Spell Tome: Sparks

Quintus Cassianus, Master Destruction Instructor, Imperial City Mages' Guild

Welcome to the school of Destruction, pupil. Whether you've purchased this tome to learn on your own or to supplement a class, you've made the right choice. In this series of lessons, you will learn how to cast spells to deal direct damage to your foes. In this book, I will describe the shocks spell, its differences and similarities to flames, and how to properly cast and control it. Much like flames, sparks is very basic, though slightly more complex.

Again, if you've no idea at all how to cast a spell, or need a refresher, this section is for you. Otherwise, seek out the next paragraph. Spellcasting may look as easy as the swing of a sword, but in reality it takes years of dedication, training and tutelage to grow into a mage who is capable of casting without extending immense effort. There is much more to it then simply curling your fingers and pointing your palm at your target. Casting a spell takes skill, knowledge, and intent. If you don't know what you want to do, you simply can't do it. To cast a spell is to change the Mundus. You are creating something out of nothing. Your body is the vessel through which the magicka flows.

To cast the sparks spell, you must see it in your mind before you can bring it into the world. Your intention is to create a continual stream of lightning from your hand and to only damage your target. To cast it, first you must visualize it crackling through the air at your enemies. As with flames, the process is mind->body->Mundus.

Similarly to flames, sparks technically has no limit to how far it can travel from the caster, but the individual bolts often trail off after a certain point.

In contrast to flames, sparks do less damage after the spell has stopped. However, while it hits the target, it has been observed to drain the target's magicka pool, making it more difficult to cast spells, thus making shock spells very useful against other mages. Also unlike flames, sparks travels instantaneously from caster to target. This is true for all shock spells.

I will stress again the importance of practicing casting under stress before going into combat. Being able to pick the right spell, cast it successfully, and hit the target all while the target is trying to kill you is much harder than practicing on a dummy.

Be sure to purchase my other books on the subject of beginner Destruction spells, Flames, and Frostbite, if you haven't already done so.