These are the notes of Laedron Telpist, an apprentice of mage...
The first rule of magic is that all effects are temporary. The spell's effect remains, so long as you continue concentrating. The wave of magic can affect the things it comes in contact with while it is in existence. Therefore, a lightning bolt can break a tree in half. You could drown an enemy in magically created water so long as he passes before the water is dispelled. Magic is just as much about figuring out solutions as concentrating to make it happen. Magical fire can set other things aflame. It's not because the magic remains, but because it has affected something else in the world that is material.
There are several types of magic. These are known as aspects to sorcerers. They each deal with a particular part or effect of magic. The first and most popular is energetics. Being the study and conjuration of raw energy from nothingness, almost every offensive spell is a part of this aspect, but there are some practical uses, too.
Next comes the transfiguration aspect. This style of magic is done to change some feature of something. A weaker transfiguration might be changing a copper coin into a gold one for a short period of time, while a major use would be transforming a person into a rabbit.
After transfiguration, you have alteration. That is the magic of illusions and shadows. It's easier to project an image of something than to conjure up the sum of its parts. Instead of making a man from nothing, you make his image. Alterations cannot interact with things since they are simply apparitions.
The final aspect is a rather new practice which can be difficult to master. It is called Captivation. It is the art of the silver tongue. I can be used to persuade or manipulate others. While requiring a great deal of concentration, it involves speaking at the same time. These two actions working simultaneously can be troublesome to achieve, and even the masters find it nearly impossible to control anyone for any considerable length of time. It can aid you in communicating with those who don't speak our common tongue, though. Birds, for instance. They can be told simple directions, many sorcerers use the smarter creatures for mundane tasks. A carrier pigeon, for example.
There are others aspects, but they are very specialized and they are branches of these four aspects. Each sorcerer might also develop his own incantations, making our game both interesting and dangerous.
The most important spell a sorcerer can ever know is the invocation of dispelling. Many mages begin their training by learning simple offensive spells or changing water into milk.
Alteration magic deals with illusions. In order to make a mirage, you must be familiar with what you are trying to mimic. The more complex the apparition, the harder it will be to maintain Even though an illusionary image cannot interact with the material world, it can still be convincing. It's also easier to create than the actual thing. Whereas making a real human is a daunting task, summoning the mere image of one is often plenty to accomplish the effect.
Captivation magic can be used to exert control over another, its common practical use is to communicate with others, its common practical use is to communicate with others who do not share your tongue. And animals. The incantation is spoken, and you must concentrate the words into its base emotions and thoughts, conveying them to the recipient in their rawest form. That's why we can communicate with animals in this way, although they may not always understand our meaning. Advance beings are capable of higher thought and feelings.
To influence another in this method yo must concentrate while bringing out the thoughts you want to portray. Then, you must stregthen these thoughts to draw them to act the way you want. it's not a method of commanding them outright; you use your powers to sway thwm one way or another.
Let's us supposed that you are angry with me, an I would prefer you to be cordial. I would then speak the incantation to bring about the spell and feed positive thoughts of myself directly to your mind . especially those which I feel would be the most effective.
Taken from : The Circle of Sorcerers. By Brian Kittrel
When Laedron Telpist's sorcery training is interrupted by a knock on the door, what once seemed a proper profession must now be hidden. In a world where priests and mages vie for the limitless power of the elements and a new Grand Vicar has sworn death to all sorcerers, Laedron is tossed into a nightmare which would see his destruction at every turn.
From the home shores in western Sorbia, through the Cael'Brilland heartlands, and even across the seas to the great city of Azura, Laedron finds himself embracing old friends, consorting with unlikely allies, and confronting potent enemies. As he struggles to train himself in spellcraft, Laedron must face that he lives in a time when the utterance of a simple spell could be the signature on his death warrant.
