The principles of Wizardry

By Shota



Introduction

   Of all the paths in Temuair, the Wizard is, sadly, one of the more misunderstood. The path of Wizardry is a long and difficult one, often filled with frustration. But to those who persevere, the rewards can be great. 

Intent

   This guide is more of a primer on Wizardry than anything else, it does not give specific requirements for spells, there are far too many lists out already.  Instead this guide covers most of the 'gray areas' of being a wizard, answering a multitude of questions that all young wizards seem to ask.  This guide covers everything a wizard needs to know to help them on their journey.  When this work was originally written, it was intended to be a definitive guide for Wizards.  recently though, much has changed in Temuair, with the discovery of many new items, armors and spells.  Whispers of a strange new land called 'Medina' also abound.  I will do my best to ensure the information within these pages remains as accurate as possible, adding any new discoveries I find.  If the passage to the place of 'Medina' is ever discovered I shall endeavor to keep an account of any new magics learned from the wizards of that land.  (It is my understanding that the wizards of that land are referred to as 'Summoners', but what specifically they summon is as of yet unknown.)  

Misconceptions

   The most common misconception is that wizards are the ‘weakest path’, or ‘only good for Fas’. This is absolutely un-true. Unfortunately there are far too many dabblers out there with only the barest understanding of magic. Aislings perceive these poor, misguided souls as true wizards, not understanding the real power of a True Wizard.
   The path of Wizardry can be summed up into two words: Dedication and planning.
   A wizard must intrinsically understand the delicate balance of the elements and their own abilities. Far too many wizards muddle through their insights, aimlessly increasing their abilities without any real consideration beyond immediate need.  They cry out in frustration at how ineffective their elemental spells are, when in truth it is the weakness in themselves that limits them.

Index

I. Attributes

II. Wizardly Tools

III. Spell Casting

IV. Types of Wizards

V. Necromancy

VI. Ascension

VII. Mastering

VIII. Re-dedication

IX. Grand Mastery

I. Attributes
In the end, it is a wizards attributes that will determine how powerful their spells will be. The so-called 'weakness' of wizards is in reality only a wizards own misunderstanding of how their attributes affect their spell casting.  Consider this:  How powerful would a warrior be who does not practice his sword work daily?  What of the monk who does not practice his forms and martial skills?  Unfortunately both the monk and the warrior can focus on their strengths in a way the wizard can not until long after mastery.  

   In order to maximize your potential as a wizard (and to save yourself some trouble and valuable experience when ascending) one should carefully consider how they allocate their attributes. Regardless of elemental school, a wizard must maintain a delicate balance between the three most critical attributes for their path: Wisdom, intelligence, and constitution.  Dexterity, while important, can be afforded less attention.  Strength, the foundation of the Srad wizard, is negligibly important to most wizardly endeavors.

   Wisdom is the basis of wizardly power. Building a strong wisdom from the very beginning is key. It paves the way for increased mana at later insights. Sal wizards obviously have the advantage is this regard. Their path requires them to devote a large amount of their ability to wisdom. Unfortunately, if they devote themselves completely to their element and strive to achieve Sal Gar, their intelligence usually suffers.

   Intelligence is the sharpness of mind that lends a keen edge to your spells. Without it, your ability to damage your foes will be greatly diminished. While this is a wizard's prime attribute, they are unable to focus the way a warrior or priest can, this leaves a wizard at a serious disadvantage.  It is an often over-looked attribute for younger wizards. This mistake is usually continued throughout the Aisling's path until after they master.

   Constitution is another attribute that falls to the wayside for most wizards. Only the hardy Creag wizards have an advantage here. Since their spells have such a short range, it is fortunate they have to be so tough. Unfortunately, their mana tends to be average.

   Dexterity is the key attribute for Athar wizards. A high dexterity makes a wizard's spells more accurate.  Thus, Athar wizards have the advantage of reach and accuracy.  In addition, Athar wizards can benefit the most from set items, especially boots, allowing them to gain spells a little earlier or devote more attention to their other attributes.

   Strength is the key attribute for Srad wizards. Their strength allows them to easily carry more than other wizards. They have it the ‘easiest’ of all wizards, as their spell requirements are lower and it is quite easy for them to attain their higher spells much sooner. Unfortunately, if they fail to devote more than a token attention to their wisdom and intelligence, they will lack the mana to cast their spells enough to be effective and the spells they do cast will be very weak.

Index


II. Wizardly Tools
   For Wizards, the world is a wide and magnificent place.  With infinite things for them to examine, explore and meddle with.  Wizards are armed with a multitude of skills to further them in their craft. Whether it is experimenting in a dark laboratory, creating magical items, cultivating elements, or poring over ancient scrolls, there is always something for them to do.

Research

Enchantments

Skills

Items

Armor

Weapons

Spells

Index


Research
   The Dark Wizard Dar's study will play a large role in the development of young wizards.  It is here that the first elemental spells are learned and the place where all wizards can come and do research.  Early on, research is a dangerous adventure, especially alone. The chance for failure is high, and the rewards are often low.  For young wizards, I recommend staying with General Research, while unpredictable, it will succeed much more often.   As a wizard gains insights, they gain the ability to enchant items with various magics. The most beneficial of these, is of course the ‘magic’ enchantments. A full ‘set’ of magic imbued items (Boots, leather greaves and gauntlets, rings and earrings), can give younger wizards a much needed boost in mana. While general research can be rewarding, eventually a Wizard must delve into specific areas to achieve a desired result.  Of course, when doing specific research, one must remember to have a smokey sphere in their possession, otherwise their attempts will fail, often with disastrous results.  Regardless of your endeavor it is always best to have another wizard assist you in your work, you will find it to be much more rewarding (and less hazardous) in the end. 

   Alchemy is the art of mixing elements to create something new.  To practice alchemy, you should have a viper's gland to make Beothaich Deum , or take a kobold or goblin skull to Cian who will turn it into blue powder to make smokey spheres. 

