In NetHack, wands are rods made of various materials (glass, tin, even uranium), contain a variable number of charges (lots for a wand of light, but maybe 2 or 3 for the coveted wand of wishing). Zapping a wand expends a charge and produces some kind of effect (insane exception: wand of nothing). Wands can be recharged, but only a certain number of times. Wands occasionally explode when zapped -- this is the only aspect of wand use where cursed-ness is detrimental: cursed wands are more likely to break.

NetHack wands include:

A magick wand is a gentler tool for invoking and directing than the athame. Some people buy them, some people make them. (I found mine.) It's often a piece of wood, though the type of wood that it is "supposed" to be varies with your tradition and beliefs. It is usually decorated or adorned somehow (mine isn't). The wand is aligned with the male aspect (the God) and with the element of Air, which is the east. As I said, you can use it for invocation purposes, and sometimes for indicating objects or calling outside influences to yourself or the circle. I like to use it while I'm asking for the presence of the deities as I see them (sort of like asking the universe to pay attention to me 'cause I'm gonna do something). You may have different wands for different purposes. A staff, like a large wand, is sometimes used at gatherings or by "grander" traditions.

Magickal tools

In the Opera browser versions 7 and up, the wand is the password manager. One can choose whether the wand should save the password for a page or for a whole server, and next time one enters the site, the username/password fields should already filled in. If they are not, or if it is a different page on the same site, clicking the wand symbol on the main bar should both fill in the fields and submit the information. Passwords and usernames are scrambled before they are saved. The wand can of course itself be protected by password or simply disabled (under preferences > security), for example if the browser is regularly accessed by more than one user.

Wands, in Thelemic magick, are the Magickal Weapon of Fire, and the symbol of the Will of the Magician. It should be from one to two feet long, and made of a straightish bough of wood (hazel, oak, willow and almond are most favored). Some like a core to their wand, of magnetized iron wire, for this the willow wand is the best, having a fiber core easy to bore, and some like a quartz crystal on the end, though a perfectly good Wand can be made simply by pointing one end and notching the other, like an arrow, to symbolize male and female.

In this tradition, which predates Wicca by some decades at least, the Wand should be thought of, not as "gentler" but as capable of shooting beams of light or fire: while the action of a Dagger is limited by physical reach, a Wand's ray can extend to the limits of the Magickal Universe. It is also used as a barrier, or door: to keep unwanted people, things, or forces from you, hold it horizontally and make appropriate remarks, while to welcome or draw in wanted persons, things, ideas or forces, hold it again horizontally, and turn it inward, as if opening a door, while verbally welcoming what you desire. While wishing someone or thing well, or on generally "good" errands, the Wand should be held upright, to curse or do other mischief, it's reversed.

Wands are very strongly masculine, and prized by female adepts, some of whom sleep with them. Rubbing oil into a wand is a form of meditation, and should be done often, it's said that the more love and sweetness given a wand, the more powerful it can be. (And yes, doing that with them is empowering also.)

They're strongly personal, and should be kept in a wand bag or square of unmarked white or red silk or linen. Never touch another's wand, and don't let anyone touch or use yours. Now you know.

Wand (?), n. [Of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. vondr, akin to Dan. vaand, Goth. wandus; perhaps originally, a pliant twig, and akin to E. wind to turn.]

1.

A small stick; a rod; a verge.

With good smart blows of a wand on his back. Locke.

2. Specifically: (a)

A staff of authority.

Though he had both spurs and wand, they seemed rather marks of sovereignty than instruments of punishment. Sir P. Sidney.

(b)

A rod used by conjurers, diviners, magicians, etc.

Picus bore a buckler in his hand; His other waved a long divining wand. Dryden.

Wand of peace ScotsLaw, a wand, or staff, carried by the messenger of a court, which he breaks when deforced (that is, hindered from executing process), as a symbol of the deforcement, and protest for remedy of law.

Burrill.

 

© Webster 1913.

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