Summoning
To summon an entity, a magician is required to draw a pentacle; failing to do so will result in the magician's being attacked and/or torn apart by the entity he summons. He also needs to take many precautionary measures to prevent any mishap (like escape of the entity which will likely result in the death of the magician at the hands of the entity). A number of herbs act as instruments to ward off entities. The magician then speaks a spell. The spell acts in the following manner: the magician's voice carries to the Other Place taking nine seconds, where it draws the attention of the entity being called (seven seconds). The entity then has to answer the summons or risk tearing its essence apart. It then appears in an adjoining pentacle (three seconds).
Depending on the skill of the magician, there are limits to summoning ability. Some powerful magicians mentioned in the series were:
- Nathaniel/John Mandrake
- Simon Lovelace
- Maurice Schyler
- Quentin Makepeace
- Jessica Whitwell
- Solomon
- William Ewart Gladstone
- Ptolemy
- Henry Duvall
- Tycho Brahe
- Mr. Button (capable of summoning a Marid)
- Khaba The Cruel
Read more about this topic: Magic In Bartimaeus
Famous quotes containing the word summoning:
“So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, How much do you owe my master?’ He answered, A hundred jugs of olive oil.’ He said to him, Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’”
—Bible: New Testament, Luke 16:5,6.