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Changed line(s) 145 (click to see context) from:
* FlatEarthAtheist: Gillian insists {{flying carpet}}s are impossible even when Magdelene's touches down right in front of her. Magdelene is perplexed hearing this.
to:
* FlatEarthAtheist: Gillian insists {{flying carpet}}s are impossible even when Magdelene's touches down right in front of her.her on one. Magdelene is perplexed hearing this.
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Changed line(s) 144 (click to see context) from:
* FelonyMisdemeanor: The second charge against Magdelene by the Council of Wizards is that she 'consorted with a bard' (therefore bearing a son he sired), which they think is very bad for some unexplained reason.
to:
* FelonyMisdemeanor: The second charge against Magdelene by the Council of Wizards is that she 'consorted once "consorted with a bard' bard" (therefore bearing a son he sired), which they think is very bad a grave offense for some unexplained reason.
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Not An Example it seems.
Deleted line(s) 143 (click to see context) :
* AllCaps: Micholas refers to the COUNCIL OF WIZARDS this way at first, as do other wizards.
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* OneHitKill: Magdelene is able to kill Warlord Herrick with one word: 'Die'.
to:
* OneHitKill: Magdelene is able to kill Warlord Herrick with one word: 'Die'."Die".
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* BullyingADragon: Multiple people have no idea who they're dealing with when they try to make Magdelene do something or harm another person she cares about. She then shows her status as the most powerful wizard in the world by doing things such as [[ForcedTransformation turning them into an animal]], [[PhantomZonePicture trapping them inside of a mirror]] or if they ''really'' angered her, simply [[OneHitKill killing them]] [[CompellingVoice with a word]].
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* HasAType: Magdelene is attracted to young, muscular man, and especially musicians.
to:
* HasAType: Magdelene is attracted to young, muscular man, men, and especially musicians.
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* CameBackWrong: Magdelene [[BackFromTheDead raises]] Warlord Herrick when the villagers insist, but leaves him with the mind of a toddler so he's no longer a threat. This is a special case, since raising people otherwise doesn't appear to affect them negatively, as she does Juan too, who's fine.
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Changed line(s) 125 (click to see context) from:
* WizardClassic: Adar makes himself look old with a spell, wrinkled and with a long white beard, to fit this as it's more impressive to other people (he's really twenty six).
to:
* WizardClassic: Adar makes himself look old with a spell, old, wrinkled and with a long white beard, beard by a spell, to fit this as it's more impressive to other people (he's really only twenty six).six), alongside the [[RobeAndWizardHat usual garb]].
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Changed line(s) 122 (click to see context) from:
* TeacherStudentRomance: Magdelene starts to find her master Adar attractive, and loses her virginity with him.
to:
* TeacherStudentRomance: Magdelene starts to find her master Adar attractive, and loses her virginity with him. Adar is equally into it, but somewhat taken aback by her eagerness. They don't have anything beyond this however.
* TheirFirstTime: Magdelene eagerly loses her virginity through having sex with Adar, her master, basically throwing herself on him.
* TheirFirstTime: Magdelene eagerly loses her virginity through having sex with Adar, her master, basically throwing herself on him.
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Changed line(s) 49 (click to see context) from:
* FountainOfYouth: Magdelene keeps herself young (about forty) with magic, and easily could do the same for other people. In "Third Time Lucky" too Magdelene turns her son back into a baby after he tries to kill her.
to:
* FountainOfYouth: FountainOfYouth:
** Magdelene keeps herself young (about forty) with magic, and easily could do the same for otherpeople. people.
** In "Third Time Lucky" too Magdelene turns her son back into a baby after he tries to killher.her.
** In "And Who Is Joah?" Magdelene starts teaching Joah to turn parts of herself younger or older first thing. After being rescued, she's managed it.
** Magdelene keeps herself young (about forty) with magic, and easily could do the same for other
** In "Third Time Lucky" too Magdelene turns her son back into a baby after he tries to kill
** In "And Who Is Joah?" Magdelene starts teaching Joah to turn parts of herself younger or older first thing. After being rescued, she's managed it.
Deleted line(s) 112 (click to see context) :
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Magdelene starts teaching Joah to turn parts of herself younger or older first thing. After being rescued, she's managed it.
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Changed line(s) 109 (click to see context) from:
* TitleDrop: Magdelene with this question after Joah gives her name.
to:
* TitleDrop: Magdelene replies with this question after Joah gives her name.
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Changed line(s) 101 (click to see context) from:
* DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu: Magdelene is close friends with Death herself, as Zayd learns after going into the Netherworld with her. They embrace heartily, with War, Famine and Pestilence looking on. Zayd just comments that Magdelene's got some weird friends.
to:
* DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu: Magdelene is close friends with Death herself, as Zayd learns after going into the Netherworld with her. They embrace heartily, with [[TheFourHorsemenOfTheApocalypse War, Famine and Pestilence Pestilence]] looking on. Zayd just comments that Magdelene's got some weird friends.
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* TheFourHorsemenOfTheApocalypse: Magdelene and Joah run into them while in the Netherworld. As Magdelene's good friends with Death, it's [[DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu quite the happy meeting]].
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Changed line(s) 107 (click to see context) from:
* SiblingAgeGap: Joah is a thirteen year old girl, with her half-brother Zayd at least twice her age.
to:
* SiblingAgeGap: PracticallyDifferentGenerations: Joah is a thirteen year old girl, with her half-brother Zayd at least twice her age.
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* {{Polyamory}}: Joah tells Magdelene how her father has six wives. Given this, she has many half-siblings. Her older half-brother Zayd is another character in the story as he comes to find her.
* SiblingAgeGap: Joah is a thirteen year old girl, with her half-brother Zayd at least twice her age.
* SiblingAgeGap: Joah is a thirteen year old girl, with her half-brother Zayd at least twice her age.
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* TokenMinority: Most of the characters are white, with most being presumably white (though they're not all explicitly described in many cases), though with some exceptions (certain people appear to be olive-skinned, though it's not very clear if they're equivalent to some other ethnicities).
** Joah and Zayd in "And Who Is Joah?" are described as black people, coming from a country much further south from the main setting.
** One of the wizards in "Nothing Up Her Sleeve" it seems has an East Asian appearance.
** Joah and Zayd in "And Who Is Joah?" are described as black people, coming from a country much further south from the main setting.
** One of the wizards in "Nothing Up Her Sleeve" it seems has an East Asian appearance.
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* TheApprentice:
** In "And Who Is Joah?" Magdelene accepts Joah as hers, as she recognizes her as having great power in magic like herself, so that not being trained would leave her very dangerous.
