There are several different schools of thought for magic. In addition to their methods, which are always secret, schools have different philosophy and ethics. The White Winds school teaches that Other-Planar creatures should never be coerced for their magical assistance. Entities from the Abyssal Plane aren't dealt with at all, except to be banished or destroyed. Power is never taken by intentionally harming or killing. This all grows out of the core of the school's philosophy, that mages never be bound by negative ties of any kind, as they will eventually drain the mage of power.
The school approves of positive ties, as provide a mage with sources of confidence and strength. Quenten says, "We also think that since Mage-Talent is an accident of birth, we have the obligation to use it for the sake of those who were never born with it."[1] Thus they believe that magical talent exists to be used as a force of good in the world. Therefore, White Winds mages are wanderers, never settling in one place until they reach Adept-level, and are ready to open a school of their own.
White Winds is also one of the very few mage schools that teaches students to work in concert. This gives them the advantage when they come up against a group of mages from other schools, who automatically act independently from one another.
Testing[]
Unlike many other schools of magic White Winds has a program of self-testing to rise in rank from Apprentice to Journeyman to Master to Adept. This is a logical approach, given that White Winds mages are expected to wander far from their schools and teachers.
When a mage feels ready to test for the next level, he begins with the Journeyman spell, which he would have conquered before being released into the world. Each spell takes progressively more power, however, if successful, each completed spell provides the power needed for the next one in the series.
The Journeyman spell calls the Lesser Winds of the Stable Elements, Fire and Earth. The Master spell calls the Greater Winds of the Mutable Elements, Air and Water. The Adept spell calls the Wind of the Five Elements, the White Wind for which the school is named.
One of these tests, presumably the test for control over fire, used to be the Test of the Firebird. However, it was discontinued due to the scarcity of firebirds outside the Pelagirs.[2]
As each spell is completed, it unlocks new power and knowledge. Unless the mage is ready for this next level, the testing spell will not be completed successfully.
Incidental information[]
The Jesto-vath is a spell Kethry used to heat their tent.
Kethry used an "ancient language of the White Winds sorcerers" to create an illusion spell after she passed her own Adept test.[3]
Notable White Winds mages[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Winds of Fate, Chapter 9
- ↑ Oathblood, "Wings of Fire"
- ↑ Oathbreakers, Chapter 9