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It's a delicate craft — representational magic — one must be ever so precise. If you misrepresent us, the very enchantment that this room was built upon would collapse, would it not?
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Physical objects like the Sanguinis Knot are important in representational magic.

Representational Magic is a magical practice in which one uses representative objects to manipulate reality. Its origins remain unknown however, they are shown to have existed when Esther was alive.

Usually, such spells use much more power than one realizes. It is also a very delicate magic that requires considerable concentration by the witch who practices it.

Combinations

Combined with Ancestral magic

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The spell of unknotting from Esther's Grimoire

The spell of unknotting was the first known Representational Magic which appears in the show. Taking from Esther's Grimoire, the ancestral witch Davina Claire used it to break the linking spell between the werewolf Hayley and the witch Sophie Deveraux may be under this kind of practice due to its taking advantage of similarities between the rope's knot and the magic link between the two women. Indeed this spell definitely falls in the macro-section of Linking spells.

Combined with Sacrificial magic

When combined with Sacrificial Magic, "organic" totems are used. The targets of these types of spells are represented by an animal of which the witch must have a totem (e.g. a paw, some fur, a horn etc.) which are made to float in a cauldron that contains a thick liquid, probably blood.

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Finn casting a spell using animal totems.

People's astral projections are then transferred to an astral plane, called "Chambre de Chasse" as stated by Kol, where they are under the control of the witch who transported them there. However, if the prisoners are misrepresented, the spell collapses. The bodies of the prisoners are also at the mercy of events in which they are unconscious. For example, Kol starts to bleed and increase the hunger of Gia and Josh who are controlling his unconscious body at the Abattoir.

Throughout The Originals Series

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Jane-Anne's complex representational ritual.

In Pilot Director's Cut, the witch Jane-Anne Deveraux, taking advantage of the presence of Hayley in the city has used her to lure Klaus in New Orleans. To capture the wolf girl, and find out the actual pregnancy, she has used a representative spell using some seals tracked with salt on the altar, the flame of the candles to burn the map that Hayley was using miles away from the Lafayette Cemetery, then a steaming potion to cause malfunctions to the car and finally a litany to knock out Hayley's smartphone. At the end, Jane Anne switch off a candle making Hayley faint.

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Davina untie the Sanguinem knot

In Fruit of the Poisoned Tree, Elijah gives to Davina some pages of his mother Grimoire as part of their pact. He explains that it is the Sanguinem Knot, a spell of Representative Magic that is used by witches to teach concentration. The young witch, in fact, cannot manage her great powers and Elijah believes that this spell can help her to do so, but having as a second end to free Hayley by the magic that keeps her connected to the witch Sophie.

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Mikaelson brothers in the Chambre de Chasse.

In Brotherhood of the Damned, Finn uses this type of magic to trap himself and his siblings in an astral plane, referred to as the "Chambre de Chasse."

Finn represents each of his siblings with each their own animal: a wolf to represent Klaus and his cruel nature and inability to forgive, a stag is used to represent Elijah's nobility and honesty, a fox to represent Kol and his treachery, and a boar to represent Finn himself.

In The Axeman's Letter, Van Nguyen together with two fellow witches used this practice of magic by attempting to use a totem in the form of a doll known as "Figure Veritas" in order to force Davina, the current Regent to reveal her darkest secrets, the fact that she ordered the death of Van's mother, Kara. The doll functions by being stabbed in the heart, while the witch chants the spell.

In Queen Death, Freya cast a protection spell using a castle figurine surrounded by a powder on a table to represent the Abattoir after a fight with Dominic almost killed her, nullifying a previous protection spell she cast tying it to her heart.

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Hope unlinks the Sanguinem knot

In A Spirit Here That Won't Be Broken, Kol gave Hope a "Sanguinem Knot" (very similar to the one that Elijah gave to Davina, only slightly larger), and taught her his Mother's spell, for the little witch to undo the linking spell between the Hollow and Davina, thus making sure that Davina could leave the city safely nor be killed should the Hollow die. Hope managed to complete the spell though it was exhausting for her and she collapsed on the floor, unconscious.

