Q: How do I know a spirit/demon/angel/god is who they claim to be?
A: You don't, there is no "ID" system for the other realms.
Q: What is a demon?
A: The simplest answer is a spirit, however it was during the rise of Christianity that led to all non-biblical spirits to given the "demonization" of a demon - with the connotation of bad, evil, or malevolent.
Q: How do I invoke/evoke a demon/angel/spirit/god?
A: Firstly invoke and evoke are completely different things evocation is summoning an entity outside of you and invocation is summoning an entity inside of you. You can use ritual, spells, or willpower. Search for a specific school or thought to find specific answer.
Q: How do I get a demon to help me accomplish something I want?
A: Firstly you must understand what a demon is, once you have established this understanding, you can try to look for spirits that have been known in the past to accomplish your desired task, and one with a track record of keeping their deals. This is important because most individuals don't work for free, if you are going to make a deal you want to make sure the other party keeps up their end of the bargain and limits the unwanted side effects. Be very specific with your request (see movie Bedazzled). After selecting your helper/bargainer, you then find a method that has been known to successful contact the spirit, then present it with your deal (have payment ready), and wait and see what happens. Be sure to research methods that do not offend the spirit you are calling upon, as they may accept your deal and screw you as a way of getting back.
Q: Is it safe to work with demons? Aren't demons powerful and dangerous?
A: First see this info about demons to understand them better. Since demons is such a broad category filled with all sorts of entities, the answer is both yes and no. Some beings are benevolent some are malevolent. Some are impartial, some just don't give a fuck (like the honey badger). Some are mischievous, some are careful. Given the spectrum of attributes and personalities, it is best to first understand who you are dealing with, then try to understand them. Most entities are not much different than people, they may just have different priorities, the manner in which they perceive things, and ways of thinking. Most will respect you more if you try to understand them, while others only respect strength. Powerful is a matter of perspective and degrees. To an ant, a frog is mighty. To a frog, an eagle is mighty. Ignorance is dangerous, it does not change when dealing with other entities.
Q: What does the pentagram/inverted pentagram symbolize?
Q: What are the Left Hand Path/Right Hand Path?
Q: Do people really believe in Lovecraft's creations?
Q: Is Cthulu/Necronomicon real?
Q: What sort of offering can be given to a fire elemental?
A: Several suggestions may be items that have been changed by fire (fired clay), created by "fire" such as Igneous or metamorphic rocks (obsidian), sulfur, rubies, or something of an animal that is related to fire (fox/tiger/dragon/etc).
Q: Can you finish an incomplete spell?
A: Best answer at the moment it depends on what was being done, the nature of the spell, and how much time has past.
Q: Do evokers used charged objects (such as jewelery, trinkets, clothing, etc) increase their chance of success?
A: Some objects give a placebo effect, while other objects can focus a link (owned object of a person deceased) or access across the veil more readily. Objects have their own energy and can be imbued with additional energy by proximity or by purpose. Using these objects can be equally beneficial and malignant depending on what they are attempted to be used for and what energy the object has. Short answer, it depends.
Q: What makes the best materials for ritual?
A: Complicated open question, but ultimately it would either be an object/material that energizes the practitioner with needed energy they need but lack or are unable to easily call upon or an object imbued (naturally or artificially) with the properties necessary to complete the ritual (such as fire in flame spells). There are many theories for how rituals work and given this variety each school may give a different answer for what is best and why it is so.
Q: Where to start?
A: Common question to newcomers on this board. Ultimately it depends on your background, what you want to be able to do, how you want to do it, and why you want to do. If you can answer these questions in any query you have, most board members (when around) should be able to point you in a direction even if they are not seasoned in that particular path.
Q: Wands, does the material used or how it is constructed matter to whether I should get or not get a particular wand?
A: Best answer, think Harry Potter - take whatever wand seems to be calling out to you - one reason or another, it may likely be the wand that will be best suited for you regardless of its material or construction.
Q: Can a sigil be used to affect others?
A: Yes.
Q: How does magick work?
A: Different magick works in different ways, more specific questions are required to give more specific answers.
Q: Can magick change reality as in the physical environment, or does it just shift perceptions?
A: Yes and yes. It can change the reality of the physical environment when given a medium in which to interact and it can also change perception. This doesn't mean both always happen. One must always separate what is possible with what is probable so one can distinguish coincidence, correlation, and causation (which is part of scientific empirical thought).
Q: Can others be affected by your spells?
A: Yes, it is possible.
Q: Is there a method or ritual for tattooing objects, sigils, or magically charged symbols on the human body?
A: There are some cultures that have ritualistic practice for getting tattoos done, but are also specific to the types of tattoos of that culture. Such as the Maori and the Samoans. It would probably be best to find where your symbol comes from and see if there is any mentioning of ritualized tattooing in that culture. Otherwise the question would have to be more specific to the actual symbol being used. If it is a symbol/sigil of your own creation you might not need to do a ritual to charge the symbol, depending on how you created it.
Q: I am/know a warrior and would like to find a charm, amulet, or talisman for protection while in combat or harms way, any suggestions?
A: These are several links that people have found that work within the constraints asked above, see other FAQs for answer how to properly charge these runes and make your item.
http://sunnyway.com/runes/warrior.html
http://sunnyway.com/runes/meanings.html
Q: I had a strange experience and I am here seeking answers.
A: Many people come to this place or others like it seeking more information (or straight answers) to what they have experienced. Keep in mind that all most of us can do is give answers based upon our own experiences and knowledge. Do your best not to shoehorn your experience into what others are describing, it can lead you to creating false memories, in order to satisfy the need to have the unknown discovered. It is alright to accept that any answers you find as the most probable, don't simply accept them as 100% the truth. Despite the common saying "looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck - must be a duck", it doesn't actually mean it is a duck, only that is currently the most deductible answer available. You will find in magick and life as well, just because something looks, acts, or appears to be one thing, doesn't actually make it so. If this were true Ted Bundy most certainly was just a nice guy and we would have no need for science as obvious things only have obvious answers.
