Work Text:
Brakebills University Entrance Exam
PLEASE BE SURE THIS PACKET HAS 20 PAGES ! (This includes this cover sheet.)
BUDGET YOUR TIME. Don't spend too much time on any one question or part of a question as questions will disappear or change positions randomly. Questions are not weighted evenly and point values will not be revealed until the exam is over. Partially answering all questions is better than answering some questions completely.
This is a CLOSED BOOK and CLOSED NOTES exam. You may NOT use any divination materials. Phosphoromancy and telekinesis are permitted when used on your own exam paper, though points will be docked if you set anything in the examination room on fire.
Do not read the instructions all the way through. Do not read all the questions before starting to answer them. This is a magic exam. Let intuition guide you. Make your own luck.
Write your answers in the spaces provided.
For each hand position below, list one spell where the hand position would efficiently direct magical energy.
Let X ⊂ P n be a projective variety over a field K, with ideal I(X) ⊂
K[Z 0 ,...,Z n ] and homogeneous coordinate ring S(X) = K[Z 0 ,...,Z n ]/I(X).
The Hilbert function h X (m) is defined to be the dimension of the mth graded piece of S(X) as a vector space over K. Define the Hilbert polynomial p X (m) of X.
The Hilbert polynomial pX(m) is the unique polynomial such that pX(m) =hX(m) for all sufficiently large integers m.
Why is Traveling classed as a form of Psychic Magic?
Because it’s traveling Traveling not just physically, but mentally. The caster has to will themselves where they want to go.
List the five tertiary circumstances.
Time
Location
Planetary position?
Time
Caster's mental state
List a time that you experienced or perceived magic.
Well, a few minutes ago I was walking down the street in Connecticut and now I’m in upstate New York.
List a time that you performed magic.
One time, when I was a kid, I thought I
I'm really good at card tricks. Really, really good at them.
Describe the changes you would make to the base formulation of Alonso's Reverse Thermogenesis when casting during a full moon at sea level.
Use more salt magic?? hand positions. Different ones.
What is the base failure condition of all spellcraft?
The spell...not working?
The Magician’s will fails, so the spell fails. Or the spell fails so the Magician’s will fails.
Is getting into Brakebills worth the possible loss of your Shade?
I don’t know what a Shade is, but magic is everything to me. This is a dream come true. If I could tell myself from five, even ten years ago that I’d be taking this test, it would make a lot of things d b
Yes. Getting into Brakebills is worth anything.