   Sorcery deals with creating arcane scrolls of transportation, similar to songs of the shrine.  For this you can buy a parchment scroll  from Dar.  Though I recommend you buy them one at a time, so that you may repeat the experiment.

   Enchantment is the art of imbuing an item with a magical property.  With a little luck a wizard an imbue an un~enchanted leather gauntlet with some random magical property.  If you wish to create earrings however, you should have raw coral, ruby, or beryl with you.  Though if you do not, you may use a few coins to create gold or silver earrings .

   Alternatively you can Analyze the first item in your inventory and identify its properties.

Index


Enchantments
   An experienced Wizard, with assistance and the proper materials, can also enchant items with various magical properties.  As with all magical endeavors, it is better to have a wizard assistant help you in your research, as your chance of failure will be greatly reduced.  Unfortunately, as with God-Blessing an item, the Enchantment makes the item perishable and it will be lost upon death.

   Blessed Enchantment can be done at the Able Alchemist, Egil. Blessing adds +5 to hit per item.  For Blessing 1 Wolf's Fur per item to be enchanted, and a Rogue assistant is needed.

   Abundance Enchantment can be done at the Undine Wizard, Kiril's.  Abundance enchantment adds +1 to damage per item.  For Abundance enchantment 1 Scorpion's Sting per item to be enchanted, and a Monk assistant is needed.

   Might Enchantment can be done at the Piet Alchemist, Appie's.   Might Enchantment adds +50 health per item. For Might enchantment 1 Bat's Wing per item to be enchanted, and a Warrior assistant is needed.

   Magic Enchantment can be done at the Suomi Wizard, Hadrian's place.  Magic enchantment adds +50 mana per item (and makes leather Gauntlets and Greaves wearable without suffering any reduction to mana).  For Magic enchantment 1 Finished Ruby per item to be enchanted, and a Priest to assist is needed.

Index


Skills
   The importance of skills are often overlooked assets by younger wizards. Many useful skills are difficult to get, requiring a high intelligence.

    Analyze identifies an item in your inventory.  Altogether useful as it saves you the trouble of having to track down a priest or spend labor at Dar's to identify an item.

    Mend Staff is a must, though it may not be useful at lower levels, it is essential after mastering as it will reduce repair bills greatly by allowing a Wizard to repair their Master Staff on their own.

   Wield Staff allows a Wizard to use a staff effectively.  Regardless of when the  skill is acquired, it is impossible to wield a staff until 19th insight.

    Potion Lore is relatively easy skill that identifies the various potions with ease.

    Magic Lore is very useful as it tells how an item will affect mana.

    Herbal Lore is useful, but gained so late in advancement that it is not as useful as it would have been at lower insights. The ability to make poison cures is always an asset though, as there are times when a priest may be unavailable to assist with Ao Puinsen.

Index


Items
   Jewelry and equipment of all sorts is often a Wizard’s best tool, allowing them to exceed their limitations, granting them health or mana, as requirements for spells, or even increasing their attributes.

    Earrings in several varieties, usually increasing intelligence or strength.  Silver and gold can be crafted at Dars, while coral earrings are often prized possessions, especially Luathas blessed, as they significantly increase the Wizards intelligence.

   Rings come in several types, usually increasing health or mana.   Jade rings are a must for younger Wizards, as they increase both health and mana dramatically.  While most types of rings can be found in shops, a skilled rogue can easily craft almost any ring you might require for considerably less then you would normally pay for one.  Recently a jeweler has opened a shop in Oren where a new type of 'sparkle' ring may occasionally be purchased, though at a great cost.  

    Necklaces come in several types, each giving certain advantages in combat.  In addition, a necklace may be found imbued with a single elemental property.  Carlos, the Armor merchant in Rucesion sells elemental necklaces on occasion, though they serve little purpose, although one could use it to give an elemental edge to a Strioch spell, the end result would only be effective if the target or  targets were weak against said element.  Once there were necklaces imbued with the Dark element, but these are extremely rare and are rumored to only drop deep within the Dark maze below Loures, if at all.  Recently though, explorers from Lynith have returned with news of the fabled dark necklaces being found once again.  
Of all the types of necklaces, the Nadurra is the most valuable outside of combat.  A Nadurra necklace, when worn, allows a Wizard to detect the presence of elemental Nodes and with the appropriate Leasiach spell, cultivate them into elemental fiors which can then be imbibed to regenerate a Wizard's lost mana.  Nadurra necklaces can be purchased in Undine from Kiril. Also, within the last few Deochs a mundane boy named Nigel has appeared in Temuair, offering the reward of a necklace to anyone who completes his quests.   Though more often than not, the necklaces he offers are little more than trinkets, improving health or mana by a marginal amount, there are rare necklaces that are said to improve one's attributes. 
In Oren, one can also seek out a jeweler there who will sell you a striking Diamond Necklace , which will grant it's wearer a decent improvement in both defense and aim.  

    Fiors can be found quite frequently, dropped by a recently killed creature, or they can be cultivated by a Wizard with a Nadurra necklace and the appropriate Leasaich spell.  Also, Appie, the Wizard in Piet, offers a decent amount of experience for the right Fior once per day.

   Stones come in several varieties with beryl, coral, and rubies being the most common, ranging from fragments to finished gems.  Beryls, corals and rubies may be turned into earrings at Dars and are often required for some spells.  Talgonite and Hy-Brasyl are only found as fragments and must be polished.  Finished gems are relatively rare, and the services of a rogue are often required for finished gems of good quality.  Uncut or better quality gems may also be given to Phailin, the Grimlok Queen or Bahadir, the Goblin King for a small amount of experience, with Talos and Hy-Brasyl fetching ten times the worth of regular gems.

    Conix Stones found in Pravat may only be collected if you know the appropriate lore or with the assistance of someone with the knowledge.  As most Aislings are aware, they may be turned into the Grimlok or Goblin leaders for a decent amount of experience.  But it is also rumored that possessing a stone somehow aids in summoning creatures.

