Techno-Mage Trilogy Question: SPOILERS: Galen and Spells

[Mondo Londo]

We may have covered this before. If we have, please accept my apologies. I should also note that, especially since Book 3 isn't out yet, everything after this is going to be a spoiler.

I have noticed that some users can't open the black boxes, so I won't use them here. But since some people object to spoilers without the boxes, here's my compromise -- I'll start the conversation with the next post.

So this is your last warning: here come the spoilers!


------------------
"What's up, Drakh?"

Michael Garibaldi

 

[Mondo Londo]

We know Galen's way of casting spells is very different than most Techno-Mages. Many Mages literally use a lot of hocus-pocus: hand gestures, etc., to cast their spells.

Galen instead breaks his spells down into more or less mathematical formulas.

Part of the initiation routine is for the young Mages-to-be to cast a really spiffy original spell. Galen doesn't think he can do anything truly original, so he goes the other way and tries to cast the most basic spell possible -- a one-term equation, as he described it -- in part to rediscover the thinking, power, purpose, etc. of the original Techno-Mages.

What Galen does discover is the spell of destruction. It is a tremendously powerful spell; and almost immediately gets the attention of the Shadows and the Vorlons (in the form of Kosh -- Kosh #1, to be precise). The spell's power rivals their own.

Later, Isabelle discovers a way to listen to Shadow transmissions. She is killed, but not before giving Galen the spell in her spell language.

When Galen translates the very complicated spell into his own format, he realizes that much of Isabelle's spell cancels itself out. Like the spell of destruction, the communication spell is a one-variable equation.

So that's two one-variable equations.

Yet, at the end of Book II (p.342), it's stated that Galen "had already discovered three basic postulates..."

So, what it the third postulate? Is it the fact the Techno-Mage technology comes from the Shadows?


------------------
"What's up, Drakh?"

Michael Garibaldi

[This message has been edited by Mondo Londo (edited October 24, 2001).]

 

[Cern]

damn. I dont remember a 3rd base spell. I'll check the book when I get home tonight. In the meantime, check out this thread. it might help.
http://www.b5lr.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000111.html

and this link
http://technomage.xoasis.com/


------------------
Never start a fight, but ALWAYS finish it.

" The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate for the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise to the occasion. We can not escape history. We will be remembered, in spite of ourselves. The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down in honor or dishonor, to the last generation. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose our last best hope."

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

The third base spell was mensioned but we do not know what it does. Hopefully, it will be in the third book.

------------------
Andrew Swallow

 

[Mondo Londo]

I went back to book II of the Techno-Mage trilogy and found a passage on pages 168-169 that mentions that Galen had discovered more than one one-term equation during his travels to the rim.

When he finally translated Isabelles' "listen to the Shadows" spell, he realized it was the same as one of the one-term spells he had already generated, which he reduced from various communication spells.

That's pretty much all I could find.



------------------
"What's up, Drakh?"

Michael Garibaldi

 

[Derian]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>and this link http://technomage.xoasis.com/
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Note to self: Really must finish that site.

Unfortunately, all that we have up now is some artwork, and a list of mages... oh, and some audio files.

------------------
I'm lobbying for someplace more comfortable for our next gathering place. A nice resort with a beach. A bunch of pale skinned technomages in black robes would fit right in.

[This message has been edited by Derian (edited October 28, 2001).]