[The Great Library]Tomes and Titles

by **Clyde Sullins** on August 30th, 2014, 1:00 pm

70 Summer 514

Heading into the great Library, Clyde took a moment to look about and simply take in the great span of knowledge before him.

Honestly, even with the other libraries Clyde had seen, those in Ravok and Zeltiva, they both paled in comparison to Sahova's. Along with that, it was all, or mostly all, about magic, or at least magic adjacent topics. Some history, some other stuff, but mostly all about magic. For Clyde this content focus was even more important than the amount of books.

Clyde could imagine one day having a library of his own, bookshelves filled with tomes about varying topics. Since Sahova already had the great library, if he was too have one he'd likely do so in Ravok. But then, he'd likely need to have copies made of many books here, and have it transported to Ravok. Not a cheap thing, considering the collective weight of so many books. Perhaps then he could find a more cost effective manner.

But today his research was more specific, searching out some books on summoning. In particular, a book about summoning circles. Though he knew a bit about summoning, had done it a few times, his actual knowledge in it was rather restricted. The one book he had on it was rather limited, the works of a student being taught by another master of summoning, or at least someone more skilled than the writer. More of a journal really. One topic that had not been explored well at all had been circles, only the most basic of them being discussed or covered.

Heading along, Clyde checked for any book with circles in its name. After all, that would most likely imply it was about summoning circles… Or so he assumed.

Heading through the C’s, he found the first such one, “The power of the circle.” Opening the tome to the first page though, Clyde found it was not quite what he had expected.

“While many magical theorists propose that geometric shapes are not of direct importance, gaining their import only through secondary means such as through assumptions and their ability to assist a lesser or less neat magic users magic by constriction or forced symmetry, I believe otherwise. I believe that it is clear that the shapes themselves hold meaning in magic, and have a power unto themselves beyond their assistance capabilities. Think for instance to most world magics. Circles are a dominant shape in animation, summoning, and malediction.” –here the mage pauses to spit, and to say several negative things about malediction- “Though their use varies, the shape is the same, and it is clear that there is more to the circle than just its shape.”

Clyde let out a sigh, leafing quickly through the pages, to see no diagrams or drawn pictures in the lot. Clearly while this was an entire book devoted to circles, it was not what he wanted. It was all some theoretical nonsense about shapes and power and such. While he did merit that circles where of importance in various magics, and even a resounding theme in much of his more powerful glyphing setups, to devote an entire book to talking about it… Clyde shook his head as he returned the book to its place, and looked for the next book. This time he looked for some mention of summoning in the title, about gateways or summoning circles, or some such title.

After a good half a bell of searching, he found it, “A compendium of circles for gateways.”

Leafing through this one before he began, he found several well drawn diagrams of summoning circles, though he could only vaguely tell by looking that that is what they where, so different from a standard circle were they. Though as he took another moment or two to look, he began to see the similarities between them and a standard or minimal circle.

First up was a section on focused circles, and a short passage explaining its use.

“A focused circle is one that is often practiced by users to test their ability beyond the use of the most simplistic of summoning gateways. Unlike a minimalist circle, it does not attempt to simply draw in something from anywhere on the world, instead focusing on a more particular location or spot. In general this is for when one plans to repeat summon from one place, and they want to narrow down the area from which to draw. This can be for if several different creatures exist on one world, but in different portions, or if particular creatures do not live in certain areas, and they are wished to be avoided. Likewise it can be used if a particular location is desired, say on a world with intelligent life, so as to pop up a gateway near a grouping of the beings, such as the equivalent of near a city, where it is more likely a being would be nearby to go through the circle. In the rare case of a settlement, it can be desirous to open near or in the middle of it, or perhaps even in the same place regularly, so that the opening can be planned out and expected from the locals.”

by **Clyde Sullins** on November 27th, 2014, 12:00 am

Clyde turned the page, examining the diagram of the circle, and reading back over the passage. It was certainly an interesting idea. Particularly if such settlements did exist, on the rare world with intelligent life, then perhaps some kind of trade could be set up with the same locals, a deal garnered, or some form of relationship made. Payments of good could be dropped off, and the same trusted beings could be pulled through… Certainly an interesting concept.

Taking out a blank sheet of parchment, Clyde began to copy down the diagram of the focused circle.

Initially it was just like a minimal circle, a circle, then a line crossing it, with a small circle about the middle where an X was formed. Around the periphery of the outer circle a series of additional circles was drawn, sixteen, one for each digit of the coordinates. Clyde did this as always, putting in the four at each of the points of the cross or X, then placing four more, directly in between each of the first four, equally spaced about. Then another eight, each equally spaced between the first eight. Finally for the minimal circle, another outer circle around the edge of the sixteen circles, forming the outer layer of the gateway.

