.###.###.# ##.##.##..
.#..##..## ..##.##.#.
.##.#.#.#. #.#.##.###
##.####### .####.##..
#.##...... .#...##.#.
###.#..... %@ %@% @% .##..#.###
...###.... %@%@@--. .--%@@%@% .#.#.###..
...#..#... %@ %@ --- .. 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. .##.##.###
.###.###.# ##.##.##..
.#..##..## ..##.##.#.
.##.#.#.#. #.#.##.###
##.####### .####.##..
#.##...... .#...##.#.
###.#..... .##..#.###