    Body Parts from various creatures have a multitude of uses.  Dar will pay a decent amount of money for some parts commonly left strewn around the crypts, while others are required for the learning of some spells.  Goblin, Hobgoblin, and kobold skulls are commonly overlooked items.  In addition to their usefulness to Cian, who turns them into blue powder, they can be sold for a decent amount to Bodil, the Weapons master in Abel.  Even old Hadrian in Suomi has been known to purchase the odd bit of this or that.

    God Blessed Items are a must for any wizard, but especially Eldritch wizards.  While many items, especially rings and boots can be found, with a little finesse, luck, labor and of course supplies. It is usually not too difficult to get a priest to bless items for your sets. As a rule there are a few guidelines one should follow in order to increase their chances:
  1. Be polite. Most priests spend their days listening to the demands of other Aislings, many are fed up with rudeness and will cut you off if you come into the temple with a list of demands.
  2. Be patient. If there are other Aislings in the temple working with the priest, be respectful of this and wait your turn. Repeated whispers or demands are only likely to annoy the priest.
  3. Have everything available. This includes not only the item you wish to be blessed, but extra labor (to re-labor the priest) and usually some trinket of a rival god for them to desecrate and regain the faith they will spend blessing your items.

Index


Armor
   As a wizard progresses, there are many different types of armor that can be bought, found or made. Recently, the island of Oren opened its port to allow Aislings to come and see what wonders they have. Although Oren armor smiths are renown throughout Temuair for their skill, nearly any 'regular' wizard armor may be found there, their wares are in such demand that it is often difficult to find the armor that you may need. Be forewarned however, pirates roam the streets of Oren island, ready to waylay the unwary.  Though they are resistant to most wizard spells, a master wizard or a wizard accompanied by a rogue or priest of sufficient insight should have no trouble from these ruffians.

Boots are an Athar wizard's best friend, providing a significant boost to dexterity at later insights.  Always wear the best boots possible.

   Leather Gauntlets and Greaves can provide a small, but needed boost to a Wizard's meager defense against physical attacks, though they will diminish mana unless Magically enchanted.  Though it is rare, a wizard can eventually wear Iron, Mythril or Hy-Brasyl gauntlets and greaves, granting them greater protection.  Though I would not recommend this unless they are enchanted with the essence of magic and one can afford the significant loss of mana.

   Belts come in several varieties with varying benefits and imbued with an element.  Leather and Mythril belts can offer a small boost to wisdom or constitution, with Hy-Brasyl belts providing the benefits of both.  As an Aisling has no natural elemental defense on their own, they are extremely vulnerable to magical attacks.  It is always better to have an elemental defense than no defense at all.  Of course the much sought after Dark Belts are the most desired, offering the best defense against all elements. With the recent discovery of Nobis and the ruins hidden deep on Oren, a new item has been discovered Light Belts which offer an excellent defense against spells, but are poor defense in melee combat.

    Shields are altogether worthless for a Wizard, they prevent the use of a staff and diminish mana.  Only as a part of a god blessed set will they prove to have any real value.

    Helms and various other headgear are nothing more than decoration at lower insights.  However, Orc and Dwarven helms can improve certain attributes when they can finally be worn.  Recently the gods revealed an item of power that Danaan had created long ago called a Band of Danaan .  A young boy in Abel can set you on your way to discovering one.  It may be enchanted by any god with different results.  

    First Circle Armor may be found in Abel and Rucesion.  While they offer little protection, they are much better than wearing peasant rags.  If possible, try and find a rogue or warrior willing to tailor your armor, improving the protection offered and making the armor considerably lighter.  If you wish to dye an armor, be sure to have it tailored first, as you will be unable to tailor it after it has been dyed.  As with all items that have been altered, tailoring makes the item perishable upon death, so try and have a spare suit or two in the bank in case the worst happens.

    Third Circle Armor may only be crafted in Loures.  To do so you must be proficient in wizardly research and speak to the Wizard Jean near the library.  He will detail the steps necessary to craft the armor.

    Fourth Circle Armor is slightly more complicated.  First you must seek out Moire, a Fae Priestess hidden within the East Woodlands.  There she will ask you for either finished pieces of Talos or Magic enchanted Cordovan boots.

    Fifth Circle Armor is required for ascension and is most difficult to craft, but in doing so, you will receive Recognition for deeds done and now be able to Ascend. 

   Aisling Recognition: At 97th, 98th, or 99th Insight an Aisling may seek recognition for their deeds done.  If they meet the requirements, they will create their 97th insight armor and receive a legend mark stating one of the following:  Aisling of Talgonite, Aisling of Mythril, Aisling of Hy-Brasyl.

   Aisling of Talgonite requires 25 finished pieces of Talos and 50 million experience points at 97th insight or 100 million at 98th or 99th insight.

   Aisling of Mythril requires five Mythril shields dedicated to the same god and 200 Aislings to be mentored.

   Aisling of Hy-Brasyl requires an Aisling award for any contest, and one finished piece of Hy-Brasyl. Also, in order to craft the armor, you must have been a respected citizen or still be one in order to craft your armor.  Regardless of which type of recognition you are seeking, once you meet all the requirements, you must seek out the Fae priestess Roweina in the Deepest part of the East woods and she will assist in the crafting of a suit of armor.

   Lich's Robes earned in the Pentagram quest, while interesting, offer only average protection and offer the wizard no special benefits aside from the fact that they can never be lost (But they can be broken through neglect).  It can not be tailored or dyed.

    The Nightmare Armor while difficult to obtain offers halfway decent protection and some additional benefits.  The Cthonic Disciple robes  offers 10% magic resistance and improved healing ability at the price of 500 mana and slightly reduced strength and wisdom.  They can be sought out at the temple of choosing if a wizard is learned enough. The Morrigu Magus Pellisun offers improved healing ability and 10% magical resistance at the price of 500 health and slightly reduced wisdom.  It's secret can be discovered in the enchanted garden.