** "The Last Lesson" delves into Magdelene's time as apprentice to her master in the past learning magic.
** In "And Who Is Joah?" Magdelene accepts Joah as hers, as she recognizes her as having great power in magic like herself, so that not being trained would leave her very dangerous.
** "The Last Lesson" delves into Magdelene's time as apprentice to her master in the past learning magic.
Deleted line(s) 93 (click to see context) :
* TheApprentice: Magdelene accepts Joah as her, as she recognizes her as having great power in magic like herself, so that not being trained would leave her very dangerous.
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None
* MuggleMageRomance: Magdelene has [[ReallyGetsAround been with many men]] [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld over the centuries]]. So far as we see, none could do magic, unlike her.
Deleted line(s) 88 (click to see context) :
* MuggleMageRomance: Magdelene takes the captain as her lover. She's the most powerful wizard in the world, he's a muggle soldier.
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Changed line(s) 80 (click to see context) from:
* WizardsLiveLonger: Magdelene is the most powerful wizard in the world. She's lived for centuries. Her son, a wizard too, has also lived for centuries now.
to:
* WizardsLiveLonger: Magdelene is the most powerful wizard in the world. She's lived for centuries. Her son, a wizard too, has also lived for centuries now. In her case, it's due to her magic [[FountainOfYouth stopping her aging]]. We can infer it likely was for him too.
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Changed line(s) 79 (click to see context) from:
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Magdelene's son is [[FountainOfYouth de-aged into an infant]] when she beats him at the end of the ''Third Time Lucky''. It's unsaid what is done with him after that, but he isn't in her care later with the next stories.
to:
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Magdelene's son is [[FountainOfYouth de-aged into an infant]] when she beats him at the end of the ''Third "Third Time Lucky''.Lucky". It's unsaid what is done with him after that, but he isn't in her care later with the next stories.
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Changed line(s) 76 (click to see context) from:
** In "The Last Lesson" Magdelene breaks the locking spell which her reading her master's when the story opens, and it turns out he killed his own master for the book.
to:
** In "The Last Lesson" Magdelene breaks the locking spell which prevents her reading her master's when the story opens, and it turns out he killed his own master for the book.
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Changed line(s) 70 (click to see context) from:
* SexGoddess: Magdelene is apparently a fantastic lover. After they have sex off page, the captain is quite drained and impressed.
to:
* SexGoddess: Magdelene is apparently a fantastic lover. After they have sex off page, the captain in "Third Time Lucky" is quite drained and impressed.impressed, with her other lovers showing equally satisfied reactions.
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Changed line(s) 64 (click to see context) from:
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Magdelene looks forty, while she's actually been alive for centuries now without aging in the least.
to:
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Magdelene looks forty, while she's actually been alive for centuries now without aging in the least.least [[FountainOfYouth as a result of her magic]].
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Changed line(s) 61 (click to see context) from:
* OurDemonsAreDifferent: They are corporeal beings, portrayed as {{horned humanoid}}s usually, with ivory horns, talons and their native habitat being the Netherworld, a hellish underestimate realm. Ivory hurts them, but doesn't kill them itself. When they die, they're [[ReducedToDust turned into ashes]]. They also have different [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation vividly colored skins]].
to:
* OurDemonsAreDifferent: They are corporeal beings, portrayed as {{horned humanoid}}s usually, with ivory horns, talons and their native habitat being the Netherworld, a hellish underestimate underground realm. Ivory hurts them, but doesn't kill them itself. When they die, they're [[ReducedToDust turned into ashes]]. They also have different [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation vividly colored skins]].
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Changed line(s) 49 (click to see context) from:
* {{Hellgate}}: Magdelene has stairs leading right down into the Netherworld, or Netherhells, where demons dwell in her sub-basement. It's convenient for her, as she can enter there easily, and also foil a demonic invasion, being the most powerful wizard in the world, when they occur.
to:
* {{Hellgate}}: Magdelene has stairs leading right down into the Netherworld, or Netherhells, Netherworld (or Netherhells) where demons dwell dwell, in her sub-basement. It's convenient for her, as she can enter there easily, and also foil a demonic invasion, being invasions (being the most powerful wizard in the world, world) when they occur.
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* ComicallyInvincibleHero: Much of the humor in the stories is due to the fact Magdelene can do almost any feat with her magic, though she generally doesn't, being a lazy hedonist. When she does face any enemies though, the result is pretty humorously [[CurbStompBattle one]]-[[OneWomanArmy sided]], with many [[TheDreaded fleeing in dread of her]].
Changed line(s) 47 (click to see context) from:
* TheHedonist: Magdelene is a naturally lazy and pleasure-seeking woman. She's content to lounge out in the sun by the sea, have sex with handsome young men and enjoy music usually, mostly getting into wider affairs only when they intrude on her. This avoids having her be a BoringInvincibleHero given her vast power, as author Creator/TanyaHuff explains, since Magdelene's her own preventative for it.
to:
* TheHedonist: Magdelene is a naturally lazy and pleasure-seeking woman. She's content to lounge out in the sun by the sea, have sex with handsome young men and enjoy music usually, mostly getting into wider affairs only when they intrude on her. This avoids having her be a BoringInvincibleHero boring InvincibleHero given her vast power, as author Creator/TanyaHuff explains, since Magdelene's her own preventative for it.
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Changed line(s) 45 (click to see context) from:
* FountainOfYouth: Magdelene keeps herself young (about forty) with magic, and easily could do the same for other people. In ''Third Time Lucky'' too Magdelene turns her son back into a baby after he tried to kill her.
to:
* FountainOfYouth: Magdelene keeps herself young (about forty) with magic, and easily could do the same for other people. In ''Third "Third Time Lucky'' Lucky" too Magdelene turns her son back into a baby after he tried tries to kill her.
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Changed line(s) 44 (click to see context) from:
** In "We Two May Meet", she puts two bodyguards of a doctor to sleep when try removing her.
to:
** In "We Two May Meet", she puts two bodyguards of a doctor to sleep when they try removing her.
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Changed line(s) 31,33 (click to see context) from:
** Magdelene's son Tristan served as court wizard for a northern king.
** Her master Adar served another king this way too.
** Warlord Herrick attempts to coerce Magdelene herself into being his. [[OneHitKill It goes poorly for him]].
** Her master Adar served another king this way too.
** Warlord Herrick attempts to coerce Magdelene herself into being his. [[OneHitKill It goes poorly for him]].
to:
** In "Third Time Lucky" Magdelene's son Tristan served as court wizard for a northern king.
**Her In "The Last Lesson" her master Adar served another king this way too.
** In "Be It Ever So Humble" Warlord Herrick attempts to coerce Magdelene herself into being his. [[OneHitKill It goes poorly for him]].
