Practice of Magic: Basics, Lesson One

  • The Beginning Spellcaster

     

    The most powerful mages in Tamriel were once beginners. They all had similar early experiences: exposure to magic kindled an interest and/or unlocked some latent ability, followed by years of hard work. These intrepid souls honed their skills, learned new spells, and vigorously trained their minds and bodies to become the formidable figures they were known as during their later lives.

     

    The Mages Guild of Tamriel has long been the first stop on a long road to knowledge and power for many individuals. Providing magical services to the general public, the Guild offers a wide variety of spells for purchase, and is recommended as a first stop for any aspiring spellcaster. Independent dealers may be found, though their selection of spells is often not as comprehensive as that of the Mages Guild.

     

    Grulmar’s eyes were jumping from one word to another, literally eating through the book he picked up in the Arcaneum. Manual of Spellcraft. The Arcaneum’s system was hard to grasp and this was the only book he could find that might help him understand the basics of spellcasting. But so far it just tells me to be careful, patient and similar bullshit. And it talks about Mages Guild, so the book must be more than two hundred years old.

     

    So far, from what he understood from the book, someone else had to walk him through the process of casting a spell. Or I could figure it on my own, but that might take years.

     

    He already managed to cast a spell. Twice. First in the Aetherium Forge and the second time it was in Fellglow Keep with Urag. Telekinesis and Calm spell. Does that mean I’m predispositioned for Alteration and Illusion? Maybe.

     

    He shifted in his chair and pulled the collar of his robes. It wasn’t a clothing he was accustomed to but Scorch said that it was enchanted which should help him concentrate his Magicka. If I ever get to the actual casting.

     

    Many spells are beyond the capabilities of beginning mages; the ability to render one's self invisible, for example, is an advanced power and is beyond the novice spellcaster. Through practice, a mage may become more skilled in a given school of Magic and find himself proficient enough to begin exploring its more powerful aspects. The fledging mage should not be daunted by his inability to wield certain powers, but should instead use this as a point of focus and a drive for bettering himself. Rather than becoming discouraged, the student should look forward to higher levels of skill, such as the advanced techniques of absorbing spells, summoning lesser (and eventually greater) Daedra and undead -- for research purposes only -- and protection against specific types of spells, such as Fire, Frost, and Shock spells.

     

    For research purposes only my arse, he snorted. I bet that's what all the Necromancers in Skyrim are sayin' to themselves. Buggers…

     

    Mages wishing to specialize in a particular school of magic are encouraged to learn as many spells of possible within that school, and to practice them frequently. All mages, whether specializing or nurturing a general interest, are encouraged to apply for membership within the Mages Guild. Beyond services available to the general public, the accomplished Guild member has access to many exclusive services such as Advanced Spellcraft and Enchanting. These services have been deemed potentially dangerous to the public at large, and have been restricted to higher-ranked Guild members in good standing by the Council of Mages.

     

    Citizens interested in the further use of magic should consult their local Mages Guild Archmagister.

     

    Alright, I'm game. Where can I make appointment with local Mages Guild Archmagister? He snorted again. There was no Mages Guild anymore, they branched into College of Whispers and Synod, becoming rival institutes fighting for Empire's favor. That's what I heard at least.

     

    Someone suddenly knocked on the door and entered the room Grulmar was sharing with J'zargo. It wasn't a big room, but they both had their beds, closets and shared table with two chairs. Grulmar raised his eyes from the - not so helpful - book and saw Tolfdir enter. He was an old Nord wizard, probably the most experienced and the oldest looking around - but frankly it was hard to say if he really was the oldest with all those elves around. “Good day, novice,” Tolfdir greeted him and looked at the book. “Anything interesting?”

     

    The Orc frowned at the book. “Just some Mages Guild garbage,” he murmured and shut the book. “We were supposed to meet after lunch, Grey. Aren't ya supposed to be tryin' crack that blasted thing?”

     

    Tolfdir closed the door and sat on the chair at the opposite side of the table Grulmar was sitting at. The old wizard then leaned closer and whispered: “They kicked me out. Outragous! I was the one to discover that thing and now the Thalmor threw me out. Would you believe that?!”

     

    The Greenskin frowned and supressed a compulsion to spit. Dealings with Thalmor were never pleasant. “Yeah, I would believe that. My bet is that it's because of their lack of humor. Can't stand up a good joke. Ya heard the one about why are Thalmor always so stiff? It has to do something with their staves being shoved-”

     

    Tolfdir raised his hand to stop him. “Better not to talk so loud. They take their insults rather seriously.” He then leaned closer and smiled. “Because of the staves up their arses.” Grulmar just stared at him and then laughed out loud when Tolfdir winked at him. Didn't know ya had it in ya, old fart. “But because I don't have anything to do as of this moment, I thought we could start with your lessons.”

     

    Grulmar straightened in his chair and felt a big grin clawing its way on his face. “Really? Alright, let's do this. Where will we start? Figurin' out what level of talent I have? What school is right up my alley? Throwin' fireballs at Thalmor?”

     

    Tolfdir leaned back with smile on his face. “Now now. You younglings and your impatience. You might not cast spells in years or you might cast a spell tomorrow. But today, we won't be casting anything. We will just talk and learn. Safety first.”

     

    “Talk?” Grulmar grimaced. “About what?”

     

    “Magicka,” proclaimed Tolfrid. “What is Magicka? Where does it comes from?”

     

    The Orc stared at him, waiting for Tolfdir to continue, but the old Nord was just staring back. Grulmar cleared his throat. “Those were rhetorical questions, right?”

