On the Ethical Usage of Arcane Magic

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[SIZE="5"][COLOR="Teal"]On the Ethical Usage of Arcane Magic[/COLOR][/SIZE]

The page following the title is furnished with a drawing of the side of a halfling's face looking off to the left. There is a small smile on his face, and his head is tilted slightly upward. Beneath the head in bold lettering the words William Bell University appear.

I should begin by saying that I myself am not a practioner of the Art, though I have a thorough knowledge of matters arcane and spellcraft in general. Even so, I find that those who master such abilities are very formidable, and in a different life I could easily see myself aspiring to foster such an ability. All that said however, like any power, arcane magic can be used for good or ill, and it is with the intent to outline what particular manifestations are neutral and which are inherently evil that I pen this work now, so the reader might better understand the nature of matters arcane and make an informed decision about whether or not the phenomenon they are witnessing is, in fact, truly (or even arguably) evil.

There are three sources of arcane magic. The first is Sorcery, often referred to as blood-magic due to the fact many believe they have inherited such powers from an ancestor, and when inherited or come upon seemingly spontaneously in one's youth can be considered no more foul than any other ability naturally acquired, such as a swift mind, strong arm, or even deft hands. Some races possess such sorcerous inclinations that nearly every individual comprising the whole is capable of manifesting a similar spell. It has been said however that some people can acquire similar powers indistinguishable from natural sorcery by making offering to devils. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to determine the source of sorcerous abilities in this case, and while the initial intentions of the individual in question might have been good, the source of that fell power will soon twist whatever good might have come from them to an evil, destructive end. All sorcerers can use their powers fairly often, but the forms they can channel are much more limited. A great wizard could arguably learn and cast over a hundred different spells; a great sorcerer, twenty or so.

The second form of arcane powers, Bardic abilities, are similar in that they draw from a natural source of magic; song. Nevertheless, it takes a good deal of study to learn how to mold this magic to their whim, and even being a channel for such power is just as draining as other forms of spellcraft. True Bards are able to manifest varying powers and even channel positive energy, a feat no other type of arcanist can manage. Though their field of arcana is unique and therefore interesting, they master few different spells and typically fall back on more mundane abilities when pressed. Bardic magic is, therefore, simply a learned skill; it has no potential for evil greater than the ability to fight with a blade or fire an arrow true.

Wizards are not born, but rather, are made. A wizard is the product of study and skill, and typically, such studies can measure over a year before even a cantrip can be had! Nevertheless, the dedicated can master numerous spells and become quite adaptable, provided they find the appropriate scrolls and translate them successfully into their spellbooks. Wizards are, unfortunately, solely reliant on their spellbooks to prepare more spells, and few are able to successfully memorize entire spell scrolls. For this reason wizard's employ all manner of tricks in safeguarding their tomes. Should the reader manage to find one, it is either too powerfully warded for most souls to safely remove or simply a trap, and as such, they are best left alone. Wizardry is itself an almost entirely intellectual exercise, similar to Bardic magic in that it is learned, and therefore, not necessarily evil in and of itself.

The first fact a wizard learns is that the workings of the Weave are divided into eight schools; Abjuration, Enchantment, Illusion, Necromancy, Divination, Conjuration, Transmutation, and Evocation. The spells of these schools share an overall theme in that they require similar energies to manifest, and thus, mastery of a subset of skills in order to be utilized effectively. Wizards, therefore, tend to specialize in a particular school due to a myriad of reasons, ranging from a particular interest, personal ability, and the specialization of their teacher(s). Unfortunately, specialization typically comes at a cost, as other skills are neglected in lieu of this mastery and particular workings of the Weave become impossible to perform as a result. Specialists tend to be able to memorize many more spells and use those of their chosen field much more effectively, so many take pride in what they can do rather than feel shame for what they cannot. While certain schools have many more dubious uses than others, I do not believe there is a single school of magic that can arguably be called wholly evil and corrupt.

All that said, I do feel that certain usages (situational scenarios, as in how the spells are used) and even particular workings of the Arcane are inherently evil. While I cannot list every possible working of Weave, for there are some known perhaps only by Oghma at this time, of the more common spells, I will tell you.

