A Student's Essays

[WriterX]

[A collection of essays, written by a student Orin Vossar of the Sandstone College. Mostly short and to the point, touching on many matters of the Arcane, as part of his studies in the College.]

Summoning – Introduction

 The summoning of creatures to aid a wizard in his multitude of tasks is a staple among many arcanists, specifically so amongst conjurers or summoners. Beings thus summoned can perform a plethora of tasks, from aiding in simple daily chores to engaging in truly dangerous or lethal undertakings.

 The challenge of using such help effectively comes in two forms:

Firstly, finding a way to conjure them to a satisfactory level. As I have observed depending on the base reagents that you use the resulting manner of beasts, their strength, complexity or skills will differ.

 This in lay terms is often described as "circles" of summoning. The higher the circle the more powerful the summon.

An example; a quartz crystal can be used as a reagent to summon an Earth Elemental. It acts as a core reagent which allows you to, every time, summon an earth elemental. However depending on other components that you use the power, or grade, of the elemental will increase. Thus, the quartz is only the means to summon a specific type of creature, while your deeper understanding, practice of summoning allows you to call forth more powerful creatures.

But the act of summoning a creature is but the one thing. The second matter is keeping it at your side, for as long as it is plausible to do so.

An inexperienced mage may be able to call forth different creatures, but how many he is capable of controlling, and for how long he is capable of binding them for, is a different matter. Thus almost any wizard can call forth a plethora of magical or mundane creatures, but only those who truly dwell on and study the art of summoning become capable of calling forth and controlling, for extended periods of time, entire armies.

There are many different types of beings that one is capable of summoning, and how this occurs can be classified into three groups. First are the summons or elementals that the arcanist has grown a close attachment to, and can freely tap into. Thus certain mages may be free call in different elementals, animate furniture and clothing, while others will have to use one of the two remaining methods.

The next most obvious method are reagents. Simple single use objects that have a connection to a specific creature type, like the afore mentioned quartz crystals. Other components I have observed were spider eyes and dog drool. If not certain of the magical properties of an object, or whether it can be used as a reagent, there are special powders that react with such reagents, thus identifying them as conjuration reagents.

The last category is a bit more complex. These are typically tomes that describe, in detail, how to summon certain creatures. But, it has been observed that other objects can be "tapped into", thus allowing an arcanist to conjure different creature types, connected with said object, without using it up. Akin to a permanent reagent, or a focus.

In these two categories, reagents and foci (permanent reagents), some may be stronger, some weaker. Some thus allowing a summoner to conjure more powerful creatures, while some will only summon inferior ones.   

It is important to experiment with different creature types and forms, to find their strengths and weaknesses, to best apply them to the task at hand. Granted there are also forbidden forms of summoning, such as those who call forth undead spirits, or other hate-filled beings, and it would be the task of a teacher, or master, to guide a student away from such practices, or to help them avoid making a very grim mistake.

[WriterX]

On Furniture-Mancy

What limited experience I have with this arcane art comes mostly from observation. And while one would assume it is focused around a single aspect of the arcane, it seems far more complex than that.

Firstly, Furniture-Mancy, on its most basic level, is the art of animating household objects to do an arcanist's bidding. These will usually be day-to-day objects, such as cutlery, clothing, or even furniture. But, I also observed objects, such as suits of armor, or hatchets, that could also be animated in a similar way.

What is curious about this manner of spellcasting is that it could be considered both Evocation and Conjuration. There seem to be methods of calling forth such objects, with the use of appropriate foci and reagents, but it would also seem that some objects can be granted animation, for however long or short, and this seems to be closer to Evocation, based on a spell similar to Shelgarn's.

Because of this, it's hard to classify Furniture-Mancy as a single art. This is further compounded by the fact that, to some degree, it can also be used in golem crafting, though the results are very rickety.