    The Master Armor is bestowed on those Aislings who have proven themselves worthy of the title of 'Master'.  For wizards this is merely one step on their long journey to mastery of themselves and the elements.  The Armor improves strength by a small amount but reduces all other attributes by one.   In addition it improves health by 1000 and grants a 20% resistance to magic.  Unfortunately it reduces mana by 600.  The hat grants an additional 500 health, 1000 mana and a 20% magical resistance.

    The Grand Master Armor improves strength by a small amount but reduces all other attributes by one.   In addition it improves health by 1000 and grants a 20% resistance to magic.  Unfortunately it reduces mana by 400.  The hat grants an additional 500 health, 1000 mana and a 20% magical resistance.  Long ago the Gods themselves designed this armor for the most powerful of the Aislings, but before it could be granted, the armor was stolen and its pieces scattered in secret locations.  Three mystic guardians known as 'Creants' defend the hidden locations of the armor and can only be summoned through complex rituals.  The armor can only be found if one is willing to brave the harsh chill of Mt. Giragin and seek out the lair of the mythical Taurean Creant.  The hat unfortunately seems to be concealed deep within the sewers of Oren. 

A set of fine Mystic Greaves completes the armor, but this may only be found by those who seek out the lost village of Nobis and are willing to brave the hidden ruins of Oren island.  The greaves greatly improve mana by a 5000 and health by 1000, offering a magical resistance of 40%.

Index


Weapons
   A wizards most powerful weapon is their spells, to this end, there are several staves that can facilitate spell-casting and are invaluable tools for Wizards. While each type of wand may not be suited to all your needs, try and have at least one of each type to suit different needs at different times. Let it be noted that while a wizard can strike an opponent with a staff, this practice should be strongly discouraged as most staves are very fragile and costly to repair.

   Magus Apollo staves are always a good choice as they reduce especially long chants to three lines. On the reverse, they increase chants shorter than that up to three lines.

    Magus Ares staves are technically worthless as they reduce all Cradh spells to one line, but since Wizards do not get Cradh spells, this is only useful to sub-pathed Wizards.  If nothing else, the Ares is a good staff to practice the Mend Staff skill on.

    Magus Diana staves reduce all spell chants by one line.  This is particularly useful for studying lamh spells, as it makes their casting instantaneous.

    Magus Gaea staves reduce all chants over four line to four lines.  Not particularly useful but a bit easier to find than some other staves, especially at lower insights.

    Magus Kronos staves reduce all 2 line chants to one line, again, not particularly useful except in certain situations.

   Magus Zeus staves are excellent for combat and studying with novice spells as they reduce your Novice and Regular Elemental spell chants to two lines. Unfortunately they have no effect on the length of the Fas chants, in which case an Apollo may be better suited to your needs in combat where speed is of the essence.

    God Blessed Staves are nearly identical to Magus Diana staves, as they reduce all spells by one line, but have the added benefit of adding mana and reducing the prayers and summons chants of that particular god to zero lines.

    The Master staff, like the armor, improves the wizards strength by a small amount, but at the price of intelligence and wisdom.  It grants an increase to mana by 1000 and an additional Magic resistance of 20% at the loss of 500 health.  Recently though, perhaps through a re-surface of magic within Temuair, the wizard's staff has gained new power.  As it is bestowed, it now reduces all spells to two chants.  If enchanted or empowered it becomes even more powerful, making pure pathed wizard spells instantaneous.  Though as a side note, empowering or imbuing a staff is difficult and costly in addition being difficult to repair.  

Index


Spells
   Spells are the wizards armaments and defense, a Wizard lives, and very often dies, by their magical ability.

    Dachaidh is an excellent, if hard to get skill. Scrolls are alright, but take up valuable inventory space, faith, and labor if you pray for them or create them, or money if one has to buy them.

    Lectures are useful tools for some, though most wizard do not bother to learn them.  Graymare, Elements, Guide and Mentor Lectures can all be obtained quite easily.  For those that quest for knowledge, there are several forgotten or obscure lore's that can be discovered if you seek them out.

   Elemental spells are a wizard's  real power. With them a wizard will crush, burn, drown or scatter their enemies before them. A Wizard must be dedicated in their studies, to ensure their spells achieve maximum effect in combat, assisting their comrades in need. Also, they must be sound in mind and wise, to ensure their spells achieve their potential and they have the mana to use them.  Novice spells can all be found in Dar's.  The Dark wizard of Mileth asks little in return for the teaching of his spells.  Once a wizard has progressed beyond Beag and regular spells, they must journey to Suomi and learn their more advanced Mor and Meall spells from the Dark Wizard Hadrian.  Finally, when one has learned enough, they must ask Kiril, the Dark Wizard of Undine to teach them Ard and Gar spells.

   Leasaich and Elementalism is a godsend when you run out of mana. Until you get this spell, you will find your hunts punctuated by tedious resting periods while you recover enough mana to cast again.  Often, the types of fiors found dropped in a particular area can give you a good idea what element the creatures you find will possess.
Nadurra Creag can be found near large rocks or other places where the connection to the earth is strong.
Nadurra Sal is commonly found near wells or other large bodies of water.
Nadurra Srad is found near open flames, braziers, candles and the like. One must take care not to be burned when cultivating Srad.
Nadurra Athar can be discovered best near trees, as the wind blowing through the branches is most obvious.

Learning all four of these spells, even in their Beag form, can save a lot of trouble, especially at later levels when a priest can learn Puinneag.  You can then share your mana without fear of being left without. The lesser forms can be found in Pravat, Astrid and Mehedai.  Though Kiril teaches the regular Leasaich spells. Elementalism though difficult to achieve, seems to improve the rate at which your elemental spells advance.

    Puinneag, the ability to leech mana from a companion, while potentially useful, can be more harmful than good if done at the wrong time or to the wrong Aisling.   The most useful spell of the Puinneag family is of course Ard Puinneag.  It is easy to master and fulfills one of the requirements for mastering.  When you seek out the Chandra, the Mukul who teaches these spells, take care not to attack any frogs, which the Mukul hold sacred.  Though not expensive, the Mukul will ask for many finished gems to teach these spells.

