The many ways of magic

[copycast]

Temple wakes up suddenly, his hand automatically going to his abdomen as he raises from the ground...

...Then he notices the lack of pain and the entirely new surroundings.

A new world, which means that he saved Rajir but his former body got sacrificed in the process. Temple is unlikely to see Rajir or the others ever again, without a proper goodbye this time.

There is no point in feeling miserable, his friends and students are safe, just distant.

Temple decides to be practical. He feels and locates traces of magic coming from that way and follows them until he finds himself knocking on a door of a solitary building.

Comments

[swordofdamocles]

"...I'm assuming magic servants means some king of automated thing and not actual people."

[copycast]

"Of course! Some can perform complex tasks, but they lack personhood or intelligence of their own. One of the bests I have is capable of speaking only twelves chosen phrases, but can do any household shore that it's master can do."

[swordofdamocles]

"Well, there's no particular etiquette involved here that I know of--probably there is something but I'm sufficiently steeped in the culture to not notice it."

[copycast]

"I was mostly worried that just asking could offensive. In the continent I grew up for the second time it was various flavors of offensive to just ask. Some worlds have cultures with similar views."

[swordofdamocles]

"Nah. Anyway, you're not required to do anything, but if you felt like helping out it wouldn't be unwelcome."

[copycast]

"Great! I am still going to familiarize myself with your habits before casting something as complicated as a servant. I can conjure a nice quality meal if you don't mind."

[swordofdamocles]

"Well, sure, but lunch was only an hour ago. It can wait."

[copycast]

"Meanwhile, we talk about magic?" Temple says with mocked hopefulness.

[swordofdamocles]

"Naturally!"

[copycast]

Well, they are already in the library so Temple inquires about books on magic.

[swordofdamocles]

Temple may already be an experienced magic practitioner, but he knows nothing about this kind of magic beyond what Andrea's told him. She shows him some of the books geared towards beginners, and suggests teaching him a standard beginner's spell to start out with.

[copycast]

There is no way Temple can refuse the offer. He studies the beginner spell.

[swordofdamocles]

Andrea demonstrates the ritual, outlining the individual discrete components. "This spell is useful for beginners not only because it's simpler than most, but because almost every part of it is commonly used elsewhere."

[copycast]

Temple is a good student and pays attention to each detail. "I see, a lot of concepts to grow from afterwards. Is it possible to create rituals in progressive steps? For teaching beginner magicians?"

[swordofdamocles]

"To create rituals in progressive steps? I'm not sure what you mean by that."

[copycast]

"I mean different rituals, each one progressively more complex or with elements that can be used in other rituals, for a well-rounded education."

[swordofdamocles]

"Yyyyess, that's the usual way to do it."

[copycast]

"Ah, Great! I was under the impression it wasn't all that organized?"

[swordofdamocles]

"It's not organized, but there are traditions and customs."

[copycast]

"Interesting." Temple says in the tones of someone that means "tell me more later", they continue with the simple ritual. Temple is not extra-ordinary but he is doing remarkably well for a novice in a type of magic so unlike his own.

[swordofdamocles]

Andrea was something of a prodigy herself, so she doesn't notice anything odd about his progress.

[copycast]

Temple is willing to continue until the ritual is finished, unless someone or something else interrupts.

[swordofdamocles]

Nope.

The ritual, which is for a simple light spell, goes off, and the object used as the ritual's focus glows brightly.

"You're going to want to repeat that several more times, until you're really familiar with it, and then I'll show you how to start condensing it."

[copycast]

Temple is delighted with the light (no pun intended).

"Sure. I definitely could use a small break. What do you usually do while taking breaks from magic activity?

[swordofdamocles]

"Read about magic? Read about other things? Cook, clean, other miscellaneous household chores."