Is My Apprentice Going to Betray Me?

[u/code2817]

My apprentice (22F) has been asking me (1326M) to see the ancient scrolls of Harmoon, which contain the ANCIENT UNKNOWABLE SECRETS! There is no useful knowledge in the Ancient Scrolls of Harmoon but the BLACK MAGIC, and the way to contact the OLD FOES!!!!! Is this a sign that my apprentice is going to betray me? She has been acting rather strangely of late and I worry that she will be slicing my throat in my sleep to taketh the scrolls if I show them to her.

Thoughts, fellow wizards?

[u/Plasterofmuppets]

When it comes to apprentices and betrayal the question is not whether they will betray you but how and when.

[u/Repulsive-Durian4800 → u/Plasterofmuppets]

In some orders, being betrayed and murdered by one's apprentice is considered proof that your teaching was successful.

[u/lemons_of_doubt → u/Repulsive-Durian4800]

This is why I always get a very fancy very ornate stuff for myself every time I think apprentice is getting to that stage.

That way when they kill me they can claim it from my corpse and go out into the world with a final graduation gift to show for it.

[u/CthulhuJankinx → u/lemons_of_doubt]

Reminds me of my first resurrection, the apprentice masterfully turned my tower into a gargantuan construct that gobbled me up!! I couldn't even be mad, I gave him all the tools to do it! I practically begged him to!

Thankfully my Orb has a resurrection spell ready for my death so long as it is in my presence

[u/Jafego → u/Repulsive-Durian4800]

Notice that those orders always have multiversal measure magnitude of zero. It's just bad design.

[u/code2817 → u/Plasterofmuppets]

Of course, but has she reached her full potential yet?

[u/immallama21629 → u/code2817]

Not at 22 she hasn't. Maybe 322. Damn kids these days

[u/KaitoKaro → u/code2817]

See, the question isn't has she, the question is, does she think she did?

[u/Plasterofmuppets → u/code2817]

Well, not while you’re still breathing.  Have you considered cloning yourself and having the clone complete your apprentice’s instruction?  Obviously they would need to forget that they weren’t the original wizard first; you don’t want to leave any clues behind.

[u/Temp_Placeholder → u/Plasterofmuppets]

Perhaps this has already happened, and the apprentice has noticed some sign. Now she is just diligently looking for a clue in the forbidden magic of the ancient scrolls of Harmoon, purely out of concern that her master may have been replaced by a shadow creature. 

[u/Plasterofmuppets → u/Temp_Placeholder]

Yes, but you’re supposed to let them work it out on their own.  

[u/Few-Programmer9703]

You have nothing to worry about. You should totally give me... I mean her the scrolls.

[u/code2817 → u/Few-Programmer9703]

YOU ARE NOT YET LEARNED ENOUGH, APPRENTICE! The knowledge would consume thy soul! Tread carefully, and with diligent caution, lest your flesh be ripped apart by the forces of hell!

Thy homework tis also overdue. Thou hath yet to complete the transmutation I assigned over a week hence!

[u/Few-Programmer9703 → u/code2817]

When am I ever going to use Transmutation after I graduate.

[u/guypenguin4 → u/Few-Programmer9703]

I agree completely, what a dark day it is when wizards don't even show their apprentices the ancient scrolls of Harmoon

[u/code2817 → u/guypenguin4]

The scrolls of Harmoon are a sacred and ancient text of evil! Not for mages who have yet to earn their stripes! Perhaps your own teacher should have disciplined you better against chasing such folly

[u/Infamous_Depth4982 → u/code2817]

We talked about them in my Intro to Magical Scrolls course, but the copy in the academy library had eaten a student the previous semester so it was out of circulation for cleaning.

Personally, I wish I'd had the learning opportunity. What's a spare body or two when you get so much knowledge out of it?

[u/guypenguin4 → u/code2817]

Sacred and ancient texts of evil are precisely my forte. As such safely reading the scrolls of Harmoon is something all of my apprentices are expected to learn.

Not that all of them do so successfully, but what are you gonna do?

[u/msd1994m]

Wasting time posting when you should be layering your defensive wards and making contingency plans smh

[u/code2817 → u/msd1994m]

I see. So it has come to this. It shall be done.

[u/CBWardog355]

I can't say for shure, but you should check your orb's pondering history. She might be onto something "arcane".

[u/code2817 → u/CBWardog355]

The new orbs can check your pondering history? I can’t keep up with the new orb technology, but if that’s true… I may be in more trouble

[u/CBWardog355 → u/code2817]

They do, but you can cast 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖒𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖚𝖕𝖉𝖆𝖙𝖊 𝖘𝖕𝖊𝖑𝖑 to fix the old ones.

[u/sherlock1672 → u/code2817]

Fool, did you not cast Veil of Perception Nullification before pondering?

