The Tomes: Section IV Body Enfeebling Spells: Slow
To the advanced practitioner of magickal arts,
Here is another spell that defines the difference between the two schools of magick. With many spells that have similar ends in both schools, it is the means that define whether or not they are categorized into either black or white magick. In this instance take the notion of disabling or encumbering an opponent. The method described in this spell, Slow, will differ much than others such as Stun and Stop.
The development of this spell first concentrated on an idea in which caused a little bodily harm to a target, but still being able to hinder them greatly. Most likely this spell was made for such tasks as bringing in hunting fugitives of the law that had to be taken alive. Others have theorized that this spell was also made in regards to the field of magickal study as well. While it may not have been the spell of choice, but rather a prototype that led to the development of the Stun and Stop spells, Slow may have been made in mind in order to study wildlife, both docile and or monster in nature. This spell's use would have been particularly useful in the field of observation, allowing one to see a creature in motion and thus studying its muscle movement and techniques that may be quite rare. Within this theory, the next step would have been capture of such subjects, which most likely have required a stronger spell.
The manner in which this spell was crafted took on many ideas of what it took to literally slow down a target. Ideas stemmed from forming magick into a humanoid force that held back foes to forming a prison of magick. Both ideas were abandoned when a mage recalled difficulty he had when he first learned how to swim, particularly the inability to walk about on the bottom of a body of water. This is what sparked the idea for forming mana into a substance or presence that perpetuated around the target thus preventing movement at full speed. Not only would this spell prove to be useful in reducing a target's speed but also their attack power as well.
In order to successfully use this spell, one must be able to not only form a dense enough mana field to encumber the target, but also be able to maintain it where the target is located. To accomplish the first of these two tasks, on must first imagine a form that can greatly immobilize a target. Like in the example in its development, most users who first cast slow should try to form mana into a field much like water, a relatively simple concept that nearly everyone is familiar with. Later on, one should become more creative in which the type of field they create to encumber their foes within. Such ideas could be to later form the mana field into something either similar to sap or quicksand, however note that these iterations of the Slow spell will require an understanding of the behaviors of such occurrences in nature, meaning that in order to use such forms, one must have had some sort of experience with the said examples. This is one such spell in The Tomes that requires one to have an outside or personal understanding of a natural occurrence of a portion of a spell in order to cast it. The other portion of the spell is being able to keep the field of encumbrance around the target. This means that the spell must be constantly be maintained in the basunic fashion in order for its effect to continue to affect the target, but unlike most basunic spells, the directed feed of mana is not ensuring that the spell is continually powered, but rather that the field moves with the target. The field itself is also an issue that must be faced when it comes to size. If the field does not cover a large enough height, then the target can simply escape the field by leaping out of it, this is why the suggested shape of the spell would be a cube or sphere in that the distance from the edge of the field and the target are the same at all points. That said, combined with this spell's two main principles will make it difficult to master.
"Confine my foe into a prison that will last, where things are always slow not fast! Slow!"
This spell not only proves to be a useful detrimental ailment in combat, but it also has quite a few practical applications as well in and out the fray as well. While still on the subject of battle, this spell can be used defensively by using it as an impromptu shield against enemy projectiles. As with any object or substance in the world, including water, Slow's field of shaped mana can affect most projectiles' speeds by diminishing them when they come into contact with this spell, even other magickal attacks. Another instance of how this spell can help came to my knowledge through a near fatal mishap that Ebon and I experienced.
While exploring some of the desolate, abandoned ancient shrines Ebon and I happened upon a passage that lead us to a grand room with a pathway that led to a pedestal of significant interest to ourselves. The pathway to the pedestal was an old stone based bridge that was suspended over a large subterranean river. Foolishly, we made our way to the pedestal without much of a though over the bridge's condition; unfortunately for us, halfway on our crossing, the structure crumbled beneath our feet. The fall was great one, and I was sure that the impact into the river below would not be a very safe one. Instinctively I cast the spell slow around the two of us, since there had been many times that I have protected ourselves from rockslides with Slow, but as I soon found out, the spell also works in reverse. Being proficient with the Slow spell, the field of encumbering mana was able to absorb our fall and allow us to hit the water as if we had jumped into it from the shore. Indeed this spell proves to be not only a combative agent, but an explorer's best friend as well.
Finally, there is one misconception about this spell that I feel that I must explain. In this series, there are some spells that are named in such a manner that might lead one to believe they have something to do with the control of time: Slow, Stop, and Haste. While these spells give the idea of such possibilities through their effects, controlling time is something that has yet to be successfully studied. Perhaps other branches and schools of magick may be possible in the future, that is something I can only hope for.
Iv, High White Mage
Note: Yes! My longest White Magick chapter yet! I'm so proud of myself.