Readalong

TPG:Chapter 1:P.4 Wizards of the Athyra Guard

Starshadw at aol.com Starshadw at aol.com
Tue Jun 18 11:30:10 PDT 2002

<** p154-155 ** "Your [Vlad's] education # is sadly lacking."
<[primer Orb-sorcery,  Greater Sea, necrophia, resonance,
<correspondence] [primer on Elder sorcery, amorphia] [primer
<on necromancy, necrophia, amorphia, energy levels of life-
<states] [primer on witchcraft, understanding]

Ummmm....I read Issola, and I didn't see much that specifically defined what wizardry entailed.  It isn't any of the items you list above at all.  All that we've ever really heard about wizardry - via Vlad and others - are hints. No one with any kind of actual knowledge and experience has ever come out and said, "wizards do this and that."  Steve has said that wizardry is, in fact, its own "branch" of magic, just like sorcery and witchcraft.  But what exactly that branch is capable of doing, we still aren't sure.

Adding to the confusion is that "wizard" is also used as a descriptive term which seems to be entirely separate from the concept of a wizard practicing wizardry as a sorcerer practices sorcery.  Not only that, but all we ever get is conjecture as to what wizards are - I'm guessing that neither Vlad nor Savn really knows, they are simply making guesses.  Now, when Aliera, Morrolan or Sethra (or someone else knowledgeable) tells us what wizardry is, then I'll be satisfied.

In other fantasy novels, wizards are those who specialize in the summoning and controlling of spirits, elementals, demons and devils.  But I've never gotten the impression that's what wizards do here in the Dragaeran universe.

Stacy