Goetia: Amon #7

Amon (AMUN) pronounced "ah -moon."

Marquis governing 40 legions

A spirit with frightening power. In nearly all references, Amon is identified with the Egyptian god of the
same name. Amon, a major deity among the Egyptians, would have been a likely candidate for a young
monarch to ensnare in his Brazen Vessel. The description given in the Goetia for Amon has almost no
comparison to what we hear from the Egyptologist, though, so I was initially suspicious as to whether or
not the two were in fact identical.

Amon of Egypt apparently had rams and geese for his sacred symbols, whereas the Goetia describes him
as a wolf with a serpent's tail or as a man with a raven's head and dog's teeth. Amon was a very
influential deity, but in Goetia the spirit is merely afforded the power to settle controversies between
friends and foes and to gain the love of others. The connection between the two spirits is almost
nonexistent, but there is no outright contradiction - we are nowhere proven wrong for thinking the two
identical. Study alone could not resolve the issue, and to say that they are separate has (until now) made
another of the lesser mysteries of Goetia.

During the Invocation (the 2nd conjuration), great blasts of wind arose outside, and died away suddenly
as the conjuration finished. The sky was otherwise clear. During the constraint, an interior door opened.
That door normally requires a push to open across the carpeting, and the doorknob has always been
secure. There seemed to be wolves at the side of me: first on the left, then right. Each time, there was a
light as if a match had been lit, but slightly larger. In addition, the whole atmosphere of the room
appeared to be infested with an unwholesome feeling as if something bad were about to happen at any
moment.

The spirit appeared at the Address in his "human" form. I use the term "human" in the vaguest sense. He
had two skinny legs and two skinny arms, a torso like a man and a head where a man's head might be.
Instead of a man's head, there was something like a long black dog's snout affixed to a bird's head. The
snout was not a beak, but it was rough and had the appearance of asphalt or vulcanized rubber, and the
teeth stuck out from their bases. It was long and angular, but there was a sort of bulge at the end, and
the eyes were large and dark red like a cherry in black oil. It had an enormous mane of blonde hair, fine
as silk, in hundreds of finely-woven "dredlocks" or something of the sort. They hung wide and long, and
were in fact reminiscent of an Egyptian nemyss. It held a long staff of gold made to suggest his own
head-and-hair shape, and had many divisions along its length. It sat on a grey stone throne.

"You had some purpose in mind when you called me. I have come in answer to that purpose. Tell me
what you require," it spoke in a plain, clear, and even-tempered voice.

The mere look of the thing gave me an immense rush of panic. I held the ring before my lips. It spoke
again, "We will not require such things tonight. I congratulate you on your readiness, and for not
greeting me with a sword in your hand as if you would reach out to pierce my heart." In truth, I had the
sword laid at my feet.

"I find myself surrounded by controversy. I wish to resolve this, as well as certain controversies in the
world at large." I felt confident in my answer, but it replied, "We will not interfere in the affairs of others
except in that they concern yours. You do not have controversy surrounding you, but are truly arrogant
and conceited. Your actions and attitudes create disruption in the lives of those around you. You have
spared none from suffering in which you do not participate but rather perpetuate. You are slow or
forgetful to reciprocate any gratitude, hesitant in meeting obligations, and usually interfere needlessly."

At this point, there were several loud clicks on the north wall, and light like fire. I turned to look, seeing
nothing. "This is my assessment. You cannot even concentrate on this conversation [it had been more of
a lecture] much less attain any of your esteemed goals. You must focus your attention in one particular
thing until it finds completion."

"Is there something that you suggest that I complete?" I said. "I will say nothing about what you would
do, but from now I will be your best friend. That is who I am, it is my name. I am the Best Friend. What
would you like to do? I will make the way clear for you, and lend support to your efforts."

J - "You must put an immediate end to all spite and animosity earned to me from other people, both in
the past, currently, and in the future, in a manner both fair and favorable to me, unto the end of my
days."

S - "I will make an end to your present disputes. You will have no more trouble for wrongs real or
imagined. I will settle your grievances in an equitable manner and to your benefit. You will not disrupt or
deceive, or I will fail you."

J - "I desire also to be loved. Not by any particular person, but to be given admiration for what I do well,
when it is truly well done."

S - "You will have a reward of exalted consideration. You will have the highest consideration for each one
among whom you present the fruits of your skill. You must not use this to make anyone do something
that they had not intended to do, and you may not use it for any purpose to make people believe
something untrue."

J - "Is there some special way to make this happen? Should I use the seal and call you at the time?"

S - "No. I will make these things happen unto their completion for I have the power to do so. I could pick
you up from the ground right now and hold your feet above the floor. Would you like for me to do that
for you?"
J - "Such a thing would breach the circle and it might invalidate all that you had previously agreed to
perform."

S - "You are well guarded and aware. I will tell you that my staff has seventy-two parts, and is a sign of my
place among the others."

J - "You will agree to do what I have asked?"

S - "I will always be your Best Friend. I will do what you have demanded."

I gave the License to Depart. The spirit seemed to turn into a ball and disappear, like watching a
television turn "off." There was a sense of some lingering presence, the same panic feeling had upon its
first arrival. All the same, it had disappeared and I walked out of the circle. Nowhere near the candles,
the front of my robe caught *fire* as the very edge brushed against the outer edge of the circle. I
stepped back to smother the flames. There were none, nor were there any stains of fire despite having
very clearly been the hem of the white linen robe on fire. It was the most disturbing part in this entirely
eerie interaction. I gave the License to Depart again, and the sense of its presence went away
immediately like the feeling after a guest leaves.