[twillight]

1) Yep, "Zoltan" is hungarian.

2) to find the right type of hireling just save the game, look around the peasants walking in the town, and if you don't find the right one, just reload. No harm done.

3) Sparks is a BAD spell. Getting close to anything is BAD, especially as on lower levels you'll find two type of enemy:
- low HP low dmg ones
- high HP massive dmg ones
The first don't deserve a sparks, the other will augh in your face if you try that.

What spell I suggest is single-aim things for start (best is poison - only oozes are immun to that, against them you'll need any other basic spell, like firebolt), then Fireball (helps lowering the number of mid-game groups when closing you) ...
Heck, here are what you'll find useful for all elements:

Priestly spells:
Body: Cure Weakness (must use after Cure Insanity), First Aid (basic healing), Cure Wounds, Cure Poison (limited use), Cure Disease (very limited use), Flying Fist (THE priest attack spell), Power Cure (THE best healing in this sequel)
Mind: Remove Fear, Cure Paralysis (specific area useage), Cure Insanity (but don't forget if you are out of mana anyway, Insanity is a good buff on melee power!)
Spirit: Remove Curse, Heroism (might use one or two times only, but I mention)

NOTE: Any mind-altering spell (like Fear, Charm, Slow) does NOT WORK in this game (bug)

Magical spells:
Fire: Torch Light (rise Fire Magic to Expert ASAP just for this), Fire Bolt (cheap basic attack spell, mostly used against oozes, but good against anything at the start), Haste, Fireball (late game things become immun, but there are plenty of places this can be useful), Ring of Fire (mostly to kill things through doors. Don't buy this if you don't do that), Meteor Shower
Air: Wizard Eye (I think an NPC can also help you out with this), Static Charge (same as Fire Bolt, just in another element), Feather Fall (must have), Lightning Bolt (VERY cost effective and strong, especially mid-game), Jumo (must have), Fly (THE reason of Air magic)
Water: Awaken (very limited area specific use), Water Walk (until you learn to Fly), Ice Bolt (Bloody Good Single Damage Spell), Enchant Item (only if you want to have some fun), Town Portal (the reason of Water Magic), Lloyd's beacon (even more TEH reason of Water Magic)
Earth: Deadly Swarm (THE best starter damage spell, except oozes are immun), Stone to Flesh

High Magic:
Light: Day of the Gods, Hour of Power
Dark: Toxic Cloud (in case you rly want an even bigger gun), Day of Protection, Armageddon (very late area-specific useage for total kill - like you'd care at that point, but gives a laugh), Dragon Breath (not that immensly useful, but at least gives variation)

NOTE: you CAN have in this game BOTH High Magic! Gaining good reputation is hard, so people almost always end up being ultimate evil at the end by massacring innocent peasants for it, but oh well.

NOTE 2: SOME people prefer to use Shrapmetal lategame. It releases multiply projectiles, and if you're totally right on the monstah they all hit the same one.
A "small" problem that is (aside getting that close) is, hat with 50% chance it deal ZERO damage. So I just learned to avoid this.