"The domain of Hysh is not knowledge, it is wisdom. It is not facts, it is truths. Those who seek to study the facts and details of this wind invariably fail -- for this wind cannot be learned. It must be felt, experienced, understood. During my sojourn in Araby I have seen Hysh in its purest form, uncontaminated by the other winds. I have visited the ruins of ancient Nehekhara, the pyramids and obelisks that funnel the White Wind. I have felt its concentrated power, and bathing in its light gave me great insights in its nature."
- —Immanuel Rauenscheid, third patriarch of the Light Order[11a]
Icon of Hysh, the White Wind of Magic, and the Light Order whose wizards wield it.
Hysh (pronounced "Hissh"), also called the Lore of Light and the First Lore, and known in Grand Cathay as the Elemental Wind of Light, is the White Wind of Magic, the magic of illumination and holy radiance. It is the Aethyric manifestation of light, including all the uses light can be put to and all the metaphysical abstracts that light sometimes represents to mortals, like enlightenment and purity.[1a][1b]
Hysh is associated with patience and intelligence, but its domains are not so much that of knowledge and facts as those of wisdom and truths -- a subtle but important distinction. The drives and processes Hysh encourages in Human minds tend towards the abstract and the contemplative, and those that study Hysh must first become philosophers and students of the mind before they may comprehend its true glory.[1a][1e][8b][11b]
The magisters of the Light Order -- or "hierophants", as they prefer to be known -- are philosophers and metaphysicians without equal in the Human realms. They study philosophies that seek to examine the nature of reality and understand the nature of mortal existence, and each one holds self-knowledge to be among their primary goals. They tend towards a life of simplicity and beauty, seeking Truth in themselves and the mortal world at large.[1a][1d][1e][8b][11b]
Of all the Winds of Magic, Hysh is the hardest to corrupt, and therefore its users and advocates are more difficult for Chaos to prey on. It is comparable to a constant, steady luminance completely opposite to the random destructiveness of Chaos. Where Hysh stands for controlled grace, self-understanding, enlightenment, order and healing, Chaos promotes total uncontrollability, confusion, obfuscation, disorder and insanity.[1b][1d][1e][11b][11f]
The powers of Chaos stand for everything White Wizards abhor, and White Wizards are sworn to fight Chaos in all its forms. Just as hierophants seek Truth, they seek the destruction of all that is dark and evil. Hysh focuses too on protection, and can be seen as the light that banishes darkness and keeps its unknown horrors from the doorstep.[1b][1d][1e][11b][11f]
Hysh is the subtlest of all the Winds of Magic, justly considered the hardest to perceive. It is almost invisible, even for those with witchsight, for while it shows itself as a lightly glowing haze, it tends to accumulate in bright, sunlit places, and so is difficult to spot. Hysh also gathers about other light sources, such as candles, lanterns, as well as those individuals of true hearts and natures. The wind concentrates around certain geometrical shapes, and next to those shapes, it is also attuned to the colour white, to sunlight itself, to mirrors and lenses, and to harmonious and orderly sounds like music and songs.[1a][1c][8b][11b][11e]
Wizards have observed the calming effect Hysh has on people who gather to listen to music, and hierophants are careful to make much use of good vibrations in their rituals and spells. They are known to conduct their major rituals with a choir of acolytes whose harmonic chorales channel the wind. Hysh's attraction to chanting and singing, however, is only part of its attraction to harmonious actions broadly.[1a][8b][11b][11e]
Even when noticed, the fleeting nature of Hysh makes it difficult to manipulate. Because it is the subtlest of all the Winds of Magic, channeling and binding it into a spell requires the total focus of will and an absolute determination of mind. Thus it is the most difficult wind to bend to one's will, said to be the most difficult to channel into a spell, and so too justly considered the hardest of the winds to control.[1b][1c][4b][11b][11e]
More so than any other of the Winds of Magic, Hysh is intangible, diffused, and all-permeating, making its pursuit one of the most complicated paths within the Imperial Orders of Magic. It is an energy that quickly permeates and is easily absorbed into solid objects, but which retains all its magical potential. For example, it is found particularly in the earth, soaking away even into the rock beneath the ground. Here it slowly builds like an electrical charge until too much is in one place, at which point it dissipates, causing earthquakes, landslides and other such destructive phenomena.[1a][5a][5b][11b]
It may seem that wielders of Hysh bear an unfair burden, but while their magic may be effusive, elusive, and evasive, it has its advantages. Not only does Hysh permeate underground, the Wind of Light is also the lightest of the Winds of Magic, and so floats high in the air. It drifts from the Warp Gate in the northern Chaos Wastes all over the Old World, as far as Araby and Nehekhara, where it settles in the scorching desert. No other wind reaches so far in useful quantity, and so whilst it is always hard to control, Hysh may reach places other winds cannot. And though it appears diffuse even to those skilled with the witchsight, making it tricky to manipulate, it also makes Hysh less unpredictable than other winds.[2a][8b][11b][11e]
Light Magic
"Hysh is an illuminating wind. It banishes darkness and clears the mind. It lifts the mists of life's daily distractions that obscure one's thoughts and enables one to focus on serious matters. Hysh is a cleansing wind. It blows away corruption in the mind and its light burns away Chaos. No Daemon can withstand its force. Hysh is a healing wind. It repairs, protects, and it preserves. But Hysh is elusive too. The wind is difficult to observe, hard to catch, slippery when we try to channel it. One must enter a serene state of mind, ignoring distractions and diversions, when one hopes to manipulate this wind. For all the power that Hysh gives, it requires determination and devotion of those who strive to understand it, to use it. And even then, it is hard to manipulate the wind on one's own. Groups of wizards who are attuned to each other, who work together in harmony, can use this wind to great effect."
