Clement demonstrates the Techniques, boy, don't you know.
The class for Artes meets in the afternoon. The students enter and see an owl sitting on a perch. It's eyes are closed until it hears the sound of the students entering. They open and then the owl yawns a great yawn and flaps it's wings several times to stretch them. Then settles to watch the class.
The benches are formed into a semi-circle around a podium with a lectern on it. Upon the lectern is a great book. The teacher does not seem to be in the room yet.
Imric shuffles into the room, wondering what their professor will be like, and curious to see if he, too, makes a big entrance. From the empty room and the large podium, signs pointed to yes.
Babette always seems to be lost within the smock she wears, always looking about her nervously. Upon entering this classroom she looked expectantly at the owl as it preened on the lectern. Would this one turn into a professor as well? Not knowing what to do she took her seat and waited patiently.
A tiny, thin girl, not much bigger than a toddler (2'3"/68 cm) with light blonde hair enters the class, finds a stool close to the lectern, and with a determined sigh clambers onto it. She then looks around at the others before focusing her gaze on the owl for a while. The owl scares her just a little bit, mainly because it's almost as big as her.
Clement entered the room, his black cloak billowing behind him. He is dressed in the dark robes of House Tremere. Clean shaven and his salt and pepper hair goes down to the top of his shoulders. He moves to the lectern and looks at them intently with his dark eyes. His first words are to the owl.
Good afternoon Hybrida. I trust you have slept well? Anything amiss?
Hybrida, the owl, looks at Clement for a moment than back to the class.
Good. Then let us begin.
This is the class of the Artes. It is, perhaps, the most important class for you at the moment other than Professor Fiona's Magic Theory. But where as Magic Theory delves into system or understanding of how it works, the Artes or Techniques are the practical actions of the magic. In short, they are what is happening. The Forms are the objects on which you will focus your magic. Many magi get by with only rudimentary understanding of some Forms. And that is fine as they might specialize in one form or another for their research. It is a crime against the Order for me to leave you deficient in a Technique by the time you are ready for your gauntlet. It may, in fact, prevent you from becoming a magus of the Order.
He looks at them again, leaving the words to hang in the air.
As I said, this is a practical course. We will have lab work for you but not for a week at least. I want to give Professor Fiona time to fill your empty heads so you will not harm others when you do your spells.
Any questions before we begin?
Babette sits nervously as she wonders, no doubt the others were wondering, with the way the owl stared at them and the professor's response to it. Finally she raises her hand and asks in a meek voice, just above the squeak of a mouse;
"Is the owl also a maga? Or is that your pet?"
It is nether. She is my dearest friend. Our friendship was such that she consented to be bound to me by magic and I to her. In other words, she is my familiar and I hers. Any questions on binding familiars I will instruct you to take to Professor Fiona as they will fall into the bounds of Magical Theory.
It does allow me to bring up the point that if Hybrida gives you an order you may consider that it is coming from me.
Hybrida clicks her beak several times at this announcement.
Any more questions?
(( if you are interested in seeing what a Tawny Owl looks like owlpages.com/image.php?image ... ix-aluco-7 ))
Well then. I shall begin by reading the first 12 pages of Artes Bonisago iurem.
[The 1st 12 pages are an introduction to all the techniques. explaining their basic functions with some examples.]
So now we have heard of the Techniques. Creo. To create. Intellego. To Perceive. Muto. To Transform. Perdo to Destroy. and the most useful Technique, Rego. to Control.
Any questions before I continue?
Margerethe raises her hand. [color=purple]"Does she speak Latin or German? Or are we supposed to learn...owl?" she asks, in all seriousness.
There's a derisive snort from the back of the room.
Latin Hybrida says in a smooth voice ( think Audrey Hepburn). The proper language for discourse.
Clement looks around the room. There you have it.
Margerethe glances behind her at where the snort comes from, then looks back to the front of the room. [color=purple]"I'm sorry, Professor, Hybrida. I didn't know. I've never met a talking owl before."
I would be surprised if you had. I hope in your 3rd or 4th year we can have a field trip to Lycaneon to see the wolves of the Oppidum. It will give you some experience with creatures of a magic nature.
Babette shyly raises her hand. "So...do all animals talk? They have stayed away from me most times when I am a bird."
They stay away from you when you are a girl as well do they not?
Hybrida speaks up. All animals can talk after a fashion but you are not able to understand them.
Yes. Even magic animals seldom can talk. Hybrida, an Owl of Virtue, (Hybrida puffs up a little at this) has the ability to speak. Most do not. But if made into a familiar, the bond will allow them to understand your language.
"If they don't talk by their own merits, you can empower the bond and give it the gift of speech. My grandmother's familiar talks and it's a golden eagle.
Babette goes from a look of wonderment to one of distaste as she hears some of the rules fro binding animals. It reminded her of the earliest prohibitions she was taught. She looks sadly at the owl and remains quiet, wondering if it could feel the chains that were upon it.
"Will we get to have a familiar too?" Imric asks. "That sounds neat, having a friend always there for you. And maybe even a talking animal at that."
I've never liked eagles. Too proud by far and tend to lie if they do not know the answer
Hush Hybrida.
It is always a possibility. I'm sure Professor Fiona will go into the theory of forging the bonds between you and your familiar in her class in four to five years. Once you have a understanding of the theory and the history.