Black magic, also known as dark magic or sorcery, is a form of supernatural practice that involves using evil and malicious powers to manipulate or harm others. It is believed to be derived from ancient occult practices and is often associated with supernatural beings, such as witches and demons. While the origins of black magic are unclear, it has been present in various cultures and religions throughout history. It is commonly associated with the occult and is considered to be a taboo practice in many societies. The practitioners of black magic are often believed to have acquired their powers through a pact with the devil or other demonic entities. The practice of black magic typically involves the use of rituals, spells, and incantations to achieve a desired outcome.
A big host of creatives have come together to help bring the game to life including Matt Click, Runehammer, Sant. V. Schreiber, Blight Bones, David Annadale (yes, the author!) and a host of playtesters. I love the unique and interesting aesthetic that we're seeing here with IDOLS Of TORMENT and most importantly, the game feels like a labour of love from Jeremy of Black Magic Craft.
They also discussed that alongside The Lost and the miniatures for The Orders, you ll also be able to get tokens and measuring devices as well that are all designed to feel in-world and part of this dark and twisted hellscape. Pillipow attributes some of the recent interest in Dungeons Dragons to the Marvel cinematic universe, which opened the door for comic book superheroes to enter the mainstream.
The practice of black magic typically involves the use of rituals, spells, and incantations to achieve a desired outcome. These rituals often involve the use of objects or substances that are believed to possess mystical properties, such as amulets, talismans, and potions. The practitioner may also invoke supernatural beings or spirits to assist them in their endeavors.
Designing Dragons
On a crisp fall night some five years ago, the villagers of Hillboddom were woken by screams.
Running into the streets, they discovered five children in the woodland village had been spirited away in their sleep. Mysteriously, the sign of the ancient demon Pazomat was painted on their doors.
The jarl called for volunteers and five brave souls stepped forward. Before the sunrise, they embarked on their quest: retrieve the children and bring them home safe from whatever foe had taken them.
It was cultists, of course, maniacally bent on freeing the ancient demon from the stone vault where he'd been sealed for millennia.
"Standard," Jeremy Pillipow now says of the first campaign he ran in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, the venerable tabletop roleplaying game. "Everybody's first game, they run cultists."
Jeremy Pillipow is the man behind Black Magic Craft, a YouTube channel he's made his career.
Now, five years later, amid a resurgence in the game's popularity, the former contractor has turned his hobby into a full-time job, producing YouTube tutorials on how to make tabletop terrain pieces for a subscriber base of more than 163,000 people.
Sitting in the studio in his Charleswood home, Pillipow — or Black Magic Craft on YouTube — was surrounded by the tools of his trade: a rainbow of paints, utility knives, stacks of insulation foam and electrical cutting equipment.
A wall behind him displays dozens of the intricately detailed set pieces of a fantasy world in miniature, from castles and shacks to tentacled monsters. A tiny guillotine is delicately spattered with painted blood.
As dungeon master, his role in that first campaign was to create the narrative of the game, leading his players — or party — through the twists and turns of a fantasy universe. Six months in, the heroes managed to get the children home safe — or so they thought.
"It turned out the kids weren't the kids," he said. "They were possessed spirits that tried to murder the whole village."
Pillipow's first creation was a diorama of a swamp, complete with derelict shack. He built it out of things he pulled from his recycling bin.
"It looks like a high school kid’s art project — maybe a really talented elementary school kid," he said, laughing.
"But it worked, and we played our first game that I ever ran with it. . It served its purpose and everybody playing thought it was amazing, and that was the magic of the hobby."
The first structure Pillipow built was a derelict swamp shack, made from things he pulled from his recycling bin.
Dungeons & Dragons has been around for decades, dating back to the mid-1970s and booming as a pop culture phenomenon in the '80s. But enthusiasts say they’ve recently seen an explosion in the game, particularly after the release of its fifth edition in 2014 and accelerating over the past two years.
Pillipow, though, was initially reluctant to try it out. He agreed to play as a favour to a friend’s wife but worried it would be awkward or weird — the same kind of social pressures he feels often hold people back from trying new things.
Pillipow's more recent builds are more refined, featuring materials like insulation foam.
"When you play a game like Dungeons & Dragons or any other kind of roleplaying game, you have to leave that at the door," he said. "You cannot do it without putting that aside, opening up yourself, making yourself vulnerable, and just doing it.
"As soon as you do that and you realize that you're surrounded by friends who support you and it doesn't matter, it is one of the most liberating experiences you can imagine."
He knew right away he wanted to play with physical terrain — not pen and paper as some players do. At the time, he told himself he needed to see the terrain there in order to play the game. Now, he thinks it was just an excuse to build.
He made the leap to posting videos online shortly after he started building. Video editing filled the void left behind by his former side gig as a musician — a pursuit he left behind after the arrival of a new baby made the travel and loud noises at home impractical.
From the first videos he posted, shot on his iPhone, he said he saw potential for his channel. When he decided to treat it as a business, the growth exploded.
He made YouTube his full-time job in May 2018, when his earnings from his channel — through affiliate sales, ad revenue, sponsorships and fan donations — equalled his previous salary.
"Now, in retrospect, I don't know if I'll ever go back to music in my life," he said. "This is so much more fulfilling and rewarding."
Pillipow says some of the growth in the game is down to more recent pop culture phenomenons like the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Stranger Things.
Pillipow came to Dungeons & Dragons as a lover of horror, not fantasy. His campaigns and terrain builds tend to be based in a grittier, low fantasy — where fantastical elements take place in an otherwise normal world — rather than the more epic worlds of high fantasy, like Lord of the Rings.