- —Immanuel Rauenscheid[11a]
A hierophant of the Light Order
The White Wind of Hysh is manipulated and channelled by the Human wizards of the Imperial Light Order, whose adherents are called Light Wizards or White Wizards, and to those common folk who make the distinction between wizards, hierophants, or sometimes exorcists. Light magic is very different from other forms of Colour Magic, since it always remains in its pure form. Thus, Light magic is very much a matter of containing, channelling and diverting Hysh. Light Wizards seek to deal with its energy, having realised from the first that the Light Order would have to channel and direct the flow of the potentially destructive Light magic.[5b][11b][10]
Since Hysh is the most difficult Wind of Magic to bend to one's will, the spells binding it tend to be very elaborate and ritualistic, meaning that the Lore of Light is the hardest lore for a Human to master. As a result of this, there are many acolytes and lowly wizards at the Light College whose duties are to keep up a constant chorus of incantations, night and day, as well as ensure that the thousands of candles and lamps are kept alight, that the incense burners are full of offerings, and that chimes are struck at appointed ritual hours.[11b][1c][11b]
The reason behind the presence of the acolytes is that because Hysh is so diffuse, it is difficult for wizards to gather and channel effectively. The acolytes perform subsidiary incantations and chants to boost the energy of their masters when spell-casting, and allow the masters to use their strength to assist them in focusing the enormous energies required to cast their spells. Master Hierophants combine the abilities of their apprentices to draw upon the White Wind and focus it into a usable form, which can be drawn into the hierophants, and channelled and sculpted by them into a spell.[1c][5a][5b]
Performing Light magic is almost always a team effort. Accordingly, all Light training stresses concentration, meditation, and working as a team led by one master. Military men, who typically view wizards as unpredictable and annoying, can understand the teamwork exercised by the Light College and feel a degree of affinity for its regimented, disciplined way of working. Indeed, so regimented are the lives of many acolytes that they regard military discipline as a holiday from the strictness and regulation of their life in the Light College in Altdorf.[5b]
The acolytes enlisted in the Light Order as children are invariably taught many magical chants and are instructed in all the skills that a magister might need them to have, but only those of exceptional ability progress to the advanced training. Older acolytes meanwhile will certainly be taught the techniques of Light magic, but may find that their progress is slow and the masters always quick to say they are not ready to progress to learning the actual spells. In fact, there is a certain arrogant attitude within the Light Order that Light magic is special, and only those who have followed it all their life can ever master it properly.[5b]
For all the restrictions, spells drawn from the Lore of Light are some of the most powerful, and over the years its practitioners have had some spectacular successes on the battlefield, and the occasional equally spectacular failure. Not all spells of the hierophants require the aid of apprentices, only the most powerful or convoluted, but many Light spells are so powerful that they could kill or obliterate any individual who tried to use them unaided. However, using the strength of a choir of trained acolytes to control how much magical energy is focused into the hierophant and how quickly, Light wizards can create enchantments far beyond the powers of the other Colleges of Magic.[1c][5b][8b]
Domains of Light Magic
Hysh has many potent applications; it is used by the wizards of the Light Order to create spells of dazzling brilliance, healing and Daemonic banishment, and can be used to turn away earthquakes, or even cause them. When controlled, Hysh can light up dark rooms and uncover hidden objects. With greater intensity it blows away disguises and illusions, as well as the dark forces of Chaos. In very high concentrations, however, it blinds those who can see it and strips away any illusions wizards have about themselves, to reveal the bare reality of who and what they are. Only the most strong-minded individuals (or, it is said, the humblest ones, those who have no illusions about themselves) can stand this self-scrutiny.[1a][1b][5b][11e]
The nature of the Light Order's magic is as hard to pin down as the magic that forms and drives it, and there are many notable comparisons to be made between the magic of the Lore of Light and that of other lores. Even so, the spells of the Light Order tend to fall into three general groups: illumination, healing, and abjuration.[1b][11a][11e]
Illumination
"Light can do one of two things -- illuminate, or blind. Be sure to make good use of both."
- —Unknown hierophant to an acolyte.[11c]
The first domain of Hysh is illumination, which is itself split into two subdomains; firstly illumination in the actual, literal sense (as in the creation of dazzling lights), and secondly in the occultic, or metaphoric sense (as in mental illumination that inspires). White Wizards are known for their abilities to banish darkness, and Hysh can both bring light to dark environments or make visible what is hidden or obscured, and can banish the darkness in people's minds by illuminating illusions and falsehoods. Fittingly, the study of Hysh is called "Illuminatory Thaumaturgy".[1b][1c][11b][11e]
Regarding literal illumination, hierophants are renowned for their mastery of light and brightness, and are said to be able to bend any kind of luminance to their will in almost any way. They can conjure blazing lights to bind and burn the enemy, and on their own the spells sung from the Lore of Light tend to emit dazzling rays of blinding white light or shroud the caster in shimmering waves of radiant purity. However, where the pyromancers of the Bright Order use Aqshy to create bright, burning fireballs and walls of flame, the hierophants are able to concentrate light into a tightly focused destructive force, which, although more limited than the destructive powers of the pyromancer, is far more controllable and able to be directed because of it.[1c][10][11i]
Hierophants also illuminate the wilderness where Beastmen roam and unmask mutants and Chaos Cultists in settlements and cities around the Empire. In the more gentle applications of Hysh, it can instead be used to clarify thought. Magisters of Hysh are not so much concerned with the accumulation of facts like the magisters of Chamon, but instead seek wisdom. White magic is also unlike the practices of Blue magic in this regard. Azyr challenges the intellect, requiring precision and the quick mind of the magister, while the complexity of Hysh demands great discipline and patience.[1e][8b][11f][11m]
Healing
The second domain of Hysh is that of healing, protection, and preservation. The Light Order teaches the importance of the sanctity of existence and possesses a great wealth of spells dedicated to healing and protection. Indeed, Light Magic is renowned for its powers of protection, and hierophants renowned for their abilities to heal, it being one of the gentler uses of Hysh. The Lore of Light can broadly be described as protective magic, the defensive power it can provide being why it is also known as "Guardian Magic".[1b][1c][2a][10][11e]
Rather than a mortal's body, such as is associated with Ghyran, the drive to heal and protect behind Hysh is geared more towards the preservation of the mind, and the spiritual being of intelligent and sentient life. Hysh can inspire, enthuse and embolden people, remove mental anguish, and protect them against the debilitating effects of fear and terror.[1c][11e]
Abjuration
"Remember, my disciples, no Daemon can bear to stand before the pure light of Hysh for long."
