. Once a monk has become an Adept, achieved "enlightenment," and then continued studies for several more years, he or she will find the foci no longer required and that the power flows from the mind of the Theurgist unimpeded by physical restraints. – from The Chronicle of Pagan (Ultima VIII)

“

You would do well to learn the philosophies of the Theurgists, Traveller. For every ill there is a cure, for every path barred, there is a way around or over or through. There are no questions without answers. The Pagans have a story. Once there was a child who awoke from a dreamless sleep, only to find himself in a strange place — a house he had never seen before. In this house there were many wonders, and he knew it was filled with magic. There were no doors or chimneys, and the narrow windows looked out into a black, depthless void. The youngster first sought help by crying out for his parents or any nearby aid, but his words were trapped within the walls. When that proved useless, he searched for switches or levers or keys that might open a secret passageway. The walls proved bare, however, and the drawers and boxes were empty. Then, he reasoned, there must be a magical exit hidden nearby. He looked for books which might give him the words he needed, but there were none to be found. He then sat upon the floor and thought. Eventually he decided the only way out would be through the very floor itself. He used a nearby dagger to pry up some boards, and made a chilling discovery. Beneath the floor there was not dirt, but the save unwavering darkness that hung outside the windows. Then the answer was clear. He knew there was only one way to escape. He lay down on the bed, and closed his eyes. When he awoke, he was safely home. So you see, friend, you will never find your way truly blocked. There is always passage. – from Pentology (Ultima VIII)

Trivia

• The carved stone table behind Mordea's bed in her palace is an exact replica of the Altar of Focus on Argentrock Isle. It is thus possible to enchant foci upon it, although doing so may cause technical problems in the game's Theurgy quest.
• In the original, unpatched release of Ultima VIII, most Theurgy spells (Air Walk excepted) become defunct upon retrieving the Breath of Air.
• It is possible to let Korick create duplicate foci. Since the amount of silver ore is limited, this can create a plotstopper.

Gallery

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  Charging a focus

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Magic Systems
Sosaria	Sosarian magic
Britannia	Britannian magic ☥ Britannian spells ☥ Ascension magic ☥ Rituals ☥ Ultima VII (SNES)
Serpent Isle	Serpent Isle magic ☥ Serpent Isle spells
Pagan	Pagan magic ☥ Pagan spells ☥ Necromancy ☥ Tempestry ☥ Theurgy ☥ Sorcery ☥ Thaumaturgy
Other	Runic magic ☥ Runic spells ☥ Savage Empire magic