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Aiseth
 
PostPosted: Mon, Jul 27 2015, 4:19 AM 

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The Book of Evolutions

by Aiseth Nosdivan

Forward: Given the limited resource to arcane instruction in this specific realm of Toril following the perilous wrath of magical abusers such as the Arcanum, it had become apparent to me that for the greater appreciation of the Eight Rings of Arcana; sometime referred to as the Schools of Magic, should be discerned by both their foundation and development into what nations such as Halruaa, Nimbral, Waterdeep, Calimshan, Netheril, Lantan, and even Thay. Each have systematically adopted as the contemporary and current summit of Arcane comprehension. The purpose of this work is to highlight how each school has entered the hands of the contemporary magician from its aboriginal caster, and to explain how each exponential magic relates to the school it is described. I will name each Ring by chapter; and then discuss how each particular school had evolved from its original crafter and later into the hands of Men; last of the Creator Races(1). Likewise, it is important to recognize the dated-expansion of magic since its foundation in the Nether Scrolls(2). That is to say, not all schools of magic were created evenly and at the same instance, as the collection of knowledge that the arcane community has accepted as the Arcanist's Primer Spellbook, was developed over several centuries under grueling and often times, forgotten hours of laborious creation. Scholars divide this chronological mark in adaptation by two main eras: The Aboriginal Magician(3), and the Rebirth of Magic.(4)

The Rings are thus listed from eldest to newest: Divination, Conjuration, Abjuration, Evocation, Necromancy, Transmutation, Enchantment, Illusion, and arguably a ninth, Cantomancy. In total there are eight true rings; with Cantomancy drawing close as a nine ring, and the tenth exception being Brown Magic; or "Druidism" which at its current state, is not fully adopted nor regarded as a circle of magic, nor will it be in our lifetime, but is thought by some scholars to instead be seen as a Ring transfixed in a developmental stage of magic from which, perhaps a new school will ripen in time. I will speak on the stages of Arcana in the next chapter.
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(1)We use the reference to Men in this book as a chronological marker; as previous races were much more instrumental to the creation of magic than men, but as they were the last creator race, it is significant in the timeline of magic when discussing the evolutions of the schools.(2)The Nether Scrolls were the first draft of the Arcane Primer; given to the Netherese People soaked from the knowledge of the previous creators, they are considered a holy article among all magicians. A little known fact was that chronomancer and Azuthian, Colin Reyes, had once attempted to manipulate history by giving the Nether Scrolls to the Netherese People himself. But this manipulation was erased and corrected following his demise.(3)The Aboriginal Magicians refer to the first known uses of magic as a group phenomenon before these gifts were harnessed by Men.(4) The Rebirth of Magic refers to the height of the Netherese Empire, a significant period where magic was centralized and thus expanded into a treated practice; in essence, the birth of the arcanist as his and her identity.



Chapter One: Schools and Arts Defined

It should first be said, when we speak of magic as a whole, often times it is referred as the Art, but in its organization on closer relevance, we separate the distinction of practice of the Art into: arts and schools. All magic begins with raw and element merits; deciphered and passed from hand to hand, drawn from what magicians refer to as The Weave. The Weave is considered the all-source of magic throughout the planes; and energy is thus drawn from it remotely in all manners of life and practice, some scholars will argue.(1) It is a veil that is as real to nature as the air we breathe. The Arcane Community vastly regards the schools whittled to eight major rings, as previously stated. The process in which comes before a school is referred to academically as an 'art'. Arts include new and developing fields of magic either not sponsored, or not regarded as ethical, practical, or approachable magic.(2) Many of which arts are often-times branches of already established schools, and thus we consider them only of the same school, but sometimes and often, discouraged practices or unauthorized magic with little to no evidence of its greatness. For example, Hemotheurgy is an art drawn from the school of Transmutation.(3) Many of these branches of magic drawn from study in a specific school are considered exponential magics and they can be classified variously by each school. I will touch on further exponential magic later. Before a school is titled so, it must pass a variety of fundamental tests to justify its genuine practice of magic. But given that the arcane community is always changing policy, manifestation, approach, and technique; only eight true rings have survived and flourished after the fall of Netheril. An arch mage would consider a school as such under a range of circumstances that can be tested indefinitely by spell to anticipate the same result and universal accessibility to the school of focus without abnormal restraint.(4) Any limitations or 'newness' in magic sensed or abstained by the arcane community is otherwise the result of an art.