- —Alric, Master chanter of the Light[2a]
The third domain of Hysh is that of abjuration in the form of extremely powerful and dependable exorcism. Exorcism is, in fact, the signature attribute of the Lore of Light. Such exorcism does not involve summoning spirits of various Aethyric beings, nor is it the kind practised by the priests of Sigmar or Morr, which rely on invoking the god in question and the supreme faith of the exorcising priest. Rather, the exorcism practised by the hierophants relies upon their ability to focus the searing light of Hysh into the possessed person, driving the offending Daemonic entity into the light of day.[1c][10][11f]
That hierophants are harder for Chaos to prey upon makes their existence the hardest of all. Darkness was simply the absence of light, so the High Elf Archmage Teclis told them at the founding of the Light College, and so they had to take their light to the very darkest corners of the Empire and the darkest corners of Humanity's soul, and banish the shadows that dwelt there. The hierophants were to devote their lives to hunting down and casting out Daemons and evil spirits that plagued the lands and minds of Men, not as witch hunters did, slaying and burning all they found -- or believed they found -- corrupted, but destroying only the darkness within, saving the man or woman if possible. Fittingly, the practise of Light magic is known as "Soulkeeping".[1c][1d][10a]
The healing nature of Hysh and teachings of the Light Order mean that hierophants are generally peaceful and non-violent, but they are not total pacifists like the sisters of the Cult of Shallya. Against the creatures and servants of Chaos and Dark Magic, the hierophants are utterly ruthless, as devoid of compassion as they are of hate or fury for these creatures. To the hierophants, the minds and souls of Chaos servants are filled with darkness, and the creatures' natural luminance has dimmed or has been extinguished altogether. As such, the hierophants do not view such beings as worthy of the gift of life and consciousness.[1c]
It is with good reason that hierophants are particularly renowned for their abilities to banish from the mortal world the malevolent entities of Chaos. The concentrated power of Hysh banishes Daemons and burns away Chaos, few creatures of which can withstand its searing light. This property makes Hysh perhaps the most powerful weapon mortals may wield against the Ruinous Powers, and when the White Wind blows, Light Wizards can bring to bear incredible power against the horrors from the Realm of Chaos.[1b][1i][11f]
White Wizards are often found at noble courts, especially those in the northern provinces of the Empire, where Chaos is more prevalent and the Light Order is usually in good standing. There the White Wizards help identify and combat the Chaos threat in all its forms, using their wisdom and the ability to see truth to aid those who fear its contamination. Yet this use of Light magic goes beyond the Empire's northern borders. When darkness and corruption seep across the land, their light must shine the brightest, purifying every shadow.[1d][10][11f]
The great hierophants of the Light Order are able to drive back not only Daemons to the darkness of the Realm of Chaos, but various spirits of the blackest magic, such as wraiths. Light magic excels at the scourging and destruction of the supernatural -- be they Daemons and creatures of Chaos or the unquiet dead and Undead -- banishing all back to whence they came by its blinding beams. However, it is not the Spirit Lore of Shyish, and the magic of Hysh has very limited success exorcising the spirits of the dead not overly tainted with Dark Magic. If Hysh is the light that banishes the darkness, it cannot banish a soul that is already luminescent, just lost.[1c][3a][10][11i]
Holy Light
There would seem to be a connection between the power of Hysh and that invoked by the Warrior Priests of Sigmar. The Warrior Priests possess a Soulfire battle prayer, by which the priest invokes the white, holy, purifying flames of Sigmar. Meanwhile, Luminarks of Hysh, magical war machines that harness the Light College's Orbs of Sorcery, can make use of a spell known as Solheim's Bolt of Illumination, which manifests destructive beams of vaporising soulfire.[6b][10][12a]
The hierophants use many artefacts associated with holiness and holy places. Furthermore, the famed War Altar of Sigmar carries on it the Golden Griffon, a statue composed of great, and purportedly divine, energy ever since it was consecrated with the blood of the Grand Theogonist of the Cult of Sigmar and Emperor Magnus the Pious themselves. Arch Lectors of the Sigmarite church can draw forth this power with the sheer conviction of their faith to unleash a blinding white light anathema to the unholy, in the form of a Banishment spell of the Lore of Light.[6a][10][11i]
Symbolism
The colour of the robes of the Light Order are brilliant white, and Light Wizards usually dress in pristine white clothes given its tendency to attract the Light Wind. Any decorations are in silver or gold embroidery, and refer to the many symbols of the order. Rumour has it that many of Light College's teachings come from a source other than Ulthuan, and indeed many trappings, titles, and rituals of the Light Wizards seem to echo magical practices of lands far to the south. The precinct of the Light College in Altdorf is startling in appearance, with its buildings and monuments seemingly transported from the deserts of ancient Khemri, the capital city of the lost empire of Nehekhara in the Lands of the Dead.[2a][11b][11c]
The most important symbol of the First Lore and the symbol of the Light College is the Serpent of Light. The rune is a curiosity, for it little resembles the serpent that it represents. To Light Wizards, its form underpins their belief that they are the most accomplished and learned of wizards, for the rune seems to indicate one pre-eminent lore atop the Wheel of Magic. Whilst this belief might at first seem to be conceit of the highest order, there is a kernel of truth at its heart given the sheer difficulty of Hysh to master and the concerted action required to harness it.[2a][11b][11c]
Serpents appear elsewhere in the tools and semiotics of Light magic. Light Wizards often carry serpentine staffs, and the holy artefacts used in Light magic are supplemented by crystals, glass, pyramidions, and small statues, all carved with twisting snakes, in addition to sacred symbols and moral tales. Other symbols important to the order include the Tree of Learning, Pillar of Wisdom, and Tower of Isolation. There is also the Mirror, as well as the Candle, with white candles being common ingredients in addition to silver carvings and bleached paper.[5b][11b][11c][11i]
Other Users of Hysh