What was also observed was that Furniture-Mancers seem capable of approaching the matter of creating animated objects in one of two ways. They either animate pre-existing objects, or, here once more based on my own observations, base materials can be pre-enchanted, so that when a ready product is made the resulting piece of furniture can be animated for brief periods of time, and do their creator's bidding. This creation method does not require an arcanist, and a skilled carpenter could use these enchanted materials to create and control his own animated creations.

It thus seems that Furniture-Mancy is not simply an act of animating objects, but it can be more complex. If materials themselves can be animated that would suggest that almost anything made from these materials could be animated. As Furniture-Mancy has been capable of animating even suits of armor, it begs the question of where is the limit in this particular art of animation? Is it in the mass or type of materials, or their overall size?

These questions all seem to be without a clear answer, as Furniture-Mancers seem few and far between, and their art seems relatively guarded.

Still, it was an interesting experience, witnessing the works of an experienced Furniture-Mancer, and to ponder on their relative limitations and complexities.

[WriterX]

Necromancy - Introduction

To say that Necromancy has a bad reputation would be an understatement. The use of the deceased or their spirits, for personal power or control is difficult to justify under most if any circumstances. And yet Necromancy, or the creatures that rise from it, are not always so straightforward.

In this introduction I'd wish to touch on one topic in particular, the undead. How they come to be.

Based on personal observations, especially around the Well, I have observed Undead appear in three different circumstances.

Firstly, as Protectors of burial sites, which is curious because this would mean that in ages past Necromancy was "accepted", at least in as far as creating guardians for the Tombs of the rich and powerful.

Secondly, in places that for one reason or another are "cursed", the undead tend to appear as well. Whether they are spirits or animated corpses. This seems different from the first case, as, these "curses" may have a multitude of reasons, whether desecration or dark rituals. It seems almost a by-product of some other action. Meanwhile the use of undead guardians seems fully intentional, and in some cases those areas do not seem to have the same "stench" of negative energy as those areas that for one reason or another are "cursed".

Third category, where people or monsters directly animate the dead. This of course can be as simple as a kobold animating a zombie, but I have seen artifacts or relics that point to more advanced forms of creating or animating the undead, such as a set of panpipes that seem especially attuned to calling forth vile spirits.

While I refuse to stain my own spellbook with such magic, I have seen multiple scrolls, tomes and other artifacts that seem to allow those with a degree of arcane knowledge to animate the dead, thus creating the undead.

There seems to be no shortage of methods for doing so, and I dread to note, that in most pits of monsters I uncover even more varieties of such.

Of course Necromancy is not just about the animation or control of the Undead, but it is one of the most obvious signs of why the school is mistrusted, hated, banned. For the purpose of this particular essay however I wished to identify the three "sources" of the Undead, related to Necromancy. Thus, creation of guardians, curses or desecration of areas, and lastly, direct animation or creation of the undead by Necromancers or those with the means of doing so.

[WriterX]

Evocation - Introduction

Evocation is one of the most commonly recognized schools of the arcane. To many its most iconic spell, Fireball, may as well be the school's symbol, perhaps it is already.

While Evocation is indeed primarily focused on a plethora of offensive spells, amongst them the iconic Fireball, the school has access to countless spells, different in the way they intend to cause harm, or with what.

Whether you wish to be precise, or more destructive, or whether you wish to use a specific element, there is no shortage of spells to choose from, making Evocation, broadly speaking, an extremely versatile school, and despite what some say, Fireball is not the only solution to most problems.

At the same time, there are also certain evocation spells that do not follow the mold. Such as Shelgarn's or Bigby's spells that can animate certain objects or be used to block or hinder certain opponents.

Those who are the most skilled or specialized in the school of evocation are capable of greatly empowering their spells. Making them more difficult to avoid, make them last longer, or make them deadlier.

While I have taken a personal interest in matters of evocation one of the main challenges of using evocation effectively is finding the right time to use it. During most of my opportunities to learn or practice my magic what people most relied on were transmutations, with evocations being used very sparingly, or sometimes not at all.

Hopefully in the future I will be able to gain more meaningful knowledge.

