2920, Evening Star2920, First Seed2920, FrostFall2920, Hearth Fire2920, Last Seed2920, MidYear2920, Morning Star2920, Rain's Hand2920, Second Seed2920, Sun's Dawn2920, Sun's Dusk2920, Sun's Height36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 136 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1036 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1136 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1236 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1336 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1436 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1536 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1636 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1636 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1736 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1836 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1936 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 236 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2036 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2136 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2236 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2336 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2436 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2536 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2636 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2736 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2836 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2936 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 336 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3036 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3136 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3236 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3336 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3436 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3536 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3636 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 436 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 536 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 636 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 736 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 836 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 9A Dance in Fire, Chapter 1A Dance in Fire, Chapter 2A Dance in Fire, Chapter 3A Dance in Fire, Chapter 4A Dance in Fire, Chapter 5A Dance in Fire, Chapter 6A Dance in Fire, Chapter 7A dying man's last wordsA Fair WarningA Game at DinnerA Hypothetical TreacheryA Less Rude SongA scroll written in bloodA Short History of MorrowindA worn and weathered noteAedra and DaedraAjira's Flower ReportAjira's Mushroom ReportAncestors and the DunmerAntecedants of Dwemer LawArcana RestoredArkay the EnemyAzura and the BoxBiography of Barenziah v IBiography of Barenziah v IIBiography of Barenziah v IIIBiography of the Wolf QueenBlasphemous RevenantsBone, Part OneBone, Part TwoBreathing WaterBrief History of the Empire v 1Brief History of the Empire v 2Brief History of the Empire v 3Brief History of the Empire v 4Brown Book of 3E 426Chance's FollyCharwich-Koniinge, Volume 1Charwich-Koniinge, Volume 2Charwich-Koniinge, Volume 3Charwich-Koniinge, Volume 4Cherim's Heart of AnequinaChildren of the SkyChimarvamidiumChronicles of NchuleftConfessions of a Skooma-EaterCorpse Preparation v ICorpse Preparation v ICorpse Preparation v IICorpse Preparation v IIIDagoth Ur's PlansDarkest DarknessDeath Blow of Abernanitdecoded packageDirections to Caius CosadesElante's NotesElone's Directions to BalmoraFellowship of the TempleFeyfolken IFeyfolken IIFeyfolken IIIFighters Guild CharterFive Songs of King WulfharthFor my Gods and EmperorFragment: On ArtaeumFrontier, Conquest...Galerion The MysticGalur Rithari's PapersGhost-Free PapersGrasping FortuneGreat Houses of MorrowindGuide to Ald'ruhnGuide to BalmoraGuide to Sadrith MoraGuide to VivecGuide to VvardenfellGuylaine's ArchitectureHallgerd's TaleHanging Gardens...Hanin's WakeHanin's WakeHomilies of Blessed AlmalexiaHonor Among ThievesHospitality PapersHow Orsinium Passed to the OrcsIce and ChitonIncident in NecromInvocation of AzuraKagrenac's ToolsLast Scabbard of AkrashLegions of the DeadLives of the SaintsLord Jornibret's Last DanceMages Guild CharterMaster Zoaraym's TaleMessage from Dagoth UrMessage from Master AryonMission to Vivec -- from CaiusMixed Unit Tactics v1Mysterious AkavirMystery of Talara, Part 1Mystery of Talara, Part 2Mystery of Talara, Part 3Mystery of Talara, Part 3Mystery of Talara, Part 4Mystery of Talara, Part 5MysticismNchunak's Fire and FaithNerevar at Red MountainNerevar Moon-and-StarNerevarine cult notesN'Gasta! Kvata! Kvakis!N'Gasta! Kvata! Kvakis!Night Falls On Sentinelnote from the ArchcanonNotes from HuleeyaNotes on Racial PhylogenyOdral's History of the Empire 1Odral's History of the Empire 2Odral's History of the Empire 3Odral's History of the Empire 4On MorrowindOn OblivionOrdo LegionisOrigin of the Mages GuildOverview of Gods and WorshipPackage for Caius CosadesPalla, Book IPalla, Book IIPeke Utchoo's last wordsPlan to Defeat Dagoth UrPoison Song IPoison Song IIPoison Song IIIPoison Song IVPoison Song VPoison Song VIPoison Song VIIProgress of TruthProvinces of TamrielRealizations of AcrobacyRed Book of 3E 426Redoran Cooking SecretsReflections on Cult WorshipRels Tenim Journal PageResponse to Bero's SpeechSaryoni's SermonsSaryoni's Sermons ManuscriptScroll of TyroniusSenilius' ReportSharn's Legions of the DeadSilenceSithisSmuggler's IslandSong of the AlchemistsSpecial Flora of TamrielSpirit of the DaedraStarlover's LogSurfeit of ThievesTal Marog Ker's ResearchesTamrielic LoreTarer's