Cantomancy is the perfect example of an art just shy of being considered a school. For one fact, bards are not mages. They do not work with or of the same pattern of study as spellcraft would be taught, but access magic through alternative patterns in nature; such as music. Though they are well recorded in terms of their definition of their spells and music; bards are barred the tradition of magicianhood by not being able to access the same primer and forms of magic as we arcanists; yet their art holds great merit and regard even in the eyes of many arcane communities. Sometimes Cantomancy schools are even incorporated as liberal arts in many arcane universities throughout Faerun.

Other art forms are disenfranchised from being taught or expanded in most universities as well under the respect of ethical regard for magic's containment and conservation acts to provide a safe and regulated approach to mastering a technique; this is not in part of dissolving magic or 'controlling' magicians to follow more standardized learning of spellcraft, but rather to encouraged the overarching goal of focusing magicians to specialize in a practical school of magic so that they may be of greater need to their realm. Of course, these are values stated by the arcane community by its majority leaders, yet their impact of these decisions are not lost upon the maverick magician who's interests may focus outside the central scope of arcane. In other words, the definition of school and magic is highly a conceived record of great magicians who have shared summit and decided the fate of magic after the fall of Netheril. Of course, exceptional communities do exist and disregard in totality the organization of magic paved by these leading arcanists.(5)

It should take many years before any art of magic is considered a new school; and even if so, most arts can be tested to instrument some foundation in the already pre-existing schools, and thus cancel their eligibility as a school. We may have already reached the climax of our classification as to what a school is and is not.

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1)This is taken mostly from a Mystran-perspective; but notably observe that Mystrans are the majority leaders of the arcane community, and most magicians revere Mystra in some shape or form; as well, there are many accounts of the weave in arcane sight truly existing; and even fey-like creatures sometimes claim to see magic flowing passively in ways other creatures cannot.2) Ethics, practicality, and tangibility are all ways in which a spell is considered definitive. If magic is wild or unharness-able, dangerous, and even a sheer act of chaos; we cannot truly call the manifestation a spell at all.3)See Hemotheurgy: An Overview and Defensive Plan4)By this, it is meant that the spell should be able to cast in any environment repeatedly without abnormal or resisting factors. That it should be able to occur naturally if completed correctly and in any time of day.5) The nation of Thay as one example of this is one of the most boisterous opponents of the arcane foundation. They have gone as far as to outwardly reject evidence of any such foundation at all, and would prefer to redefine magic in their own image.


Chapter Two: The Elder Schools

Divination: The eldest of all magical schools, divination records back to evidence of the arcana of oracle bones first set by the first creator race; the Sarrukh. Bones were used as manners of communication between tribes. Turned bones could dictate a certain warning or message understood well by the bone-readers, or oracles. These Saurian people mainly lived in a tribal setting; with greater civilizations centered in areas such as Chult and Netheril. There are survived texts of one such oracle of their species known as Arthindol, sometimes called the Terraseer, whom foresaw Karsus contest with Mystryl. It was also said that the Terraseer saw the divide of his own race's folly when the rise of new races began to be fruitful in the realms; thus the Terraseer abstained from war with the newer races and instead sought means to extend his own life in solitude. Rumors say the Terraseer became a lich, centuries later. Divination and knowledge of oracle bones later became a wide-spread talent among the Sarruhk creatures; and the artform itself was highly ritualistic, boarding a religious phenomenon among this aboriginal race.

Netheril adopted divination as one of its prime studies, and though mastered by magicians such as Karsus before the time of his error. But more invested in the science was archwizard Raumark; whom in his wisdom led a contingencies of refugee Netherese to the southern lands, and borne the land of Halruaa. Many Halruaans revere Raumark as the father of Halruaa, and award him the survival of the High Netherese bloodline. Many leaders of the arcane community in tradition often elect a diviner into that throne, such as current Netyarch Zalathorm Kirkson, one of the standing greatest arcanists to rule Halruaa.

Exponential forms of divination are highly complex and sometimes miraculous. One of the most notorious studies that is also bears a great foundation in local history is the practice of Chronomancy. This art takes from the school a postulation of whether or not the body can travel with the seer's inspection of the many layers of time. Those whom do master in this art form first master divination to some level, and thus proceed to procuring a concentration toward manipulating this time energy. The careful arcanist however will not proceed too far into manipulating time; as we have undoubtedly seen the sheer folly that can arise from such mistakes, such as the error of the diviner Colin Reyes.


