A • "Chanting the name abraxas, I finished inscribing the circle into the moist sand, and carefully replaced the stone at the Eastern point. Just then the wind blew a sudden gust into the cave, echoing deep within the mountain like some great haunted drum." -- Douglas Monroe, The 21 Lessons of Merlyn: A Study in Druid Magic and Lore (1992) Abulafia Origins: Jewish scholar Abraham Abulafia (1240-c.1292) was a writer of treatises on practical mysticism. Denounced and branded as a heretic, he is now recognized as "one of the great Kabbalists."101 In Literature: • "Even the sound of Abulafia's name sets off music in her head. A-bu-lafi-a. It's magic, the open sesame that unblocked the path to her father and then to language itself." -- Myla Goldberg, Bee Season (2000) Aburadan (see perciphedron) Acba Origins: Acba may be derived from the Arabic word akbar, "most great." Facts: This magic word is featured in the role-playing game "I Blame Society." It is recommended for use with "marbles of transformation": "These small glass or marble balls appear to be ordinary marbles, but are actually a bizarre mystical transmutation of a common object such as a length of rope. . . . The marble will transform into the original object, in perfect condition, when the character mentally wills it to do so and says the magic word 'Acba' three times."102 Variations and Incantations: • Allah acba -- John A. Topping, Runaway (2000) 101 Myla Goldberg, Bee Season (2000) 102 C.J. Gardiner, IBlameSociety.ca (2005)