Beyond the Empire, Light magic is practiced by the High Elves. The Asur see magic as a gift from the Elven Pantheon and so there is no division between High Elven priests and wizards, with wielders of Hysh effectively serving as the priests of the Elven god of the sun god Asuryan, the highest deity in their eyes. High Elf Mages use the Lore of Light to banish the forces of darkness and evil to protect its adherents, and their allies, from harm, but the powers of radiance are only wielded by those High Elf Archmages of profound mental illumination and advanced magical puissance. The Wood Elves, meanwhile, are not specially known to channel the White Wind, but high above the darkened groves of Athel Loren rests the Canopy of Hysh.[8a][10]
Ancient Nehekharan wizards discovered that the White Wind concentrates around certain geometrical shapes and built pyramids and obelisks to capture it, and the Liche Priests among the Undead Tomb Kings still make use of the Lore of Light. Among their arcane constructions were the Hierotitans, gigantic, animated statues believed to be responsible for ushering the eternal spirits of Nehekharan monarchs between the mortal world and the Realm of Souls. Hierotitans carry elaborate staves known as Icons of Ptra, which bear the hieroglyph of the Nehekharan sun god. The Icons of Ptra light their path as they walks in the abyss that separates the worlds, and the light wards away the dark-dwelling evil spirits and Daemons that would otherwise prey on the souls of those wandering the void. From the Icons of Ptra the Hierotitans can also unleash Shem's Burning Gaze upon the enemy.[10][11e]
Through their focus on mysteries and millenia of study, the Slann of the Lizardmen have attained total mastery of magic, although Slann of all magical specialties show a predilection towards the Banishment spell.[10] There are also the Ice Dragons (the Emperor Dragons among Frost Dragons) who wield the Lore of Light. Frost Dragons are creatures of frost and ice, the chill of midwinter given vengeful and scaly form, but slow to anger, presumably the combined result of their chill nature and cold-blooded physiology, and Ice Dragons are the most sedate and slumbersome of their kind.[2b]
Arcane Marks of Hysh
Known long-term effects of Hysh usage, as tends to be seen in older hierophants, include an increasingly white and bright body. The skin may lighten considerably, growing ever paler until it is almost albino-like, or even borders on semi-translucent. The same happens with their hair, although a more dramatic transformation could also take place; Hysh swirls around the wizard's head, making their hair stand out in all directions, and when the winds disappear, they take the hair's pigmentation with them, leaving it completely bleached white. [1e][1m][11e]
In a similar vein, a Hierophant's eyes might change, perhaps after being momentarily blinded by the light of Hysh. The irises or pupils could lose all visible color, becoming globes of milky or pure white, or glow with a faint luminosity or golden luminance. For most people, particularly those not familiar with the magical, this is off-putting, and could cause others to mistake the hierophant for a mutant.[1e][1m][11e]
In some cases, Hysh-users have become literally bright, with their entire bodies becoming luminescent. This constant, soft glow is similar in intensity to torchlight, and can enlighten the wizard's immediate surroundings. However, it makes it nearly impossible for them to conceal their movements, as it cannot be turned off, although it does become much dimmer when they are asleep. This autoluminescence would not help the wizard if they became vulnerable to darkness, and thus unable to cast at full effectiveness in low lighting.[1m][11e]
Distinctly, a wizard may also begin to give off an aura of light, a radiant energy that makes other light sources glow brighter than normal and makes stealth within them more difficult. A candle, for example, could shed light as a lamp, and it was possible for the effect to grow stronger with time.[1m][11e]
Among the other potential physical changes brought on by exposure to Hysh is to feel a purging bath in purifying light, although this is not a gentle sensation, and a wizard lacking resilience would suffer as from a fever for several days. Afterwards however they would feel energised, with Hysh's powers of preservation and healing having done their work and strengthened the wizard against future disease. Hysh could also suffuse a wizard's voice with its harmonious vibrations, causing their singing to sound as if scores of others sang alongside them.[1m][11e]
Regarding mental changes, Light Wizards tended to be charismatic individuals, able to command the loyalty of their many acolytes, but the White Wind can induce a degree of arrogance in its wielders. From a position of enlightened condescension, they would begin to see themselves akin to a beacon of knowledge blazing up above a black sea of ignorance. Even among equal and lower peers, their deep knowledge (or rather their opinion about their own education) would come off as arrogant and pretentious. Unable to help but express pity at other people's lack of comprehension, their ability to forge kinships suffered as a result.[1m][5a][11e]
Hysh can further change hierophants as their wisdom affords them a deeper understanding of the nature of the Realm of Chaos. Extremes of emotion are believed to feed the Chaos Gods, whether intentional or not, which their wisdom makes them more aware of, and hierophants will do almost anything to avoid helping Chaos. The longer they embrace the wind of Hysh, the drier and more particular hierophants become. They begin to act with a calm and measured grace that seems devoid of emotion. They rarely seem surprised by anything, not because they are expecting an event, but because surprise is a momentary loss of control and not something hierophants wish to encourage in themselves or others. [1e][1m][11e]
This all has a tendency to manifest in two distinct ways. Firstly, the hierophants become stoic to a fault, resisting psychological influences even when doing so is not in their best interests. Secondly, ironically, they become suspicious of all around them, paranoid and more vulnerable to the emotion of fear.[1m][11e]
Beyond this, Hysh has positive effects on memory. Hierophants may begin to inspire small acts of remembrance, deja-vu and other eureka moments in those around them, although they have no control over this effect, which tends to make non-magic-users a little distracted when talking to them. They themselves may gain the ability to, during crucial moments, instantly recall information.[1m][11e]
Notable Users of Hysh
"So open yourself to the wind, my friend. Let it blow through your body, let it flow through your pores. Let the wind cleanse you and blow the darkness away. Be illuminated."
