romanywitch: (Default)
romanywitch ([personal profile] romanywitch) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2006-05-25 07:58 am
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Nature & Nature Magic (Thursday Afternoon, The Park, 5/25/2006)

"Guys, I'm Jenny Calendar, and if you hadn't figured it out? This is Nature and Nature Magic. With any luck, it won't start raining, but if it does?" She points over at a stack of umbrellas. "Help yourselves. Given that I've got a new and eclectic mix of students here, let's go with the basics, and then get into something more. Why don't you guys all introduce yourselves, tell us a bit about where you're from, and why you've signed up for this class."

"For starters, let me explain what I want to do: Magic is intimately tied in with nature. I generally work with my laptop, but everything I do with that? Still originated with nature and got ported over to the computer, generally without cramming it full of funky code that looks like it was written by a bunch of drunk monkeys given typewriters and told to produce Shakespeare. Generally. Depends on how complicated it is. But! To understand a lot of magic, you have to understand how it works with nature, and not generally against it.

There aren't too many rules in this workshop, it being summer and us wanting to take things easy. First off, try not to overdo it with the non-workshop related magic. I don't know what level of talent y'all have, but trust me, I'm sure you'll all impress me over the course of the workshop. Second, if you're a non-magic user, chill. This is all basic stuff here, and I'm not going to ask for anyone to conjure an oak tree from an acorn. Which, now that I think about it, may disappoint some of you." Because Jenny was fairly familiar with the nature of Fandom High's seriously overachieving bunch, really, not because she knew Willow. No, really.

Last? If you're not fond of magic or witches or whatever we've got here in the way of magic users, keep it to yourself." Jenny glanced warily at Macbeth presuming he's there, as he's signed up for the workshop, and grinned at the wee little dagger if it was around. "Because if someone decides to bring the vengeance while my back is turned? Or even while I'm watching. Well, if you deserve, my sympathy will be limited.

So. Let's get started."

{{OOC: These are the IC rules only. I trust you guys on an OOC level to have fun and go nuts and break the IC rules if you want without going overboard. If you're worried about something, don't be. We'll talk about it and figure it out.}}

"The ancient Greeks thought that everything in nature was created from four basic elements. The idea originally came from Empedocles somewhere around 450 BCE. The basic elements are earth, air, fire, and water--not a shock to many of you guys, I'm guessing.

Each element has its own properties: Fire is hot and dry, Earth is cold and dry, Air is hot and wet, and Water is cold and wet. Those of you who didn't get that Fire was hot and Water was wet? Can I ask if you're on something, and how good is it, and where I can get some?

Later, Aristotle introduced the concept of 'aether,' and the Pythagoreans introduced the concept of 'idea,' both of which were considered to be a quintessence, or fifth element. That concept survives today in the form of 'spirit,' which pretty much combines aether and idea into a fun mishmash of philosophy.

Other fun ways of looking at elements: Taoist philosophy has Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, but no air. Samkhya philosophy--from Hinduism--has the Tattvas of Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Aether, and a whole lot of other stuff we won't be getting into. Japanese philosophy meshed both of those and goes with Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Void--and sometimes has a sixth element of Consciousness.

I've put some information online for you guys, if you're looking for extra reading on the elements. We're going to be focused mostly on practice, rather than theory, this summer."

Jenny nodded at a bunch of supplies she had set up. "Today's just the getting to know each other, yourselves, and nature session. Group up or work singly--though I'd prefer groups--and play."

There are buckets, of dirt, watering cans, and seedlings of various species of beneficial herbs and flowers for everyone to plant their own container garden. There are also marshmallows, twigs, and chocolate and graham crackers set up near a small bonfire in a pit, prisms and wind chimes hung on the branches of nearby trees, and a large glass bowl full of goldfish sitting on a card table she'd brought out and set up.

OOC: Here is the syllabus and roster for this workshop. Also, fun wiki link to classical elements in pop culture.

Wait for the OCD! Yay, OCD! It's done now, and barring unforeseen work emergencies, the play shouldn't be too slow.
likethegun: (Default)

Re: The Elements

[personal profile] likethegun 2006-05-25 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Sam smirked. "Parker seems more like the 'toss you in front of an angry ninja' type. Does she even know magic? Because this is definitely not normal. I mean, the fabric fixed itself when Dean tried to cut it."