His status as a relative outsider to the world of model-making helped him stand out, too, he said. Instead of materials you’d find at a hobby shop, he reached for things you’d find at Home Depot. Insulation foam, drywall mud and tile grout are all mainstays of his craft.
"I was a contractor. I built houses for real, in the real world," he said.
"To build something in miniature was really intuitive to me, because I understood how things go together, how forms are supposed to look — but more importantly, I had access to all of these materials that very few people were utilizing in the hobby, materials that might intimidate the average person."
Pillipow attributes some of the recent interest in Dungeons & Dragons to the Marvel cinematic universe, which opened the door for comic book superheroes to enter the mainstream.
"While the door was open, certain important media swept in," he said. "It's no secret that shows like Stranger Things made [Dungeons & Dragons] a household name," he says of the Netflix hit, which is set during D&D's 1980s heyday and has featured its main characters playing the game.
Brian Mitchell, owner of A Muse N Games in Winnipeg, also attributes some of the game's recent resurgence to the success of Critical Role, an online show where actors play the game. The show’s website says it gets half a million viewers a week.
At Mitchell’s store, kits for D&D are his best-selling roleplaying game guides, and players have to book in advance if they want to participate in one of the three D&D nights held a the shop each week.
Jonas Pagé, a supervisor at GameKnight Games and Cool Stuff in Winnipeg, says D&D has a diverse community of players.
Jonas Pagé, a supervisor at GameKnight Games and Cool Stuff in Winnipeg, said where the store once ran Dungeons & Dragons games two to three times per week, it now runs six.
Compared to other tabletop games where the majority of players are male, Pagé said the growth in the D&D crew has been diverse.
"We've been seeing a lot of different kinds of people coming out for D&D," they said. "Young kids and a lot of women, people of different sort of ethnic [backgrounds] and gender diverse people.… It's a very diverse community."
Pillipow said there’s value in bringing fantasy and world-building into your daily life, no matter how old you are.
"I think that we have a tendency to grow up and ignore our imagination. You know, we get stuck in our routines," he said. "Our imaginations are a really powerful thing, and the older you get, the stronger they can get, if you continue to develop it."
A miniature cadaver collector is one of the handmade figures living on the shelves in Pillipow's studio.
For people who want to do that, Dungeons & Dragons is a welcoming setting, he said.
"It doesn't matter if you're, like, a nerdy little kid or a ripped bodybuilder dude who plays football and goes fishing and hunting. It's kind of this universal acceptance," he said.
"Maybe that's part of the reason this hobby is becoming so popular now, when it is. Because I think people are starting to let themselves be vulnerable and experiment.
"And I think we really, really need that right now."
Sitting in the studio in his Charleswood home, Pillipow — or Black Magic Craft on YouTube — was surrounded by the tools of his trade: a rainbow of paints, utility knives, stacks of insulation foam and electrical cutting equipment.
The effects of black magic can vary widely, depending on the intent of the practitioner. It is often used to inflict harm or misfortune upon others, such as causing illness, accidents, or even death. Some practitioners may also use black magic to manipulate or control the actions and thoughts of their victims, exerting a form of mental and emotional domination. Black magic is often viewed as a dangerous and unethical practice, as it goes against moral and ethical principles. It is considered to be an abuse of power and is often associated with malicious intent. Many religious and spiritual traditions condemn black magic and consider it to be sinful or wicked. In some societies, the practice of black magic is illegal and punishable by law. However, it is often difficult to detect and prove, as it is often done in secret and without the knowledge of others. This makes it challenging to hold practitioners accountable for their actions. It is important to note that the belief in black magic is often based on superstition and fear. Many alleged cases of black magic can be attributed to natural causes or psychological phenomena. It is often used as a scapegoat or explanation for unexplained events or misfortune. In conclusion, black magic is a supernatural practice that involves using evil and malicious powers to manipulate or harm others. It is often associated with ancient occult practices and is considered to be taboo in many societies. While the belief in black magic persists in some cultures, it is important to approach such claims with skepticism and critical thinking..
Reviews for "Black Magic Craft: The Art of Hexes and Curses"
1. Michael - 2 stars - I was really excited to read "Black Magic Craft" after hearing so many rave reviews, but unfortunately I found it to be extremely disappointing. The writing is disjointed and lacks a clear structure, making it difficult to follow. The author seems to jump from topic to topic without offering any real depth or insight. I also found the ideas and techniques presented to be very basic and not particularly innovative. Overall, I was hoping for a more informative and engaging read, but unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations.
2. Sarah - 1 star - I have to say, "Black Magic Craft" was a total letdown for me. The content felt very rushed and poorly researched. The techniques discussed were nothing new or groundbreaking, and the examples provided fell flat. I also found the writing style to be dull and monotonous, which made it difficult to stay engaged. I was hoping for a book that would inspire and excite me about the craft, but this book did the complete opposite. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable resource on black magic arts.
3. John - 2 stars - I was extremely disappointed with "Black Magic Craft". While the title and description promised a comprehensive guide to black magic, I found it to be lacking in substance. The book seemed more focused on self-promotion and personal anecdotes rather than providing useful information. The techniques discussed were not well-explained, leaving me more confused than before. Overall, I feel like I wasted my money on a book that offered little value or insight. I would not recommend it to anyone serious about learning the craft.
4. Emma - 2.5 stars - I had high hopes for "Black Magic Craft", but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The book seemed to lack a clear direction and failed to provide any real depth or expertise. The explanations were often unclear and left me searching for more information. I also found the examples provided to be lackluster and uninspiring. Overall, while there were a few interesting ideas scattered throughout, the book as a whole was underwhelming and didn't live up to my expectations. I would advise looking for other resources if you're serious about delving into black magic crafting.