**
** In "Be It Ever So Humble" Warlord Herrick attempts to coerce Magdelene herself into being his. [[OneHitKill It goes poorly for him]].
Changed line(s) 35,36 (click to see context) from:
** Magdelene defeats the group of riders who come to extort a village in seconds.
** Later she takes on a horde of demons all by herself, killing half without being harmed before the rest flee in terror.
** Later she takes on a horde of demons all by herself, killing half without being harmed before the rest flee in terror.
to:
** In "Be It Ever So Humble" Magdelene defeats the group of riders who come to extort a village in seconds.
**Later In "Nothing Up Her Sleeve" she takes on a horde of demons all by herself, killing half without being harmed before the rest flee in terror.terror.
** In "We Two May Meet" she defeats another demonic invasion herself almost instantly.
**
** In "We Two May Meet" she defeats another demonic invasion herself almost instantly.
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Deleted line(s) 45,47 (click to see context) :
* {{Grimoire}}:
** In "The Last Lesson" Magdelene breaks the locking spell which her reading her master's when the story opens, and it turns out he killed his own master for the book.
** In "Mirror, Mirror, on the Lam" Magdelene stops the Tarzabad-har from summoning demons using a rare spell book (only a few copies are left).
** In "The Last Lesson" Magdelene breaks the locking spell which her reading her master's when the story opens, and it turns out he killed his own master for the book.
** In "Mirror, Mirror, on the Lam" Magdelene stops the Tarzabad-har from summoning demons using a rare spell book (only a few copies are left).
Changed line(s) 54 (click to see context) from:
* MayflyDecemberRomance: Magdelene's centuries old by the time the stories are set mostly. She keeps having sex with young men (most of whom likely aren't aware of her true age). In most cases though 'romance' is stretching the word. She mostly has just brief trysts.
to:
* MayflyDecemberRomance: Magdelene's centuries old by the time the stories are set mostly. She keeps having sex with young men (most of whom likely aren't aware of her true age). In most cases though 'romance' calling it "romance" is stretching the word. She mostly has just brief trysts.trysts.
* MysteriousPast: We never learn much of Magdelene's past, just how she was a thirteen year old apprenticed to a wizard at the beginning, with no information on her parents or background otherwise.
* MysteriousPast: We never learn much of Magdelene's past, just how she was a thirteen year old apprenticed to a wizard at the beginning, with no information on her parents or background otherwise.
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* SpellBook:
** In "The Last Lesson" Magdelene breaks the locking spell which her reading her master's when the story opens, and it turns out he killed his own master for the book.
** In "Mirror, Mirror, on the Lam" Magdelene stops the Tarzabad-har from summoning demons using a rare spell book (only a few copies are left).
** In "The Last Lesson" Magdelene breaks the locking spell which her reading her master's when the story opens, and it turns out he killed his own master for the book.
** In "Mirror, Mirror, on the Lam" Magdelene stops the Tarzabad-har from summoning demons using a rare spell book (only a few copies are left).
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Changed line(s) 25 (click to see context) from:
* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Demons have brights skins in different colors. Kali, Magdelene's housekeeper, is green.
to:
* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Demons have brights bright skins in different colors. Kali, Magdelene's housekeeper, is green.
Changed line(s) 51 (click to see context) from:
* HornedHumanoid: Magdelene has a housekeeper, Kali, who's a female demon with red eyes horns. She also has bright green skin. Later on Magdelene's son sends a demon against her who's horned as well, and much bigger than humans.
to:
* HornedHumanoid: Magdelene has a housekeeper, Kali, who's a female demon with red eyes horns. She also has bright green skin. Later on Magdelene's son sends a demon against her who's horned as well, and much bigger than humans.
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Changed line(s) 52 (click to see context) from:
* TheMageTower: Magdelene is a wizard and does have a tower, though it's part of her house rather than solely where she lives. She trains Joah as her apprentice inside. It's {{bigger|on the inside}} than it first appears on entiring, as Joah observes. Depending on the [[EldritchLocation house's current structure]], it often changes location.
to:
* TheMageTower: MageTower: Magdelene is a wizard and does have a tower, though it's part of her house rather than solely where she lives. She trains Joah as her apprentice inside. It's {{bigger|on the inside}} than it first appears on entiring, as Joah observes. Depending on the [[EldritchLocation house's current structure]], it often changes location.
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* OneWomanArmy: Multiple times Magdelene defeats a large demon army all by herself, in the first case killing half with the survivors fleeing. That's what comes with being the most powerful wizard in the world.
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[[quoteright:135:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/third_time_lucky.jpg]]
A collection of short stories by Creator/TanyaHuff centering on Magdelene, the most powerful wizard in the world. The seven were published previously in different fiction magazines and story anthologies before. In 2015 this anthology came out, collecting all of them. The story detail Magdelene's different adventures across multiple centuries-when she can be dragged away from her comfortable life by the beach, that is. Huff says Magdelene's the character she's be if she had to choose from all of those in her work.
The stories in order of publication:
"Third Time Lucky", first published in ''AMAZING STORIES'', November 1986 (reprinted ''ON SPEC'' Fall 1995, collected in ''Stealing Magic'', 1999 & 2005)
"And Who Is Joah?", first published ''AMAZING STORIES'', November 1987 (reprinted ''ON SPEC'' Winter 1995, collected in Stealing Magic 1999 & 2005)
"The Last Lesson", first published ''AMAZING STORIES'', September 1989 (reprinted ''ON SPEC'' Summer 1996, collected in Stealing Magic 1999 & 2005)
"Be It Ever So Humble", first published ''MZB's FANTASY MAGAZINE'', Winter 1991 (reprinted ''Best of MZB's FANTASY MAGAZINE'', Warner October 1994, collected in Stealing Magic 1999 & 2005)
"Nothing Up Her Sleeve", first published AMAZING STORIES, 1991 (collected in ''Stealing Magic'' 1999 & 2005)
"Mirror, Mirror, on the Lam", first published ''WIZARD FANTASTIC'', DAW Books Inc., November 1997 (collected in Stealing Magic 1999 & 2005)
"We Two May Meet", first published DAW 30th ANNIVERSARY ANTHOLOGY, 2002 (collected in ''Stealing Magic'' 2005 and ''Finding Magic'' 2007)
!Tropes:
[[folder:General tropes]]
* ActionGirl: Magdelene prefers to avoid fighting (and indeed much activity in general). When faced with danger though, she's very capable, as the most powerful wizard in the world. Most enemies can't hope to face up against her, and she isn't bad at using her bare hands either in a pinch.
