Invoke (Lore)

Invoking is a mnemonic-based spellcasting system or process in the lore of Dota 2.

Description
Invoking is one of the most ancient forms of sorcery (and thus the most potent as some would say) in the world of Dota 2. It has existed in the earliest days when mages were blessed with powerful memories to help them specialize the complex invocations of the olden times, an age when sorcery had no apparatuses or tools but the mind of the sorcerer. Because of its primary reliance on the mind itself, it is said to be a true magic, at least according to one of its few practitioners. Any spells that are cast by invoking are called Invocations, but they're also called incantations or hexes, with no distinction between them and thus these are interchangeable.

Pugna claims that all sorceries have their source in the Nether Reaches. Aether (a.k.a. void or nothing) is an essential ingredient in the arcane arts, including the art of invoking.

Invoking Process
The following is a rough process on invoking spells, based on what the most notable practitioner of this arcane art does. It may not be general as others may invoke differently.

Acquiring spells
Invoking is a process relying upon learned spells. There seems to be naught that's invoked that's original. Thus all invoked spells were learned and memorized by a caster from another source of magical knowledge beyond themselves, such as a grimoire or another magician's instruction. For example, an invoker's spells are not his own, but they are spells that he may have learned from a book or someone else. This also means that invoking is very versatile. Invoking is like having a bow or a crossbow while the spells you cast are the arrows you can load into these weapons to shoot. Invoking allows you to harness these spells just as a bow or a crossbow allows you to harness an arrow effectively. There are many kinds of arrows, from poison-tipped arrows to freezing arrows, just as there are many spells to invoke, but the bow that is invoking allows you to harness them all. These learned spells are stored in the Arcanery.

Memorizing formula
Throughout the process, the caster's concentration and memory are required, or else their invoking will fail. This is because the sorcerer must remember the specific mental formula of the spell they wish to invoke in order to cast it. An example of these formulae is Wex Trionis, which invokes the spell. In the context of invoking, the caster's mnemonic vessel (or their mind/memory in layman's terms) is known as the Arcanery. The capacity of one's Arcanery seems to depend on one's intellect and memory. The more vast and potent these two are, the more spells can be stored and remembered.

Combining the elements
Should the caster successfully remember the formula, they can now combine the required elemental energies and their properties that the spell's formula dictates in order to cast. There are only three elemental energies:, , and. Invoked spells draw upon these elements and their properties for their power and their own properties. For instance, a spell with Quas will draw upon its element to manipulate ice and borrow its properties to have resistant or prolonged effects.

Heroes
is the best known user of the art and perhaps the sole extant invoker in the present. He was a prodigy invoker, as he was already studying advanced invoking for ages 100 and up when he was merely 11 years old. With an Arcanery capacity of no fewer than ten well-remembered spells (not counting the countless spells he has cast once and forgotten forever) and the energies of, , and , he's able to invoke these spells instantly by combining the energies in the correct formula, all of which he considers arcana with no one but himself being knowledgeable on these spells.
 * Upon successfully invoking a spell, Invoker mentions the art of augury being abundant. It's currently unknown what augury has to do with invoking. Although it's possible that he's saying an invoked spell is a sign that something is about to happen, like an omen or an augury. It's like he's saying that the possibilities of what will happen next are many, hence augury abounds.

Characters
Since the Invoker has to, well, invoke all of his spells, then the owners of the spells that he invokes–Buluphont (who made ), Culween (who made ), Endoleon and Shimare (who made ), Gallaron and Tarak (who made ), Gaster (who made ), Harlek (who made ), Koryx (who made ), Myrault (who made ), Sadron (who made ) and Tornarus (who made )–probably invoked their spells too.
 * Supporting this is the fact that they existed during the time Carl was a child who already knew the ten signature invocations that we associate with him. If these twelve magicians weren't around back then, then Invoker would not have these spells.
 * The art of invoking was still prevalent during the ancient times when Carl was still a child, the proof of this being Ultimyr teaching the art during Carl's time. So these spellowners must've invoked their spells too.

Factions
The Exort wielding sorcerers of the Burning Cabal are known as "invokers" in their lore, suggesting that they invoke their spells.

World
The art of invoking was once taught at the old Ultimyr Academy before the young Invoker destroyed it. They had books on advanced invoking for students aged 100 and up.