Lesson One Summary:
Class started with a long anecdote about how magic is inherently dangerous and all spells, regardless of purpose, should be treated with caution. I honestly don't remember much of it because it was 100% improvised.
Class eventually drifted into some of the basics of alchemy:
1. Alchemy is a broad discipline with its fingers in pretty much everybody else's pies. This is because, at its core, alchemy is the study of spellcraft, or how and why spells work the way they do. It is a discipline that looks within, so to speak; by seeking an increased understanding of the spells they cast, an alchemist seeks to improve their overall magical capabilities.
2. Any given spell can be broken down into a set of magical components, or catalysts that allow a wizard to direct magical energy to create a desired effect. Using these components and all sorts of scientific jiggery pokery that will be covered in future lessons, a spell can then be expressed as a written formula: the well-known "alchemy circle."
Exact spellcrafting theory tends to vary, but most wizards agree that the majority of spell components can be categorized in the following way:
a) Verbal components, or incantations. At one time this consisted of long winded rites that invoked all sorts of deities or quasideities, but advanced research into semantics have allowed modern spells to be condensed into a short word or phrase.
b) Somatic components, or gestures with a wand or staff. We will discuss these in more detail later, but you'll want to pay attention to your homework.
c) Material components. In short, all those lovely little extras that the "messier" methods of spellcasting require: potion ingredients, bits of fingernails or hair, gems, sacrifices (don't ask, we'll cover those later), bits of rag and bone (we'll cover these only if I can figure out where the turkey vultures went with my stuff) and other magical reagents. Again, further discussion is warranted.
2.5: If you're feeling confused, don't worry, it will all be tied together soon.
3: Alchemy circles, or formulas, are like an operating manual for a particular spell. The formula uses complex diagrams, glyphs, and written incantations to control the flow of mana in the same way that a wizard would normally by using a wand.
The obvious question here is, "why bother with alchemy in the first place, then, if I can just use my wand?"
Come to my second class and I'll tell you, suckers.
Homework Assignment: I'd tell you the title, but it would spoil the fun.
(do this before coming to class #2, or you'll be hopelessly lost)
Write your initials on a piece of paper. Got it? Now, write them again, except this time do it using only one pen stroke. Still with me? Here's the fun part: twist your initials until they are unrecognizable except only to you. Take that single, all-encompassing pen stroke and rewrite in such a way that it forms a unique symbol. The symbol should say something about you. Maybe it resembles your favorite shape or an animal you identify with it. Most importantly, the symbol should be easy to draw in the air, as if you were tracing it with a wand.
Got your symbol? Bring it to class (or better yet, post it in one of the art forums). You'll need it.
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