Aedra and DaedraThe Affairs of WizardsThe Alchemists FormularyThe Annotated AnuadThe Annotated AnuadThe AnticipationsThe Arcturian HeresyThe Armorer's ChallengeThe Art of War MagicThe Axe ManThe Battle of Red MountainThe Black Arrow, Volume 1The Black Arrow, Volume IIThe Black GloveThe Book of DaedraThe Book of Dawn and DuskThe Brothers of DarknessThe Buying GameThe Cake and the DiamondThe Cantatas of VivecThe Changed OnesThe Consolations of PrayerThe Doors of the SpiritThe DowryThe Dragon Break Re-ExaminedThe Eastern Provinces...The Final LessonThe FirmamentThe Firsthold RevoltThe Four Suitors of BenitahThe Gold Ribbon of MeritThe Hope of the RedoranThe Horror of Castle XyrThe House of TroublesThe House of TroublesThe Importance of WhereThe Legendary ScourgeThe Locked RoomThe Lost ProphecyThe Lunar LorkhanThe Madness of PelagiusThe Marksmanship LessonThe MirrorThe MonomythThe Old WaysThe Pig ChildrenThe Pilgrim's PathThe Posting of the HuntThe Prayers of BaranatThe Ransom of ZarekThe Real Barenziah v IThe Real Barenziah v IIThe Real Barenziah v IIIThe Real Barenziah v IVThe Real Barenziah v VThe Real NerevarThe Rear GuardThe Red Book of RiddlesThe Ruins of Kemel-ZeThe SeedThe Seven CursesThe Seven VisionsThe Third DoorThe True Nature of OrcsThe True Noble's CodeThe War of the First CouncilThe Waters of OblivionThe Wild ElvesThe Wolf Queen, Book IThe Wolf Queen, Book IIThe Wolf Queen, Book IIIThe Wolf Queen, Book IVThe Wolf Queen, Book VThe Wolf Queen, Book VIThe Wolf Queen, Book VIIThe Wolf Queen, Book VIIIThe Wraith's Wedding DowryThe Yellow Book of Riddlestradehouse noticeTrapUnnamed BookVampires of Vvardenfell, v IVampires of Vvardenfell, v IIVarieties of Faith...Vernaccus and BourlorVivec and MephalaWhere Were You ... Dragon BrokeWithershinsWords and PhilosophyWords of Clan Mother AhnissiYellow Book of 3E 426Zainsubani's Notes |
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The Art of War Magic by Zurin Arctus with Commentary By Other Learned Masters
Chapter 3: Dispositions
Master Arctus said:
1. The moment to prepare your offense is the moment the enemy becomes vulnerable to attack.
Leros Chael: Knowledge of the enemy mage's mind is of the foremost importance. Once you know his mind, you will know his weaknesses.
Sedd Mar: Master Arctus advised Tiber Septim before the battle of Five Bridges not to commit his reserves until the enemy was victorious. Tiber Septim said, If the enemy is already victorious, what use committing the reserve? To which Master Arctus replied, Only in victory will the enemy be vulnerable to defeat. Tiber Septim went on to rout an enemy army twice the size of his.
2. The enemy's vulnerability may be his strongest point; your weakness may enable you to strike the decisive blow.
Marandro Ur: In the wars between the Nords and the Chimer, the Nord shamans invariably used their mastery of the winds to call down storms before battle to confuse and dismay the Chimer warriors. One day, a clever Chimer sorcerer conjured up an ice demon and commanded him to hide in the rocks near the rear of the Chimer army. When the Nords called down the storms as usual, the Chimer warriors began to waver. But the ice demon rose up as the storm struck, and the Chimer turned in fear from what they believed was a Nord demon and charged into the enemy line, less afraid of the storm than of the demon. The Nords, expecting the Chimer to flee as usual, were caught off guard when the Chimer attacked out of the midst of the storm. The Chimer were victorious that day.
3. When planning a campaign, take account of both the arcane and the mundane. The skillful battlemage ensures that they are in balance; a weight lifted by one hand is heavier than two weights lifted by both hands.
4. When the arcane and mundane are in balance, the army will move effortlessly, like a swinging door on well-oiled hinges. When they are out of balance, the army will be like a three-legged dog, with one leg always dragging in the dust.
5. Thus when the army strikes a blow, it will be like a thunderclap out of a cloudless sky. The best victories are those unforeseen by the enemy, but obvious to everyone afterwards.
6. The skillful battlemage ensures that the enemy is already defeated before the battle begins. A close-fought battle is to be avoided; the fortunes of war may turn aside the most powerful sorcery, and courage may undo the best-laid plans. Instead, win your victory ahead of time. When the enemy knows he is defeated before the battle begins, you may not need to fight.
7. Victory in battle is only the least kind of victory. Victory without battle is the acme of skill.
8. Conserving your power is another key to victory. Putting forth your strength to win a battle is no demonstration of skill. This is what we call tactics, the least form of the art of war magic.
Thulidden dir'Tharkun: By 'tactics', Master Arctus includes all the common battle magics. These are only the first steps in an understanding of war magic. Any hedge mage can burn up his enemies with fire. Destroying the enemy is the last resort of the skillful battlemage.
9. The battle is only a leaf on the tree; if a leaf falls, does the tree die? But when a branch is lopped off, the tree is weakened; when the trunk is girdled, the tree is doomed.
10. If you plan your dispositions well, your victories will seem easy and you will win no acclaim. If you plan your dispositions poorly, your victories will seem difficult, and your fame will be widespread.
Marandro Sul: Those commonly believed to be the greatest practitioners of war magic are almost always those with the least skill. The true masters are not known to the multitude.
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