Book of Shadows

By Crusader1307

While Hollywood and Literature have somewhat twisted them a ''Book of Shadows'' was actually a volume kept by a Witch or Warlock, which contained proven spells and incantations. As a Practitioner began to amass ''knowledge'', they would write it down. These were kept and referred to as needed. ''Shadow Books'' are seen as neither good or bad simply ''stores of knowledge''. Often confused with a Grimoire, ''Shadow Books'' seldom contained anything other than potions, spells, talismen and related. In some Cultures, they are known as ''Witch Books''. They are often blessed and seen as the source of a Practitioner's ''power''. One did no allow other to ''read'' one's book, as doing so was seen as revealing one's ''power base''. Some ''examples'' (although these are often called into question as hoaxes) can be found from the 16th Century AD.