Sigil
A symbol of will, sealed in the unconscious.
A sigil is a type of symbol used in magic. The term usually refers to a pictorial signature of a spirit (such as an angel, demon, or deity). In modern usage, especially in the context of chaos magic, a sigil refers to a symbolic representation of the practitioner's desired outcome.
Quick Facts
- Setting
- City atop an asteroid in the Outlands (D&D cosmology)
- First appears
- Planescape: Torment (1999)
- Ruler
- The Lady of the Door (Nadine)
- Developer
- Black Isle Studios
- Publisher
- Interplay
- Genre
- Narrative-driven CRPG
- Access
- The Door (reachable from any plane of existence)
Lore & Background
The term sigil derives from the Latin word for 'seal'. In medieval magic, sigils were commonly used to represent various angels and demons that a practitioner might summon. Grimoires like The Lesser Key of Solomon list sigils of 72 princes of the hierarchy of hell. Some consider such sigils equivalent to the true name of the spirit, granting the magician control over the being. A common method of creating sigils used kameas (magic squares) where names were converted to numbers, located on the square, and connected by lines. English artist and occultist Austin Osman Spare developed his own method, arguing that supernatural beings were complexes in the unconscious that could be actively created through sigilization. In chaos magic, sigils are created by condensing an intention into a monogram, then 'charged' in a gnostic state to implant the desire in the unconscious. After charging, the magician should strive to forget the sigil. Complexes of thoughts and desires that appear autonomous are called servitors; a group-mind version is an egregore. Grant Morrison coined 'hypersigil' for an extended work of art with magical meaning, and argued that corporate logos like the McDonald's Golden Arches are a form of viral sigil.
Reader's Guide
To create a sigil, write an intention, then condense the letters into a monogram. Charge the sigil using a gnostic state to bypass the conscious mind and implant the desire in the unconscious. After charging, deliberately forget the sigil.
More in Production & Legacy
Elsewhere in Planescape Torment
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