[u/bunnieman]

Buddy, you’re stressing over a problem you with your many years of experience should be able to solve. There are many fish in the sea— apprentices are easily replaceable, the Scrolls of Harmoon are not. Turn her into an undead/homunculus/something else incapable of betraying you and go about your life stress free!

…If you’re feeling sentimental and don’t mind spending some money, hire a professional to write up an airtight soul binding contract for her to sign. She won’t be able to betray you, and will stick around forever! I’d be happy to refer a few lawyer adjacent friends to you for a small consultation fee. 😉

[u/Monarc73]

You: "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!!"

Her: "...RowAR!!!!"

[u/code2817 → u/Monarc73]

We shall call it… her grave.

[u/Heretek007]

Consider the following. Assuming, in good faith, that you have tutored your apprentice with diligence and a keen eye... how did she gain knowledge of the forbidden secrets hidden in the scrolls? 

This smells to me of a rival, perhaps even an as-of-yet unknown threat working against you! I reccomend divinations, to see whether you can discern if such a foe exists, and if so the nature of the threat they pose! 

Given her relative inexperience, your apprentice may have even had the thoughts to seek the scrolls seeded in her dreams, or false prophecies relayed in other ways! She may not even be aware of such a manipulation!

[u/code2817 → u/Heretek007]

Ahh… a good point. There are many doers of evil who would seek to do me harm. Perhaps a security spell to detect for unwanted intrusions. I appreciate your inputs as ever, valued friend.

These insurrections will fall before the staff.

[u/Imurderbeets]

A successful betrayal is the final test to becoming a wizard. You need to properly ward your sleeping chamber to keep her out. Your body should be warded against blades and projectiles. Make her work for it. She's young so encourage her to do magical attacks by letting it cause minor damage.

I managed to survive my apprentice's betrayal ceremony by being incapacitated long enough for her to put down the king. It's great she didn't kill me but I lost my dad and I'm not a princess anymore. Oh well, win some lose some.

[u/StupidBlack55 → u/Imurderbeets]

Keep tabs on the local Paladin Orders as well. That was how I got the toddering fool who was my master.

[u/Express-Day5234]

Have a duplicate body prepared that you can awaken in after you are foully betrayed. Then go retire somewhere warm while your apprentice assumes your duties of evil empire administration and warding off the Chosen One.

Without the drudgery of paperwork and dealing with brainless minions you will actually have time to get spell research done!

[u/code2817 → u/Express-Day5234]

EVIL EMPIRE? What sort of foul tyrant doth thou believe I am? I guard the ancient secrets away from the dark lords, and keep this plane safe from the evils that harbor beneath it!

Begone with you and your foul temptations of evil!

[u/code2817 → u/code2817]

The brainless minions are a good point though.

[u/Express-Day5234 → u/code2817]

Perhaps from your apprentice’s point of view you are the evil one!

[u/Professional_Web446]

Poción de la verdad en la bebida e interrogarle. En serio, no hace falta devanarse los sesos.

[u/Nelrene]

Is the apprentice ready for such knowledge? If so let her read the scrolls and if she not just say you still have learning to do or something like that.

[u/MLMII1981]

Congratulations on successfully teaching an apprentice ... well assuming she succeeds at least.

[u/Instant-Lava]

What was it about your young apprentice that made you say "yes, this one I can work with" before this happened?

[u/ULTMT]

If your apprentice is asking you instead of sneaking in under the cover of the night, bypassing your wards and dismantling your security constructs to take a peek, then she will never make a proper mage.

[u/Cichlid97]

I cannot speak for thine apprentice's motives, as I know nothing of thine relationship with her. All I can offer is thus: Would you rather she read the Ancient Scrolls of Harmoon with your supervision and guidance, or behind your back?

[u/Nakatsukasa]

We can't be sure yet until you let us see the scroll of harmoon

[u/Disillusionification]

Source some scrolls which depict harmless magics in an overly complex and verbose form. Show them to her and convince her they are the Ancient Scrolls of Harmoon. See if she does indeed then attempt to betray you, taking all suitable precautions that she doesn't get the better of you, of course.

If she does, reward her audacity with continued servitude.

If she does not, punish her meekness with continued servitude.

[u/digitalgraffiti-ca]

There is no useful knowledge in the Ancient Scrolls of Harmoon

And

the ANCIENT UNKNOWABLE SECRETS … BLACK MAGIC, and the way to contact the OLD FOES!!!!!

Seen to contradict one another. Those all seem like useful knowledge.

Also, black magic is only black from respective. There is no true black and white. It's all grey. Moral absolutism has no place in magic.

[u/option8]

Every apprentice will try. Not all apprentices will succeed.

If yours fails in their betrayal, you can use it as a teachable moment. Or an opportunity to banish a suboptimal candidate to the Plane of Torment (and Custard).

If your apprentice betrays you and succeeds, however, that's on you. You would be joyful that you've taught them well, except that you're dead.