particular traits."
He picked up the next item- a simple piece of wood, long and
tapered, made of a deeper, darker wood than the athame. "This is my wand.
Some people don't use one at all, but I find I like the focus of holding an
actual object in my hand as opposed to using my mind. My wand is cut from a
rosewood tree. Again, this is best for earth magicks, and does well with
matters of the heart.
"The left side of the altar is the God side, while the
right is for the Goddess." He next handled a small statuette of a man
holding a bow and arrow, only four inches tall. "This is Eros, the Greek
God of Love."
Diandra studied it closely, her brow furrowed. "It
looks like a larger version of Cupid," she said with a smile.
Adrian nodded, setting the statuette down. "Yes, and
that's not an accident. Some say he was the inspiration for the modern
representation of Cupid, so you're right." He reached to the Goddess side
of the altar, lifting a statuette done in the same style, this one of a female
stretching artfully, draped in a piece of billowing cloth and nothing else.
"And this is Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love. Some say she was
actually Eros's mother. I choose to worship them most of the time, although if
I am in need of something in particular, I offer a prayer or do a spell in the
name of whichever God or Goddess best represents my needs." He made sure
the figurines were placed back in their proper spots, each positioned in front
of a candle. "The candles also represent the God and Goddess. The red
candle behind the God is often the color I choose, although I know another
witch who uses a yellowish-gold taper. I also prefer white for the Goddess,
although my friend uses a light blue taper for everyday worship and a silver
taper on Pagan holidays."
He cleared his throat and then moved on. Diandra was silent,
only nodding when he looked at her to make sure he had her attention. He picked
up a sickle-shaped knife with a white handle. "This is a boline, a working
knife. Where the athame is used for figurative cutting, this is used for actual
cutting. Sometimes for carving symbols into candles, sometimes for cutting
herbs, but I always use this knife for actual ritual work. Some people prefer a
straight blade- I find the crescent shape more comfortable to wield, and
comforting as well since it reminds me of the moon." He blushed a bit at
that, but continued.
"I keep oil on hand- I prefer lavender oil as it goes
well with the type of magick I practice, but there are many other varieties
available and each means something different. And this is incense, as I'm sure
you know. It can be burned for all different types of magick, and each scent
has specific properties. For instance, you would never burn incense for a love
spell if it's meant to be used for monetary gains." He set down the
incense he was holding and lifted a small bowl. "This is a thurible, and
it's used for burning incense that isn't in stick form. I also burn herbs in it
as needed."
He shifted over to the right side, or Goddess side, of the
altar. He picked up a wooden chalice. "Wood appeals to me. There's
something so solid, so comforting, about the heft and feel of objects carved
from wood. That's why I chose a wooden chalice for the Goddess side of my
altar. I also chose wood for my paten." He set down the chalice and
offered up a wooden plate. Diandra took it wordlessly, running her fingers over
it and tracing the pattern of a star that was engraved upon it. She shivered
when energy ran up her fingers, through her arm, all the way to her shoulder.
She quickly set it down. Adrian continued speaking as though he hadn't noticed,
but she knew little escaped his attention. "The paten is for cakes and
such- think of it like a communion plate." He set it down and prepared to
move on.
"Wait," Diandra said. It was the first time she'd
spoken since shortly after they started, and he turned to give her his full
attention. "You've pointed out only two candles- the
He picked up the next item- a simple piece of wood, long and
tapered, made of a deeper, darker wood than the athame. "This is my wand.
Some people don't use one at all, but I find I like the focus of holding an
actual object in my hand as opposed to using my mind. My wand is cut from a
rosewood tree. Again, this is best for earth magicks, and does well with
matters of the heart.
"The left side of the altar is the God side, while the
right is for the Goddess." He next handled a small statuette of a man
holding a bow and arrow, only four inches tall. "This is Eros, the Greek
God of Love."
Diandra studied it closely, her brow furrowed. "It
looks like a larger version of Cupid," she said with a smile.
Adrian nodded, setting the statuette down. "Yes, and
that's not an accident. Some say he was the inspiration for the modern
representation of Cupid, so you're right." He reached to the Goddess side
of the altar, lifting a statuette done in the same style, this one of a female
stretching artfully, draped in a piece of billowing cloth and nothing else.
"And this is Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love. Some say she was
actually Eros's mother. I choose to worship them most of the time, although if
I am in need of something in particular, I offer a prayer or do a spell in the
name of whichever God or Goddess best represents my needs." He made sure
the figurines were placed back in their proper spots, each positioned in front
of a candle. "The candles also represent the God and Goddess. The red
candle behind the God is often the color I choose, although I know another
witch who uses a yellowish-gold taper. I also prefer white for the Goddess,
although my friend uses a light blue taper for everyday worship and a silver
taper on Pagan holidays."
He cleared his throat and then moved on. Diandra was silent,
only nodding when he looked at her to make sure he had her attention. He picked
up a sickle-shaped knife with a white handle. "This is a boline, a working
knife. Where the athame is used for figurative cutting, this is used for actual
cutting. Sometimes for carving symbols into candles, sometimes for cutting
herbs, but I always use this knife for actual ritual work. Some people prefer a
straight blade- I find the crescent shape more comfortable to wield, and
comforting as well since it reminds me of the moon." He blushed a bit at
that, but continued.
"I keep oil on hand- I prefer lavender oil as it goes
well with the type of magick I practice, but there are many other varieties
available and each means something different. And this is incense, as I'm sure
you know. It can be burned for all different types of magick, and each scent
has specific properties. For instance, you would never burn incense for a love
spell if it's meant to be used for monetary gains." He set down the
incense he was holding and lifted a small bowl. "This is a thurible, and
it's used for burning incense that isn't in stick form. I also burn herbs in it
as needed."
He shifted over to the right side, or Goddess side, of the
altar. He picked up a wooden chalice. "Wood appeals to me. There's
something so solid, so comforting, about the heft and feel of objects carved
from wood. That's why I chose a wooden chalice for the Goddess side of my
altar. I also chose wood for my paten." He set down the chalice and
offered up a wooden plate. Diandra took it wordlessly, running her fingers over
it and tracing the pattern of a star that was engraved upon it. She shivered
when energy ran up her fingers, through her arm, all the way to her shoulder.
She quickly set it down. Adrian continued speaking as though he hadn't noticed,
but she knew little escaped his attention. "The paten is for cakes and
such- think of it like a communion plate." He set it down and prepared to
move on.
"Wait," Diandra said. It was the first time she'd
spoken since shortly after they started, and he turned to give her his full
attention. "You've pointed out only two candles- the
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