[15:07] <[BNS]Minase> [Last time we left our heroes, they were headed north to scout the oncoming enemy hordes. But it's proving to be a longer walk than expected and boredom is setting in.]
[15:08] <Maryn> So.. how does one go learning the arcane ways?... Some say its potential.. some say its talent..
[15:08] <[BNS]Minase> Eh...? Hrm.
[15:09] * [BNS]Minase ponders for a moment...
[15:09] <Maryn> And then some say its just sheer hard work.
[15:10] <[BNS]Minase> Well... being of royal blood, I was born with a certain degree of innate magic within me, but all I could really manifest at first was little stuff. Kid's tricks, like sparkles, smoke and light bending.
[15:13] <Maryn> hmm..
[15:13] <[BNS]Minase> So... it's really equal parts all three.
[15:18] * Maryn nods.
[15:18] <Maryn> How does one find if they have a potential for it?..
[15:24] <[BNS]Minase> It's an intuition thing really, though extremely powerful spellcasters can sense the potential in others. It's a very faint sense, like being able to smell a flower's scent in a windstorm.
[15:24] <[BNS]Minase> At least, that's how it was explained to me. I can't sense magical talent in others.
[15:24] <[BNS]Minase> A few more years, perhaps...
[15:26] <Maryn> Well, is there any other way?
[15:27] * [BNS]Minase thinks for a moment
[15:27] <[BNS]Minase> Maybe... try this.
[15:28] <Maryn> Ok..
[15:29] * [BNS]Minase holds her hand out in front of her, palm upturned.
[15:30] <[BNS]Minase> Can you see anything in my hand right now?
[15:30] * Maryn shakes her head.
[15:31] <[BNS]Minase> Ok... then you either have a very low awareness of the aether or no awareness at all.
[15:31] <[BNS]Minase> Now... that's not necessarily a measure of your /potential/...
[15:31] <[BNS]Minase> ...but it's safe to say that you won't be flinging spells any time soon.
[15:32] <[BNS]Minase> It would take years of training from where you are now to be able to even concure minor cantrips.
[15:33] <[BNS]Minase> Here, try and look again. But look with your mind's eye, not your physical eye.
[15:33] * [BNS]Minase turns her palm upward again
[15:34] * Maryn takes a deep breath.. and closes her eyes..
[15:34] * [BNS]Minase goes :\
[15:34] <[BNS]Minase> That's not what I mean. You still need to be able to see.
[15:35] <Maryn> ...ah.
[15:35] * Maryn laughs.
[15:36] <[BNS]Minase> Magical aether exists between the layers of reality that we can normally perceive.
[15:36] <[BNS]Minase> Think of the world around you, everything you can touch, smell, taste, see... everything that exists, even the air, as consisting of pages of a book.
[15:37] <[BNS]Minase> Normally, you can only see the front of the book.
[15:37] * Maryn nods.
[15:38] <[BNS]Minase> But in order to perceive the aether flow, you need to turn your view of the book to the side, and look between the pages.
[15:38] <[BNS]Minase> ...do you understand or am I being too cryptic?
[15:39] <Maryn> In a emphemeral sense... a bit.
[15:40] <[BNS]Minase> Well, the key lies to understanding it in an elementary sense. A physical sense.
[15:41] * [BNS]Minase points to her upturned palm with the other hand. Suddenly, a glowing blue flame dances in her palm. It radiates no heat.
[15:42] <[BNS]Minase> This is as close to the natural state of aetheric energy that normal creatures can perceive.
[15:42] * Maryn looks onward intently..
[15:45] * Maryn then touches it.
[15:45] <[BNS]Minase> You won't feel anything. Like I said, it exists on a different layer of reality than we do.
[15:46] <[BNS]Minase> Only spell-casters are able to bring aetheric energy into existance on this layer of reality. It's that innate ability makes us spellcasters.