History of the Magiontology Society
Magical lifeforms have always existed in this world and were part of its natural system, whether they were called magions or not. The viewing of magions as a separate group of creatures within our world was never their choice. It is a view that was developed among humans in relation with their religious (or otherwise) worldviews in the attempt to explain phenomena they encountered. Some magions were viewed as miraculous, some as evil manifestations, all were put into a "supernatural" category, and as human belief shifted towards logic, reason and science, magions slipped into "superstition" (usually, much to their relief). Yet, the belief in magic never vanished completely among humans. Even cultures that officially scorned the belief in the magical continued to discuss it and attempted to explain or systematize it in a scientific fashion. These attempts were closely observed by magic-folk and magions. It was with full awareness of these beliefs and trends that the first attempts to establish an association for the study and benefit of magical lifeforms were taken.
A leading figure in the early stages of these attempts was Swedish naturalist Göran Elias Pederssen (1805-1890). The Pederssens were an old line of alchemists that had dealings with magic-folk, and Göran was the first biologist among them. Pederssen was aware of magical life and believed that with logic and reason at their side, humans will be able to see that magions are just another fascinating lifeform, with no inherent tendencies for good or evil. He was also well aware of the history magions had with humans and did not blame magic-folk and magions for not trusting humans, even if it did frustrate him at times. Pederssen published a number of studies on magion life and species, with the aim of slowly introducing magical life into human science. In 1853 he coined the term magiontology in his essay Considerations in the study of magic: in recognition of magical life forms (in the original Swedish: Överväganden i studiet av magi: i erkännande av magiska livsformer.)1 His writing did not gain much readership among humans, but it did catch the attention of magic-folk and magions, and he was soon approached by Ælfgifu (years unknown), who became his benefactress and main connection to the magical community.
Ælfgifu and Pederssen had similar hopes for human-magion cooperation. They understood the dangers, however, and therefore kept their work out of the public eye. The latter part of the nineteenth century saw a rise of human interest in magic, with the establishment of several orders, circles and associations dedicated to magic in Europe and the United States. Encouraged by these developments, Pederssen and Ælfgifu observed and visited these groups. Since several of them were apprehensive or outright banned women, Ælfgifu recruited her close friend and confidant, Idris (years unknown), for many of the visits. He was often accompanied by Pederssen and his student, John Shackley (1837-1913), an English biologist who was fascinated by Pederssen's writing on magical life and became his friend and follower. They were generally unimpressed by the societies and circles they have visited, feeling that they were too focused on magical conjuration and demonology. However, shackley felt that there is true potential in having such a group of interested associates. He therefore began to push for the idea of establishing a new association, one that will be dedicated solely to the study of magions. The idea was accepted with the understanding that the group will have to be secretive and members hand-picked. And so, in May 1889 the Magiontology Circle was officially established by Pederssen and Shackley in London.
The original proclamation of the Magiontology Circle recognized the existence of magions and placed their study as the main goal of its members. It included a statement, which all members were required to sign, that the studies were to benefit magions and in no way cause them harm, as well as the understanding that magions and the Circle should be kept secret. The original members were: Göran Pederssen (president), John Shackley (secretary), Ælfgifu, Idris, Josephine Lamark and Laurie Eagleton. At its height, the Magiontology Circle had nineteen members, including seven magions and magic-folk. However, the days of the Circle were short. Early in 1891 concerns rose that one or more of the Circle members was attempting to research and perhaps practice Parasitical Magic. By the end of the year, even though no clear evidence was found, most magion members left the Circle. Early in 1892 the Magiontology Circle was disbanded.
The dissolution of the Magiontology Circle and the events leading to it left many of its members disappointed and disillusioned. More than a century passed before any similar attempt was made. However, some of the connections made before and during the Circle years preserved, particularly between magions and magic-folk. Ælfgifu and Idris remained trusted figures, as did the Pederssen line, since It was mainly thanks to the efforts of Idris and Karl Elias Pederssen (1863-1931, grandson of Göran) that the betrayal within the Circle was discovered and thwarted.
Over the years, trust was built and with it a system of connections and mutual aid. Fae phantom had a significant part in keeping these connections. It was a stretch of their duties as guardians of Inbetween passages, but had precedent in the events of The Departure. Still, it was clear that any long term arrangement had to depend on local magions, not on otherworldly fae that had their own duties and responsibilities. Thus, in 1983 the Magion Protection Accords were signed. The accords are a collection of documents essentially stating the need of aid and protection of magions, as well as naming a number of 'guardians' who signed the accords and took it upon themselves to provide said protection and aid. The original guardians were all magions, with the Fae phantom signed as witnesses and a promise of support.
