I finally made it to the college where a woman said I had to prove myself before I could enter. The proof was casting a Fear spell she conveniently sold me.

So I loaded the spell up in both hands and cast it on her. I got a message, "XXXX (her name) is too powerful for a Fear spell".

OK. I then went into town, entered the Inn and found a random guy. I cast the spell on him. This got me whacked by some guards and eventually fined 40 gold.

Returning to the woman, I again was told I need to cast this spell.

I went back to town and found a chicken wandering around. I cast the spell on the chicken. It seemed to work because the chicken went from being calm to all agitated & it ran away. The guards again showed up and this time whacked me a few good ones & fined me 45 gold.

Returning to the woman, I was again told I hadn't cast the *#&#& spell.

What gives?

Yet again a post belonging in the Skyrim forum *sigh* :shakehead:

Sorry. Can the mods please delete this and I'll repost?

I think you need to cast the fear spell in front of the woman (faralda) so maybe pull an enemy to her and cast

anyway, according to http://www.rarityguide.com/articles/articles/1005/1/Skyrim-Walkthrough-College-of-Winterhold---First-Lessons/Page1.html the spell she gives you for testing is random. If possible, reload to just before you talked to her and get a easier spell such as magelight

Try casting on mark on the ground next to the woman. Worked for my fire spell

yeah but fear requires a target

just do what I suggested two posts up

When I did it, she told me to cast the spell on a marker on the ground right next to her.

Most quests have an arrow pointing to the target that you will need to hit with the spell.

Where does this arrow point to?

(to turn on/off, use the journal. On PC, select the quest on the left. if it has an arrow pointing towards it, it's active on the map and in-game).

Side note: She had me cas a magelight spell in the circle on the ground next to her, so apparently this quest is random.

Random quest activation needs Miscellaneous selected on the left in the journal, then select it on the right side.

OK, folks. I try both schemes. I thought my casting the spell on the chicken really clever. I was bummed when it only got me beaten up and fined.

I didn't notice an arrow. I'll look again closely. Thanks.

yeah you do NOT want to mess with a chicken, I found that I could get away with stealing and murdering, but whenever I do something to a chicken its like the whole world unites against me

I'm pretty sure you cast i on the mark on the ground next to her.

i still don't know why I got arrested for messin with a chicken. I mean what was the charge - a foul against fowl?

Murder most fowl.
:rofl:

Someone in Bethesda really dislikes chickens for a meal. :wink_smile:

Or is a vegan protecting the chickens from fear spells.

Indeed. There's sort of a shield on the ground which you need to cast your spell at.

Got it. Will try when I get back at the game.