- —Immanuel Rauenscheid[11a]
- Alarielle - Alarielle is the Everqueen of Ulthuan, the high priestess and in fact mortal embodiment of the Elven goddess of nature Isha. Alarielle wields the Winds of Hysh and Ghyran with all the skill of Saphery's most learned High Mages, and can call forth great storms of cleansing magical energy to sweep the agents of darkness from her hallowed presence. That very presence is anathema to tainted creatures of all kinds, her touch, so soothing to the pure-hearted, being able to banish Daemons with a single touch and unravel the dark bindings of the Undead with but a gesture. The victim might not feel anything at first, but as the magic travels through their body it feeds off every black desire and cruel purpose until the foe is naught but a cleansed and withered corpse, their evil forever purged by Isha's light.[13a]
- Ashamira Dib - Ashamira Dib is an Arabyan woman and the great-great-great-granddaughter of Immanuel Rauenscheid, third patriarch of the Light Order who became her ancestor during his travels in Araby. Having been distanced by society due to her gift for perceiving Hysh, she sought to reach Altdorf that she might better combat the foul Undead of Khemri who destroyed the life she had built, and to find the mysterious pyramid of light she had seen in her dreams.[11g][11h]
- Egrimm van Horstmann - Egrimm van Horstmann is a powerful Champion of Tzeentch, Chaos Sorcerer and master daemonologist, the most infamous of the Imperial Orders of Magic's few known traitors, and as such the Light Order's greatest shame. Once van Horstmann was amongst the brightest and most talented of hierophants, but all the while he was secretly praying to the Chaos Gods for the power and knowledge to surpass his peers, and in doing became the Light Order's patriarch in just three years. He did incalculable damage before being discovered, subverting and twisting the Light Order's benevolent rituals and weakening the vaults beneath the Pyramid of Light to unleash the dark horrors they contained. He is by far one of the most powerful and disciplined Chaos Champions, having mastered the pure Wind of Hysh simultaneously with the much darker art of Chaos Sorcery, all while dabbling in daemonology as only a young magister in secret, and he still wields all these powers to terrible effect.[1h][11n][14]
- Tyrion - Tyrion is the greatest living warrior among the High Elf Princes, so valiant and skilled that the bards of Ulthuan sing that he is nothing less than the first Phoenix King Aenarion reborn. He had never been a wizard, but after being consumed by the bloodline curse of Khaine and dying at the hands of the Shadow King Alith Anar, his brother Teclis brought his body to Athel Loren's Oak of Ages, where he was reborn partially through the incredible power of Hysh that Teclis had husbanded in his staff, and transformed into the Incarnate of Hysh. His very being was anathema to the servants of the Chaos Gods and the Undead, and those near him were protected from their assault and filled with vengeful hatred towards them.[15a][16a]
- Verspasian Kant - Vespasian Kant is the current Magister Patriarch of the Light Order within the Imperial Colleges of Magic. The Tilean orphan was brought in for his latent, undeveloped Aethyric sensitivity and passion for learning, and quickly learned all the chants and invocations required of him and much more. He learned of Egrimm van Horstmann's treachery by chance, and took the unprecedented step of approaching the Grand Theogonist of the Cult of Sigmar, Volkmar the Grim, to stop his infiltrated order, after which he undid much of the damage wrought by Horstmann and was elected the Light Order's new patriarch.[1h]
- Volans - Volans was the first patriarch of the Light College and the first Supreme Patriarch of all the Imperial Colleges of Magic, appointed by their founder Teclis himself. Teclis chose Volans to study the White Wind for his immense skill and ability, despite his lack of investment in manipulating magic into spells. Volans was by far the most educated, skillful, and powerful of renegade magic-users to answer Teclis' call for Human magic-users during the Great War Against Chaos, having dedicated his life's research to refining his witchsight. Thus, he looked only thirty in his fifties, and despite admitted decades of magical experimentation, had not a shadow of Chaos taint on him.[1h]
- Wolfgang Lichtmeister - Wolfgang Lichtmeister is an acolyte of the Light College who forever plagued the footsteps of Stiegfried Schweinsteiger. His persona is depressing, his features distressing, but the Wind of Hysh within him is strong, and every soldier knows that to fight the darkness, you need to keep strange company.[4a]
Lore of Light Notable Spells
A
- Abulla's Snare - A snare of magical energy leaps from or is hurled from the caster's extended hand, and wraps itself around a single person some distance away. The snare plucks the victim from the ground and brings them back to the wizard, after which they are held in the air above the caster and remain their prisoner for some time, unable to do anything while so ensnared. If the wizard moves, the ensnared victim drifts along with them, and when they are released they plummet to the ground from their suspended position.[5c][11i]
- Assault of Stone - Connecting their will with the dormant strands of earthbound Light Magic, the wizard reshapes the battlefield to their desires, crushing those unfortunate enough to be caught in the way of progress. Churning rocks and soil form a new, permanent hill, and anyone standing on the rising ground is injured and potentially knocked in a random location.[2a][11i]
B
- Banishment - Sometimes called Banish, this spell takes many forms. No matter the specifics however, creatures of the dark beware; the purest light can destroy anything tainted by darkness. As Banish, the spell wraps tendrils of Hysh around a nearby Daemon or possessed individual. In the case of a stalemate, the two remain locked in mental combat, neither able to do so much as dodge while the struggle of wills continues until the spell either fails, the Daemon is banished to the Realm of Chaos, or the possessed are exorcised. In another form of the Banishment spell, the wizard opens their hands and a cleansing halo of Hysh issues forth, destabilising or outright defeating Daemonic or Undead creatures whose bodies are weaker than the wizard's will is strong. Other forms of Banishment summon a magic missile, stronger if other Light Wizards are nearby, or see the wizard cast a ball of pure light to banish enemies of the Light Order.[1i][3a][8c][10][11i]
- Birona's Timewarp - The wizard infuses their allies with Light magic, freeing them from the passage of time and speeding their actions.[3a][10]
