....:~*%## ##%*~:....
.....:~*%# #%*~:.....
......:~*% %*~:......
.......:~* *~:.......
........:~ ~:........
.........: %% %%% %% :.........
.......... %%%%%~~. .~~%%%%%% ..........
.......... %% %% ::: .. 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. :.........
........:~ ~:........
.......:~* *~:.......
......:~*% %*~:......
.....:~*%# #%*~:.....
....:~*%## ##%*~:....
...:~*%### ###%*~:...