* AerithAndBob: The stories intersperse the ordinary names like Magdelene, Tristan or Juan along with invented ones including Joah, Herrick and so on.
* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Demons have brights skins in different colors. Kali, Magdelene's housekeeper, is green.
* TheArchmage: Magdelene, the most powerful wizard in the world. She can instantly transform things, teleport hundreds of miles (but only to places she's been) and [[NoSell completely shrug off]] weaker wizards' spells without being harmed.
* ArcWords: "The most powerful wizard in the world". Magdelene's this, as the stories often mention, and it's also a part of the collection's whole title.
* BrilliantButLazy: Magdelene is the most powerful wizard in the world. She's not interested in doing much with her power though, living a comfortable life in her house by the sea, enjoying music, reading books and having sex with handsome men sometimes.
* ChildMage: Magdelene at twelve already showed incredible magical strength, and apprenticed to train. Joah, a thirteen year old girl, later apprentices to Magdelene and has great power too.
* CourtMage:
** Magdelene's son Tristan served as court wizard for a northern king.
** Her master Adar served another king this way too.
** Warlord Herrick attempts to coerce Magdelene herself into being his. [[OneHitKill It goes poorly for him]].
* CurbStompBattle:
** Magdelene defeats the group of riders who come to extort a village in seconds.
** Later she takes on a horde of demons all by herself, killing half without being harmed before the rest flee in terror.
* DistractedByTheSexy: Magdelene frequently has her gaze and mind wander on seeing attractive men, whom she then usually flirts with at the least, if not beds.
* TheDreaded: Magdelene, as the most powerful wizard in the world, is widely feared as a result of her vast power. She's capable of frightening a dragon and huge demons enough so they flee without even lifting a finger due to her reputation alone.
* FemaleGaze: Magdelene is frequently described staring appreciatively at men whom she finds good-looking, enjoying the sight of their muscles especially.
* FirstNameBasis: Magdelene rejects honorifics like Lady Wizard for her, having people call her by her first name instead.
* ForcedSleep:
** In "Mirror, Mirror, on the Lam", Magdelene puts the Tarzabad-har governor's guards to sleep by magic so she can talk with him.
** In "We Two May Meet", she puts two bodyguards of a doctor to sleep when try removing her.
* FountainOfYouth: Magdelene keeps herself young (about forty) with magic, and easily could do the same for other people. In ''Third Time Lucky'' too Magdelene turns her son back into a baby after he tried to kill her.
* {{Grimoire}}:
** In "The Last Lesson" Magdelene breaks the locking spell which her reading her master's when the story opens, and it turns out he killed his own master for the book.
** In "Mirror, Mirror, on the Lam" Magdelene stops the Tarzabad-har from summoning demons using a rare spell book (only a few copies are left).
* HasAType: Magdelene is attracted to young, muscular man, and especially musicians.
* TheHedonist: Magdelene is a naturally lazy and pleasure-seeking woman. She's content to lounge out in the sun by the sea, have sex with handsome young men and enjoy music usually, mostly getting into wider affairs only when they intrude on her. This avoids having her be a BoringInvincibleHero given her vast power, as author Creator/TanyaHuff explains, since Magdelene's her own preventative for it.
* {{Hellgate}}: Magdelene has stairs leading right down into the Netherworld, or Netherhells, where demons dwell in her sub-basement. It's convenient for her, as she can enter there easily, and also foil a demonic invasion, being the most powerful wizard in the world, when they occur.
* HornedHumanoid: Magdelene has a housekeeper, Kali, who's a female demon with red eyes horns. She also has bright green skin. Later on Magdelene's son sends a demon against her who's horned as well, and much bigger than humans.
* TheMageTower: Magdelene is a wizard and does have a tower, though it's part of her house rather than solely where she lives. She trains Joah as her apprentice inside. It's {{bigger|on the inside}} than it first appears on entiring, as Joah observes. Depending on the [[EldritchLocation house's current structure]], it often changes location.
* MagicalIncantation: Wizards sometimes cast spells by incantations. However, most aren't done using this, and Magdelene (given her incredible power) simply does them by thought alone.
* MayflyDecemberRomance: Magdelene's centuries old by the time the stories are set mostly. She keeps having sex with young men (most of whom likely aren't aware of her true age). In most cases though 'romance' is stretching the word. She mostly has just brief trysts.
* NiceGirl: Although generally lazy and indifferent to the world's affairs beyond her house, Magdelene's a kind woman overall, coming out to help others periodically.
* NonLinearSequel: The stories were not published in chronological order, but the collection lists them this way too so the reader can read that way if they would like to.
* NoSell:
** The spells which Tristan casts against Magdelene are completely ineffective due to her power.
** Five wizards attempt to [[DePower remove her magic]]. Magdelene's unaffected, but acts like she has been, even not using it for six weeks, since this sets a trap for attacking demons.
* OurDemonsAreDifferent: They are corporeal beings, portrayed as {{horned humanoid}}s usually, with ivory horns, talons and their native habitat being the Netherworld, a hellish underestimate realm. Ivory hurts them, but doesn't kill them itself. When they die, they're [[ReducedToDust turned into ashes]]. They also have different [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation vividly colored skins]].
* PhantomZonePicture: H'sak, a demon, is trapped by Magdelene inside a shattered mirror for attacking her, where he remains nearly two hunded years. Magdelene banishes him to the Netherworld after the mirror gets stolen and he's nearly used in an evil ritual.
* ReallyGetsAround: Magdelene is cheerfully promiscuous, and beds handsome men in almost every story of the collection.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Magdelene looks forty, while she's actually been alive for centuries now without aging in the least.
* ReducedToDust:
** Demons crumble into ashes when they die.
** Adar gets burned to ashes when his spell [[HoistByHisOwnPetard backfires]] and kills him.
* RobeAndWizardHat: The fact that wizards usually wear robes, and hats sometimes, is well known in this world. People repeatedly express astonishment because Magdelene, who's a wizard, doesn't wear them (she finds wearing a robe silly). She even gets chastised by other wizards over the lack of proper wizard attire, not that she's concered with what they think.
* RunningGag: Most of the stories open with a lizard observing or reacting to things near Magdelene's house in a humorous way. It turns out that she can [[AnimalEyeSpy see all that these lizards do]].