    Elemental Nadur spells are more of a novelty than anything else. While it is possible to ‘set’ an opponents defense, which can be very useful to a group, the restrictions make these spells lacking. In order for the elemental Nadur spells to be effective, a Wizard must have a high intelligence and be higher insight than their opponent.  The Elemental Nadur spells can be found in Pravat, Astrid and Mehedai from the same mundanes who teach the basic Leasaich spells.  When you do learn these spells, be sure to bring along several Fiors of the same element as the Nadur you are trying to learn.

    Fas Nadur on the other hand, is a Wizards best friend. It allows them to capitalize on their enemies weakness, allowing them to do respectable damage, if they have the appropriate elemental attack.  Supposedly there was once an Ard version of the Fas nadur spell, but all knowledge of it seems to have been lost to time. All the Fas spells can be learned from Kiril, the Dark Wizard of Undine.

    Strioch spells should be the goal of any Eldritch wizard.  The Strioch spells are powerful magical attacks that are a reflection of a wizards power.  The more mana a wizard possesses, the more powerful the spell will be.  Unfortunately the power of the spell is such that it leaves a wizard completely drained after casting.  Casting a Leasaich spell before casting any Strioch is a good idea.  But be sure to not be wearing the Nadurra necklace when casting as the power of the spell can be altered by the elemental necklace worn.  With the return of the fabled Dark necklaces, the use of this spell has increased immeasurably.  In fact, with the new threats to Temuair, this spell is used almost exclusively by most wizards.  Some Wizards theorize that the real strength of the Strioch spells can only be unlocked through mastering each spell of the chain in turn.  Since most wizards forgo Strioch Bais, instead choosing Mor Strioch Bais, and the difficulty in mastering the various Striochs, no known Wizards have proven  this theory one way or the other. Kiril in Undine teaches the first Strioch spell.  The rest can be learned from Zeroun, the kobold in Astrid.  Be forewarned though, he is very greedy, demanding millions in gold and large quantities of finished gems.

    Pian na Dion is the spell received upon mastery.   It is a powerful attack that used to not draw an enemy's attention when used. Now though, the properties of the spell seem to have altered considerably, as it seems to have shifted to become empowered with the essence of light.  Also, it is not affected by a creatures elemental defense, thus negating the need to 'Fas' your opponent first.
 
Fas Spiorad is a God~send for wizards. At the price of one's health, mana can be fully restored. if a priest is present, then a wizard's mana becomes effectively unlimited.  This spell is taught by the Fairy Queen deep within the Shinewoods.

 

Wings of Protection is an unusual, if not immensely useful spell. It gives a wizard Dion for a very brief time, which can save one's life. Though the Fairy Queen in Shinewood teaches this spell, it is believed to have come originally from the Phoenix herself.
 

Index


III. Spell Casting
   Nothing is more frustrating than having weak spells or having a spell fail at a critical moment.  While there is little you can do to overcome a creature's inherent magical resistance, there are things you can do to ensure your spells fail much less frequently.

   Study:  Hunting alone will not improve your spells enough to be effective.  A wizard must spend some time between hunts 'studying' their spells.  For best results, choose an area that is 'hostile' but still relatively safe.  Isolated corners of the Wastelands, West Woodlands, Shinewoods, or Mileth crypt are ideal.  For wizards who have gained a bit of experience and whose spells are more potent, the castle Dubhaim is also an excellent place your younger wizards as the creatures their are bereft of magic and do not cast spells of their own.  Just be sure not to 'fall asleep' while studying your spells or you could find yourself banished.

   A keen mind:  Intelligence, is the critical factor in determining how damaging your spells are. It is to us as strength is to Warriors, or a good constitution is to the Monk.  Unfortunately intelligence is often neglected until after mastering.  A wizard must find a balance, between learning their more powerful spells early on or keeping their intelligence high enough to ensure the spells the do have are effective.  If you only meet the minimum requirements to learn a spell, then do not be surprised that your spells are not very effective.

   Range: Know the range of your spells.  While an Athar wizard can strike any foe within site, the Sal wizard must be standing very close to their foe.  Know the limits of your spells and try to use traps and terrain to your advantage.  The closer you are to your target, the more likely the spell is to succeed.

   Accuracy: A high dexterity is key here as it directly affects how accurate your spells actually are.  Unfortunately, only Athar wizard hold the advantage here. Alternatively a wizard can don several blessed items and a diamond necklace, which will also improve their aim by a small amount.

   Position: Though few know it, positioning can be key to a spells success or failure.  Some areas are cursed, increasing the chance your spells will fail, if you find yourself casting a spell three or four times without success, try moving to a different position.  Also, a wizards position in relation to the creature can have a tremendous impact on the spells success or failure.  Young wizards often make the mistake of standing anywhere to cast their spells, often as far from the creature as possible.  The best place to stand is 'on line' with the target at any of the eight cardinal points: 

NW

 N NE

W

 Target E

SW

 S SE
   Know your enemy: In addition, all monsters have a 'weak side' that is more vulnerable to spells.  Only through careful study and observation can one determine these weaknesses, but the benefits are great.

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IV. Types of Wizards
   In Temuair, Wizards tend to fall into one of three categories:‘ Fas Wizards’, ‘Elementalists’, and ‘Eldritch Wizards.
   Fas Wizards, are unfortunately some of the  more common sort of wizard in Temuair. They usually seek to learn the various Fas spells, trying to get Mor Fas Nadur as quickly as possible. Once they attain this goal, they try to attach themselves to groups, gaining experience while doing little more than ‘Fasing’ their comrades and enemies. These wizards tend to have weak spells, but insight and master rather quickly. Why they bother to learn other spells is beyond me. Most do not bother to use them in actual combat, preferring to simply sit and study in some remote location. Little wonder most of the Aislings in Temuair don’t think much of wizards.