- Blinding Light - The wizard creates an explosion of shimmering light within a large area, or emits a bright flash of light from their hand or staff. Everyone looking at the wizard, unless they are skilled in Light magic, is temporarily blinded, either entirely, or only partially, as per the Dazzling Brightness spell.[1i][8c][11i]
- Boon of Hysh - With a touch, the wizard wraps a single individual, possibly themselves, in the healing power of Hysh and all physical damage and other maladies affecting them are healed. This includes all wounds sustained, diseases currently being suffered, poisons currently in the system, and the like.[1i]
- Brilliance - A brilliant light emanates from the caster's chosen allies, putting any attempting to hit them at a disadvantage.[7a]
C
- Channel Energy - When cast, the magical potential put forth by all participating Light Wizards (a minimum of three) are "pooled", and may be drawn upon by the magister in charge of the spell-casting who acts as a focus for the spell's power. The master must remain within four yards of the acolytes, but is otherwise free to move, cast spells and so on, but the acolytes can do nothing while the spell lasts. Once the spell ends or is broken, each member of the group loses the same amount of magical potential, although the master will as well if any member of the group would lose more potential than they possessed.[5c]
- Clarity of Thought - Also known simply as Clarity, the target of the spell (including the caster themselves) is touched by the wizard, and their mind is calmed, allowing them to think clearer. Anything negatively impacting the target's mental processes, such as fear or mutation, can be ignored for several minutes. Difficulty the subject is having with intelligent thought, resolve, or social communication can each be specifically reduced for several hours.[1i][8c][11i]
- The Claw of Apek - A huge silvery talon appears in the air and instantly attacks an individual within a few dozen feet of the caster, striking at them several times. The magical nature of the claw ignores normal armour, though if they overcome their fear of it, the target may attempt to parry or dodge each attack.[5c]
- Cleansing Glow - A dim glow passes over the surface of any item or individual the wizard touches, and it is cleaned to spotlessness. Dust is removed, tarnish polished away, rank smells eliminated, and beard stubble trimmed. Spoiled food or drink can be made pure -- tasty, even, if it originally was -- by means of this magic.[1i]
- Crevasse - The wizard strikes a staff on the ground and a low rumbling starts, rising to a crescendo as a huge crevasse opens in a place of the caster's choice in the general area. The width, length, and depth of the crevasse is determined partially by the caster. Anyone on the area of the crevasse when it opens, as well as vehicles such as coaches and horses, will fall in automatically, though people inside the vehicles and those on the edge of the crevasse can avoid falling in. Affected structures may collapse entirely or in part. Afterwards, the earth snaps shut and those trapped in the crevasse are buried alive and begin to suffocate.[5d][11i]
D
- Daemonbane - The wizard summons a blast of Hysh that passes through the border between the Realm of Chaos and the mortal world, rending the very Aethyr and casting a Daemon or group of Daemons within a large area back to whence they came. The targets must have the will to withstand the spell, else be obliterated by blinding white light and banished to the Realm of Chaos. Anyone looking at a Daemon at its time of banishment is blinded by a great flash of light unless they are skilled in the Lore of Light.[1i][8c][11j]
- Dazzling Brightness - The wizard creates a burst of purest light that dazzles those in a nearby area, hindering their ability to fight as much as see, unless those affected are skilled in the Lore of Light. Daemons meanwhile are outright stunned and disoriented.[1j][11j]
- Deathly Shards - Shards of crystal energy, like pieces of broken glass, fly several dozen feet from the caster and embed themselves in the first person or group in their path. Armour protects as normal, and the shards can be dodged to avoid their full impact, but each one that causes a wound will embed itself into the target's body, slowly working its way to the heart over the course of one to six days. As this happens, the victim will be in increasing pain, and by the end the shards will embed themselves in the heart, which will tear itself to shreds as it beats. These shards can sometimes be removed through surgery, but will cause further wounds if the surgery fails. Certain spells can also stop the shards' movements, such as Dispel Magic, a powerful Remove Curse, or Shallyan miracles like Heal Injury or Cure Serious Wounds.[5d]
- Dissolution of Stone - Piercing the walls of the fortress with his mystic gaze, the wizard's will unbinds the mortar that holds them intact. What happens next is inevitable.[4b]
- Driving Intent - The wizard touches a target and bestows them with clarity and resolve, allowing them to resist attempts at manipulation or coercion or, if cast upon the wizard themselves, improve their own charm, provided they only speak truth. The Light College frowns upon this latter application as a form of glamour.[11j]
- The Dwellers Below - While standing on ground level, the wizard causes small hummocks to form in the ground surrounding their targets, and in each mound a doorway opens. From each doorway pours a horde of tiny, shriveled, brown-skinned creatures, which grab the victims and pull them back into their mounds below the earth. Captured individuals are not killed but are imprisoned and tortured by the brown creatures for between one and six hours. Eventually they are released at the point where they were taken from, covered in soil, with worms crawling in their hair, and somewhat mentally unhinged. No one knows where these creatures take the captives; simply digging to find them never, ever works. If the wizards know then they are not saying, and many suspect that they themselves have no idea of what these creatures are.[5d][5e]
E
- Embodiment of Hysh - The wizard drains nearby stone of its Light magic, making their skin hard as rock, and their first strike like that of a boulder.[7a]
- Enlightenment - The light of truth is a powerful thing, strengthening the righteous and banishing the unholy. Forces of order upon whom the wizard casts the spell gain unbreakable wills, while those of destruction are wounded in accordance to the strength of their resolve, exacting greater harm on the unconfident. The non-aligned are simply unaffected.[2a]