* SexGoddess: Magdelene is apparently a fantastic lover. After they have sex off page, the captain is quite drained and impressed.
* SexyDiscretionShot: Magdelene gets it on often with men, though never explicitly.
** She seduces the captain in 'Third Time Lucky', then the scene cuts to after they've had sex with them lying in bed together.
** "And Who Is Joah" ends just before she's about to have sex with Zayd.
** In "The Last Lesson" scenes change as Magdelene starts moving toward having sex with Adar, then shows them again after.
* WeaksauceWeakness: Demons are especially hurt by ivory, it turns out.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Magdelene's son is [[FountainOfYouth de-aged into an infant]] when she beats him at the end of the ''Third Time Lucky''. It's unsaid what is done with him after that, but he isn't in her care later with the next stories.
* WizardsLiveLonger: Magdelene is the most powerful wizard in the world. She's lived for centuries. Her son, a wizard too, has also lived for centuries now.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Third Time Lucky]]
* DoNotCallMePaul: Magdelene's son hates his birth name Tristan, renaming himself Polsarr.
* ForcedTransformation: Magdelene transforms a rude soldier into a tree frog, then back again.
* HatesTheirParent: Magdelene's son Tristan loathes her, denies he was born to her, and also tries to kill her. It appears to result from her being a bad mother.
* {{Matricide}}: Magdelene's son Tristan really wants to kill her, and tries but fails since she's just too powerful for him.
* MuggleMageRomance: Magdelene takes the captain as her lover. She's the most powerful wizard in the world, he's a muggle soldier.
* NoNameGiven: The captain is only referred to using his rank, including by Magdelene once they become lovers. She just calls him Captain along with everyone else.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:And Who Is Joah?]]
* TheApprentice: Magdelene accepts Joah as her, as she recognizes her as having great power in magic like herself, so that not being trained would leave her very dangerous.
* BiggerOnTheInside: Magdelene's tower, as Joah discovers on going in.
* BloodMagic: Magdelene crafts a TrackingSpell Zayd can use to find Joah in the Netherworld by using the bond of their shared father's blood. It appears like a red line stretching away before him.
* DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu: Magdelene is close friends with Death herself, as Zayd learns after going into the Netherworld with her. They embrace heartily, with War, Famine and Pestilence looking on. Zayd just comments that Magdelene's got some weird friends.
* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Zayd takes down a demon prince with an ivory knife, as it turns out [[WeaksauceWeakness demons are vulnerable to ivory]], though it isn't fatal.
* EldritchLocation: Magdelene's house shifts its structure around frequently, which confuses and scares Joah as a result.
* MagicMirror: Magdelene has one which lets her see Zayd from miles away as he comes for Joah.
* OvernightAgeUp: Joah is a thirteen year old girl. The demon prince Rak'vol ages her up by a decade after he's captured her so that, it's implied, she's attractive to him.
* TitleDrop: Magdelene with this question after Joah gives her name.
* TrackingSpell: Magdelene casts one for Zayd to locate Joah using [[BloodMagic their shared father's blood]] as a bond between them.
* TrainingTheGiftOfMagic: Magdelene can tell Joah has vast magical power, like her, but without any training she'll be hugely dangerous. So she takes Joah as her apprentice, something Magdelene would never do usually.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Magdelene starts teaching Joah to turn parts of herself younger or older first thing. After being rescued, she's managed it.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Last Lesson]]
* ChildProdigy: At twelve years old Magdelene could already see through a spell her master Adar used to disguise himself that several fully qualified wizards could not.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Adar's spell to [[PowerParasite drain Magdelene's magic]] backfires, killing him and leaving her his magic instead.
* OriginsEpisode: This story relates Magdelene's origin while a girl of sixteen with great magical power apprenticed to a wizard.
* PowerParasite: Adar tries to take Magdelene's magic using a spell. However, it proves too strong for him, with the spell rebounding, killing him, and she gets ''his'' magic afterward instead.
* TeacherStudentRomance: Magdelene starts to find her master Adar attractive, and loses her virginity with him.
* VirginPower: Taking Magdelene's virginity fuels a spell her master Adar uses to [[PowerParasite take away her magic]].
* WizardClassic: Adar makes himself look old with a spell, wrinkled and with a long white beard, to fit this as it's more impressive to other people (he's really twenty six).
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Be It Ever So Humble]]
* BackFromTheDead: Magdelene restored Juan after he's murdered, and then Warlord Herrick (whom she killed for this) too when the villagers insist. Death is annoyed by this, and chides her for it.
* CompellingVoice: Magdelene has only to order that Warlord Herrick die, and he does.
* DontFearTheReaper: Death is a friendly woman (though annoyed by Magdelene [[BackFromTheDead raising people]]) and takes Carlos kindly away.
* IHaveYourWife: Warlord Herrick attempts to coerce Magdelene into serving him by holding Juan as a hostage. It doesn't work.
* IncompatibleOrientation: Magdelene notices that a man whose eye she's trying to catch is looking in the same way at another man, giving up after she sees this.
* NeckSnap: Warlord Herrick is holding Juan and demanding that Magdelene serve him. She refuses, and Herrick murders Juan this way.
* OneHitKill: Magdelene is able to kill Warlord Herrick with one word: 'Die'.
* ThouShaltNotKill: The villagers don't believe anyone can rightfully kill, so Magdelene raises Warlord Herrick at their insistence after she killed him when he'd murdered Juan.
* WouldHurtAChild: Warlord Herrick casually murders Juan, a nine year old boy, when Magdelene refuses to serve him.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Nothing Up Her Sleeve]]
* AllCaps: Micholas refers to the COUNCIL OF WIZARDS this way at first, as do other wizards.
* BeyondTheImpossible: Other wizards had concluded that a {{flying carpet}} was impossible, but Magdelene (who's the most powerful wizard in the world) makes one anyway right after they say this (or [[FlatEarthAtheist still do while seeing it]]).
* FelonyMisdemeanor: The second charge against Magdelene by the Council of Wizards is that she 'consorted with a bard' (therefore bearing a son he sired), which they think is very bad for some unexplained reason.
* FlatEarthAtheist: Gillian insists {{flying carpet}}s are impossible even when Magdelene's touches down right in front of her. Magdelene is perplexed hearing this.
* FlyingCarpet: Magdelene enchants a garishly ugly one to fly, which other wizards concluded was impossible before this.
* IOweYouMyLife: It turns out Kali is Magdelene's servant as Magdelene had saved her life. By demon law therefore, her life belongs to Magdelene.