On Being a Fas Wizard

   Personally, I view the so-called 'Fas Wizards' with nothing but contempt.  They are only listed here as an example to other Wizards as a reminder that one can learn something from anyone.
Elementalists are the next most common wizards. These souls have dedicated themselves to a single element, or more increasingly, two elements. Elementalists tend to be strong in their chosen element, but suffer slightly when their opponents do not have a weakness to their element. Clever wizards learn early on that each element is effective against itself as well, and learn a second complimentary element that allows them to damage most opponents they come across. A rare few even attempt a third element, but most feel this is spreading their attributes too thin.

On Being an Elementalist

   Elementalists vary widely from Wizard to Wizard, even those of the same element.   Some have a 'strategy' or plan how they advance.  Others simply muddle along, increasing their attributes as needed to gain the next spell.  Of the Elementalists there are four types; Athar, Creag, Sal, and Srad.  Though the spells we learn are only a glimmering of the elemental power that was once wielded.   The Light, and Dark elements are something of a more recent discovery.  Whether the Dark element was discovered through deliberate study or accident, is still not entirely clear.    The light element was discovered afterwards, through difficult and research to combat the dark creatures that were spawned by the discovery of the dark element.  Of the six elements only the four basics of elemental knowledge remain intact enough for Wizards to easily master.

    Athar Wizards are fleet and nimble.  Their spells have the longest reach and greatest accuracy.  While not as tough as Creag Wizards or as strong as Srad Wizards, their range often makes up for it.  As with Creag Wizards though, they must devote most of their attention to their main attribute, leaving them to choose whether to emphasis wisdom, constitution or intelligence.  When one has advanced far enough along the Athar path, they should be sure to visit Zeroun, the Kobold in Astrid who teaches the Creag Nadur spells and Athar Leasaich spells.

    Creag Wizards are the toughest of the wizards, focusing on their constitution.  Their spells are short range, forcing them to stay closer to their foes.  Creag and Athar wizards tend to be at a disadvantage compared to Srad or Sal wizards as their spells are more costly than the Srad wizards, and they can never hope to match the mana capacity of a Sal wizard without ascension. When one has advanced far enough along the Creag path, they should be sure to visit Pricha, the Grimlok in Pravat cave who teaches the Sal Nadur spells and Creag Leasaich spells.

    Sal Wizards have the advantage of being able to focus their attributes on wisdom, granting them more mana than any other type of wizard.  Unfortunately, the high price of learning their spells leaves them little ability to focus on their other attributes, as a result their damage and health tends to be lower.  When one has advanced far enough along the Sal path, they should be sure to visit Chandra, the Mukul in Mehedai who teaches the Srad Nadur spells and Sal Leasaich spells.

    Srad Wizards have the advantage of being able to learn their spells much more quickly than their counterparts.  This leaves them much room to focus on their intelligence, wisdom or constitution.  A canny Srad wizard could manage to learn Srad gar by the time most wizards would be learning their first Ard spell, unfortunately, the Srad wizard most likely would lack sufficient mana to cast it more than  a few times.  When one has advanced far enough along the Srad path, they should be sure to visit Ozkun, the Goblin outside Pravat Cave who teaches the Athar Nadur spells and Srad Leasaich spells.

    Light Wizards are only a myth.  Perhaps once, long ago such Wizards existed, but if this was so, the knowledge is now long forgotten.  It was in Danaan 3148 that the Light element was discovered and put to use by Logan.  Three years later the war of Shadows had ended.  Any other discoveries and insights into this element have been lost.  Perhaps when our need is great enough, or there is a wizard powerful enough, Logan will share his secrets.  But such an event would most likely bring about the end of the age of chaos and herald in a new era.  Currently the only light spells in Temuair are the priestly Deo spells, which as of late there are three such spells.  The best a Wizard could hope for is a pale imitation of the rumored powers of a Light, armed with Strioch spells and a Light Necklace.  

    Dark Wizards are little more than a rumor.  It was during the 8th Aeon in the year of Danann 1703 that the dark element was first discovered.  Upon the discovery of the 'dark element' a whole new realm of possibilities opened up, for better or for worse.  It was this terrible knowledge that released the Dubhaim into Temuair.  The name of the wizard who made this dire discovery has been stricken from nearly all records, and much of the knowledge destroyed. The only 'Dark wizards' remaining are those three wizards, Dar, Kiril, and Hadrian,  who are scattered throughout Temuair to teach the basic elemental spells.  For the most part, keeping their real knowledge to themselves.   At one time, there were dark elemental spells similar to the regular elemental spells remaining today.  The Strioch spells that remain are only a small portion of that lost knowledge.  Kiril has the knowledge of the most basic dark Spell, Strioch.  Though how he came to possess this knowledge is under speculation.  All the remaining Strioch spells somehow found their way into the hands of the kobold shaman Zeroun.  Thankfully his people seem incapable of learning to use such magics for themselves.   But it was in Deoch 34 that the first true 'Dark Wizards' were seen.  An invading army of 'Dark Aislings' Led by a mysterious figure known only as 'Law' stormed Temuair.  Dark Master warriors, monks, rogues, and priests wrought havoc on the Aislings of Temuair, but towas the wizards that came with them that truly inspired a dark chill.  For each could cast the spells to blind an Aisling or put them to sleep with a word, somehow learning the priestly  spells Dall and Prahm.  Some even seemed to be able to cause an Aisling to freeze in his tracks altogether, similar to a warrior's Suian.  But more terrifying were the strange new magic they wielded, a strange 'Dark Seal' and some Creag attack that blasted many lesser Aislings to Shamble's home.

Some overcome the limitation of a single element and manage to use the elemental Nadur spells quite effectively, but most find it frustrating if not impossible to get the Nadur spells to work since the target must be of a lower insight than the wizard. The advantage of the elemental nadur spell is that if you do manage to get it to work, the elemental defense you imbue is stronger than the creature's original defense, making it that much weaker against its weak element.