     

    “So you don't know?”

     

    “Listen, Grey. I'm a thief, alright? I read books that I steal, but usually they are just history and treasure maps. Magicka was the least interestin' subject to me, because I didn't tuskin' know I'm goin' to be a mage.”

     

    Tolfdir just weathered his outburst and then sighed. “See, that's why we are going to just talk today. So what is Magicka? It is believed that Magicka is the fabric of the existence itself. Everything is infused with magickal potential, from ground and trees to every living being.”

     

    “Like… a flower can cast spells?” asked Grulmar skepticaly.

     

    Tolfdir shook his head. “Not every flower. The magickal potential varies. For example Soul Gems. They are a rocks, but their magickal potential is larger than diamond's. Beasts like wolves can't use Magicka, but what about Ice Wraiths? Aren't they creatures of pure magicka?”

     

    “And Trolls? Their regenerative abilities certainly aren't normal,” pointed out Grulmar.

     

    The old Nord frowned in thought. “That is an interesting thought indeed. So you're beginning to understand the concept. Everything is infused with Magicka, some things have more, other things less. And from where does the Magicka come from? The most accepted theory is that Magnus - the sun - brings Magicka to our world everyday with sun rays, infusing everything and recharging the streams of Magicka.”

     

    “Streams?”

     

    “Yes, streams. Think about Magicka flowing through the world. Does it flow uniformly? Or does it cluster into something else? There are waypoints in our world where these streams collide, increasing the magickal possibilities in certain areas. Like here. The College stands on one of these waypoints, making it easier for mages to draw Magicka here, thus making it easier for practice.”

     

    Grulmar scratched his neck and grimaced. “But if Magicka is in everything, even in us, why do mages need to draw it from somewhere?”

     

    “Because every creature's reserves are not infinite,” Tolfdir smiled. “If you burn all your Magicka, you need to slowly regenerate it, drawing on these streams and Magicka all around you. Or you can just wait for Magicka to slowly return back to you, because that is the way with Magicka. Everything is Magicka and Magicka is everything. Nothing exists without it.”

     

    “So if I burn all my  Magicka I cease to exist?”

     

    Tolfdir frowned and leaned closer to Grulmar. “Using magic doesn't come without danger. If you push yourself too far and use all Magicka in you, you might die. But because you are always regenerating Magicka, it's unlikely to happen. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful.”

     

    “So does the talent play any role in all of this?” Grulmar asked after few seconds of thinking. “Like...can someone be a stronger mage than anyone else?”

     

    Tolfdir nodded. “Thing is that anyone can be a mage. I mean, any of the sentient races of Tamriel. How to better explain it? Oh, I know. Everyone was given the ability to walk but very few can become athletes. It's the same with magic. Anyone can become a mage, but for some it's more difficult and for someone else it's natural. Some might learn a few spells, some might master two schools of magic and know something about all others. And very few can master all magic.”

     

    “So it's like another excercise. Like if I train with swords long enough, I will become better fighter, but if I just lack the talent, I won't improve,” thought Grulmar out loud.

     

    “Exactly. With the difference that you need something else than muscle and endurace. It's like juggling. Can you juggle? If I give you three apples, could you juggle with them? And then using just one hand? Magicka is like joggling without using your hands.”

     

    Grulmar chuckled. “Jugglin'. I'll have to remember that.” He then rubbed his nose. “It's actually quite a lot to absorb.”

     

    Tolfdir got up on his feet. “You're right. I'm quite hungry. I recommend you read some books on Magicka and Schools in general and then we can discuss them tomorrow?”

     

    Grulmar nodded. “I agree.” When Tolfdir left, Grulmar looked at the Manual of Spellcraft again and sighed. He opened it and looked at it with new eyes. Right now, I don't understand how anyone can ever become a mage. All those mages make it seem so simple. Just flick  their fingers and bam! Ya are a roasted chicken.

     

    But still...when do I learn to cast some tuskin' spells?

     

    Sources used in this lesson: Manual of Spellcraft

     

     

Comments

5 Comments   |   NoOneIsHear and 8 others like this.
  • The Sunflower Manual
    The Sunflower Manual   ·  January 9, 2017
    Flowers cannot cast spells, but wouldn't their use in potions be evidence of their infusion with Magicka? Breaking down and combining different organic materials to produce results far beyond that of normal chemistry is the basis of alchemy, which in itse...  more
  • A-Pocky-Hah!
    A-Pocky-Hah!   ·  January 2, 2017
    For some reason Gru reminds me of myself during school. I just want to skip all the reading and get to the good stuff.  :-W
    • Karver the Lorc
      Karver the Lorc
      A-Pocky-Hah!
      A-Pocky-Hah!
      A-Pocky-Hah!
      For some reason Gru reminds me of myself during school. I just want to skip all the reading and get to the good stuff.  :-W
        ·  January 2, 2017
      Hehehe. Who wouldn´t want to throw fireballs at Thalmor right away? :D
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  January 2, 2017
    Ah, poor Gru wants to cast spells already. But it is good to talk about magicka first. I like your reasonings and the incorporation of book sources. This is going to be a fun ride. I kept thinking Star Wars when reading it. lol
    • Karver the Lorc
      Karver the Lorc
      The Long-Chapper
      The Long-Chapper
      The Long-Chapper
      Ah, poor Gru wants to cast spells already. But it is good to talk about magicka first. I like your reasonings and the incorporation of book sources. This is going to be a fun ride. I kept thinking Star Wars when reading it. lol
        ·  January 2, 2017
      May the Force guide you, young padawan :D