Mora Miseriums, also referred to simply as Sandclocks, are dark objects used by certain sects of witches to withhold the ill effects of dark magic. Such objects are even known to the witches of New Orleans, as Vincent was the one who told Hope about them and how the magic contained within will degrade over time. While evident that some witches know about the effects of mora miseriums, other witches such as Emma Tig was not aware that they still existed, let alone how to repair one that had been damaged. As of Kai Parker Screwed Us, Josie destroyed the mora miserium in her possession in order to use the black magic to escape the 2018 Prison World.
Description[]
The object is shaped like an hourglass, though possess no content there within. They have the ability to store the ill-effects of dark magic from the user. The effects are permanent, so long as the hourglass does not shatter. Should the hourglass break all the dark magic could come back to the witch that initially stored it, triggering dangerous consequences. Once stored, the black magic cannot be nullified though it will degrade over time from the inside, no matter what they do in the meantime. While the object itself is fragile, a protective barrier can be cast around the outside of the object to prevent it from breaking.
Throughout Legacies Series[]
In Since When Do You Speak Japanese?, Josie comes to see Professor Vardemus. He notices that something is wrong with her and she explains that she's used black magic, but not on purpose this time. He reasons, after her previous declaration to no use it, that her use was absolutely necessary. She's sick and wants to know if he had that could help. Professor Vardemus reveals a mora miserium. He explains that it is a tool used by certain sects of witches to withhold the ill effects of using such magic. It will last indefinitely, so long as it doesn't shatter. He instructs her to place her hands on the glass and all will be as it should be. As she places her hands on the glass, the dark magic leaves her and enters the mora miserium and she feels instantly better.
In It Will All Be Painfully Clear Soon Enough, Josie concocts a dangerous plan to create "Simulandon". They run the idea past Professor Vardemus and he warns Josie that it would require a certain level of black magic. It's possible, and with his assistance, they accomplish their creation.
Professor Vardemus is impressed with how powerful she's become — a long way from gushing nosebleeds, he remarks. Josie feels like she's going to explode and wonders if the hourglass has stopped working. Professor Vardemus assures her that it hasn't and explains that there are other ways to release the demons dancing in your mind. Using more black magic, he instructs her to channel the rage, the sadness, and everything else into that object including all the dark energy right out of her. Doing as instructed, she creates a dark object but Professor Vardemus is revealed to be Ryan Clarke in a magical disguise.
In I Couldn't Have Done This Without You, with Professor Vardemus outed as Ryan Clarke, Josie steals the mora miserium filled with black magic from Alaric's office. Narrowly getting caught in the act.
Josie, concerned about the mora miserium breaking, she casts a spell using it to get a vision of what's to come. With the spell cast, she sees someone breaking the mora miserium, the Salvatore School up in flames, and the most disturbing to her, her own visage steeped in darkness, corrupt by the dark magic.
Upset over the visions, she takes the mora miserium with her to the library. Dorian notices the object and asks what it is. Josie skates around an answer, telling him that it was an assignment that Clarke had her working on when he was pretending to be Headmaster Vardemus. Dorian reminds her that he's dead, so he's pretty sure she doesn't have to turn it in. Josie, however, is working on getting rid of it, but Dorian notices what she's researching. Magic nullification. Those are advanced chain spells and she'd need another witch to perform it with. He asks her again about what kind of assignment she's working on, but Hope intervenes — she can help. She's sure that they can handle it and regardless, it could be good practice for them. Dorian dismisses the thought and tells the pair to have fun and walks away. Josie thanks for the offer, but declines her help. Hope reveals that Lizzie told her about the sandclock, thinking she'd be able to help. She explains that her friend, Vincent, told her a story about mora miseriums, that they hold the effects of black magic, and how dangerous they can be if they break. She tells her that you can't nullify the black magic inside, but she can put a protective barrier around the outside and she just happens to know a good spell for that. Josie agrees to her help.
Unbeknownst to them, the Necromancer has been spying on them at the Salvatore School. He too is interested in the mora miserium. In one stroke, it could restore his power. He plans to take the object for himself, but deems Hope, the tribrid, as an obstacle along with the rest of her friends.
