<div class="floatright">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/19/59/d5/1959d5a89df588d70e329492b8e6ff84.jpg)</div><strong>Location:</strong>Introduction to Arcane Theory<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Students<br/><br/>"It may be sung, chanted, and the mute have no choice but to think the words but are still capable of casting," Professor Merryweather said, "but that makes it more difficult, and in the modern day, they often use recordings to maintain the thought processes.  Without going into specific scientific detail, the act on the brain of vocalizing one's intentions ensures focus, creating a synchronization that allows for harmony similar to the waves of the ocean or repeated strikes of a smith's hammer.  Although humans are quite adept at intelligent thought, the concentration becomes difficult without the aid."  She looked at him, considering.  "If you have musical talent, writing out elaborate songs can certainly be an aid, but ensure they can repeat indefinitely.  The talent of pouring out one's desire for an intended result has some notable similarities."  She had no idea if he did, but someone else in the class might be thinking it even not.<br/><br/>Regarding materials, she had to consider.  "Unfortunately, as with many things, there is no best.  Normie cooking methods have improved to the point that, while they don't have experience in brewing up newt tails themselves, similar principles apply for reacting with acidic or alkali products.  Last time I researched it in detail, they were working on bonding layers of stainless steel to copper and aluminum."  It was one of the few times she looked a bit answer out of her depth, wanting to give her best explanation but lacking.  Plenty suffised, but the<em>best</em>...<br/><br/>"In many cases, specific recipes won't call explicitly for a cauldron.  The important part is to have a solvent and something to boil it in, in order to absorb the properties from the reagent and into the liquid.  Most of the textbook recipes can be handled with little more than a stockpot and an oven, if the budget requires."<br/><br/>At Nyx's question of Summoning, Professor Merryweather paused a bit but decided to answer kindly.  "Most forms of Summoning would more aptly be seen as opening up a conduit between this realm and another, sufficient to allow passage.  With summoning circles specifically, it's not uncommon to leave that conduit bound and incomplete."<br/><br/>With a glance of apology to the rest of the class, Professor Merryweather moved over towards the outside wall, drawing her wand.  "Imagine this wall as the natural barrier between our world and, say, an elemental plane."  As she drew a circle with the tip, she focused her intent, closing her eyes a moment.  The bricks and mortar between seemed to shimmer and fade away, leaving a perfect circle where the tree outside could be seen without the aid of the window.  "An imperfect analogy, but one I like to use for the demonstration.  Summoning the denizen and then binding them to the location is possible, necessary in some cases, but the preferred course of action is to negotiate without completely opening the door."<br/><br/>The illusion faded the moment she put her wand away, and she focused her attention back towards the matter at hand.  "Now, many similarities apply between the five practices, if only because they've been taught to work over time.  Some consider the use of Invocations unnecessary, that will and determination is all that is truly needed, but I've found both that the focus is easier to learn and that it provides further help later in visualization when one moves beyond the introductions and into full metamagic.  There are significant differences between various human minds that Normie science hasn't done a great job quantifying yet, such as how some people think more in words and others focus on ideas.  I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't find any aid whatsoever in Invocation, that they truly concentrate better in silence, but rumors persist and I may someday meet my first."  The words held a sort of invitation.