 

Elemental balance
While many Wizards focus on a single element, there are those that take the time to learn two elements.   The best way to do this is to learn what element is the 'sympathetic element' to your chosen element.  A single element is strong against one element and weak against another.  Each element is 'neutral' against itself and its 'sympathetic element'.  

   Sal: Is strong against Srad, weak against Creag, and sympathetic to Athar.

   Srad: Is strong against Athar,  weak against Sal, and sympathetic to Creag

   Athar: Is strong against Creag, weak against Srad, and sympathetic to Sal

   Creag: Is strong against Sal, weak against Athar, and sympathetic to Srad.

   In order for an Elementalist to use two elements to the maximum efficiency, they need to choose their 'sympathetic element' to cover their weakness.  The most logical combinations are:

Focused Sal with Athar spells
   This combination gives the reach of Athar spells to a Sal Wizard and allows them to effectively attack creatures with Sal and Creag Defense, rounding out their offensive capability.  Since the most of requirements for Athar are already met by Sal spells, it is quite easy for Sal Wizards to add a bit of Athar to their repertoire.  A Sal Wizard who also studies Athar can still easily obtain higher level spells without any undue sacrifice.

Focused Athar with Sal spells
   This combination gives an Athar Wizard a much needed boost in mana as well as the benefit of being able to damage creatures with Sal and Srad defense.  Unfortunately for the Athar Wizard to achieve Mor proficiency with Sal, they must give up Gar Athar until after mastering, which considering the benefits, is a small price to pay

Focused Srad with Creag spells
   A Srad Wizard who adds Creag spells to their repertoire gains the obvious benefit of increased health with the advantage of being able to damage Creag and Sal.  Fortunately, the Srad Wizard's spell requirements are low enough, that they will make no significant sacrifice to learn Creag spells and still be able to easily learn Srad Gar.

Focused Creag with Srad spells

   This combination gives the Creag Wizard the tremendous benefit of the reach of the Srad spells along with the ability to damage creatures with the Srad and Athar defense.  Fortunately the requirement for Srad spells is low, and will not reduce the Creag Wizards effectiveness in the least.

Eldritch Wizards are the least common in Temuair, especially at younger insights. Commanding all four elements, there are few foes they cannot cause a great deal of harm to. Many young wizards who strive this path fail. Growing frustrated with their lack of success, or their seeming limited ability. Of all the wizards the Eldritch wizard must plan their attributes the most carefully. There is little margin for error in their choices. Once again, a lack of planning is an Eldritch wizards downfall. They must maintain a tenuous balance between all their attributes, ensuring they can learn their spells effectively, while keeping a healthy amount of health and mana. While many Master Wizards eventually go this route, it is actually better to begin this difficult journey as a young Aisling when you can benefit from the use of all four Novice spells.  That way when mastering, only the Higher Elemental Ard and Gar spells need to be attained, instead of muddling through novice and apprentice spells as a Master.

On being an Eldritch Wizard:

   Many older Aislings scoff at younger Wizards who profess to be ‘Eldritch Wizards’, and rightly so. For if the young Wizard is not shrewd, they will be little more effective than the so-called ‘Fas’ Wizards.  Many older wizards, go this route only after Mastering and Ascending several times.  Only through dedication, and proper preparation, can an Eldritch Wizard be truly powerful. Eldritch Wizards can be categorized into several types: Scrabblers, Progressive, Focused, and Pragmatic

   Scrabblers tend to gain most of their spells quite early, keeping their attributes even. While this may seem ideal, especially at lower levels, it is often disastrous at higher insights as the Wizard develops key attributes too late to be truly effective. At best they achieve all four Meall spells and if lucky, one or two elemental Ard spells. On the other hand, they more often than not acquire the Strioch spells very early on, but, much to their disappointment, often lack sufficient mana to make it worthwhile. In the end, they spend much effort ascending to balance out the indiscretions of their earlier insights, and wind up weaker for it.

   Focused Eldritch Wizards are similar to Progressives in that they have a main ‘Element’ that they focus in. The difference is they do not stagger their elements, but acquire them more slowly and randomly. They usually wind up being able to learn the Gar of their main element, but rarely bother with more than elemental Novice or Mor proficiency in their other elements until after mastering. These wizards are more akin to Elementalists, except that they see the advantage of having the other elements at their disposal. They tend to be better balanced, and powerful. They have an easier time rounding out their attributes with ascension and their planning pays off.

   Progressives are Eldritch wizards with a plan. They start with one element, getting the Beag form. When the progress to Beag Lamh, they get the Beag of a complimentary element. When they get the novice of their main element, they get the Beag lamh of their second element and choose the Beag spell of another element, and so on and so forth. In the end, it is possible for these wizards to acquire a Gar, two Ard spells, three Meall spells, and all four elemental Mor spells. Since they planned out their progression methodically, they tend to be a bit stronger than the scrabbler.

   The last type of Eldritch Wizards are Pragmatics. They see how immediate decisions affect their long term development. They build their key attributes early, enjoying the benefit higher health and mana as a result. They realize early on that Ard or Gar spells aren’t effective without a high intelligence or massive amounts of mana. They tend to advance more slowly, gaining spells slightly later than the Progressive or focused wizards, and much later than Scrabblers. They also tend to hunt less, spending time studying their spells until they are at least proficient with them. As a result they often surprise groups they hunt with by doing considerable damage in combat at low to medium levels, and even proving themselves capable of dealing with lesser creatures in the Cthonic Realms. Pragmatists often eschew elemental Ard spells to focus on their intelligence. Many only gain Meall proficiency in their spells, while others only go as high as Mor, focusing that much more effort into their intelligence. As a benefit, when they spend less effort ascending to get their abilities ‘up to snuff’. They now have the leisure to focus on attaining their Ard and, eventually, Gar spells without their other attributes suffering for it.
   In the end, a Wizard's path to power is their own, with the road being as difficult or as easy as they choose.

