Wizard (Sword of Truth)

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A wizard is a fictional class of people in the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.

Contents

[edit] Description

Wizards in the Sword of Truth series are powerful men who can perform a number of supernatural abilities, using either additive or subtractive magic, or both. The female counterpart to a wizard is a sorceress, although most wizards are much more powerful than most sorceresses. Their power is related both to their knowledge and skill as well as their inherent ability. A wizard does not need to be born with the gift of magic (usually inherited from a parent) in order to use magic, but those born with the gift are almost always much more powerful and learn much more quickly. Those who dedicate their lives to learning magic without being born with the gift are said to have the "calling". A perpetual spell cast by a wizard is often called a wizard's web. More powerful wizards can cast more complex wizard's webs which are harder to detect and unravel. Wizards usually unwittingly sleep with their eyes open, due to the magic. In times of great personal danger, an unconscious wizard will go into a very deep sleep, slowing his breathing significantly and conserving strength.

Wizards are guided by a number of trinkets of wisdom, called the wizard's rules. The wizard's rules are not to be repeated to anyone and are for none but a wizard to know. They may seem cynical or trivial, but they are powerful weapons if you know how to use them, because they are true, and truth is power.

[edit] Wizard Ranks

There are three orders of wizards. Wizards of the First Order are the most powerful, hold the most authority, and are always born with the gift. Wizards of the Second and Third Orders are less powerful. It is commonly thought that a wizard of the Second or Third Order always gained their ability through the Calling, but in the third book, Blood of the Fold, it is revealed that Zedd is the only Wizard of the First Order, which means that all of the other available wizards, excluding Nathion since he is almost one thousend years old, must be Second Order at the most. It seems more likely that wizard's orders are simply a measure of the power, tenacity and cleverness a wizard can muster, rather than a statement of the method of acquiring such magical talents. The First Wizard is the leader of the wizards in the Midlands.

In order to rise in rank, a wizard must pass a number of tests. The first test to becoming a wizard of the First Order is to trick one with his own rule (typically the wizard's first rule), a feat Richard was able to accomplish (although not for this purpose). There are as many as a few hundred tests a wizard must pass in order to become a wizard of the First Order. One of the lessons they must learn is that of pain. They must know it very well, in order to be able to withstand it, although the form the lesson takes is unknown and likely varies greatly. However, it is a lesson few survive.

Only one wizard living during the rise of Darken Rahl was able to pass the tests to become a wizard of the Second Order (Giller). None were able to pass the first test to become a wizard of the First Order.

[edit] History

Long ago, wizards were almost like rulers, and they became frustrated by the corruption about them. They hated the lies and deception. They wanted a way to prevent corrupt leaders from using their power to deceive and subvert the people. At that time, many unscrupulous leaders would simply accuse their political enemies of a crime, and have them executed for it, at once dishonoring them and eliminating them. The wizards wanted a way to put a stop to this. They needed a way that left no room for doubt. So they created a magic, and gave it a life of its own. They created Confessors from a select group of women. They picked the women carefully, because once brought to life in these women, the power had a life of its own, and would pass to their offspring - forever. The Confessors were used to discover important truths. To aid in the venture, the wizards also created the Sword of Truth and the Seeker of Truth.

The wizards made one mistake when creating the Confessors. They didn't give sufficient thought to how the power would take on a life of its own. They didn't forsee how the power would be passed on to the offspring, and be so different in men. Shortly after the creation of the Confessors, a few male confessors joined forces, and brought about a terrible reign of cruelty, called the dark time. At last, the wizards hunted them all down and killed them. Many of the wizards died too. From that time, the wizards withdrew from trying to rule the lands. Too many of them had been killed anyway. Instead they only tried to serve the people, to help where they could. But they no longer interfere with rulers if they can help it. They have learned bitter lessons.

Wizards saw it as their duty to protect the Confessors, since they were universally feared and hated. One was assigned to each Confessor and would almost always travel with Confessor to protect her, especially while she recovers her power.