The activities of the guardians required considerable background knowledge and records, and it soon became clear that a data collection of some kind would be beneficial. In 1985 the Magiontology Archives were founded and Idris was named as archivist. The Archives are a continually growing collection of information regarding magions and the magical history of Earth. It includes such materials as scientific essays, research notes, field reports by guardians and magiontologists, historical records, grimoires, encounter reports and testimonies. Much of the historical collection originally belonged to Ælfgifu, and the core of the scientific and research collection was donated by Freja Pederssen (1924-2017), an important magiontologist and the great-great-granddaughter of Göran Elias Pederssen. The Magiontology Archives are officially named after Göran, in recognition of his dedication and love of magions and a reminder of human alliance.
The Magion Protection Accords proved successful, and through the efforts of the guardians there was a clear rise in the safety and knowledge of magions. In 1998, conditions allowed the massive operation of reintroducing the Spectans canis to earth, half a millennia after their extinction from our world.
Such enterprises required dedicated management, which developed unofficially among the guardians, but for a long time there was resistance to creating an officiated organization and any kind of established relationship with humans.2 This began to change in the early 2000s, in no little part thanks to Mabyn Pryce joining the guardians. Having a human, particularly one from a line of witch and monster hunters, play a central part in the protection magions helped to break some of the resistance to humans. Her son, Griffin, the first half-fae half-human child in centuries has become a (somewhat reloctant) symbol of the possibility of human-magion cooperation. Humans in general are still not trusted, and secrecy is a central part of magion life and of the Magiontology Society, but there is more allowance to the possibility of working with humans.
In the late 2010s a tentative outline for a new Magiontology Circle was drafted. The offer recognized that there already existed a network of guardians and magiontologists in different levels of activity, but suggested that it would benefit from clearer organization. More importantly, a clear center or system would make it easier for magions in need to request aid. After long debates, the offer was accepted, but wishing to cut ties with the original, nearly disastrous, Circle, it was decided to use a new name: The Magiontology Society. Plans and various agreements were completed in 2019 and for all purposes the Society began its activities. However its official inauguration is dated to January 2021, when it opened its doors for new members.
A leading figure in the early stages of these attempts was Swedish naturalist Göran Elias Pederssen (1805-1890). The Pederssens were an old line of alchemists that had dealings with magic-folk, and Göran was the first biologist among them. Pederssen was aware of magical life and believed that with logic and reason at their side, humans will be able to see that magions are just another fascinating lifeform, with no inherent tendencies for good or evil. He was also well aware of the history magions had with humans and did not blame magic-folk and magions for not trusting humans, even if it did frustrate him at times. Pederssen published a number of studies on magion life and species, with the aim of slowly introducing magical life into human science. In 1853 he coined the term magiontology in his essay Considerations in the study of magic: in recognition of magical life forms (in the original Swedish: Överväganden i studiet av magi: i erkännande av magiska livsformer.)1 His writing did not gain much readership among humans, but it did catch the attention of magic-folk and magions, and he was soon approached by Ælfgifu (years unknown), who became his benefactress and main connection to the magical community.
Ælfgifu and Pederssen had similar hopes for human-magion cooperation. They understood the dangers, however, and therefore kept their work out of the public eye. The latter part of the nineteenth century saw a rise of human interest in magic, with the establishment of several orders, circles and associations dedicated to magic in Europe and the United States. Encouraged by these developments, Pederssen and Ælfgifu observed and visited these groups. Since several of them were apprehensive or outright banned women, Ælfgifu recruited her close friend and confidant, Idris (years unknown), for many of the visits. He was often accompanied by Pederssen and his student, John Shackley (1837-1913), an English biologist who was fascinated by Pederssen's writing on magical life and became his friend and follower. They were generally unimpressed by the societies and circles they have visited, feeling that they were too focused on magical conjuration and demonology. However, shackley felt that there is true potential in having such a group of interested associates. He therefore began to push for the idea of establishing a new association, one that will be dedicated solely to the study of magions. The idea was accepted with the understanding that the group will have to be secretive and members hand-picked. And so, in May 1889 the Magiontology Circle was officially established by Pederssen and Shackley in London.
