Post by Sorcière Charmante on Aug 14, 2004 2:10:08 GMT -5
*Strides into the room quietly, moving toward her desk. Reaching it, she sets down her cup of tea & turns to face the class. She looks them over for a few moments before speaking. Her long red hair & pale skin stand out against her black robes.*
*With a smile* “Hello and thank you for joining Creativity in Magic. As the board says, I’m Sorcière Charmante. With any luck, you are going to have fun in this class. I’m warning you now, if you participate you may end up on my good side. I will not take attendance but that never means that I don’t know when you’ve skipped my class. If you skip my class, I’ll take it personally and it will affect your grade. Now, I hate it when people don’t listen when I’m talking. And who can listen properly when they’re hungry? I will always provide snacks providing that you do not allow them to disrupt my lecture.”
*Gestures to the plate of cookies and the bowl of fruit.*
“If anyone would like a snack, please retrieve it now so I can begin. Oh yes, I allow bottled beverages in my classroom provided that you replace the tops tightly. The first time that someone spills on another student’s work, drinks will be banned.”
*Students walk up and help themselves to the snacks before heading back to their seats.*
“Good, now let us begin.”
[glow=green,2,300]Assignment #1a
Concealed Wands Alternative & Covert Wand Usage[/glow]
In charms and defense you are taught many useful wand-spells. Choose at least one classmate and tell them that you will use them for this assignment (to avoid any whining and tattling.) Then, over the course of the next week, surprise them with a spell when they least expect it. See if you can practice using your wand through your robe, at your side or under the table. You may also try whispering your spell instead of saying it out loud. Remember to keep your mind on what you are doing. Some spells are more difficult and aren't so easily quieted. And as far as I can tell, most people need to speak their commands in order for their spells to work. For quietly released spells, mental annunciation & precision is important! Don’t let your relaxed attitude sabotage your spell. Try to practice a look of nonchalance before you try this. You don’t want to tip them off that you are about to attack.
Make sure to use only the spells that you can reverse immediately. Remember, someone is going to try this on you too!
Next week, you will be encouraged to share what you have learned through this exercise.
[glow=green,2,300]Assignment #1b
Amulets- Imagination in Decoration[/glow] will be posted shortly.
Wands & Power Objects in Disguise
The classical magic wand or wizard's staff fits the motif of an old or powerful witch or wizard. Though some magic can be done without them, a wand, staff, or scepter can be used to focus energy or to direct a magical attack.
The advantage of using a wand is that it can be concealed while a staff is always in plain view. If you are clever and prefer to use a staff, you may find that pairing it with a limp or favoring one leg can be useful in disguising your tool of choice. Unfortunately, wands and staffs are all visible tools that can be taken away from you by an enemy. In some places you may even be forced to check them at the door. For such circumstances, other magical tools can prove very useful. For example, it is unlikely that you will ever be asked to check your necklace, ring or circlet. These items can be used as symbols of power and can be made from materials suited to you and your purposes.
Any item made with care and intent by you can be powerful. The more time and intent that is put into fashioning an object, the more energy that object has. When a power object that was fashioned by someone else comes into your possession, it retains energy from the person who made it along with some energy from those who have used it. This can be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on the history, energy and intent. Salt water can be used to clean power objects of old energy along with burial or ritual smudging.
Definitions
Ritual Smudging is the act of wafting the smoke from a burning substance (usually sage, cedar, lavender, juniper, yerba santa, uvi ursi, copal, pine, fir, hemlock, spruce, orris root
mullien, mugwort, fennel, bay leaf, sweet grass, plain tobacco CIGARETTES DO NOT COUNT, or incense) in a particular direction with intent to cleanse or purify an object or to center one’s self. A feather can be used to push smoke in a specific direction. It is the burning of certain herbs to create a cleansing smoke bath, which is used to purify people, ceremonial and ritual space, and ceremonial tools. In olden times, the end of the smudge stick or braid was lit from the central or cooking fire.
A Scepter is a ceremonial or emblematic staff to lean upon. A staff held by a sovereign as an emblem of authority. Sovereignty. A person who wields a scepter implies that he/she is powerful and has authority. A scepter can be another term for ‘wand’ but is usually stylized and ornamental with carvings or stones.
