#.###...## ####.#.##.
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...#.##.## #...#...##
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##.#..##.# #.#.#.#.##
..###.#.## *% *%* %* #########.
..#..####. *%*%%««. .««*%%*%* #........#
#.##.#...# *% *% ::: .. magic .. ::: %* %* .#.......#
.##.###..# *%*%%««. .««%%*%* .##......#
##.##..#.# *% *%* %* ##.#.....#
..##.#.### ..###....#
#.#.####.. magic is about being unaccountable, #.#..#...#
.####...#. about removing the source of the action ####.##..#
##...#..## from yourself. it works by exploiting a #...##.#.#
..#..##.#. kind of gravity, called the .#..#.####
#.##.#.### arrow of time. .##.###...
###.####.. ##.##..#..
#..##...#. things in this universe always seek the #.##.#.##.
##.#.#..## least energetic state. all potential is ###.####.#
..#####.#. gradually lost into lesser forms (such ...##...##
#.#....### as heat). #..#.#..#.
####...#.. .#.####.##
....#..##. magic then, is creating tunnels, .###...##.
....##.#.# specific and intricate canals, for this .#..#..#.#
#...#.#### to happen in a controlled manner. think ###.##.###
.#..###... of it as setting an elaborate trap for #..##.##..
.##.#..#.. entropy. .#.#.##.#.
.#.###.##. .#####.###
####..##.# and then, when the circuit closes, the ##....##..
#...#.#.## arrow is forced to do your bidding! ..#...#.#.
##..#####. ..##..####
..#.#....# of course, you're also irreversably #.#.#.#...
..####...# draining time from the universe, but ########..
..#...#..# yeah. #.......#.
..##..##.# ##......##
#.#.#.#.## ..#.....#.
#########. *%% * * %%* #.##....##
.........# ###.#...#.
.........# ...###..##
#........# the danger is a runaway spell - if the ...#..#.#.
##.......# filament of your canal is too weak, or ...##.####
..#......# the potential is high enough to escape #..#.##...
..##.....# any self-closing mechanisms - a breach. .#.###.#..
..#.#....# .###..###.
..####...# these are usually catastrophic. .#..#.#..#
#.#...#..# although many are local, they stay ###.####.#
.###..##.# active until closed off by counter ...##...##
##..#.#.## spells (hard to pull off) or there's no #..#.#..#.
#.#.#####. more energy to fall through. .#.####.##
.####....# .###...##.
.#...#...# in that case the outcome depends on the ##..#..#.#
###..##..# spell. small-scale breaches might not ..#.##.###
...#.#.#.# even be noticeable by the uninitiated; #.###.##..
...####### but a spell might also very well bring ###..##.#.
...#...... about the heat death of the universe. #..#.#.###
#..##..... .#.#####..
##.#.#.... .###....#.
#.#####... *%* .#..#...##
.##....#.. .##.##..#.
.#.#...##. .#.##.#.##
#####..#.# well. it is what it is. a dying art.. ####.####.
#....#.### maybe for the best. ....##...#
.#...###.. ....#.#..#
###..#..#. ....####.#
...#.##.## #...#...##
#..###.##. ##..##..#.
##.#..##.# #.#.#.#.##
..###.#.## #########.