"The body," Tenebrae explained, "has a remarkable ability to adapt. To living conditions, to magic, to diets, to pain, to tolerance. The brain is no different. The brain is, if anything, even better at it."
The number one priority in any human being was survival. Any sorcerer could have told you that, but it worked on a subconscious physical level as well as a mental one. If something vital to survival was lost, even the brain could shift its strengths and abilities to compensate for it. Research into the phenomenon on the part of mortals was ongoing, but Tenebrae had witnessed it himself multiple times. Apparently, with certain forms of brain damage, it was even safer and more effective to simply remove the part of the brain that was damaged; after a learning curve, the parts that remained could slowly take on the functions of those that were lost. In time, it would be as if no damage had ever existed.
An interesting topic, but not one that Tenebrae had ever truly cared about. Until now.
"Magic," he continued, "works much the same way - at least up until the Surge. And occasionally, even after it. Look at Nefarian Serpine. The difference here is that our friend Serpine taught himself a whole host of new abilities. Cleric Wreath's happened 'by accident,' probably in reaction to refusing Necromancy. He lost his magic; he gained something new. That something new has failed in keeping him safe. If we want him to keep the ability, we have to make it vital to his survival. We have to remove, or damage, something else."
no subject
The number one priority in any human being was survival. Any sorcerer could have told you that, but it worked on a subconscious physical level as well as a mental one. If something vital to survival was lost, even the brain could shift its strengths and abilities to compensate for it. Research into the phenomenon on the part of mortals was ongoing, but Tenebrae had witnessed it himself multiple times. Apparently, with certain forms of brain damage, it was even safer and more effective to simply remove the part of the brain that was damaged; after a learning curve, the parts that remained could slowly take on the functions of those that were lost. In time, it would be as if no damage had ever existed.
An interesting topic, but not one that Tenebrae had ever truly cared about. Until now.
"Magic," he continued, "works much the same way - at least up until the Surge. And occasionally, even after it. Look at Nefarian Serpine. The difference here is that our friend Serpine taught himself a whole host of new abilities. Cleric Wreath's happened 'by accident,' probably in reaction to refusing Necromancy. He lost his magic; he gained something new. That something new has failed in keeping him safe. If we want him to keep the ability, we have to make it vital to his survival. We have to remove, or damage, something else."