...:~=**##                                          ##**=~:...
....:~=**#                                          #**=~:....
...:~=**##                                          ##**=~:...
..:~=**###                                          ###**=~:..
.:~=**####                                          ####**=~:.
..:~=**###                ** *** **                 ###**=~:..
...:~=**##           *****~~.    .~~******          ##**=~:...
....:~=**# **  **  :::  ..  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.           #**=~:....
...:~=**##                                          ##**=~:...
..:~=**###                                          ###**=~:..
.:~=**####                                          ####**=~:.
..:~=**###                                          ###**=~:..
...:~=**##                                          ##**=~:...
....:~=**#                                          #**=~:....