I enter Farengar's studies, his quarters is a compact, arcane-filled nook inside Dragonsreach. In the middle of his studies is a large table, behind it an Arcane Enchanter, I very much want to use that! He has a few shelves around in the room, containing various baubles, items and books.
I walk over to Farengar, he then points his finger high up at the top of one of his book shelves.
Wondering what he's pointing at I gaze up at where he's pointing, suddenly one of the books levitates, and it flies to his hand.
"No way! You have to teach me that!" I say in amazement.
Farengar sighs.
"Pointless" he answers shortly.
"Why?..." I answer, a bit offended.
Farengar answers. "If I am to teach you magic for the good of Whiterun, a book fetcher spell isn't what you need, you need to destruction magic..."
My face lights up, and I am unable to supress my grin! Destruction magic would also be cool to learn!
Farengar again sighs at my reaction.
"Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't really think you have what it takes...
You would have discovered your magical talents long ago, if you really had the aptitude for it..." He says, while shrugging his shoulders an apologetic manner.
"But.. Jarl Balgruuf said that you should give me some training..." I answer him, almost pleading.
"Yes, that he did. And that's why I will, but just... don't get your hopes up too much, alright?.. that's all I'm saying." He answers.
Farengar hands me the book that he had just brought down from the shelf with his telekinesis.
"Here, just take this and read, this spell tome is rather simple, and it should explain itself well enough."
The book has a brownish black cover, with the symbol of a red burning hand on it.
"It's the 'Flames' spell, a novice spell of the destruction school. It's fairly easy to get a grasp on, or atleast, it should be..." Farengar tells me.
I give him a nod. "Alright, I'll read it."
I open the tome to the first page, reading it:
"Flames - Destruction Magic, Novice Level"
"This spell utilize magicka to produce fire.
A stream of flame directed from the caster's palm."
"To cast the spell 'Flames', draw your magicka to your hand or hands.
Let it build behind your palm, when concentrated, will it to become flames, and then to flow out like a constant stream."
"Magicka is constantly consumed while casting is active."
Well, the book seems to explain how to cast it rather well, but I don't even know the basics yet..
"Farengar?.. How do I draw on my magicka?" I ask, knowing that this has to be one of the most basic questions.
Farengar raise his eyebrows.
"You really are completely fresh, aren't you?.." he answers.
"The answer is the same as why some brutes never learn magic, despite having magicka. Focus.
Magic is about willpower, focus and determination."
I nod my head, showing that I'm with him so far.
Farengar continues.
"But to use your magicka, you will of course first have to be able to feel it. Now, tell me, can you feel your magicka? If so, how does it feel?"
"Umm.." I respond, having to focus on it before giving an answer.
"It's almost like an energy, flowing within my chest.. powerful, but it's calm... does that make sense?"
"Mhm..." Farengar says with a nod, his hand stroking his chin.
"Now, for this spell, guide your magicka with your mind, will it to form in your hand, can you do that?"
I focus, even though I find it a bit hard.
I close my eyes to turn my full attention to it, but the magicka does indeed obey my will.
The same sensation that I have in my chest is now also in my hand.
"I did it!.." I say with a smile.
Farengar commands me.
"Alright, now let's see if you can produce a satisfactory flame. Now, turn around, AWAY from my things!
Aim through the door and out into the hall!"
He waits for me to turn away from his study area, before continuing his explanation.
"Picture the magicka in your palm to become fire, will it to become pure heat, let it build, and then let it flow out from your palm as flames."
I raise my right hand and point my palm towards the hall, I close my eyes.
I will more of my magicka to flow down into my hand, letting it build up as I concentrate it, I imagine flames, and I will it into a stream, surging out from my palm.
I open my eyes as flames indeed come forth, the flame is however mild, and it doesn't reach far from my palm, about three times the length of a regular sword.
I hold the flames alive for about 5 seconds before stopping, it feels like I've already used up half of my magicka.
"Huh..." I hear Farengar breathe behind me.
I had created flames, but it didn't feel powerful at all..
"That bad?..." I ask him.
"No, on the contrary, if you had some magicka, flames were expected, but holding it for about 5 seconds as a first spell isn't bad." He answers.
"Yeah, but it feels like it used up about half my magicka on just that.." I say.
"Half?... You have more?" Farengar asks.
"Well, yes.. but shouldn't I have? The spell was rather weak?" I ask, curious to why he seems surprised.
Farengar proceeds with a lengthy explanation.
"With every school of magic, there's a difference in how one manipulates magicka,
it will feel different to use with different schools."
"If it's a spell that you're not familiar with, you will use more magicka than what is essentially needed to cast it, and the results will even be weaker.
When trained in a school, you will use your magicka more efficiently, producing more power despite using less of your magicka reserves."
"And similar to muscle memory, the process you go through to produce the flames will become automated, you won't have to go through it all in your head after getting used to it.
The sensation of casting becomes familiar to you, enabling you to cast the spell faster.
Ergo, practice your spells often, get familiar with them."
