[PnP] Magic apprentices

[Thomas O. Magann Jr.]

the short answer: A Knowledge spell is likely the best test, if one is necessary. Selection might be more subjective, however, especially with a larger base to draw from.

High native stats would imply high potentials, and each type of magic is dependent on a specific stat. Natural mages would display some abilities already, and trained naturals would have VERY high native stats, relatively speaking.

Beyond the display of innate magic that may or may not be native magery  (as opposed to innate powers), and a general predisposition, I would think the best test would be casting a knowledge spell on the potential apprentice that looks promising, and finding out just how much potential he actually has THAT way. 

Then again, if the mage doing the recruiting isn't in a city, but out in the sticks with a small potential base, he might just take the smartest (assuming wizardry) local kid around as the best he can do, and not worry about it. 

A shaman has probably been watching the local children fr their whole lives and is likely to know which ones have a particularly strong will and general predisposition to shamanism which out any special testing necessary, but might opt for it, anyhow, just to impress the kid. Or he might just ask the spirits one night in his lodge, when eh feels the urge to train. Again, a Knowledge spell, but one that sorts through all the local apprentice age kids to see who the spirits want trained (or who would just be the best choice based on the shaman's criteria).

Sidh magic might be a bit trickier, as you'd have to convince a sidh to do the training. High Empathy, of course, and some sort of Elf or Faerry friend status to help, I would think. This is probably less an actual apprenticeship as it is living with and learning from the Sidh. 

That being said, I use Sidh magic for a sort of rural magic or witchcraft type (I play v1, not v2) and allow for some training by the local wise woman or traveling minstrel or the like, as well, in which case it's more like the Shaman training above: the wise woman already knows who she's likely to train, but might go for a bit of flash. I traveling type, bardic or otherwise is probably less formal, and training might just happen as part of the package as an apprentice rural minstrel, tinker, etc. The apprentice would likely still be picked based on potential Empathy, amongst other things.

That's my thoughts on it, anyhow.

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>So...the rules don't address this, but how would a Mage go about testing and selecting a pupil for teaching magic?  I have my own ideas about what can happen during an apprenticeship, but no real clue as to how the Mage might choose one.
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>Thoughts?
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>Sent from my iPad
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