[WriterX]

Transmutation - Introduction

Transmutation magic is most often associated with the physical and mental boons offered to adventurers who do most of the fighting. That is what is most commonly cast before any adventure or fight, and drunk in abundance.

Transmutation, as the name suggests, focuses on changing the "form" of something, transmuting. Though most of the spells associated with it are not so visually noticeable. People upon whom you cast a strength or toughness enchantment do not suddenly have more muscle, grow taller, or thicker, but they certainly can feel more powerful or tougher.

But transmutation spells do not only impact living beings. They can also be used to enhance weapons, and one of the staples of such enchancements, magic weapon, is one of the most commonly spells used.

It's a simple spell that can turn an otherwise mundane weapon into something capable of harming magically or naturally tough foes.

Aside from that there are other well known spells, such as Haste and Slow. Knock, that allows one to open doors or chests from afar.

A special mention ought also go to spells that allow an arcanist to change his shape. The lesser polymorphosis, known often as Alter Self, and its greater variant, often simply refered to as Polymorph Self. There is also a version of the spell that can be used to transform another being into a lesser, helpless being, known as Baleful Polymorph, where the target most often is turned into a chicken. All of these spells allow an arcanist, or his target, to take on a radically different shape and form than what they normally are. From personal experiments I found that I could take on shapes that are much smaller in size and weight than myself, or much larger and heavier.

This has a multitude of uses, whether an arcanist wants to safeguard himself, have an easier time traveling, or aid others in battle. It could, theoretically, be used for espionage by taking on forms of unassuming animals.

Transmutation is a very popular school, with a lot of practical uses for an arcanist's personal use, or when offering aid to his companions and helpers, but just like all the other schools it offers more than just physical and mind enchantments, or spells upon one's weapon, even if those are most commonly used.

[WriterX]

The Theory of Raw Arcanum

 In my observation of the use of arcane magic, a few things stood out to me, and they are somewhat related to those who use the Arcane.

 Sorcerers are said to draw their power from their blood, their heritage, birthright. Sometimes pacts, but this gets a bit complicated. It is widely agreed though that most sorcerers use their own blood, bodies to cast magic.

 Bards draw on their power seemingly from their music, or performance, including song. While they seem to be a little closer to Wizards, in some respect, their magic "comes from music".

 Astrologians, on the other hand, seem to draw some of their magic from the Arcane and from the stars, if we can classify it that way. The exact method seems intertwined, and not truly separate.

 Wizards are naturally those who studied the Arcane to be capable of casting spells. It is widely assumed that Wizards simply learn how to cast magic. And through careful study and understanding they steadily gain access to more and more powerful magic.

 Yet, while all four of these arcane forms seem to draw on magic in different ways, there seems to be something tying them all together, and the best way I can perhaps explain it is through objects that often empower these forms of the Arcane.

 Many objects, such as staves, robes, circlets, and certain types of cloaks can empower not just one of these Arcane forms, but multiple. I've often seen robes that would benefit Astrologians, Wizards and Sorcerers. While certain objects seem to benefit a specific form of the Arcane, I could still find many samples of objects that offered a "blanket" of boons to those who practice the Arcane.

 The one typical exception are Bards, who seem to have a far closer connection to their musical form of magic, and scant few objects that benefited bards could be equally used by others. (An example of such an object, the necromantic pan flute that I mention in my introduction to Necromancy, is an instrument typically used by bards that could be used as a foci by any arcanist intended in summoning undead spirits.)

Still, there is a wide selection of items and objects that benefit many forms of the Arcane, which raises the question, why? Why would a robe benefit a sorcerer and wizard equally, if both of these forms of the arcane are so vastly different? Where a sorcerer draws the power from "within" while a Wizard draws it from his knowledge and study? Where an Astrologian might do the same through the power of the stars and moon? Where a bard creates his magic through song, dance or music?