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V. Necromancy
   For those wizards with dark intent, seek out Gigean's hidden lair and ask him to teach the dark arts of Necromancy and learn all the secrets he has to offer.  Once found, if the wizard is powerful enough, Gigean will set you upon a simple task to retrieve fresh zombie flesh from one of the yards of the House Macabre.  Be forewarned though, the path of necromancy is a dark and dangerous one, marking a wizard  in mind, body and soul forever.  
 
Spion Torradh
   This is the first spell a Necromancer can learn, the art of summoning the dead to do one's bidding.  Unfortunately, the early summons are not particularly strong or long lived.  The later summons, while stronger, require difficult to find components, thus making this spell useful only in rare situations. Through careful study and experimentation, the full potential of this spell can be understood. Fortunately, for those who choose to practice the spell, it can be studied without the material components.  Also, for those who wish to summon the greater undead, but are unable to find the necessary components, the Dark Wizard Hadrian in Suomi can be persuaded to make 'fake' items.  Of course using fake items carries their own dangers, with failure bringing the possibility of draining the necromancer physically.
 
Pian
   This spell is rumored to cause pain directly to an Aisling, though the specifics are unknown.  Despite several Deochs of research, Gigean has still not chosen to teach this spell.  Though he hints that the time will be soon.
 
Other Spells
   Rumors abound of the dark arts, curses and spells to steal strength and sight.  Horrible poisons and diseases to inflict on the unwary.  Unfortunately, thus far, they are just that, rumors.  Until the necromancer decides his pupils are worthy, the secrets of necromancy will be beyond our grasp.

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VI. Ascension
'A hero can only be born of sacrifice, forged in blood, and tempered by humility.'
-Unknown
   When an Aisling reaches 99th insight, they may seek Ascension.  They must have the following to ascend:  Craft their 97th armor, receiving the legend mark for Aisling recognition (Talgonite, Mythril, or Hy-Brasyl), and a succubus hair .  When the Aisling has all the requirements, they must take the Succubus Hair to the Mileth altar and throw it in. Once the hair is sacrificed, the Aisling will be gifted with a mask of Sgrios . Afterwards they are mortal and must die within a certain amount of time. Upon reaching death, they will arrive in a strange place, similar to Shamble's realm, but with some subtle differences.   At which time they will meet either Gramail or Deoch, to whom they may sacrifice their experience to in order to gain greater power.  Sacrificing experience to Gramail will yield more Health, while sacrificing experience to Deoch will grant you Mana.

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VII. Mastering
'The path of a thousand miles begins with but a single step.'
-Unknown
   Mastering is but a small step on a Wizard's already long journey.  It marks the transition from a dabbling novice, to a dedicated student of magic.  When a Wizard has reached 99th insight, they may choose to take up the Quest to master, furthering their studies as a wizard, or they may choose to abandon the path of the wizard forever, and begin anew. If a wizard wishes to master, they must assemble a group of five Aislings, one from each path and travel to the depths of the Cthonic realms to search for the items they will need to master.  Alternately, rich or lazy wizards can purchase the items if they so choose.  Once the wizard has a magic scroll and ink in their possession, they must travel to Suomi and ask Bertil, the Fae Priestess there to craft a magic book .  Once you have the book and have met the requisite 3750 health and 5000 mana requirements, either on your own or through ascension, speak with Aoife, the assistant at the Temple of choosing and she will confer upon you the status of Master. Once an Aisling has mastered, they gain the Master armor and master weapon.  While the armor grants magical resistance and improves mana greatly, few wizards have been impressed with the staff received.  In addition, they may improve their attributes by sacrificing health.  It is at this point when most wizards begin to devote themselves to learning the other elements.  Most Eldritch wizards learn their remaining Ard spells very quickly after mastering, with their gar spells soon to follow, making them formidable indeed.  Also, once an Aisling has raised their attributes above a certain level, they may 're-allocate' some of their attributes strength to a lesser attribute.  To what end this is actually useful for wizard, I am not entirely sure.

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VIII. Re-dedication
'One must fall to understand all that they have to lose.'
-Unknown Monk
   After all the work, dedication and study required to be a wizard, I can hardly understand anyone who would want to sub-path from the path of wizardry, though some still do.  For those who wish to sub-path from the path of the wizard, all I can recommend is endeavoring to learn all your Mor and Meall spells if not an Ard spell or two, along with the Strioch spells, so your time as a wizard was not completely wasted. Several Ard Ioc Deum potions are needed. Also, the requirements for health and mana are quite high, roughly 6000 health and 6600 mana.

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IX. Grand Mastery
'The Sewers of Oren?  Not for all the gold in Temuair...'
-Unknown Warrior
   Recently, in the shadow of the impending invasion of the army of the Dark Aislings, it was revealed that the Gods had crafted armors of great power to grant to the strongest of Aislings. Long ago the armors were stolen and scattered across the realm, guarded by strange beings of terrible power called 'Creants' which could only be summoned through complex arcane rituals.  There are four places the Creants can be found if one is strong enough to seek them out. The Medusa Creant is hidden deep within the depths of the Jungles of Oren, in the crumbling ruins of the lost city of Nobis.  From the Medusa a wizard can earn Mystic Greaves which greatly increase the mana of a wizard.  The Taurean Creant is hidden somewhere in the frozen caves of Mount Giragan, near Suomi and the Sapphire stream.  It is the Taurean which holds the lost Mystic Armor.  The Shamesyth Creant is hidden deep within the sewers beneath the Tower in Oren. From the Shamesyth a wizard can earn a hat.  The last Creant, the Phoenix can only be found within the secret glen of the Shinewoods.  The Phoenix holds nothing belonging to a wizard, but does have several items for the Aislings who walk the path of the priest and monk.  If an Aisling managed to defeat all four Creants, the gods granted them the strength to face Law himself.  It was in Deoch 34 that he finally arrived with his army of a thousand Dark Ailsings.  And though the battle was brief, it was bloody and many lives were lost, but in the End Law fell to the might of the Champions of Light. 

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