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Mel visits Erinalia (again)

Started by Johan, June 13, 2005, 01:40:36 PM

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Johan

Hey - so I'm wondering about something and thought you might have some introspection for me.

I notice that there are a bunch of different people around who cast spells. Notably, I see you cast  a spell to heal yourself. This is a kind of response that I've seen Amy create any number of times. But, as I watch you cast your healing spells, which I've done a few times now, I notice that you use different words, and you have different hand gestures than Amy does. Yet the result is the same.

Why is that? One would think that in order to get the same result, you would do the same thing. That is, if you want to shoot an arrow into a target, you load the arrow, knock the arrow, draw the bow, aim, and then release. There's only one way to go about it. But with spells, you can achieve the same result by doing completely different things. It makes one think that the verbals and somantics are really not that important at all, and it's really just the will of the speller. Even material components seem to vary from caster to caster.

In Dullstrand, I knew this fellow who could cast spells, but every now and then I'd swear that he'd use a pinch of gravel instead of a pinch of sand or even dust - metaphorically speaking, of course.

There was a lady I knew in the Menowood - hey, you said you were from there, maybe you know her? Name of Laeritin? Elf woman with long, golden braids? No? Ah well, she made the best black bird stew...never got a beak or a finger in it. Oh, yeah, Learitin, she was very close to the animals and stuff and she told me that the material component wasn't really all that necessary anyway. Instead of using yew (not you (pointing)) she might use maple or oak. She said that it might have an impact on the spell, but the results would be essentially the same.

It's really all about the caster's will, isn't it?

 :)

Are you awake?
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Johan

Mel watched in bewilderment as Erin fled. He noted that she was heading in the direction of, among other things, the animals pens. Hmmm...he wondered idly...perhaps Garbvan might have a thought on this subject...
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Johan

"Why do I ask such questions? Well, mostly becuase it's on my mind, and I didn't think that a conversation about the culinary differences in the tribes of the northern nomads would interest you."

Mel sat down, making himself comfortable before continuing. "I just figured that a conversation on the comparative spell casting of the various castes would be more entertaining and engaging to you. For instance, did you know that there are some kinds of animals who can cast spells? It true! The learned (finger quotes) will tell you that they are magical creatures and that they are generating "spell-like effects" (air quotes), but I'm thinking differently. Why is it that people want to believe that since it's an animal it can't have the aptitude to cast a spell? It's simply the prejudice of people to think that they have sole domain over spell casting. The truth, I think, is that anyone can cast spells - that is, to weave reality to their will, to some extent anyway - but there are different ways of arriving at the same end. It's like cooking. You might put more or less of any ingredient, or you might omit some ingredients all together; the result is still food. It might taste a little different, but it's nourishing anyway. Orcs, they say can eat foods that other races can't, but I tell you that any race can eat those things; they just have to want to. Unless, of course it's my mother's Vole Bread. If she ever makes you her vole bread, you?re going to want to stick a porcupine quill in your eye. It?s just that bad. In fact, it won the black ribbon seventy years in a row at the county fair. It?s famous; wakes the dead, they say. She blames the voles. ?Hasn?t been a decent vole in the area in eighty five years (mom?s very long-lived; she?s got elf blood in her).
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