 My theory is that the tying factor of all these forms of the arcane is what I will call the "Raw Arcanum". Think of this Raw Arcanum as water, buried underground. Each of the schools of magic is a different way of extracting that water. Some will build a well, some will construct a pump, some might simply dig down. All of the forms of the Arcane try to approach this raw force in different ways, and those with more skill, knowledge, training, can dig "deeper". Accessing more of it, being capable of greater feats.

 This Raw Arcanum, this "water", can however "seep" into different objects. We often look at magical artefacts and ask ourselves, "Who has created them", or "Why are they enchanted the way they are?". It is my belief that, in some cases, magic simply "seeps" into these objects, due to unnatural or unusual circumstances. Consider the fact that we often find such magical objects in places of great magic and mystery. Or where perhaps certain beings performs arcane rights and rituals. The "dam" holding the Raw Arcanum back thus open, allowed it to slip into the world and "possess" the object, empowering it further, but more importantly granting it "Raw Essence", which any arcanist can tap into.

Following my earlier example, the arcanist's skill and knowledge would denote how deep and far they can reach with the well, but consider these objects not as elements of the well itself, but instead pre-bottled water. To draw upon the water takes time, and effort, and the Well may run dry the more we draw from it, and we need time to let it replenish itself. And this "Bottled Essence" is an extension of that power. It's not something we hold, but something we borrow, that we tap into.

Imagine, if you will, a labourer who could lift a rock by the strength of his own arms, but through the use of a magical amulet he could now lift a boulder. And this amulet could be worn by him, or by anybody else. It extends his power, lets him achieve more than he would otherwise be capable of doing.

We can only dig so far with our wells, in other words; we can only learn and master so much within our lifetimes, so it is natural that we would seek for that additional aid. Something to extend our power, be able to gather more of this raw arcane essence. And among many such objects these pieces of raw essence can be tapped into by anybody with their own "form of well".

 Powerful magical staves, ancient robes, tomes, garments and jewellery made from magical beasts. While some of them require a specific method to "tap" into their essence, there are just as many that  allow any arcanist  to tap into them.

If we now continue on with my example, of the well granting one access to this Raw Arcanum, this raw essence, to be used as we deem fit, what of the objects that are touched by the Aspect of the Apprentice?

These objects, initially, seem to allow one a deeper understanding of magic. The greater the collection of such items however and something unusual happens. As I mentioned before, a well that is dry needs to be replenished, and to many of us the method of doing so is resting, preparing fresh.

And yet the Aspect of the Apprentice allows for something different. It slowly refills that Well without the need for rest, or recollection. It may not be, as I called it before, an open dam, but a tap, that allows for a steady stream, a few drops of this raw arcane force to return to our well. It is like a crack into the larger essence of the Raw Arcanum, but barely large enough to benefit from it.

Yet it allowed me such extraordinary feats such as changing my spells freely, even if it did take time, and I could only do so with weaker spells. It allowed me to tap into this Raw Essence and to use it freely. Unlike, with certain magical objects that simply "extend" our capacity for this essence.

In retrospect, as I am writing this, perhaps a better view of  magical objects is not so much an "expansion" of essence, but being capable of storing more of it. Being capable of tapping into more of it than we physically can. Meanwhile the aspect of the Apprentice is a way to partially, slowly refilling it. And what is perhaps most important to note is that the Aspect of the Apprentice benefits all Arcanists equally, which again raises the question of how can a singular aspect benefit all these different forms of the Arcane equally?

If we thus view this raw arcane essence in such a form, one wonders, would we be capable of restoring more of this Essence, without special preparation? Could it be stored in some way to "refill" our expended stocks?

I have never witnessed evidence of such, but, perhaps it was studied in the past, perhaps some have achieved it and guard such secrets for themselves. Yet, another question in this should be, whether we wish to find a way of storing this essence, and replenishing ourselves. Or, do we want to find a way to "expand" how much we can replenish it over time. Do we want a potion of such essence, to drink and refill our power, or a way for that power to slowly return to us?

This is something I shall continue to study and hopefully find more substantial evidence for.