Conjuration: It is not sure when precisely conjuration was first practiced before the Nether Scrolls but the creatures of the outer planes have longed developed a relation with the Creator Races by way of the summoner. The first summoned beings were considered the Primordials; sometimes referred to as the Elder Evils. These creatures were thought to be the chaotic conjurings of early gods set to the world to end the Blue Age. These first summons were thought to have brought in their wake of destruction: the Elementals into the world; fire, water, air, and earth; and from which the giants and other creatures entered Toril and disbanded from various portals to reside in the lands. Much of the harnessing of conjuration thereafter was to do by the sheer acts of fascination among the early summoners, whom learned of these ways by these planar guests. By the time conjuration had entered Netheril as a school; diabolics and celestial creatures were servicing the realm in mutual favor to what the Men learned to be called the Blood Wars. Mutual-exchanges were the favored pacts among of conjurers at this time, and many fell to the fate of trying to harness creatures too intelligent to be slaved. But the use of conjuring energy and material from the outside planes; as well as the creation of Portals, put the art form into a better light for the realm which was vastly separated by mountains and dense wood before the roads were truly strong.

Conjuration was mostly secular in its development after the fall of Netheril. Much of its information and practice was lost or feared to persist in the light of the great destruction, but those whom hid the knowledge did so well and for centuries to follow. The knowledge of conjurings then became an occult principle; and was the strife and grief of many nations fearful these practices would create too much chaos or a second punishment from the gods. In order to guard that magic itself from being destroyed entirely, the arcane community adopted the self-bastardized practice and worked diligently to repair the art form in the eyes of the non-caster as a practice of wonder and guardianship. As a result, some nations outright beloved the art while others detested it.

This initiative was mostly a success and the draw to why conjuration and the adaptation of portals, planar contact, and otherwise could not be ignored in the time of Man's expansion. One of the proudest nations of conjuration (and most infamous) is Calimshan, which has used conjuration as means to propel the slave market and truly became one of the richest regions as a result. New creatures entering the world were mostly a benefit to those looking to learn from the multiverse, the migration and boom of the genasi creatures grew from this initiative. In Waterdeep, magi such as Mystra's Chosen, Khelben Arunsun harnessed a conjured holy energy such as Silver Fire, and could heal his wounds involuntarily. However the world remains diligently distrustful of arcane summoners in the pockets of the world today, given the occult practices of the world have often bred disastrous results. Education around the conjuration school remains one of the more necessary rigorous fields as it relies heavily on an ethical foundation.

Exponential studies in conjuration sometimes take from in the dark art of Fertility Magic, which creates from powerful creatures from the body. There are also those whom use their school for a greater purpose in terms of those who use Healing conjurations and Seal Magic, or Glyphs. The most notorious practices of conjuration still fall into the field of Diabolicism, which leer sometimes into the bonds of Warlock-hood. Some of these bonds are permanent and highly dangerous.



Abjuration: *These Pages Are Currently Missing*

Evocation: *These Pages Are Currently Missing*

*The Footnotes Appear To Be Missing From This Chapter.*

Chapter Three: The Younger Schools

Necromancy: *These Pages Are Currently Missing*

Transmutation: *These Pages Are Currently Missing*

Enchantment: Its origin is thought to be crafted by the far hags of the Faerun, used as manifestations for power and luring food and lovers into their huts to breed and continue their infernal practices. This art was learned by their adversary sylvan and worked against them in a less-known war among the Seelie creatures. When the art was recorded into the Nether Scrolls by the elder creator race's, it was rudimentary and raw charms at best, volatile, and hard to remove from victims, much like how curses fortify upon the victims. When this school was integrated into the High Arts, the Netherese predesignated the craft into more common practice with the purpose to reduce or eliminate the unpredictability of man's nature in magic, and as it was a young craft in its time, it was mostly supported by a small sect of Netherese mages trusted by their city leaders. It's misuse and great capability in conquering the heart and mind has given it the bastard title of "witchcraft" and to a greater misunderstanding and sexism, "temptress magic". These titles are not only inaccurate, but ignorant to the better responsibility of Enchantment that has been re-purposed today.

