they couldn't 'borrow' mages from their allies because of the shield effects
Well, on the plus side, it would serve to reassure the ally that the borrowing really was temporary! :D But yes, I don't think it would be tenable for any long period, but a month or two? Maybe my tolerance for being stared at is higher than most people's, but that seems feasible to me.
mages who weren't Heralds were really looked down on in Valdemar - always referred to as 'hedge-wizards' and assumed to be borderline criminals
I... think part of this may be the Herald angle, but a lot of it may also be a rank thing. Hedge-wizards are a valid category of mage elsewhere, and they're the category with the lowest power -- far below Journeymen, often just barely Gifted at all or even doing small magics without any Gift, just by sheer willpower. As such, they tend to be looked down on *by most mages*, especially those with formal schooling from an established mage school. In consequence, they seem to be regarded as "mages for peasants" -- many of them live in villages or travel, selling small spells and potions and other services that fit the size of their Gift and their lack of training. (The 'borderline criminals' thing is probably part and parcel with this -- in the vein of tinkers and peddlers and other perpetual travelers being regarded as suspicious/cheats/immoral/thieves by a settled culture.)
It could be that, in Valdemar, Companions make darn sure that anyone Gifted enough to be more than a hedge-wizard gets Chosen, or it could be that "hedge-wizard" is such a common term for a mage who sells his abilities that, in Valdemar where there are Herald-Mages to provide contrast, it's applied to any mage who is for hire (and the unpleasant associations stuck, too).
Response to aside: I had the vague memory that Stef and Van had either concocted the idea together, or else Stef thought it up and Van implemented it, but couldn't remember Andros' name, and my books aren't in reach.
It wasn't Stef alone, though; the idea I think was Stef's, but not the execution, since he had no magic except Bardic gifts. I always understood Stefan's disappearance to be a conspiracy -- the idea was Stefan's, but the Companions were the ones who carried it out, possibly at Vanyel/Yfandes' request.
Remember Herald Andros' Companion gently shepherding him away from the forest, with the 'story' of why he was there with a second saddled horse, alone? Even if Stef had discovered a way to change people's memories, I don't believe he could do it to a Companion, considering what they are. So even if Stefan did the actual memory-wipe on Andros, they had to be in on it up to their pointy white ears. Though I always thought that either the Companion had done that, too -- would a Companion let anyone else mess with their Chosen's mind? -- or that it was because Vanyel implemented the spell -- I can't recall the exact timing, but if Stef was dead at that point then it could have been Vanyel setting the kingdom-wide spell in motion. If I had my searchable copy, I'd check... *misses dead laptop*
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2012-11-30 03:41 am (UTC)Well, on the plus side, it would serve to reassure the ally that the borrowing really was temporary! :D But yes, I don't think it would be tenable for any long period, but a month or two? Maybe my tolerance for being stared at is higher than most people's, but that seems feasible to me.
mages who weren't Heralds were really looked down on in Valdemar - always referred to as 'hedge-wizards' and assumed to be borderline criminals
I... think part of this may be the Herald angle, but a lot of it may also be a rank thing. Hedge-wizards are a valid category of mage elsewhere, and they're the category with the lowest power -- far below Journeymen, often just barely Gifted at all or even doing small magics without any Gift, just by sheer willpower. As such, they tend to be looked down on *by most mages*, especially those with formal schooling from an established mage school. In consequence, they seem to be regarded as "mages for peasants" -- many of them live in villages or travel, selling small spells and potions and other services that fit the size of their Gift and their lack of training. (The 'borderline criminals' thing is probably part and parcel with this -- in the vein of tinkers and peddlers and other perpetual travelers being regarded as suspicious/cheats/immoral/thieves by a settled culture.)
It could be that, in Valdemar, Companions make darn sure that anyone Gifted enough to be more than a hedge-wizard gets Chosen, or it could be that "hedge-wizard" is such a common term for a mage who sells his abilities that, in Valdemar where there are Herald-Mages to provide contrast, it's applied to any mage who is for hire (and the unpleasant associations stuck, too).
Response to aside: I had the vague memory that Stef and Van had either concocted the idea together, or else Stef thought it up and Van implemented it, but couldn't remember Andros' name, and my books aren't in reach.
It wasn't Stef alone, though; the idea I think was Stef's, but not the execution, since he had no magic except Bardic gifts. I always understood Stefan's disappearance to be a conspiracy -- the idea was Stefan's, but the Companions were the ones who carried it out, possibly at Vanyel/Yfandes' request.
Remember Herald Andros' Companion gently shepherding him away from the forest, with the 'story' of why he was there with a second saddled horse, alone? Even if Stef had discovered a way to change people's memories, I don't believe he could do it to a Companion, considering what they are. So even if Stefan did the actual memory-wipe on Andros, they had to be in on it up to their pointy white ears. Though I always thought that either the Companion had done that, too -- would a Companion let anyone else mess with their Chosen's mind? -- or that it was because Vanyel implemented the spell -- I can't recall the exact timing, but if Stef was dead at that point then it could have been Vanyel setting the kingdom-wide spell in motion. If I had my searchable copy, I'd check... *misses dead laptop*