On Mon, 30 Jan 2006, Scott Schultz wrote: > > > I wonder if perhaps witchcraft can be used to create amorphia? But up > > until Vlad, no witch had been knowledgeable of the possibility, and > > desperate and stupid enough to try it (and Vlad just didn't realize > > that it was witchcraft that he had done). > > Two arguments against: > > 1) Witchcraft doesn't work like that. Every witchcraft spell we've witnessed > was one that took a great deal of preparation and had a substantial buildup > to a climax wherein the spell was released and imposed its effects on the > world. "Instant on" is a hallmark of sorcery. Besides, it seems highly > unlikely that Vlad could do anything with Witchcraft and not realize how he > was accomplishing it. Vlad ought perhaps to be aware of having used witchcraft, but he certainly has no sense of how a new spell works, judging from _Taltos_ and _J_. And the circumstances weren't conducive to self-awareness and reflection. In _J_ V surely went the normal gene/soul route - but for all we know, that route might be a shortcut to the relevant witchcraftery. > 2) Dragaerans were derived from Easterners (Terrans) and they are able to > learn and perform witchcraft just as Easterners can. If every Easterner can > do it then by extension every Dragaeran can do it and Aliera is wrong about > it being specific to the e'Kieron line. Aliera wouldn't know that the e'K line has a witchcraft shortcut. Maybe the shortcut is 100% necessary, but maybe only 95%, or maybe not at all, given the right knowledge. > With his background, Morollan likely > takes witchcraft more seriously than the average Dragearan but he's not the > first Dragaeran to study it. Sethra hasn't. Noish-pa is v. surprised to meet a Dragaeran witch. > If it could produce anything like Vlad's > ability then it ought to be well known and, in fact, it would give Dragaeran > sorcerous society a reason to silently suppress it lest the Easterners hear about it.