- Erect the Edifice - The wizard raises the ground into a crude wall of packed earth and stone, the exact material composition depending on the area's terrain. The wall is 5 yards long, 1 yard high, and 6 inches thick, and serves well as cover. More powerful castings of the spell can be longer, taller, thicker, or contain bends or curves. Apertures (such as doors or windows) can also be left open in every 2-yard section of wall. Multiple castings of this spell can construct a building shell, but will eventually collapse unless the caster or someone to advise them is knowledgable in engineering or stonecraft. This spell cannot excavate basements or create floors and roofs, but can be improved and added on through physical carpentry.[11j]
- Eyes of Truth - The caster's eyes shine with the light of truth, and for a period all concealed individuals are revealed to them, and they can see through illusions, magical and mundane darkness, invisibility, and disguises.[1j]
- Eyes of Volans - The caster's eyes turn white as they perceive the Winds of Magic more clearly than physical reality, greatly improving the use of witchsight to read them. The wizard can see Chaos or necromantic corruption and recognise mutations in Humans and other civilised species, but not in plants or animals, or all of those concealed by clothing.[11j]
H
- The Hands of Karkora - The wizard causes the ground to seethe as hundreds of pale hands claw their way to the surface and burst out from the ground towards the feet of targets in the area. It can only be cast outdoors, or on the ground floor if indoors (assuming there is no cellar, basement, abandoned mine-workings, Skaven tunnels or similar below). The legs of the targets are seized, and the hands hold them fast and injure them for the duration of the spell or drag the victim below the earth where they will start to suffocate. While held the victim cannot move, although if dragged down they can attempt to claw their way back up, even if the hands will still be trying to pull them down again.[5c][5d][11k]
- Healing Light - The target of this spell glows with a bright, cleansing light, about the same luminescence as a campfire. This light heals them, and if the target has the endurance for it, can cleanse them of recently gained supernatural corruption and all other forms of corruption.[8c][11k]
- Healing of Hysh - The hierophant's touch heals an injured individual, including themselves, to a degree depending on their prowess with the arcane.[1j]
I
- Ill-Bane - The wizard uses the power of Hysh to aid one or more individuals around them suffering from disease or poison. If the spell is cast successfully, either the diseases affecting the targets last only half as long as normal, or one poison from each target is completely nullified, the effect which occurs having been chosen when casting.[1j]
- Illuminate the Edifice - The wizard touches a solid structural element of any single building, such as a wall or beam, and illuminates its interior spaces with daylight for hours. Depending on the power of the caster, they can affect a hovel-sized building, a moderate-sized, multi-roomed house or building, a large manor house, or any single contiguous building of any size whatsoever. The light shines in rooms, attics, closets, and any other spaces bounded by a man-made roof and walls on all sides. In addition to illuminating the interior of the building, light shines out through open doors, windows, and even the cracks between boards and shingles. Daemons and Undead must muster the will to even enter the building, and if they do are immediately harmed to a degree dependent on the spell's strength, ignoring entirely their own resilience or armour.[1j][11k]
- Inspiration - The wizard opens their mind to Hysh and lets the light of wisdom illuminate a vexing intellectual problem.[1j][1k]
L
- Light of Battle - Reaching into the Wind of Hysh, the wizard draws forth ennobling energies to steady faint hearts, whether that be their own or many others. The target is infused with pure magical energy and augmented with courage, rallying with courage if previous fleeing, and immediately moves where the caster decrees, now unbreakable. Any person or obstacle who stands in their path will be attacked.[3a][5d][10]
- Light of Purity - In casting this spell, the hierophant imbues a light source with purifying magic. Often this is a fire lit by the wizard any size from candle to campfire. All those within the area illuminated are immune to any disease, and dispelling spells of Dhar or Chaos Sorcery becomes much easier. The spell lasts for a maximum of one day and can reach a maximum of a mile. When fire specifically is used, it lasts for as long as the flame burns. The fire may be increased in size (by adding more fuel to a fire, for example) and even split into multiple fires (such as by lighting a second candle with a first). In the latter case, "child" fires have the same full effects as their "parents", and the effect lasts for all those illuminated by any of the fires until such time as they go out.[1k][11k]
- Light's Demand - The wizard causes a brilliant shaft of light to explode forth from their hand. When using the mirror ingredient, the light emanates from the mirror, shattering when the spell ends. All creatures from the Realm of Chaos (e.g. Daemons) caught in the area of this spell without the will to resist it cannot move for as long as the wizard maintains the shaft. Said-caster can project the cone of light for a number of moments, and may extend the duration by wounding themselves.[1k]
M
- Mace of Years - The wizard's right hand becomes a glowing mace which automatically strikes all their enemies within a few feet unless they dodge or have some kind of magical defence, whether that be armour or a supernatural aura. Anyone affected by the spell will fall to the ground, where they age into an ancient husk and crumble to dust. The dust regathers into a newborn infant which grows to adulthood, ages, dies and continues to be reborn in this way. A victim undergoing this horrific process can do nothing else, and the process can only be interrupted at this stage with a Remove Curse spell. If not, the process will continued into dawn the following day, whereupon they will have a new age at somewhere between one and one hundred years old. Their original age can be restored by someone with the use of Dispel Magic or a powerful Remove Curse, but the varying degrees of insanity caused by the whole process remain.[5e]
- Meissner's Instantaneous Librarian - The wizard locates a desired tome or grimoire, causing it to glow for a short time. If the book's title is not known, a topic can be specified in ten words or less, and the more detailed the topic, the more specific the outcome. In large libraries, a vague topic might cause multiple books to glow. For example, searching for "dark rituals" in a warlock's library will illuminate multiple tomes, whereas "Tzeentchian rituals requiring Human sacrifice under Morrslieb's light" will narrow down the selection considerably. Using this spell improves extended research, and depending on the complexity and stock of the library, several uses can make significant contributions to the end results.[11k]
