More Urbanomancy

Earl Wajenberg earlw at mc.com
Wed Feb 3 06:20:12 PST 1999


While we're on the subject of etymology in the names of 
magic schools, here's a nit: "-mancy" is for forms of divination, 
so that "necromancy" is primarily getting information from 
the dead.  If a school of magic is primarily for DOING stuff, 
the ending root should probably be "-urgy," from "ergos," work.
"Theurgy" is "god-work," a fancy name for "white magic," and 
"thaumaturgy" is "wonder-working," a fancy synonynm for magic 
in general.  "Demonurgy" is "devil-work," black magic.

Urbanurgy?  Polisurgy?

Earl




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