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Ethical Enchantments and Dweomers: a brief treatise on the school of Enchantment

by Alokkair of The Arcane Tower

Of all the schools of magic, perhaps the school of Enchantment and Charm requires the most ethical consideration on the part of a Mage than any other. Along this path a wizard will encounter spells not with the power to bring creatures to his aid, or the power to blast enemies into fiery oblivion; but a more sinsiter power if misused: Power over the minds of others.

Even simple spells such as the first circle series of "Charms" can be used as harmless acts of trickery to aid a Mage such as the tavern owner can be convinced to lend a room to one for the evening with a promise to pay the following day; however in the hands of a cunning sorceror even these simple dweomers can be abused in a malicious way: a hapless traveler walking along the trader's route might manipulated into holding off an oncoming goblin swarm "for just a few moments."

The Potential for misuse is limiltless, which is why dear friends that ethical consideration be used before the careless application of such spells. Carefully consider what harm you may be causing by casting this potent line of spells. As a general rule, treat any Charm spell like a deadly fireball: take care where you are aiming it lest you cause a dangerous brushfire of cause and effect to erupt all around you.

The ethically minded enchanter always considers what possible harm can come from his manipulations of another's mind. As for what seperates the dangerous from the harmless, that is for the caster to decide, but know that any course of action likely to harm the subject (no matter how deserving) is certainly a most unethical use of Enchantment spells.

That being said, Enchantments can also be used as a very humane way of resolving conflicts, mesmerizing a group of brigands and making an escape is much more desireable than killing them with a furious hailstorm of frozen death from the skies as so many of us are want to do. However, please refrain from using spells of domination on others in most circumstances. A paralyzing "Hold" spell will resolve a conflict with considerably less harm than the longterm cerebral damage that can be sustained from being the subject of a domination enchantment. Migranes, dizzy spells and frequent memory loss are just a few of the side-effects from such spells.

Circumstances can sometimes force a mage's hand, but lose not your temper young mageling! There is still an alternative course of action availible to an Enchanter! The weapon enhancing spells that many of us learn in the course of our studies. Surely they do not work on permanently ensorcelled weapons, but a wise enchanter will always carry a common weapon with him that he can enchant and wield or give to an ally in situations where one must face down a foe with protection from their other spells. In the hands of a wise Mage, a common dagger becomes shakingly sharp, astoundingly accurate, and sometimes ferociously flaming!

In conclusion, one's best judgement is needed in all situations where magic is involved, but I humbly urge you to take special care when wielding the potent dweomers of the school of Enchantment and Charm. It is truely a science of restraint, while any neophyte can sling bolts of fire and ice to cut down his enemies, it takes the careful calculations of an ethical-minded Enchanter to resolve his conflicts with little harm to all involved.