N
- Net of Amyntok - The legendary Net of Amyntok was rumoured to have been woven to hold the Tzeentch, the Great Deceiver itself. In its namesake spell, strands of incandescent Hysh energy stream from the caster's outstretched fingertips and weave themselves into a delicate, glowing, woven arcane net that is lowered onto a target or targets. Completely entangled by the glowing threads, their minds are then overcome with conundrums and puzzles, leaving them paralysed with indecision and unable to do anything but talk, including moving or casting spells themselves. The spell works against the intelligence of the target rather than endurance, although in some cases it can be overwhelmed with raw strength, even if a failed attempt to do so wounds the escapee against the barbs of light. In some cases the net can last until the caster removes it or dies, and its whirling energies cannot be controlled or moved by any outside force. Non-intelligent creatures, such as animals, are immune to this spell.[3a][5d][8c][10][11k]
O
- Orb of Hysh - The wizard compresses light into solid matter around one object of any size, allowing telekinetic manipulation. They can move, rotate, or lift an object with this spell of a weight and at a speed dependent on their willpower. Malignant influences are safely contained within the orb and any corruption resulting from exposure is lessened.[11k]
P
- Perfect Comprehension - The wizard can understand any language clearly, regardless of whether it's being spoken, written, or communicated in another way, but not communicate in ones that are unknown. The wizard can also understand coded or garbled communications, but the Dark Tongue is impossible to understand using the spell and it might not work for ancient, obscure languages such as those of the Slann or the Old Ones.[11l]
- Phá's Protection - The wizard calls upon the beneficent Guardian of Light to protect him and his allies from harm, and summons a protective aura of pure, holy light. All attempts to attack the spell's subjects suffer, and they cannot be corrupted while present. Any creature that is Daemonic, Undead, mutated, or corrupted by Chaos or Dhar in any way cannot even enter the area that the spell is affecting, and the courage of such profane creatures already there breaks until they leave.[3a][8d][10][11l]
- Pierce the Veil - The wizard gains the ability to see through darkness, mist, smoke, and fog as if under clear daylight conditions for a number of minutes. They can also see through magical darkness, invisibility and illusions, if their own willpower surpasses that of the spell's caster.[11l]
- Pillar of Radiance - The wizard focuses and concentrates the energy of Hysh into a deadly column of burning light anywhere within a large area around them. Those affected suffer serious injury and unless agile enough, potentially suffer the effects of the Dazzling Brightness spell. As this is such a potent conjuration, all wizards within a five-mile-radius are aware of the disturbance in the Aethyr that this spell causes, and using this spell for anything other than Daemonic combat is deeply frowned upon by the elder hierophants of the Light Order.[1k]
- The Power of Truth - The caster touches a person, possibly themselves, and they become more convincing to others, but only if they speak honestly. If they abide by that restriction, they become more charming, and can reach even more people with grand oration. The influence of this spell is not obvious (the target doesn't have a glowing aura or the accompaniment of unearthly music), so there is no easy way to gauge the honesty of the recipient.[1k]
R
- Radiant Gaze - The caster's gaze focuses potent radiant power on one nearby target within visual range to unleash great physical damage. Sometimes, looks really can kill.[1k]
- Radiant Sentinel - The caster creates a ball of glowing light the size of a Human head that floats around their body for several minutes, moving slowly or quickly as the situation demands. The ball deflects blows aimed against its creator and can parry blows, protecting the caster from harm.[1k]
- Radiant Weapon - The wizard temporarily enchants a melee weapon they touch with the radiant power of Hysh. Though unable to hide, the wielder is now much more capable of fighting Daemons.[1k]
S
- Shallya's Blessing - Healing light sweeps across the battlefield, allowing the wizards to regenerate their wounds.[7a]
- Shem's Burning Gaze - Bolts of cleansing Hysh energy fly from the wizard's hands, searing evil wherever they strike.[3a][10]
- Shimmering Cloak - The wizard surrounds themselves with the Shimmering Cloak, a protective, magical field of light that hangs in the air around them like frost crystals or sparkling stars for several minutes. This protects the caster from most forms of damage; missiles, explosion, fire, and even the impact of falling are all deflected harmlessly off or fully negated. Melee weapons struggle to succeed, but the spell offers no protection against magical attacks. Naturally, the caster is incapable of hiding due to the sheer brightness of the spell.[1k][1l][5e][11l]
- Solheim's Bolt of Illumination - The Luminark of Hysh focuses the Wind of Hysh, projecting the energies as a searing beam of light that scythes through enemy ranks with the power of a solar flare.[6b]
- The Speed of Light - Light knows no burden of flesh, and nor do those that receive its blessing, allowing them to move at superhuman speeds.[3a]
- Speed of Thought - The wizard lays a lattice of Hysh into their own mind, increasing the rapidity of their thoughts and their capacity to unravel puzzles, perform academic research or cast their spells with greater skill.[8d][11l]
T
- Time Amok - The wizard reaches into the tapestry of fate, altering the flow of time to suit their allies' needs, who then fight on harder and faster than ever before.[2a][10]
Sources
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Realms of Sorcery (RPG)
- 2: Storm of Magic (8th Edition)
- 3 Warhammer: Rulebook (8th Edition)
- 3a pg. 167
- 4: Warhammer: Blood in the Badlands
- 5: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st Edition: Realms of Sorcery (RPG)
- 6: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition)
- 7: White Dwarf 389 (UK)
- 7a: pg. 66
- 8: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Core Rulebook (RPG)
- 9: White Dwarf (December 2019)
- 9a: "Worlds of Warhammer" by Phil Kelly, pg. 9
- 10: Total War: Warhammer III (PC Game)
- 11: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Winds of Magic (RPG)
- 12: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Tome of Salvation (RPG)
- 12a: pg. 233
- 13: Warhammer Armies: High Elves (8th Edition)
- 14: Van Horstman (Novel) by Ben Counter
- 15: The End Times Vol V: Archaon Book I (8th Edition)
- 15a: pg. 133
- 16: The End Times Vol V: Archaon Book II: The Rules (8th Edition)
- 16a: pp. 34-35