The Lesson

"My Dear Student, I understand that you struggle with the terminology we use. Yes, indeed, we call the study of Spells Memorization, but it is not quite the same thing you may have heard before your studies here. 

"For example, if I explain to you the quickest path from the Order's Tower to City Hall and you commit that to memory, we can both agree that you have memorized this as well. You may also try this path on your own and in walking this path many times you will have furthered the commitment of that path to memory.

"This is not how Spells work, my boy. It is not you that memorizes the Spell, but is the Spell that memorizes you.

"You will recall the warnings against the sharing of Spells? Well, it is dangerous, but not life-threatening -- at least not directly. Listen closely and I will explain the nature of this. If the Adept has memorized a Spell from any source -- whether it be his personal tome, from a colleague's or one of our communal books -- that Spell is bound to him. If another Adept happens upon the same pages from the same book and were to then commit that Spell to memory, the Spell will be ripped from the Mind of the previous Adept.

"I have had this happen to me, dear Pupil! -- it is not a pleasurable sensation and there is no warning to it. Have you ever stepped on a nail by accident while walking through the Craftworker's District? It's like that. . .

"Now, you must know that the Order of Flame is known for sharing their Spells amongst one another. We, on the other hand, frown upon this for the reasons I have just described to you. Some Orders see the utility in this, but the risk of having a Spell ripped from your Mind suddenly and without warning is too big a risk to take by our standards.

"We do have Communal Tomes for Times of Crisis, when the most dangerous and volatile of Spells are needed by us, but these are kept locked away. And those Spells are not for the Novice, nor even the Accomplished Adept. . .

"Have you acquired your Personal Spellbook yet? Oh, good. Now, remember this lesson -- though it was very informal -- as you must guard your Spellbook vigilantly as it is not just ink on paper that you commit to your Mind, it is the very Souls of the Spells that are bound to yours."