Totems

Each person is represented by a figure, animal or object:

  • Wolf: or "big bad wolf" as described as a feature of Klaus Mikaelson, is a dangerous and territorial animal. According to Finn, those who embody the wolf are unable to forgive, but this was refuted by Klaus when he forgives Elijah.
  • Stag: the noble Stag is representative of Elijah Mikaelson, and is one of the most honest and sacred animals in Animal symbology.
  • Fox: a treacherous and Machiavellian animal. The fox is considered a trickster in many cultures, and of course, is representative of the mischievous Kol Mikaelson.
  • Boar: The Boar is the representative of Finn Mikaelson, probably because it's a symbol of warriors in Pagan religions, especially in Viking religion.
  • Queen Chess Pieces: The two Queen chess pieces were used to represent the women that both Klaus and Elijah had betrayed over their life: Aya and Aurora.

Spells and Rituals

Main article: Spells and Rituals
  • Paternity Spell/Linking Spell: A spell used to identify if another is, in fact, pregnant and uses the concept of "like attracts like". It involves a complex ritual where witch uses salt to make special symbols on an altar and can manipulate the target's environment such as a candle flame to simulate flames on a map, a steaming potion to cause malfunction in a car, humming to cause litany interference on a mobile phone and finally, put out a candle to cause the target to faint. It was also used to bind Sophie to Hayley in order to control hers and the baby's life.
    • Incantation: Non-Verbal
    • Requirements: Goblet, Candles, Salt, Wooden surface, Target's hair
    • Used By: Jane-Anne Deveraux on Hayley to ascertain that she was, in fact, pregnant, to confirm whether Klaus was the father of Hayley's Unborn Child and link her to Sophie.
  • Spell of Unknotting: Created by Esther to enact an unlinking spell. The spell involves a sanguinum knot, used as a physical representation of the linking spell in question. Once successfully completed, the knot levitates and unties itself signifying that the linking spell has been broken.
    • Incantation: Phesmatos omnio ligor coldate sangorium. Phesmatos omnio ligata soluto. Phesmatos omnio ligata soluto vingulia cordit.
    • Items: Sanguinum Knot
    • Used by: Esther (presumably), Davina Claire and Hope Mikaelson.
  • Decoy Spell: A spell that uses the practice of representational magic to allow a witch to craft the illusion of the target's presence onto a clay doll, replicating it's power source. However, the illusion only lasts for as long as the witch focuses on the spell.
    • Incantation: Sin eh-tey ex avan-ha vin tan-took koh.
    • Requirements: Golem, Beating heart, Blood of target, Crushed herbs, A lit candle
    • Used by: Rebekah Mikaelson performed this spell in order to aid her sister Freya & brother Elijah in their plan to defeat Dahlia, by luring her to the Compound through the use of a Golem which represented the baby.
  • Chambre De Chasse: An elaborate spell commonly used as a prison where witches bring their targets for mental practice. The spell is based on representational practice, and as such can unravel if the targets are not represented accurately.
    • Incantation: Locus sua mortenduis la chambre, Locus sua mortenduis la chambre
    • Requirements: Bowl of blood, Totems representing target / Target's hair
    • Used by: Finn used this spell in order to trap his brothers in the astral plane that he could control, in order to figure out their secrets. Cynthia performed the same spell on Klaus, Elijah, Aurora and Tristan.
  • Truth Spell: A simple spell that utilizes a human like doll known as a Figure Veritas. It is used such that when it is stabbed through the “heart”, the target will be compelled to tell their darkest truths.
    • Incantation: Chế cao su đã. Chế cao su đã. Chế cao su đã
    • Requirements: Figure Veritas, Knife
    • Used By: Van Nguyen and two other male witches performed this spell on a doll of Davina’s likeness. The spell was not completed due to Jackson’s intervention.
  • Compound Protection Spell: A representational spell used to protect a location from harm or malicious intent.
    • Incantation: Unknown
    • Requirements: Circle of salt, Representation magic (castle figurine to represent the Compound)
    • Used by: In Queen Death, Freya performed this spell to protect the compound, whereas the previous events she tied a boundary spell to her heart beat. This ensures that if she died a second time, the spell would not falter.

Practitioners of Representational Magic

Gallery

Trivia

  • Representational Magic is the magical practice that relies most heavily on totems.
  • The totems used are general inanimate objects unless combined with Sacrificial Magic.
  • The use of an object in order to attract a similar one is known in real magic beliefs as "sympathetic"
  • Although Finn is the first practitioner of this Craft, both Davina and Kol were able to recognize this practice seeing respectively the ingredients and the effects.
  • The fox representing Kol may be a vague reference to the Kitsune in the novels.
    • Daniel Sharman, who played Kol Mikaelson's vessel, Kaleb, also participated in Teen Wolf, another supernatural show which also presents the Kitsune and their evil counterparts, the Nogitsune.

See also

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