The basic form of the magical entities consists of a substance named essence, a flowing shapeless matter, described as a smokey liquid, while in the other place it is described as a mixture between gas and liquid. Bartimaeus himself (in the 3rd book, Ptolemy's Gate, during a confrontation with the Djinn Faquarl, involving a silver pot of fish soup and a wall), describes Essence as an oily fluid mass, not unlike dishwater. It is responsible for their personality, power, and abilities. While on earth, they have to create a physical body for themselves, which may be of any form they please although they have a set appearance on the 7th plane that never changes. Maintaining this form pains them, and their essences weaken if summoned for a prolonged period. Their essences are also extremely vulnerable to silver and iron. These metals are often used to subdue spirits, such as when Bartimaeus chases Honorius (The Golem's Eye) and when Mandrake tries to threaten Bartimaeus with a silver-tipped spear (Ptolemy's Gate). It is to be noted that the Resistance often used silver throwing discs against spirits. The spirits are also vulnerable against rowan powder, rosemary, garlic, and a few other substances.
Read more about this topic: Magic In Bartimaeus
Famous quotes containing the word essence:
“The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection, that one is sometimes willing to commit sins for the sake of loyalty, that one does not push asceticism to the point where it makes friendly intercourse impossible, and that one is prepared in the end to be defeated and broken up by life, which is the inevitable price of fastening one’s love upon other human individuals.”
—George Orwell (1903–1950)
“The essence of a man is found in his faults.”
—Francis Picabia (1878–1953)
“The essence of government is power, and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.”
—James Madison (1751–1836)