However the focused circle did not stop there. It had another smaller circle like the one in the center, or where the coordinates would be filled in, but off to the side, away from the center above and to the side, but not crossing the line of the circle upon which the coordinate circles were laid. From it four lines where drawn out, each going to the same four main circles where the original large cross or X came in. But since this focused circle was off to the side, they did not follow the same route as the initial cross, instead bending off to the side and coming in at an angle. They were all still straight lines, and all still going to the same final places, but with a different start point they cut across diagonally.

Finished drawing and or writing out the diagram, Clyde labeled above it the words “focused circle” and paused for a moment to reflect.

Next in the book was the elaborate circle, under which various circles were depicted and described. While a focused circle was a sub design, a change within another to make it as such, but still using the same main circle, this was a grouping of different circles.

"The more complex a circle, and the more connections it has, the stronger it usually is. This is not a hard and fast rule, as balance is still needed, and varying types will have abilities in things that varies in strength. With a further elaborated circle there is generally a main number upon which it is built, so at to better balance it. Along with this, the type of number, and how it works mathematically, affects said abilities. There are sixteen digits in a coordinate. Four for example, being sixteen when squared, would be a strong and solid number, albeit a uninspired one, and without anything far beyond the norms."

After this was a series of circles drawn, a three, a four, a five, a six, and a eight, with a description under each. Each apparently had a different number as a focus upon which it was built, and each had a varying special attribute or capability.

"A three, a very stable shape, is often used for width of a gateway, for larger ones that can possibly accept through more than one creature at a time. Often such circles can stay open longer without losing stability or closing, and thus also giving a chance for more creatures to find and travel through the opening."

The three was somewhat odd, as compared to the others. Since it only had a triangle in the center, its center most circle was disconnected, without anything touching it. Instead it had a fancier design about the edge, weaving in and out and forming a complex design. It took Clyde a good two tries before he could trace out the outer layer well without losing track, and so as to be a legible and apt depiction of the books image.

by **Clyde Sullins** on November 27th, 2014, 12:02 am

"A five circle is often used in combination with Glyphing, especially when Glyphs are to trigger the activation of the summoning circle, or used to augment the opening in some other way. Similar to how triggers work, commands and such could be given which trigger particular openings or effects, or specifying a specific set of circumstances or conditions which are required for something to pass through, or to not be allowed through. The stronger the summoner and glypher, the more specific such commands can be, ranging from letting in only a certain type of creature, or only a certain race, or even a certain named person of said race at the most powerful of commands, allowing one to essentially filter what is allowed to pass through the circle."

Though the five circle was all lines, the way the lines intersected and worked gave an illusion of curves, of a circling about of the center most point. Like the three, the center circle was also isolated, with a pentagon around it also isolated form the arcing lines.

Next was the six circle.

"The six circle is noted for its dissonance with four, and of the sixteen of the number of coordinates, and its roughness in comparison to a four focused circle. As such, it is a fast burner, not often lasting long. But in the time it does last, it is often stronger than other circles, especially for constraining a stronger creature, albeit for a limited time. With a hexagon at its focus, it is a short lasting but commanding circle. "

The six circle was also odd as compared to the minimalistic circle Clyde had first learned. Its shape reminded Clyde of the facets of a jewel, a six sided hexagon on the face about the isolated center circle, with smaller odd facets spreading out the the out most layers. One thing Clyde noted, was that the outer circle layer met with the outer facet layer on every third circle. Oddly it seemed less symmetrical, less refined than the others, but then it did make sense as it was noted for its discordant nature.

Finally, the last of the shown examples, the eight circle.

"The eight circle is focused upon the octagon. It is a highly harmonic circle, open and inviting and easing the crossing of those who use it with a minimum of discomfort. This is usually used when summoning across a human, or when reverse summoning and sending out a person to another place, rather than taking something in. These circles are highly attractive to most creatures, even sentient and intelligent ones, pulling in some simply by its harmonic and pleasing nature."

The eight circle was both simple, but tasteful. Its lines jagged back and forth, coming into contact with every other outer layer circle, and forming an octagon about the middle. In this instance the center most circle was not isolated, instead intersected by a cross of lines, halfway about each of the two sides of the octagon.

Closing the book, Clyde ran back through the circles in the book, comparing them to the circles on the parchment.