In pop culture, there are often varying sources of magic power. Some examples of this are divine in nature—such as gods. Others might be gained through contract with a non-divine being, like the Warlock Contracts in Dungeons and Dragons. Supernatural heritage is another example. I thought it would be interesting to explore pop culture magic through the lens of different power sources. This article is about Spirit Allies. These creatures come in all forms, both traditional and pop-culture inspired. There is a bit of a blurred line between very powerful spirits and gods—but that is not something I’m getting into in this post. 

In this type of paradigm, power does not necessarily come from the magician themselves. Rather, the magician’s spirit allies use their natural powers in accordance with the magician’s will and request. 

The Importance of Relationships

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to working with spirits. Different spirits have different needs, and I am not the person to tell anyone what those will be. But, one thing is very clear. There has to be respect between a practitioner and the spirits they work with. Spirits are not tools. They have their own will, and they can get angry. You wouldn’t want to help someone with their homework if they treated you like shit all the time, would you? By the same token, spirits are not going to be inclined to help anyone who doesn’t respect them or give them the attention they need. 

It’s come up more than once in the Clow Sorcery discord that Card Spirits need attention. You can’t just ignore them for an extended period of time and then expect them to work well for you. In addition, you have to earn their respect in the first place. 

In the manga and anime The Ancient Magus Bride (Mahoutsukai no Yome) it is overtly stated that every person has natural compatibility with certain spirits and not others. Some spirits may just not like you—and there is little you can do about that. At the same time, politeness and respect will go a long way in not getting your ass handed to you. 

I suggest that any practitioner working with spirits keep some notes on what they like. Note, familiars that do not have a physical, biological, body also fall into this overall type of magic source. 

Compatible Pop Culture Paradigms

Several pop culture paradigms come to mind when I think of magic that comes from spirit allies. Mahotsukai no Yome has jokingly been called ‘Tradcraft: the Anime’ for a reason. Pokemon and Card Captor Sakura also fit very well into this type of power source. Note: the lore of Ancient Magus Bride, this is just one type of magic. 

Within Jujutsu Kaisen, Megumi’s power is partially based on spirit allies. Megumi can summon spirits to help him. A summoner tradition of any type would also fit into this category. Palisman from Owl House and Intelligent Devices are a cross between Spirit Allies and Artifacts. 

Warnings

Just like normal people and witches, not all spirits have good intentions. There’s plenty of scenarios where spirits can take advantage of someone who isn’t as mentally discerning and tell them all sorts of lies. Always verify information, and make good use of wards. Assholes are eternal, even if they have no bodies.