* MagicalSociety: The Council of Wizards claims authority over all the world's wizards. Magdelene, who's the most powerful, gets summoned for violating the rules they set down. She could easily refuse, but goes anyway mostly for amusement, violating other rules while on the trip.
* ObstructiveBureaucracy: The Council of Wizards forbids wizard interferences with muggle affairs, even to save them (e.g. from a disastrous flood). Magdelene's unimpressed by this and helps anyway as she sees fit.
* VaporWear: Magdelene's shift is soaked with sweat and clings to her with Micholas being able to see right through, which discomforts him, when they first meet.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mirror, Mirror, on the Lam]]
* AnimalEyeSpy: It turns out Magdelene can see through the lizards' eyes who live near her house, so she saw Ciro leaving after he stole her mirror.
* EvilSorcerer: The Tarzabad-har governor turns out to be one, performing a ritual to summon demons that he's hoping can give him world domination.
* LandOfOneCity: Magdelene goes to Tarzabad-har, the Third of the Five Cities. Each of them are independent city-states in a loose alliance for mutual benefit.
* MagicallyBindingContract: Ciro can't tell Magdelene anything about who hired him to steal her mirror since he made a blood oath not to, which is unbreakable.
* UnwantedFalseFaith: Magdelene gets mistaken for a returning goddess on teleporting into Tarzabad-har, one of the Five Cities, beside her shrine. She has to dodge worshippers for the rest of the story.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:We Two May Meet]]
* DrivenToSuicide: Antonio jumps into a lava flow after learning his entire people were killed by the volcanic eruption which left this.
* ItsAllMyFault: Magdelene felt extremely guilty at not arriving in time to save Antonio's people. They died in a volcanic eruption because of this. She blames herself, saying she's too lazy to respond when things like this go on in the world. It turns out this is why she [[LiteralSplitPersonality split apart]], from self-loathing.
* LiteralSplitPersonality: Magdelene discovers she's been split into two people. One is her carefree, promiscuous, relaxed self. The other (Magdelene two) is her nagging, prudish and reserved aspects which don't usually show at all. Naturally, they get along poorly, but team up to learn what happened.
* MirrorMatch: Magdelene one and two finally get into a fight after butting heads often, though it's soon interrupted so the pair stop.
* SlutShaming: Magdelene two frequently insults Magdelene two for being a slut. She just fires back that Magdelene two is a prude.
[[/folder]]
----
A collection of short stories by Creator/TanyaHuff centering on Magdelene, the most powerful wizard in the world. The seven were published previously in different fiction magazines and story anthologies before. In 2015 this anthology came out, collecting all of them. The story detail Magdelene's different adventures across multiple centuries-when she can be dragged away from her comfortable life by the beach, that is. Huff says Magdelene's the character she's be if she had to choose from all of those in her work.
The stories in order of publication:
"Third Time Lucky", first published in ''AMAZING STORIES'', November 1986 (reprinted ''ON SPEC'' Fall 1995, collected in ''Stealing Magic'', 1999 & 2005)
"And Who Is Joah?", first published ''AMAZING STORIES'', November 1987 (reprinted ''ON SPEC'' Winter 1995, collected in Stealing Magic 1999 & 2005)
"The Last Lesson", first published ''AMAZING STORIES'', September 1989 (reprinted ''ON SPEC'' Summer 1996, collected in Stealing Magic 1999 & 2005)
"Be It Ever So Humble", first published ''MZB's FANTASY MAGAZINE'', Winter 1991 (reprinted ''Best of MZB's FANTASY MAGAZINE'', Warner October 1994, collected in Stealing Magic 1999 & 2005)
"Nothing Up Her Sleeve", first published AMAZING STORIES, 1991 (collected in ''Stealing Magic'' 1999 & 2005)
"Mirror, Mirror, on the Lam", first published ''WIZARD FANTASTIC'', DAW Books Inc., November 1997 (collected in Stealing Magic 1999 & 2005)
"We Two May Meet", first published DAW 30th ANNIVERSARY ANTHOLOGY, 2002 (collected in ''Stealing Magic'' 2005 and ''Finding Magic'' 2007)
!Tropes:
[[folder:General tropes]]
* ActionGirl: Magdelene prefers to avoid fighting (and indeed much activity in general). When faced with danger though, she's very capable, as the most powerful wizard in the world. Most enemies can't hope to face up against her, and she isn't bad at using her bare hands either in a pinch.
* AerithAndBob: The stories intersperse the ordinary names like Magdelene, Tristan or Juan along with invented ones including Joah, Herrick and so on.
* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Demons have brights skins in different colors. Kali, Magdelene's housekeeper, is green.
* TheArchmage: Magdelene, the most powerful wizard in the world. She can instantly transform things, teleport hundreds of miles (but only to places she's been) and [[NoSell completely shrug off]] weaker wizards' spells without being harmed.
* ArcWords: "The most powerful wizard in the world". Magdelene's this, as the stories often mention, and it's also a part of the collection's whole title.
* BrilliantButLazy: Magdelene is the most powerful wizard in the world. She's not interested in doing much with her power though, living a comfortable life in her house by the sea, enjoying music, reading books and having sex with handsome men sometimes.
* ChildMage: Magdelene at twelve already showed incredible magical strength, and apprenticed to train. Joah, a thirteen year old girl, later apprentices to Magdelene and has great power too.
* CourtMage:
** Magdelene's son Tristan served as court wizard for a northern king.
** Her master Adar served another king this way too.
** Warlord Herrick attempts to coerce Magdelene herself into being his. [[OneHitKill It goes poorly for him]].
* CurbStompBattle:
** Magdelene defeats the group of riders who come to extort a village in seconds.
** Later she takes on a horde of demons all by herself, killing half without being harmed before the rest flee in terror.
* DistractedByTheSexy: Magdelene frequently has her gaze and mind wander on seeing attractive men, whom she then usually flirts with at the least, if not beds.
* TheDreaded: Magdelene, as the most powerful wizard in the world, is widely feared as a result of her vast power. She's capable of frightening a dragon and huge demons enough so they flee without even lifting a finger due to her reputation alone.
* FemaleGaze: Magdelene is frequently described staring appreciatively at men whom she finds good-looking, enjoying the sight of their muscles especially.
* FirstNameBasis: Magdelene rejects honorifics like Lady Wizard for her, having people call her by her first name instead.
* ForcedSleep:
** In "Mirror, Mirror, on the Lam", Magdelene puts the Tarzabad-har governor's guards to sleep by magic so she can talk with him.