The responsible enchanter or enchantress will use their powers to prevent hostile situations and to prevent violence in its fatalism. Higher studies of Enchantment have proven to use their capabilities to help the magically or born-afflicted overcome their personal demons, block or unblock magical ailments, and reverse powerful curses. Likewise, Enchantment is necessary at times to permanently subdue those of incurable fiendish qualities, infatuate tyrants to give up their horrid ways, and in the worst case scenarios, remove the sentience of an irreparably dangerous enemy. Enchanters and enchantresses today are typically well kept, intelligent, organized, and the most attractive of the arcane community. They are sometimes unfairly generalized as hard to impress, pretentious, and self-indulgent, but these are the opinions of the unlearned and even kings and archmages understand and know the importance of a well-trained enchanter or enchantress on-hand in every university, council, and nation across Faerun. One of the more recognizable archmages of Enchantment in the height of The Rebirth Era was Polaris. She was a highly successful Netherese Mentalist of light hair and golden skin said to oversee the Netherese community of Delia. It was said her mind was impenetrable and she could passively read the memories of all that looked into her gaze. The school's reemergence and movement south of Netheril came along with the Great Refuge of arcanists headed to the new nation of Halruaa.

Exponential forms of enchantment are mostly newer practices still developing and only now just taking shape. Some do include arts such as this mentalism; that designates toward the focus of cerebral enlightenment; sometimes seen as a natural occurrence in aberrations such as mindflayers. There is as well, the interest in the Vorpal. Vorpal magic is the art of crafting intelligent weapons.


Illusion: Perhaps in our current day, Illusion remains the most infamous of schools given its inclinations of utilizing the shadows and deception as a regular art form. It's genesis before its recording in the Nether Scrolls was used solely by the Faeriefolk to disguise themselves and remain hidden in the material world, hence give the name of Hidden People. Given the strength of bonds between the Seelie courts and the elven people; this magic too was recorded later into the Nether Scrolls. Thus that tradition of protection continues in its modern manifestation. Its progression in the time of Netheril was mostly considered as a fail-safe prematurely by the wiser members of the magocracy whom considered the failure of their empire; as a result a portion of these Netherese called the Shadovar did rely on Illusion magic most of all to escape the fate of the nation of Netheril. Illusionists can often times be seen as a little tedious in their manner and like to test their tricks on ordinary people quite often; thus the school is a favorite of arcane tricksters, gnomes (whom have often carried a natural affinity for these arts), and some hin. There is also much hearsay in scandalous regard to its abuse for capricious acts that would encourage those to use figments and fascinations and shadow-arts that would undermind the craft to be the choice of drifters, dark arts, and criminals, yet the benefits of using this form of magic for protection outweigh the costs. Most excellent with this craft are the denizens of Nimbral whom disengaged from Halruaan society, thought it better to perfect their magic in annex. The prized Illusionist should learn a great wealth of their school's magic there. It is also a reputedly difficult island to locate.

Famed Illusionists include Elminster Aumar (on behalf of his ability to change into any man) whose reputation and power remains unrivaled in the Shadowdale. His tales are many of his rise to kingdom and his magic is revered by many arcanists as the 'sage' of Arcana. But to speak of his many exploits would require a book in its own right. There was also Shadovar Prince Vattick Thanthul of Shade. He was the twin brother of Prince Mattick Thanthul and born two minutes after his brother, and they were unnervingly inseparable. Often times they used their like-appearances to fool great opponents of Shade in terms of diplomacy and as well to learn the location of Netherese Ruins. There was also Illusionists famed to nations such as Thay, such as Dmitra Flass; the first princess of Thay. Archmage Flass was a major oneiromancer whom used nightmares and dreamweaves against her foes, and could change her appearance at will. Rath Modar is well-known among the Sword Coast as a Thayan exile who was turned from the nation by Szass Tam who believed Modar intended to take the throne from him at Zenith. There was also the Mistmaster, whose record proves mostly inconsistent, but we know of his dealings with Khelben Arunsun well.

Exponential forms of Illusion include the dreaded Oneiromancy, which incites the use of dream-magic to affect those in their unconsciousness. Oneiromancy is considered very powerful, and has been both a blight and a wonder in this realm. Some believe dreams can unlock powers sleeping in those born will natural affinities. The other arcanism of Illusion that has been given much value and thought is the art of shadow magic, which has always been vilified by certain circles of conventional thought as the work of dark intentions; but others would believe shadows to be an alternative approach to abjuration, but in regard to a defense against the death arts.


*The Footnotes Appear To Be Missing From This Chapter*

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MuseReader: Aiseth Nosdivan- Master EnchantressImage


 
      
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