On Fatespinning

Forward:

I would like to acknowledge those who have assisted me in the advancement of my knowledge in Fatespinning, without whose assistance this tome would not have been possible. Archmagus Mhog'ar of the Ivory Order of the Sun whose advice and instruction helped solidify my desire to pursue the studies of Fatespinning, the excellent tomes written by the Red Magus Flenken Jolliemausch and of course the tutelage of the Sapphire Seeress, Thienna Reliminon.

On Fatespinning: by Saman Tane

First of all, what is Fatespinning? Fatespinning is a specialized study of the arcane whose practitioners can affect probabilities and chance through "spin". Spin in this context is the term used to describe the manipulation of probability and chance. If we consider 'Fate' to be one's destiny, or a predetermined result of a series of events then through application of spin one can change the targets 'fate'.

Divination is the talent through which a fatespinner perceives the targets fate and through which the "spin" is refined. "If divination is broadly considered informational, Fatespinning is more offensive in nature."

To Fatespin, is to alter fate.

Relationship to Divination.

Divination we are taught is the school of arcane study that enables us to learn secrets long forgotten, to predict the future, to find hidden things, answers, and to foil deceptive spells. For the most part it is useful for gathering information. So what precisely then, is the relationship between Fatespinning and divination?

To become an accomplished fatespinner one must place significant focus on divination even though one need not specialize in the school of divination.

Let me be very clear, it is not absolutely necessary to focus on divination to successfully manipulate spin. Without such focus "spin" is possible but it will be unrefined and far less efficacious than it would be with such focus. This is why the most effective Fatespinners are also focused greatly on divination. It makes their spin far more effective.

I wouldn't recommend anyone interested in the study of Fatespinning to do so without significant focus in the school of divination.

Divination enters into the early training of Fatespinners; frequent use of divination spells helps the apprentice fatespinner become comfortable in the use of divination during spellcasting, spells such as True Seeing and Premonition being probably the most effective in this manner though True Strike also is an effective spell for this sort of learning as well.

What then can the Fatespinner "spin" through this specialized divination?

A spell of any school of magic can be "spun" if that spell is offensive in nature. In Magus Jolliemausch' pre-eminent work "The Fatespinning Handbook" under the chapter entitled "The Fatespinners Spells of Choice" one notices that the spells indicated are offensive in nature, and in fact protection and augmentation spells are specifically called out as not being affected by spin.

Further I have found through my own research that to be "spun" a spell has to be avoidable, which of course goes a long way to explaining Magus Jolliemausch' observations. So we accept that to spin a spell it must be avoidable, this of course means for the most part offensive spells, and some few others.

What are the effects of "spin" on spells cast?

First and foremost is spin makes the spell that much harder to avoid. Successfully spun spells have a much better chance of striking the target. Perhaps as much as half again more likely than a non-spun casting.

Secondly, a side effect of that spin is the spell may also have increased effect on the target, this additional effect increases with a Fatespinners ability and focus. Its notable that only Fatespinners who do focus on the school of divination will gain this secondary effect, those who do not will weave spells that are harder to avoid but will be no more effective than if the spell were not spun at all. As a Fatespinner increases his divination focus the effectiveness increases commensurately, for this reason and reason alone a strenuous focus on divination is recommended.

Scrying and Precognition.

Through divination one comes to perceive time, this is not exclusive to fatespinners. There seems to be some confusion among those not familiar with fatespinning, that fatespinners are also diviners. That they are somehow more competent at scrying or have innate precognitive abilities.

The truth is this is not the case. Any reasonably competent diviner should be able to accomplish a basic scry. To be an accomplished fatespinner one must have a serious focus on divination it is true, but any increased skill at scrying is merely coincidental benefit and not intrinsic to fatespinning itself.

Regarding precognitive visions, I have had them but I know non-fatespinners who have had such visions as well. Precognitive visions are pure divination and not related to fatespinning in any way. One might make the argument, that since a fatespinner so often uses his divination skill in spellcasting, that he or she may be opening themselves mentally to such visions more so than the specialist non fatespinning diviner but again this is coincidental benefit and not part of fatespinning.