** In "We Two May Meet", she puts two bodyguards of a doctor to sleep when try removing her.
* FountainOfYouth: Magdelene keeps herself young (about forty) with magic, and easily could do the same for other people. In ''Third Time Lucky'' too Magdelene turns her son back into a baby after he tried to kill her.
* {{Grimoire}}:
** In "The Last Lesson" Magdelene breaks the locking spell which her reading her master's when the story opens, and it turns out he killed his own master for the book.
** In "Mirror, Mirror, on the Lam" Magdelene stops the Tarzabad-har from summoning demons using a rare spell book (only a few copies are left).
* HasAType: Magdelene is attracted to young, muscular man, and especially musicians.
* TheHedonist: Magdelene is a naturally lazy and pleasure-seeking woman. She's content to lounge out in the sun by the sea, have sex with handsome young men and enjoy music usually, mostly getting into wider affairs only when they intrude on her. This avoids having her be a BoringInvincibleHero given her vast power, as author Creator/TanyaHuff explains, since Magdelene's her own preventative for it.
* {{Hellgate}}: Magdelene has stairs leading right down into the Netherworld, or Netherhells, where demons dwell in her sub-basement. It's convenient for her, as she can enter there easily, and also foil a demonic invasion, being the most powerful wizard in the world, when they occur.
* HornedHumanoid: Magdelene has a housekeeper, Kali, who's a female demon with red eyes horns. She also has bright green skin. Later on Magdelene's son sends a demon against her who's horned as well, and much bigger than humans.
* TheMageTower: Magdelene is a wizard and does have a tower, though it's part of her house rather than solely where she lives. She trains Joah as her apprentice inside. It's {{bigger|on the inside}} than it first appears on entiring, as Joah observes. Depending on the [[EldritchLocation house's current structure]], it often changes location.
* MagicalIncantation: Wizards sometimes cast spells by incantations. However, most aren't done using this, and Magdelene (given her incredible power) simply does them by thought alone.
* MayflyDecemberRomance: Magdelene's centuries old by the time the stories are set mostly. She keeps having sex with young men (most of whom likely aren't aware of her true age). In most cases though 'romance' is stretching the word. She mostly has just brief trysts.
* NiceGirl: Although generally lazy and indifferent to the world's affairs beyond her house, Magdelene's a kind woman overall, coming out to help others periodically.
* NonLinearSequel: The stories were not published in chronological order, but the collection lists them this way too so the reader can read that way if they would like to.
* NoSell:
** The spells which Tristan casts against Magdelene are completely ineffective due to her power.
** Five wizards attempt to [[DePower remove her magic]]. Magdelene's unaffected, but acts like she has been, even not using it for six weeks, since this sets a trap for attacking demons.
* OurDemonsAreDifferent: They are corporeal beings, portrayed as {{horned humanoid}}s usually, with ivory horns, talons and their native habitat being the Netherworld, a hellish underestimate realm. Ivory hurts them, but doesn't kill them itself. When they die, they're [[ReducedToDust turned into ashes]]. They also have different [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation vividly colored skins]].
* PhantomZonePicture: H'sak, a demon, is trapped by Magdelene inside a shattered mirror for attacking her, where he remains nearly two hunded years. Magdelene banishes him to the Netherworld after the mirror gets stolen and he's nearly used in an evil ritual.
* ReallyGetsAround: Magdelene is cheerfully promiscuous, and beds handsome men in almost every story of the collection.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Magdelene looks forty, while she's actually been alive for centuries now without aging in the least.
* ReducedToDust:
** Demons crumble into ashes when they die.
** Adar gets burned to ashes when his spell [[HoistByHisOwnPetard backfires]] and kills him.
* RobeAndWizardHat: The fact that wizards usually wear robes, and hats sometimes, is well known in this world. People repeatedly express astonishment because Magdelene, who's a wizard, doesn't wear them (she finds wearing a robe silly). She even gets chastised by other wizards over the lack of proper wizard attire, not that she's concered with what they think.
* RunningGag: Most of the stories open with a lizard observing or reacting to things near Magdelene's house in a humorous way. It turns out that she can [[AnimalEyeSpy see all that these lizards do]].
* SexGoddess: Magdelene is apparently a fantastic lover. After they have sex off page, the captain is quite drained and impressed.
* SexyDiscretionShot: Magdelene gets it on often with men, though never explicitly.
** She seduces the captain in 'Third Time Lucky', then the scene cuts to after they've had sex with them lying in bed together.
** "And Who Is Joah" ends just before she's about to have sex with Zayd.
** In "The Last Lesson" scenes change as Magdelene starts moving toward having sex with Adar, then shows them again after.
* WeaksauceWeakness: Demons are especially hurt by ivory, it turns out.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Magdelene's son is [[FountainOfYouth de-aged into an infant]] when she beats him at the end of the ''Third Time Lucky''. It's unsaid what is done with him after that, but he isn't in her care later with the next stories.
* WizardsLiveLonger: Magdelene is the most powerful wizard in the world. She's lived for centuries. Her son, a wizard too, has also lived for centuries now.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Third Time Lucky]]
* DoNotCallMePaul: Magdelene's son hates his birth name Tristan, renaming himself Polsarr.
* ForcedTransformation: Magdelene transforms a rude soldier into a tree frog, then back again.
* HatesTheirParent: Magdelene's son Tristan loathes her, denies he was born to her, and also tries to kill her. It appears to result from her being a bad mother.
* {{Matricide}}: Magdelene's son Tristan really wants to kill her, and tries but fails since she's just too powerful for him.
* MuggleMageRomance: Magdelene takes the captain as her lover. She's the most powerful wizard in the world, he's a muggle soldier.
* NoNameGiven: The captain is only referred to using his rank, including by Magdelene once they become lovers. She just calls him Captain along with everyone else.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:And Who Is Joah?]]
* TheApprentice: Magdelene accepts Joah as her, as she recognizes her as having great power in magic like herself, so that not being trained would leave her very dangerous.
* BiggerOnTheInside: Magdelene's tower, as Joah discovers on going in.
* BloodMagic: Magdelene crafts a TrackingSpell Zayd can use to find Joah in the Netherworld by using the bond of their shared father's blood. It appears like a red line stretching away before him.
* DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu: Magdelene is close friends with Death herself, as Zayd learns after going into the Netherworld with her. They embrace heartily, with War, Famine and Pestilence looking on. Zayd just comments that Magdelene's got some weird friends.
* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Zayd takes down a demon prince with an ivory knife, as it turns out [[WeaksauceWeakness demons are vulnerable to ivory]], though it isn't fatal.
* EldritchLocation: Magdelene's house shifts its structure around frequently, which confuses and scares Joah as a result.
* MagicMirror: Magdelene has one which lets her see Zayd from miles away as he comes for Joah.
* OvernightAgeUp: Joah is a thirteen year old girl. The demon prince Rak'vol ages her up by a decade after he's captured her so that, it's implied, she's attractive to him.
* TitleDrop: Magdelene with this question after Joah gives her name.
* TrackingSpell: Magdelene casts one for Zayd to locate Joah using [[BloodMagic their shared father's blood]] as a bond between them.
* TrainingTheGiftOfMagic: Magdelene can tell Joah has vast magical power, like her, but without any training she'll be hugely dangerous. So she takes Joah as her apprentice, something Magdelene would never do usually.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Magdelene starts teaching Joah to turn parts of herself younger or older first thing. After being rescued, she's managed it.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Last Lesson]]
* ChildProdigy: At twelve years old Magdelene could already see through a spell her master Adar used to disguise himself that several fully qualified wizards could not.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Adar's spell to [[PowerParasite drain Magdelene's magic]] backfires, killing him and leaving her his magic instead.
* OriginsEpisode: This story relates Magdelene's origin while a girl of sixteen with great magical power apprenticed to a wizard.
* PowerParasite: Adar tries to take Magdelene's magic using a spell. However, it proves too strong for him, with the spell rebounding, killing him, and she gets ''his'' magic afterward instead.
* TeacherStudentRomance: Magdelene starts to find her master Adar attractive, and loses her virginity with him.
* VirginPower: Taking Magdelene's virginity fuels a spell her master Adar uses to [[PowerParasite take away her magic]].
* WizardClassic: Adar makes himself look old with a spell, wrinkled and with a long white beard, to fit this as it's more impressive to other people (he's really twenty six).
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Be It Ever So Humble]]
* BackFromTheDead: Magdelene restored Juan after he's murdered, and then Warlord Herrick (whom she killed for this) too when the villagers insist. Death is annoyed by this, and chides her for it.
* CompellingVoice: Magdelene has only to order that Warlord Herrick die, and he does.
* DontFearTheReaper: Death is a friendly woman (though annoyed by Magdelene [[BackFromTheDead raising people]]) and takes Carlos kindly away.
* IHaveYourWife: Warlord Herrick attempts to coerce Magdelene into serving him by holding Juan as a hostage. It doesn't work.
* IncompatibleOrientation: Magdelene notices that a man whose eye she's trying to catch is looking in the same way at another man, giving up after she sees this.
* NeckSnap: Warlord Herrick is holding Juan and demanding that Magdelene serve him. She refuses, and Herrick murders Juan this way.
* OneHitKill: Magdelene is able to kill Warlord Herrick with one word: 'Die'.
* ThouShaltNotKill: The villagers don't believe anyone can rightfully kill, so Magdelene raises Warlord Herrick at their insistence after she killed him when he'd murdered Juan.
* WouldHurtAChild: Warlord Herrick casually murders Juan, a nine year old boy, when Magdelene refuses to serve him.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Nothing Up Her Sleeve]]
* AllCaps: Micholas refers to the COUNCIL OF WIZARDS this way at first, as do other wizards.
* BeyondTheImpossible: Other wizards had concluded that a {{flying carpet}} was impossible, but Magdelene (who's the most powerful wizard in the world) makes one anyway right after they say this (or [[FlatEarthAtheist still do while seeing it]]).
* FelonyMisdemeanor: The second charge against Magdelene by the Council of Wizards is that she 'consorted with a bard' (therefore bearing a son he sired), which they think is very bad for some unexplained reason.
* FlatEarthAtheist: Gillian insists {{flying carpet}}s are impossible even when Magdelene's touches down right in front of her. Magdelene is perplexed hearing this.
* FlyingCarpet: Magdelene enchants a garishly ugly one to fly, which other wizards concluded was impossible before this.
* IOweYouMyLife: It turns out Kali is Magdelene's servant as Magdelene had saved her life. By demon law therefore, her life belongs to Magdelene.
* MagicalSociety: The Council of Wizards claims authority over all the world's wizards. Magdelene, who's the most powerful, gets summoned for violating the rules they set down. She could easily refuse, but goes anyway mostly for amusement, violating other rules while on the trip.
* ObstructiveBureaucracy: The Council of Wizards forbids wizard interferences with muggle affairs, even to save them (e.g. from a disastrous flood). Magdelene's unimpressed by this and helps anyway as she sees fit.
* VaporWear: Magdelene's shift is soaked with sweat and clings to her with Micholas being able to see right through, which discomforts him, when they first meet.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Mirror, Mirror, on the Lam]]
* AnimalEyeSpy: It turns out Magdelene can see through the lizards' eyes who live near her house, so she saw Ciro leaving after he stole her mirror.
* EvilSorcerer: The Tarzabad-har governor turns out to be one, performing a ritual to summon demons that he's hoping can give him world domination.
* LandOfOneCity: Magdelene goes to Tarzabad-har, the Third of the Five Cities. Each of them are independent city-states in a loose alliance for mutual benefit.
* MagicallyBindingContract: Ciro can't tell Magdelene anything about who hired him to steal her mirror since he made a blood oath not to, which is unbreakable.
* UnwantedFalseFaith: Magdelene gets mistaken for a returning goddess on teleporting into Tarzabad-har, one of the Five Cities, beside her shrine. She has to dodge worshippers for the rest of the story.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:We Two May Meet]]
* DrivenToSuicide: Antonio jumps into a lava flow after learning his entire people were killed by the volcanic eruption which left this.
* ItsAllMyFault: Magdelene felt extremely guilty at not arriving in time to save Antonio's people. They died in a volcanic eruption because of this. She blames herself, saying she's too lazy to respond when things like this go on in the world. It turns out this is why she [[LiteralSplitPersonality split apart]], from self-loathing.
* LiteralSplitPersonality: Magdelene discovers she's been split into two people. One is her carefree, promiscuous, relaxed self. The other (Magdelene two) is her nagging, prudish and reserved aspects which don't usually show at all. Naturally, they get along poorly, but team up to learn what happened.
* MirrorMatch: Magdelene one and two finally get into a fight after butting heads often, though it's soon interrupted so the pair stop.
* SlutShaming: Magdelene two frequently insults Magdelene two for being a slut. She just fires back that Magdelene two is a prude.
[[/folder]]
----