I smile widely.
"I'll definitely practice with them! Thank you!"
Farengar nods once.
"Mhm... See that you do, like I said earlier, no one is born a master, that title is earned."
Farengar points to another book in his shelf, this one however is both near and at a height that he absolutely could have reached without any complications.
He must have used telekinesis just to show off, knowing that I thought it was cool, he's even hardly hiding his smirk now.
However he doesn't grab the book, he guides it down onto his study table.
He then gives me a task.
"Since you still have more magicka left, why don't you try that one out.
And try to grasp it without needing my help this time.
Since you already know how to guide your magicka, that shouldn't be impossible.
It would be a bother if you had to consult with a mage everytime you get your hands on a new spell."
Farengar then walks over to a chair, sits down and grabs a large, thick book, with the Skyrim dragon symbol on it's cover.
It doesn't seem like he's paying attention to me anymore, so I step up to his table and pick up the book he had fetched for me.
Different from the other spell, this one is yellow, and has the symbol of the phoenix on its cover, a restoration spell tome.
I open up the book and read.
"Healing — Restoration Magic, Novice Level"
"When using your magicka to heal, the general rule is to keep the flow of magicka gentle, not wanting to hurt your patient."
"Will your magicka into your hands, and then to become a soothing light.
If healing one self, guide it throughout your own body, focus it on the wounded area for better effect."
"If healing someone else, let it stream gently from your hands into the other person or creature, to maximize the effect of the healing spell, place your hands on the area that needs healing directly."
"Will your magicka to close the wound, soothe the pain, and to restore vitality."
"If performed correctly, the spell's form will manifest as light, steady and golden."
Alright, Farengar was right, this seems doable, even if a tip of two would have been useful.
I do what I have read, I place my hands on my feet, they were still sore from running after Delphine on our way to Whiterun.
I will my magicka to flow gently through my hands and into my feet.
My hands become surrounded by a glowing, golden light.
And I feel a warm and soothing sensation, seeping into my feet!
After a short moment my magicka is depleted, but my feet aren't sore anymore!
I hear a slow clap behind me, Farengar had been paying attention after all, or atleast he had noticed that I managed to perform the spell without more of his guidance.
"Well done, it seems that you are be able to learn spells by reading tomes now. And if you're struggling to grasp a new spell, read beyond page 1, there are tips and history of the spell in more detail, it is after all a book, not a scroll." He said, having noticed that I only read page 1.
"Ah, of course it is..." Is all I can answer, before he continues.
"Here take this." He says while he fetch yet another tome with his telekinesis, and gives it to me, one that was in a shelf right beside him, at shoulder height.
I notice that this book is also from the restoration school, the cover being the same as the healing tome.
"Oh, come on! Teach me telekinesis already!" I snap at him, he's clearly teasing me with the spell.
Farengar chuckles.
"Why? I already told you, it's pointless to teach you this spell. You need combat oriented spells, telekinesis is hardly worth anything in that regard. That one however, is." He says, pointing at the last tome he gave to me.
"'Lesser ward', now you've got defense, offense, and restoration. With that, your training session is concluded, congratulations on being able to grasp magic.
Now, please return the tome to me when you're finished with it." Farengar says, while turning his attention back to his big book.
There is silence for a moment, he's done with training me.
I turn to leave, opening my backpack to put the 'Lesser ward' tome inside it, but then I remember the petty soul gem and the silver amulet I had taken from the necromancer.
"Hey Farengar! Could you help me enchant my amulet?... It would after all serve Whiterun hold, the more able I am to protect it."
With a sigh he looks up at me.
"You've got a soul gem then?"
I pull out my amulet and soul gem, and head over to him. "Yes, I've got it right here."
Farengar looks at the soul gem and deadpans, then looking at me.
"You realize that this is a petty soul gem right?...
A petty soul gem is hardly ever useful when enchanting, it's pretty much only good for practice. However, I could sell you a common soul gem, that's should give you a decent enchantment."
I sigh. "But I'm broke... But I do have this book I can trade." I pull out the 'Conjure Ash Spawn' tome.
Farengar gives the book a quick glance.
"Conjuration, eh? What kind of spell is it?" He asks. But before I can answer, he grabs it out of my hand.
He opens the book, and after briefly reading the first page, he says. "'Conjure Ash Spawn', eh? Morrowind magic... Alright, it's a trade."
He agreed quickly, so I decide to push my luck. "And let me borrow a 'Telekinesis' tome as well...."
At this Farengar laughs heartily.
"You're unbelievable, I have told you no twice now... But fine, just make sure you focus your training on your combat spells, if you want to survive."
Yes! I'll be able to learn it!
I hand him the book, and Farengar fetch yet another book for me with his telekinesis, from high up on his shelf, and directly down into my hands.
The book is bright and brown, the cover has the emblem of a tree, blooming only on one side.
Farengar gestures me to follow him to the magical table in the corner of the room, the Arcane Enchanter.
"Come then Ragnar, let's see about enchanting that amulet of yours."