[@Zardoric] Countermagic is a tenet of basic/general magical study. Essentially how to undo a spell that goes wrong, or defend oneself against magical attack. There are a variety of different ways to skin that particular cat, such as using Telepathy to disrupt the spell structure, or just literally deflecting or destroying it with Telekinesis. Different problems require different solutions, which is why the most effective Sorcerers have well-rounded foundations in the fundamentals of each major Discipline.

[i]Adding[/i] more energy to a spell that you're trying to counter... It could make it blow up in someone's face. But nothing would stop it from blowing you up as well.

Sensing magic is another fundamental skill that varies depending on the individual. It requires training your senses to detect the presence of the Aether. What this means for everyone is different, and not due to preference, literally everyone "feels" magic a different way.

[@Theyra] A couple of things... It's important to remember that the civil aspect of the Red Order is as important as the martial aspect. Unless the Nouzari were also reputable civil engineers, I don't think they would be inordinately recruited for their fighting skills. Also, those already within the Order would know very well that one cannot will their way into the Order, they have to be selected. The other thing is that Geomancy is a Minor Discipline that would not be taught at a pre-vocational level.