Black Magic

Black magic (Also known as "Higher Magic") is a form of magic that encompasses drawing and storing energy from unwilling or non-magician living organisms, the creation of blood stones (or gems), and the creation of store stones (or gems).

Drawing Energy
Black magic may be used to take energy from a living organism. Energy can be drawn from any break in the "natural barrier" that covers the skin, which may be caused by a wound, withdrawing it willingly, or if a magician send energy, which a black magician can store. If energy is recieved without a break in the skin, the amount of energy recieved is dicatated by the donor. If the energy is recieved by cutting or puncturing the skin, however, the amount that can be drawn is limited by the size and depth of the wound. Ideally, the would should draw blood, in which case all of the energy in a body may be drawn quickly. If a person is killed by this meathod, a magician can detect it by searching for life energy within the body.

Creating Blood Stones
Bloodstones allow the creator to read the surface thoughts of the wearer, and to speak mentally with them. They also allow the wearer to read an amount of the creators thoughts, the amount dictated by the creator. Blood stones are created by allowing a physical part of the creators body (usualy blood, as it it easy to use) to imprint the creators indentity onto glass. The finer details are not covered in the books. The link will affect any person who touches the ring, and the only way to destroy the link is to shatter the stone.

Creating Store Stones
Store stones are not covered as thoroughly as blood stones and drawing energy. In The High Lord, Lord Dannyl finds a book describing black magic. It describes store stones as ""Store Stones" or "Store Gems" which can hold and release magic in specific ways".

In The Magician's Apprentice a large egg shaped store stone is revealed that has been kept as a secret weapon by some Kryalian magicians. The stone can hold vast amount of magic and upon an unstated command can release this energy all at once in a devastating blast. It is implied that this store stone was used at some point between the events of The Magician's Apprentice and The Magician's Guild to create the wasteland between Sachaka and Kryalia.

Non-consensual Mind reading
The ability to drill deeper, and collect more information, with painful force into anothers mind without willing consent, (not to be confused with mind reading or truth reading) is associated by Guild magicians with black magic, however it does not require black magic to use.