Animation of the Dead:
More persistent forms of undeath require a corporal shell, or corpse, in order to come into existence. Animation is a horrible act, one that I believe harnesses the power of the person's very soul in order to power the shell it once occupied. Though it is very hard to argue this theory one way or the other, the simple fact that one cannot arguably understand the exact effect this has on the soul in question. Even if there is only a small chance I am correct, the risk of doing the unspeakable and denying an individual their place at their patron god's side means that only the most brazen, corrupted sort of individual would practice such forbidden acts.

Of Spells That Damage:
Spells of this type do actual damage, and if used on an inanimate object as a crate or door, will damage or even the thing in question. While they differ in how they are formed and even the school they originate from (Evocation, Conjuration, and Necromancy, nominally), I feel that all spells that accomplish this are as neutral as any other mundane weapon, although perhaps more powerful in most cases. In cases where these spells can cause widespread damage, the caster should exercise careful usage in order to avoid unnecessary damage, harm, and death to objects and people in the vicinity.

Of Spells That Summon Beings:
Typically, these spells fall into a neutral category, but this is dependant on the being summoned. Devils, demons, and lesser forms of undeath are all inherently evil usages, no matter how benignly they might be applied. Consider if you will the plight of the individual who witnesses the affectivity of such creatures; how they might come to favor the presence and advice of such beings in the future, and how such a path will lead them to corruption and ruin. Conversely, the summoning of goodly creatures such as archons is perhaps one of the few forms of arcane magic that could wholly be considered truly good instead of an entirely neutral act.

Of Spells That Drain Ones Abilities:
Horrible and in many senses quite painful, spells that drain ones natural abilities are quite dangerous. In many societies there are laws preventing the possession and use of poison, and for good reason, as this is the atypical tool of the assassin. Yet, in more tribalistic settings, hunters rely on coating their arrows with the poison of lesser creatures in order to bring down game. Are these effects then evil? I would say that those effect which take away ones ability to use their body as they normally can, are in fact, as neutral as a spell that would damage the foe. Draining away ones facilities both physical and mental can just as easily slay a person as suffering too much physical harm might.

Of Spells That Kill Outright:
Accomplished by various schools of magic, the intent of these spells is to slay the victim outright. Although in such a perilous world the taking of life is necessary to ensure ones continued survival, the fact that the intention of these spells is to simply kill, there is a definite moral dilemma in the fact that it does not offer the other party a chance to reconsider the conflict or even give the caster the option to allow the survival of the opposing party.

Of Spells That Assault the Mind:
Many workings of the Arcane manage this feat, and are rightly feared by those who rely on mastery of arms solely. In many cases however, as these spells simply incapacitate in some fashion, they are neutral. Despite what may follow the usage of such spells, as they do not directly harm the individual and threaten their life, they could even be argued to be more benign than destructive spell variants, as such a spell has more potential to cause a cessation of hostilities with the survival of both parties. There are, of course, a few variants that could fall under this school which have potentially different ethical implications, which I'll elaborate on briefly.

Domination Spells:[/U]
Certain spells allow the caster to mentally dominate their opponent, crushing their personality in one fell swoop and making them follow the commands of the caster unerringly, to the point where even a Paladin would turn and slay his friends and family. Though one could arguably use such a spell on an evil creature and turn the tide of a battle, taking away the will of an individual for even a brief amount of time constitutes the darkest form of slavery where the victim does not even have the choice to attempt flight or seek their own demise to end an undesirable scenario, and as such, domination is inherently an evil act.

Although some of my statements are bound to create a small controversy amongst the arcane community, I will stand by them. I will go as far to say that while our capabilities might allow us to do a specific thing, that fact in and of itself is not right to commit the act. Even though we might scrutinize Arcanists more closely than others in lieu of what they might do, we should be conscious of the fact that our pause is only caused by fact we find the source of the abilities suspect in that they are so different. There is comfort knowing a cleric or druid in that they are, to some degree, predictable, but arcanists do not answer to anyone for their abilities. While this fact is likely the major reason behind the suspicion these individuals typically garner, what we fear however is not some generalization about godless arcanists, but rather, that which is different from us and not readily understood. Only by seeking to understand that which we know not can we achieve growth, becoming greater than we once were.

Asdon Garlin, Lorekeeper of Oghma and Founder of William Bell University