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Sorcery · Activation

Activation Structures

Activation structures classify sorcery by how the spell actually fires. Where foundations ask 'what is sorcery,' activation structures ask 'how does this spell start.' Four canonical structures cover most operations: ritual, incantation, pact, and sacrifice.

Each structure has its own demands. Rituals need physical setup; incantations need the right words spoken correctly; pacts need a counterparty; sacrifices need an exchange of value. The choice of structure usually decides who can perform the spell at all and how long the preparation takes.

On this page we walk the four structures together — what each is, when each is used, and how to read which structure a given spell belongs to.

Core characteristics

The defining properties that set this category apart from others.

  • Activation-centric
    Splits sorcery by how the spell fires.
  • Setup-aware
    Each structure has different setup demands.
  • Performer-centric
    Decides who can actually perform the spell.
  • Cross-effect
    The same effect can use different structures.

How it differs from neighboring categories

Even within the same family, each category has a distinct character. Comparing side by side is the fastest way to grasp the differences.

Activation Structures

How sorcery actually fires.

Medium Types

What carries the operation.

Pact Origins

Where the power comes from.

Effect Types

What the spell actually does.

When activation structures help

Best when you need to understand how a spell starts.

  • Reading a spell
    Identifying how a sorcery operation actually fires.
  • Performer-checking
    Verifying whether a character can actually perform the spell.
  • Setup-checking
    Estimating how long the spell takes to prepare.
  • Counter-design
    Designing how to break or interrupt the spell.

The four activation structures

MoonWiki uses four canonical structures.

Ritual

Physical setup with materials, gestures, and timing.

Incantation

Spoken words operating through the power of language.

Pact

Agreement with a counterparty who provides the power.

Sacrifice

Exchange of valuable life or goods for the operation.

Limits of structure classification

Activation doesn't answer every question.

  • Effect-blind
    What the spell does lives on the effect-type page.
  • Origin-blind
    Where the power comes from lives on the pact-origin page.
  • Hybrid spells
    Spells that mix structures (ritual + sacrifice) are awkward to classify.

Subcategories

How activation structures are used

Read each structure alongside its neighbors.

First, identify the dominant structure of the spell.

Then layer on the medium, the origin, the effect, and the rank.

Finally, place the full spell into the work's broader sorcery system.

Digging deeper into structures

Open each structure directly.

Start with Ritual Sorcery for the physical-setup tradition.

Move to Incantation for the spoken-word tradition.

Read Pact Sorcery and Sacrifice-based Sorcery for the higher-cost structures.