Intro to the Study of Magic: An Introductory Lecture
If I may go back a few days chronologically, I would like to present, for your edification and enjoyment, Professor Bleak of the School of Enchantment.
"Magic is many things, but even you all know that. You're here to learn things you don't know, not thinks you do.
"Sorry. Bad start. Let's try again.
"This brief introductory talk will give you an overview of what you'll be working on for the rest of the term with your work groups. Basically, I'm going to expand on a few points in the syllabus.
"Magic can be broken down into three broad categories, and several sub-categories.
"First, is innate magic. It's written right there on your syllabus, so you know it's real. Many creatures have some innate ability to preform magical feats. A basilisk can turn you to stone, a phase spider can shift it's planar position. Things like that are very interesting, but not terribly useful. You can't do them, at least not the way they can. It's not innate for you. We'll be studying a bit of that, partly to familiarize you with some of the more interesting or dangerous creatures you hopefully haven't yet encountered in the wild, and partly to get you started thinking how you could overcome the failings of your limited natures and achieve these feats despite yourselves. Just for a few weeks though; we have more important things to do.
"Next, we'll cover spells. Technical term, that. I know lots of people talk about spells, like that's what wizards do, but it isn't. The chances are, you'll never create a new spell no matter how long you live. Spells are universal magic. A spell is a great work, a massive achievement. Most of them started off as state secrets, but once they're out, they don't stay secret long. Case in point: the common tongue. Common isn't actually a language at all. No one speaks Common. Bet you didn't know that. Some great wizard, so long ago that we don't know his name, or even what race he was, developed a spell to be able to understand what other folks were saying. Now, rather than just do it each time, he made it a real full blown spell, probably so he could let his king's spies do it. Of course, by now, everyone knows it so fully that no one even knows they know it. You all do it; it's that little pop in your ears and gulp in your throat. Some languages are immune now, but that's magic too. Mostly, you just hear accents. Incredible. You'll never be that good, but read up about it. Never hurts to know what magic is available to the whole universe. Couple of weeks there too.
"Finally, the bulk of what wizards actually do. We'll do a flying overview of the sort of effects you can manage with the different schools of magic. Not too much detail, since that's also the subject matter of the rest of your time at this academy, but you've got to start somewhere, right? We'll do a bit of basic theory, like talking about the Astral and Ethereal Planes. Hint, they're where magic comes from and how it gets places. Actually, more theory than practice, since, like I said, the rest of it is the rest of all your classes. Theory will bore you out of your skulls, unless you're one of the four or five students a year that actually gets off on that stuff. If so, come talk to me and I'll get you into my seminar next term.
"So there you go. That's what's going to eat up most of your first term. Do well though; this is what the separate schools look at when considering you for admission. No specialization means no upper level classes, and that means you'll be crippled in the actual practice of magic when you get out of here. Good luck."
7 comments:
"Wouldn't that make Common an innate ability, making your first point illogical?"
"No, but good question. The difference is the origin of the ability. An innate ability it inherent in the creature's nature, like the ability to talk is to ours. A spell was created by a member of that class of creature affected, and is not inherent to the creature, but to the omnipresent realm of magic that surrounds us. We have access to it, but we aren't its source.
"Any other questions?"
"Yes, sir, where does magic come from, initially? Sure, the astral and etheral is where we draw it from, but is there another source from where it seeps?"
"Well, our best theory is that magic is the very stuff of creation, that it just is, and that it just pools in usable form in those places. Of course, how do you prove it? If you can come up with another theory, and some reason why it might be true, you'll have your academic career made, just defending yourself against the furious criticism of your peers. Or one of them might turn you into a frog, and use you in some kind of experiment. Either way, your worries would be over."
"Ah... In relating to the different schools of magic, are there some places where one type may be easier to use than another, for example where evocation might be less stressful than normal, but something like abjuration more difficult?"
This question peaks Ionjae's true interest and his attention is focused like a knife awaiting the response from the professor.
"Well, that's a little advanced, this early in the course, but yes. Obviously, evocation will work better in the Elemental Plane of whatever you're using. Conjuring works better if you've got some ready source of whatever you're calling up, and not at all from some places, like Sigil, which are sealed effectively. Enchantment works just fine wherever, provided the energies you're using are accessible. Necromancy doesn't work in some of the Upper Planes, or at least some sections of them. Also, if you've got some source of power other than the Ethereal or Astral Planes, proximity to it will be helpful.
"Basically, the nature of some places, or the nature of certain Powers associated with them, can effect changes on your magic, but it's hard to make a blanket statement. Stay on your toes, or you'll probably get yourself killed when things get weird. Never expect things to work, cause sometimes they won't."
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