Jack Priest (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bitten_notshy) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2013-03-20 01:36 pm
bitten_notshy) wrote in fandomhigh2013-03-20 01:36 pm
Entry tags:
Supernatural Studies, Wednesday, Period 1
"Good morning," Jack greeted once everyone seemed to be in place. "We had a few requests to discuss magic users last week, so we're taking that on today."
"Fairy tales make it simple -- there are evil witches and good ones. The good ones might grant your heart's desire, but woe be onto you if you run into an evil one." The roll of Jack's eyes was just about audible. "The truth is, magic-users -- whether you call them witches or sorcerers or thamaturgists -- are just people with one very special skill, and no more likely to be all good or all evil than shoemakers or chemists."
"Magic is like vampires; it refuses to work the same way in any two worlds. I'll speak of how it works where I'm from, which will make perfect sense to some of you and sound like nonsense to others. Anyhow, at home magic is a skill, and not one seen as terribly glamorous. In theory anyone could learn at least the basics with enough patience and effort; in practice perhaps five percent of the population has the interest and knack to do much of anything with it. We say those people have a spark, and it tends to run in families.
"Now, if you have a 'spark,' you have two choices. Most people with magical abilities are hearth witches, nothing more. They might make a healing poultice or do a spell encouraging their garden to grow, but for the most part they live very ordinary lives. The government has discretion to punish these people if they make a nuisance of themselves or harm anyone, but for the most part it's left alone.
"But for some of the magically inclined, that's not enough. Those who want to become professional sorcerers go to special universities dedicated to the study of magic, where far more complex spells are taught. Graduates swear an oath and are tattooed with a sorcerer's brand on the chest. Some become physicians; others work in law enforcement. The schooling is difficult, and -- to quote Arachnid-Guy - 'with great power comes great responsibility.' They are expected to use their skills to serve the public. It is not a path for everyone, but those who pursue it can do all the good in the world."
He thought of Abby Irene, then, of how she'd quite possibly saved his life.
"So that's my world. My question for you is, does it make sense to openly regulate magic the way we do? Or should the state and spellbooks stay far from each other?"
"Fairy tales make it simple -- there are evil witches and good ones. The good ones might grant your heart's desire, but woe be onto you if you run into an evil one." The roll of Jack's eyes was just about audible. "The truth is, magic-users -- whether you call them witches or sorcerers or thamaturgists -- are just people with one very special skill, and no more likely to be all good or all evil than shoemakers or chemists."
"Magic is like vampires; it refuses to work the same way in any two worlds. I'll speak of how it works where I'm from, which will make perfect sense to some of you and sound like nonsense to others. Anyhow, at home magic is a skill, and not one seen as terribly glamorous. In theory anyone could learn at least the basics with enough patience and effort; in practice perhaps five percent of the population has the interest and knack to do much of anything with it. We say those people have a spark, and it tends to run in families.
"Now, if you have a 'spark,' you have two choices. Most people with magical abilities are hearth witches, nothing more. They might make a healing poultice or do a spell encouraging their garden to grow, but for the most part they live very ordinary lives. The government has discretion to punish these people if they make a nuisance of themselves or harm anyone, but for the most part it's left alone.
"But for some of the magically inclined, that's not enough. Those who want to become professional sorcerers go to special universities dedicated to the study of magic, where far more complex spells are taught. Graduates swear an oath and are tattooed with a sorcerer's brand on the chest. Some become physicians; others work in law enforcement. The schooling is difficult, and -- to quote Arachnid-Guy - 'with great power comes great responsibility.' They are expected to use their skills to serve the public. It is not a path for everyone, but those who pursue it can do all the good in the world."
He thought of Abby Irene, then, of how she'd quite possibly saved his life.
"So that's my world. My question for you is, does it make sense to openly regulate magic the way we do? Or should the state and spellbooks stay far from each other?"
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