Thinking about my Dark Moon Magic headcanons
Canonically, we know:
Dark Moon Magic is themed blue and black and sometimes silver, with motifs of eyes and twinkling voids (a bit inferred but cmon)
Dark Moon Magic exists in a cycle with White Magic (both of which are described as being cold, White Magic specifically also being called pristine. White Magic is actually commonly cyan as well as gold and white. Thinking emoji.)
Dark Moon Magic draws its power from, duh, The Dark Side of the Moon
Dark Moon Magic is very specifically described as being treacherous. A word I find FASCINATING contextually for reasons I'll get into.
Dark Moon Magic is fucking Banned. Forbidden. Hard as fuck to learn as a result.
Supposedly, was pioneered and invented by the first headmaster of the Academy. A familiar face, to be sure.
Okay, all that's fun, what now?
Let's do a Shadow Milk roundup!
Shadow Milk:
Is a known adept user of Dark Moon Magic
Claims the Dark Side of the Moon as his home
Has complete control, until Pure Vanilla's interference, of the Dark Side of the Moon
Is, in all likelihood, the first headmaster. See also: the blueberry motif of the Academy, the eye motifs in the stages, various similarities in enemy designs.
Is a notably unstable individual.
So all that to say:
I like to think Dark Moon Magic was banned because it destablized with Shadow Milk's corruption, and after he was sealed using it meant he could influence the magic as it was used. For small spells, this meant minor treachery should the adept not have a iron grip on their spellcraft; your spell to grow the flowers has turned them into sheep.
But also, since you're reaching a hand into his domain, who's to say he didn't also take from you? Who's to say each use of Dark Moon Magic didn't give him a bit of strength?
Now, consider the seal. The seal that weakens after Pure Vanilla used probably the biggest burst of Dark Moon Magic seen in centuries protecting the Ancients.
I'm not saying it's for sure what happened but I do like to think that he inadvertently helped tug the loosening strings a bit.
Also loosely related but I like to think Smilk can influence casters. Talk to them. Like to think he did so often to get them to use more powerful spells to benefit him.
Still loosely related but I like to think the Light of Truth hid Pure Vanilla's soul in the Dark Side of the Moon while his body...got rewound in time? Got reconstructed? Idk. After the Dark Enchantress encounter. I just think it would be fun if Shadow Milk wasn't lying fully. He really did meet Pure Vanilla before the game. Just in brief snippets.