Re: The Elements

[identity profile] lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com 2006-05-25 06:03 pm (UTC)(link)
"Miho's nice," Dawn protested. "Okay, scary as all heck, but she was nice to me yesterday. I have no idea if she knows magic--I don't think I've talked to her since the first day."
likethegun: (i'm smug and satisfied)

Re: The Elements

[personal profile] likethegun 2006-05-25 06:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"I think you officially win for talking to Miho and living to tell the tale," Sam said, smiling softly.

Re: The Elements

[identity profile] lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com 2006-05-25 06:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Dawn was dying to tell Sam about the ninja lessons, but then she realized that maybe part of being a ninja was not telling everyone you knew what you were up to.

"You just have to treat her with respect. And I think she likes pie, but not coconut cream," she said, having no idea where she came up with that idea.
likethegun: (Default)

Re: The Elements

[personal profile] likethegun 2006-05-25 06:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Sam would be very proud of Dawn for starting ninja lessons if he knew about them.

"She seemed to like the cookies she brought in," he said, nodding.

Re: The Elements

[identity profile] lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com 2006-05-25 06:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"She did." Dawn agreed, then looked him over. "So what are you going to do about this pants problem?"
likethegun: (Default)

Re: The Elements

[personal profile] likethegun 2006-05-25 06:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Sam sighed and made a little shrugging motion. "Dean said he'd help me walk through the steps of everything I did on Tuesday to see if we can figure out what happened. And if that doesn't work, I'm just going to wait and see what happens. I'm not in any pain, and I don't think I'm in physical danger. I figure if it's something magical, it has to wear off. Hopefully it'll wear off before this weekend."

Re: The Elements

[identity profile] lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com 2006-05-25 06:40 pm (UTC)(link)
"Why? What's this weekend?" Dawn Summers, always subtle.
likethegun: (Default)

Re: The Elements

[personal profile] likethegun 2006-05-25 06:42 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'm going out with Molly," Sam said simply, watching Dawn carefully to see if she had any sort of reaction.

Re: The Elements

[identity profile] lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com 2006-05-25 06:46 pm (UTC)(link)
"Really?" Dawn tried really, really hard not to have a visible reaction, but she'd only been a ninja in training for 24 hours and they hadn't gotten to that part yet. She smiled, but it may have been a little forced. "That's great!"
likethegun: (Default)

Re: The Elements

[personal profile] likethegun 2006-05-25 06:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Even a forced smile was enough for Sam to get the idea that Dawn was all right with this. Not that that made it easier for him to figure out how he felt about it. "Yeah, it'll be fun. Although it turns out that she doesn't like coffee, so I'm not really sure where we're going to go, because I don't know many of the other places in town." He gave Dawn a clearly helpless look. "Do you know what sort of things she might like to do?"

Re: The Elements

[identity profile] lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com 2006-05-25 06:59 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well," Dawn thought, "you could go out for coffee and just not have coffee, um, there's the karaoke bar, the bakery, the park, you could go for a walk, the stars are nice on the roof. The duck pond's easy to find. Oh, no, wait," she shook her head, "no ducks, probably."
likethegun: (Default)

Re: The Elements

[personal profile] likethegun 2006-05-25 07:12 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, I've heard weird stories about the ducks. That might not be the wisest move ever," Sam said, nodding.

Re: The Elements

[identity profile] lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com 2006-05-25 07:14 pm (UTC)(link)
"They're not that bad, until they invade your cabin while you're sleeping," Dawn grumbled.
likethegun: (i'm laughing while looking down)

Re: The Elements

[personal profile] likethegun 2006-05-25 07:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Sam couldn't help but snicker. "I'm so glad the only rivalry my cabin seems to be getting involved in is how much more attractive we all are than the other cabins' guys."

Re: The Elements

[identity profile] lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com 2006-05-25 07:24 pm (UTC)(link)
She reached out to poke him in the ribs. "Shush, you. I am gonna be your roomie again, you know."
likethegun: (i'm grinning in black and white)

Re: The Elements

[personal profile] likethegun 2006-05-25 07:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Sam laughed and poked her back. "Oh, am I supposed to be afraid of what you might do to me? Remind me to steal a duck and bring it with me when we move back in."

Re: The Elements

[identity profile] lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com 2006-05-25 07:38 pm (UTC)(link)
"Now why would I do that?" She pouted and folded her arms over her chest. "See if I help you get out of your pants now, smartguy."