Post by Thanatos on Oct 10, 2003 14:21:31 GMT -5
[ModNote: Following the first Offensive Magic lesson.]
I apologise for the delay but, as you are no doubt aware, I was for some time incapacitated by a certain vortex-dwelling monster and my preparation has thus been disrupted.
Now, we've done fireballs, and I trust you've all been practising in the shooting range in the school grounds. We shall find out after you're first test. Now, however, we move on to shields. Yes, I know this is Offensive Magic, but there are two sides to magical combat and the mightiest attack is next to useless if you are unable to defend yourself. Magical protection comes in many forms, most of which are indeed outside my purview. I will therefore only teach you the forms of personal defence which will be of direct use in magical combat.
Now, the first spell is very simple: shield. This can simply be spellcast in the standard way (oral spelling), as can most basic spells, but in combat one rarely has the luxury of the time it takes to employ this easy method. I shall therefore have to teach you the technique. This is little more difficult than that for fireballs and has the advantage of imperfection's leading to no result whatsoever rather than damage to school property.
Shut your eyes (this eases the mental technique; once you've all done it once, we'll work on it with the eyes open, which is slightly harder). Extend your weaker arm (the left if you are ambidextrous) in front of you firmly and quite fast, opening the hand fully from a fist as you extend the arm. Have in mind an idea of telling whatever is in front of you to stop or retreat; the technique is harder to explain any more clearly than that, but you'll soon know what I mean as you try. If you are successful, a translucent mid-blue circle, about five feet in diameter, should appear in front of you, centred on the extended hand. Maintaining it takes a mental effort, but you should all be able to manage it for at least ten seconds if you move only slowly; as we practise, you'll be able to sustain it for longer and move freely with it (remember that its properties of repulsion make it effectively a solid object; since it is weightless, this can be hard to remember at first and you may find yourselves bumping your shields into walls or each other).
Begin.
I apologise for the delay but, as you are no doubt aware, I was for some time incapacitated by a certain vortex-dwelling monster and my preparation has thus been disrupted.
Now, we've done fireballs, and I trust you've all been practising in the shooting range in the school grounds. We shall find out after you're first test. Now, however, we move on to shields. Yes, I know this is Offensive Magic, but there are two sides to magical combat and the mightiest attack is next to useless if you are unable to defend yourself. Magical protection comes in many forms, most of which are indeed outside my purview. I will therefore only teach you the forms of personal defence which will be of direct use in magical combat.
Now, the first spell is very simple: shield. This can simply be spellcast in the standard way (oral spelling), as can most basic spells, but in combat one rarely has the luxury of the time it takes to employ this easy method. I shall therefore have to teach you the technique. This is little more difficult than that for fireballs and has the advantage of imperfection's leading to no result whatsoever rather than damage to school property.
Shut your eyes (this eases the mental technique; once you've all done it once, we'll work on it with the eyes open, which is slightly harder). Extend your weaker arm (the left if you are ambidextrous) in front of you firmly and quite fast, opening the hand fully from a fist as you extend the arm. Have in mind an idea of telling whatever is in front of you to stop or retreat; the technique is harder to explain any more clearly than that, but you'll soon know what I mean as you try. If you are successful, a translucent mid-blue circle, about five feet in diameter, should appear in front of you, centred on the extended hand. Maintaining it takes a mental effort, but you should all be able to manage it for at least ten seconds if you move only slowly; as we practise, you'll be able to sustain it for longer and move freely with it (remember that its properties of repulsion make it effectively a solid object; since it is weightless, this can be hard to remember at first and you may find yourselves bumping your shields into walls or each other).
Begin.