*With a smile* “Hello and thank you for joining Creativity in Magic. As the board says, I’m Sorcière Charmante. With any luck, you are going to have fun in this class. I’m warning you now, if you participate you may end up on my good side. I will not take attendance but that never means that I don’t know when you’ve skipped my class. If you skip my class, I’ll take it personally and it will affect your grade. Now, I hate it when people don’t listen when I’m talking. And who can listen properly when they’re hungry? I will always provide snacks providing that you do not allow them to disrupt my lecture.”
*Gestures to the plate of cookies and the bowl of fruit.*
“If anyone would like a snack, please retrieve it now so I can begin. Oh yes, I allow bottled beverages in my classroom provided that you replace the tops tightly. The first time that someone spills on another student’s work, drinks will be banned.”
*Students walk up and help themselves to the snacks before heading back to their seats.*
“Good, now let us begin.”
Cunning & Ingenuity
While dueling can be a very sporting way to settle a dispute, sometimes the enemy may not warn you before attacking. Therefore, it is only fitting that you prepare to do the same. Though learning to shout spells at willing targets may be a wonderful way to learn, it isn’t terribly practical.
While dueling can be a very sporting way to settle a dispute, sometimes the enemy may not warn you before attacking. Therefore, it is only fitting that you prepare to do the same. Though learning to shout spells at willing targets may be a wonderful way to learn, it isn’t terribly practical.
[glow=green,2,300]Assignment #1a
Concealed Wands Alternative & Covert Wand Usage[/glow]
In charms and defense you are taught many useful wand-spells. Choose at least one classmate and tell them that you will use them for this assignment (to avoid any whining and tattling.) Then, over the course of the next week, surprise them with a spell when they least expect it. See if you can practice using your wand through your robe, at your side or under the table. You may also try whispering your spell instead of saying it out loud. Remember to keep your mind on what you are doing. Some spells are more difficult and aren't so easily quieted. And as far as I can tell, most people need to speak their commands in order for their spells to work. For quietly released spells, mental annunciation & precision is important! Don’t let your relaxed attitude sabotage your spell. Try to practice a look of nonchalance before you try this. You don’t want to tip them off that you are about to attack.
Make sure to use only the spells that you can reverse immediately. Remember, someone is going to try this on you too!
Next week, you will be encouraged to share what you have learned through this exercise.
[glow=green,2,300]Assignment #1b
Amulets- Imagination in Decoration[/glow] will be posted shortly.
Wands & Power Objects in Disguise
The classical magic wand or wizard's staff fits the motif of an old or powerful witch or wizard. Though some magic can be done without them, a wand, staff, or scepter can be used to focus energy or to direct a magical attack.
The advantage of using a wand is that it can be concealed while a staff is always in plain view. If you are clever and prefer to use a staff, you may find that pairing it with a limp or favoring one leg can be useful in disguising your tool of choice. Unfortunately, wands and staffs are all visible tools that can be taken away from you by an enemy. In some places you may even be forced to check them at the door. For such circumstances, other magical tools can prove very useful. For example, it is unlikely that you will ever be asked to check your necklace, ring or circlet. These items can be used as symbols of power and can be made from materials suited to you and your purposes.
Any item made with care and intent by you can be powerful. The more time and intent that is put into fashioning an object, the more energy that object has. When a power object that was fashioned by someone else comes into your possession, it retains energy from the person who made it along with some energy from those who have used it. This can be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on the history, energy and intent. Salt water can be used to clean power objects of old energy along with burial or ritual smudging.
Definitions
Ritual Smudging is the act of wafting the smoke from a burning substance (usually sage, cedar, lavender, juniper, yerba santa, uvi ursi, copal, pine, fir, hemlock, spruce, orris root
mullien, mugwort, fennel, bay leaf, sweet grass, plain tobacco CIGARETTES DO NOT COUNT, or incense) in a particular direction with intent to cleanse or purify an object or to center one’s self. A feather can be used to push smoke in a specific direction. It is the burning of certain herbs to create a cleansing smoke bath, which is used to purify people, ceremonial and ritual space, and ceremonial tools. In olden times, the end of the smudge stick or braid was lit from the central or cooking fire.
A Scepter is a ceremonial or emblematic staff to lean upon. A staff held by a sovereign as an emblem of authority. Sovereignty. A person who wields a scepter implies that he/she is powerful and has authority. A scepter can be another term for ‘wand’ but is usually stylized and ornamental with carvings or stones.