With Hope's assistance, they link hands as Josie siphons from her, and cast a protective barrier around the mora miserium. Hope remarks how beautiful the white glow that encases the glass is once the spell is finished. Josie only sees the visions of doom, but thanks her for her help. She couldn't have done this without her. Hope tells her that Vincent also told her that the Sandclock degrades over time. At some point, it will break down from the inside no matter what they do. The protective spell, however, will at least give them some time to figure out how to defuse it.
Despite the protective spell they cast on the mora miserium earlier, the glass beings to crack as Josie sleeps.
In This is Why We Don't Entrust Plans to Muppet Babies, Lizzie, Josie and Alaric attempt to neutralize the the mora miserium. They've tried twelve different spells, but Lizzie feels that it's still a better solution than covering it in concrete and dropping it in the ocean. Josie feels like she deserves the black magic to boomerang back to her, but her actions were a mistake. Lizzie has another idea. Alaric's idea, but better. Instead of dropping the sandclock in the ocean, she wants to drop it in a place where magic can't escape. The Prison World. Alaric refuses. But it's a perfect idea. There's a celestial event tonight, a meteor shower, and that is just what they need to make the ascendant work. That and Bennett blood. Alaric refuses, again, and shuts their plan down.
Little to they know, a qareen is instructed by the Necromancer to bring him the mora miserium. Causing enough discord among the students and staff, he materializes on the mortal plane and steals the mora miserium from Josie, knocking her to the ground. While knocked out, she dreams about a dark version of herself, consumed by dark magic. She tells herself "don't let it break", and she wakes up from her dream.
As Wade, a fairy, and the qareen fight, the qareen dissipates into black smoke. The mora miserium nearly falls to the floor, but Hope saves it, telekinetically grabbing it and pulling it into her arms. With the monster targeting the mora miserium, Josie and Lizzie use the combined help from the various covens of the school to create a new Prison World and a new ascendant. Together, they transport the sandclock away. However, Alyssa Chang had her own personal vendetta with Alaric and linked the new ascendant to the 2018 Prison World ascendant, with a delayed reaction. Lizzie and Josie, unknowingly send themselves, Alaric and the mora miserium to Malachai Parker's 2018 Prison World.
In Kai Parker Screwed Us, the Necromancer watches as the Salvatore witches send away the mora miserium; he's highly upset.
Finding themselves in the 2018 Prison World and the mora miserium missing, Alaric instructs Josie to retrieve it from the field where it should have been transported. She does as she's tasked and hides the object in her backpack.
With Kai free, he saves Josie from Jade. He questions why she's here — an exchange of information. She explains that she used a mora miserium and attempted to drop it in a new Prison World, but another witch tricked them and they were pulled into his. Seeing no other option, she teams up with him. Kai assumes she has the Bennett blood but their trip wasn't actually planned. Kai doesn't reveal the celestial event, but Josie wonders if the sandclock would be powerful enough to power the ascendant without the celestial event. Kai believes that it could, but wonders where it is. Josie lies, telling him that it's in the field with a cloaking spell. He could be looking straight at it and not know it. Kai hands over the ascendant and Josie reveals that she already has the sandclock.
Despite their mutual double-crosses, he calls Josie. He's borderline proud of the con she pulled. Josie hates him and declares that she's never helping him escape, no matter what he says to her. However, he's called to help her get out. In fact, she's already revealed to her just how she's going to free himself. He asks if she still has the sandclock, because she's going to need every last bit of its power to pull off her escape as there is another way out. He explains that in order for her to use the sandclock, she'll have to break it. However, when she gets hit with all that black magic, if it doesn't kill her, it's going to turn her into something dark and evil. Despite that, she'll also be powerful enough to make her own door out of the Prison World. The only catch is she won't remember anything he told her, because she won't remember him at all. Josie's figured it out. He's going to jump into Malivore, a portal to another dimension. He's a few seconds away from jumping in and he advises her, that she should break the sandclock and he'd hate for her to forget the only thing that can save herself and the other. As he bids her good luck, Josie does the unthinkable; she smashes the sandclock. All the dark magic that was once contained rushes back to Josie, consuming her in darkness.
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