@¶@*==-... ...-==*@¶@ ¶@*==-.... ....-==*@¶ @*==-..... .....-==*@ *==-...... ......-==* ==-....... .......-== =-........ *@ *@* @* ........-= -......... *@*@@==. .==*@@*@* .........- .......... *@ *@ --- .. 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. ....-==*@¶ @*==-..... .....-==*@ *==-...... ......-==* ==-....... .......-== =-........ ........-= -......... .........- .......... ..........