The original proclamation of the Magiontology Circle recognized the existence of magions and placed their study as the main goal of its members. It included a statement, which all members were required to sign, that the studies were to benefit magions and in no way cause them harm, as well as the understanding that magions and the Circle should be kept secret. The original members were: Göran Pederssen (president), John Shackley (secretary), Ælfgifu, Idris, Josephine Lamark and Laurie Eagleton. At its height, the Magiontology Circle had nineteen members, including seven magions and magic-folk. However, the days of the Circle were short. Early in 1891 concerns rose that one or more of the Circle members was attempting to research and perhaps practice Parasitical Magic. By the end of the year, even though no clear evidence was found, most magion members left the Circle. Early in 1892 the Magiontology Circle was disbanded.
The dissolution of the Magiontology Circle and the events leading to it left many of its members disappointed and disillusioned. More than a century passed before any similar attempt was made. However, some of the connections made before and during the Circle years preserved, particularly between magions and magic-folk. Ælfgifu and Idris remained trusted figures, as did the Pederssen line, since It was mainly thanks to the efforts of Idris and Karl Elias Pederssen (1863-1931, grandson of Göran) that the betrayal within the Circle was discovered and thwarted.
Over the years, trust was built and with it a system of connections and mutual aid. Fae phantom had a significant part in keeping these connections. It was a stretch of their duties as guardians of Inbetween passages, but had precedent in the events of The Departure. Still, it was clear that any long term arrangement had to depend on local magions, not on otherworldly fae that had their own duties and responsibilities. Thus, in 1983 the Magion Protection Accords were signed. The accords are a collection of documents essentially stating the need of aid and protection of magions, as well as naming a number of 'guardians' who signed the accords and took it upon themselves to provide said protection and aid. The original guardians were all magions, with the Fae phantom signed as witnesses and a promise of support.
The activities of the guardians required considerable background knowledge and records, and it soon became clear that a data collection of some kind would be beneficial. In 1985 the Magiontology Archives were founded and Idris was named as archivist. The Archives are a continually growing collection of information regarding magions and the magical history of Earth. It includes such materials as scientific essays, research notes, field reports by guardians and magiontologists, historical records, grimoires, encounter reports and testimonies. Much of the historical collection originally belonged to Ælfgifu, and the core of the scientific and research collection was donated by Freja Pederssen (1924-2017), an important magiontologist and the great-great-granddaughter of Göran Elias Pederssen. The Magiontology Archives are officially named after Göran, in recognition of his dedication and love of magions and a reminder of human alliance.
The Magion Protection Accords proved successful, and through the efforts of the guardians there was a clear rise in the safety and knowledge of magions. In 1998, conditions allowed the massive operation of reintroducing the Spectans canis to earth, half a millennia after their extinction from our world.
Such enterprises required dedicated management, which developed unofficially among the guardians, but for a long time there was resistance to creating an officiated organization and any kind of established relationship with humans.2 This began to change in the early 2000s, in no little part thanks to Mabyn Pryce joining the guardians. Having a human, particularly one from a line of witch and monster hunters, play a central part in the protection magions helped to break some of the resistance to humans. Her son, Griffin, the first half-fae half-human child in centuries has become a (somewhat reloctant) symbol of the possibility of human-magion cooperation. Humans in general are still not trusted, and secrecy is a central part of magion life and of the Magiontology Society, but there is more allowance to the possibility of working with humans.
In the late 2010s a tentative outline for a new Magiontology Circle was drafted. The offer recognized that there already existed a network of guardians and magiontologists in different levels of activity, but suggested that it would benefit from clearer organization. More importantly, a clear center or system would make it easier for magions in need to request aid. After long debates, the offer was accepted, but wishing to cut ties with the original, nearly disastrous, Circle, it was decided to use a new name: The Magiontology Society. Plans and various agreements were completed in 2019 and for all purposes the Society began its activities. However its official inauguration is dated to January 2021, when it opened its doors for new members.
1 The essay was translated to English in 1861 by John Shackley (1837-1913). Shackley first encountered the essay in 1856, when he was only 19. He was fascinated by Pederssen ideas, but was originally uncertain of how serious they were. In 1859, a chance meeting with Pederssen who visited a friend in London, convinced Shackley of Pederssen's knowledge and genius and he asked his permission to translate the essay. He soon became a student and close friend of Pederssen.
2 Magions tend to small-group communities, often based in familial kinship, and many identify larger or more official organizations and associations with human culture.
2 Magions tend to small-group communities, often based in familial kinship, and many identify larger or more official organizations and associations with human culture.
Interesting article. Thanks for sharing and entering this into the Special Category! God bless and much success with your New Year's plans! <3
Check the latest in the wonderful world of WILLOWISP...
Find out what I'm up to...
Support my creative efforts <3
Thanks so much for the read and comment! Hope you have a wonderful 2024! ❤