[edit] Known Powers

Below is a list of known powers able to be performed by various wizards at various levels of wizardry. Many require specific skills, knowledge, inherent ability, magical artifacts, non-magical items, incantations, specific circumstances, and/or environmental factors. Some also require the efforts of many wizards working together. Many of the powers can not be used against certain beings with a natural or learned skill or power that prevents it.

[edit] Miscellaneous Wizards

  • Most magical artifacts were at one time created by powerful wizards (see below).
  • Many wizards are able to summon Wizard's Fire - a ball of magical liquid flame that shoots from the wizard's hands, and is unextinguishable by normal means (e.g water).
  • Many wizards are able to hide a person's tracks using magic dust.
  • Many wizards can put magic around injured bones to strengthen and protect them until they heal and that also reduces the pain.
  • Many wizards can take away the sting of a minor injury by a touch of their hand.
  • Many wizards can cause objects to levitate and float across the room.
  • The wizards of old constructed a poison magic specific to color, but only one spell could be cast from it, and only once.
  • The five wizards trained by Zedd were able to cast a web to keep Kahlan Amnell alive while crossing the boundary.
  • Powerful Wizards or Sorceresses with the wizard han are able to start a Chainfire Event.
  • Various wizards, taught by Panis Rahl, were able to conjure shadow people from the underworld.
  • Many wizards are able to kill themselves in a blast of Wizard's Fire, called Wizard's Life Fire. The resultant ash will taste sweet if the wizard gave his life for another, and bitter if he died only for himself (for instance, to spare torture).

[edit] Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander

[edit] Giller

  • Giller could put a magic seal around a room preventing certain objects from getting through it.
  • Giller could put a wizard's web around an object so no one could find it.
  • Giller could create a "trouble doll" (see below).

[edit] Darken Rahl

  • Due to his pact with the Keeper of the underworld, Darken Rahl could wield both additive and subtractive magic.
  • Darken Rahl could create a tracer cloud and hook it to a faraway tooth of an underworld creature he had summoned that had been killed.
  • Darken Rahl could put a spell on a cloud, causing other clouds to be repelled away from it and could also move clouds.
  • Darken Rahl was able to travel the underworld. This required the sacrifice of a young boy, pure and completely devoted to Darken Rahl, who's spirit would guide him through the underworld and back to the living in the form of a Shinga.
  • Darken Rahl was able to undo the boundaries from the underworld.
  • Darken Rahl could, at any time, hear the voices of the shadow people in the underworld.
  • Darken Rahl was able to know of the occurrence of some past events even though he had not been present.
  • Darken Rahl could awaken someone with a wriggle of his fingers.
  • Darken Rahl could track things that he had created by his magic.
  • Darken Rahl could change the taste of food by waving his hand in a circle over it three times.
  • Darken Rahl could heat a vessel (and its contents) with his magic.

[edit] Panis Rahl

  • Panis Rahl used a poison magic constructed by the wizards of old to turn all red fruit into deadly poison, however it was limited by distance (it stopped before it reached Westland).
  • Panis Rahl was able to create a fog that caused blindness.

[edit] Magical Artifacts Created by or Used by Wizards

  • A wizard's cabinet, which is an invisible cabinet used by wizards to hide things.
  • Battle horns that when blown can sweep away shadow people like smoke in the wind. The magic from the horns also traces its way back through the conjuring spell to seek out the wizard who cast it and kill him. The horns weren't foolproof though, and had to be constantly altered to keep up with the way the enemy changed their conjuring.
  • A night stone.
  • The Boxes of Orden, which can give a wizard power over all living things.
  • A Wizard's rock, an important relic of Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander.
  • The Sword of Truth.
  • A "trouble doll" which can smile, nod, and say basic phrases. In addition, in can be used by a wizard to communicate over long distances through it.
  • A magic fire stick, which will burn when anyone holds it and says the words, "Light for me".
  • Magic dust which are used by a wizard for many different purposes and seem to help in channeling magic.

[edit] List of Known Wizards

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