Winterhold College Textbook: Basics of Destruction Magic, Chapter IV: Frost Nova

Introduction

“Frost Nova” is perhaps the most draining spell in this series, it is one situated between basic destruction magic and advanced destruction magic, and thus this would be the hardest spell to master so far. “Frost Nova” can be channeled by using hand or a polearm, though most prefer using a staff when casting as the medium you are channeling need to make contact with the ground. When cast, “Frost Nova” assaults surrounding enemies with a shivering blast of pure rime, often severely incapacitating, if not outright killing groups of enemies around the caster. However, as the spell itself does not differentiate between friends or foes, its effectiveness on the battlefield is greatly undermined, though it is still devastating when the caster is surrounded and out-numbered by enemies. Due to its effectiveness against multiple targets, “Frost Nova” is often used by lone battlemages to contain a much larger group of enemy, in fact one can sacrifice power in favor of the radius of the nova in order to hit an even larger number of enemies, though they would not be killed outright, their speed would be greatly impaired due to the bone chilling power of the spell. Mastering “Frost Nova” is learning to strike a delicate balance between range and power, and adapting the spell to each situation.

History

Some scholars claim that “Frost Nova” was first used by the vampire lords of the elusive Volikhar clan of northern Skyrim, though this claim is not rooted in hard evidence, almost no other origin theories exist, and so it is generally assumed within the academic circle that this claim is at least somewhat plausible. It is said that these ancient vampires use a version of the spell with extended radius and lessened destructive potential in order to ensnare the victim for easy capture. Due to the fact that these blood-drinking creatures have an unnaturally high amount of resistance against cold magic and the spell power is relatively weak thanks to the extended radius, these Volikhars can even cast the incantation amongst allies without fear of repercussions, and as such, the effectiveness of the spell is greatly increased. As the diminished power of the spell does not outright kill their enemies, the vampires can easily capture them back to their dwellings to be used as slaves. Similar tactics were also later adopted by the nord mages, as the sons of Skyrim also possess great resilience against the icy blast, in fact, “Frost Nova” remains popular until this day, becoming a staple in the nord’s arsenal. During the Markarth incident two decades ago, to counter the reachman mages, even Ulfric Stormcloak had to reluctantly hire a few mages to aid his cause, and the "Frost Nova" was frequently used by the mages under his employ.

Usage

“Frost Nova” , just like “Flames”, has two important attribute: range and power. The caster needs to adapt the spell to use in each situation that he might encounter: A single charging berserker? Concentrate your power as close to yourself as you can, one cast, though it might not reach far, even the burliest nord will succumb to the power. A pack of wolves hunting for food and you just happen to be in the way? Spread your magicka far enough so that it covers the group but not so far that the spell would fail to disable the beasts, one cast and you can make a coat out of all those pelts. Facing down a huge group of draugrs in a Nordic tomb? Channel your spell with as much radius as you can, though the shattering ice might not kill all of your opponents, it will slow them down hard enough that you can effortlessly win the fight. Besides the sheer offensive capabilities “Frost Nova” offers, it could also be used to extinguish fire on a large scale should the need arise, however, due the spell’s inaccessibility to most commoners, this method of firefighting is rarely, if ever, seen in most cities. Though the spell might be very versatile in terms of how one casts it, “Frost Nova” usually only serves a single function, and that is crowd control in combat. The innate chilling effect of ice and the huge area it covers makes “Frost Nova” one of the most effective containment spells in the destruction school, and as such, it is frequently utilized by vampires, who are often frequently outnumbered by the mobs of villagers or bounty hunters. So, if one wishes the explore the many dungeons and lairs of Tamriel, learning to defend against this spell is essential.

How to practice

Practicing “Frost Nova” is relatively easy, however, one must not do this within the Hall of Elements of the college, as the spell’s huge radius might harm nearby students. Apprentices who wishes to practice this spell must consult with the alteration master, who will introduce you to a tutor that will help you practice. The tutor would guide you to the chasm nearby where the college has one of its “practical application” station set up, the tutor would then guide you through the process. Due to the complex nature of the spell and its variable range and power, this book will not cover all of the practice process, students should consult with the tutor assigned to you if your have any questions. Instead, this section will focus only on the channeling process of the spell. “Frost Nova” can be channeled by any object as long as it is in contact with your hand (though some mages are known to use other body parts, the most common casting medium is the hand), however, due to the fact that the medium need to be in contact with the ground to unleash the nova, most mages prefer to use a staff for the purpose of channeling. For using the hand, this spell is just like any other, bound the magicka to your hands, and when ready to release, simply slam on the ground. As one can see, this process is cumbersome and might yield a disadvantage on the battlefield as your hands must touch the ground. Instead, one can channel the magicka to his hands, and with the use of the staff, push the energy alongside the surface to the upper tip of the polearm, and when ready to cast, simply tap the ground with the staff, and the energy will quickly travel down alongside the pole and unleashes the spell. Although this is how typically the spell is cast, a few master wizards are able to, through decades of training and sheer determination, channel the spell to one’s foot, and cast the incantation by simply stomping on the ground. The sight of such a feat is incredible to behold, however, only very few master such a technique, and thus it can be generally assumed that if your opponent does not carry a polearm, you generally does not need to be wary of the spell.

If you have finished practicing the spell, you are ready to move on to the next chapter: Ice Shiv.