A TREATISE ON MAGIC So, you too wish to learn magic? And, like every other impatient young seeker who beats upon my door, you want to know everything at once. You desire all of the secrets of my art — now, before you even comprehend the powers that control them. Well, I will divulge you these secrets, my reckless inquisitor — if only to thereby escape further questioning. But I warn you, these secrets you long for can give only a taste of what may be possible in the realm of magic. Magic must be discovered — it cannot simply be learned, as a child learns her letters. The study of magic requires great diligence. You must seek out for yourself each of the spells I describe hereunder, and scribe it within your spell book. Until you obtain each in this manner, all that you learn from me is futile. To "cast a spell" — as the manipulation of etheric energy, or mana, is now so commonly described — one must learn the proper ritual. A magic ritual focuses your will on the desired effect and lends power, stability and shape to your thoughts. Rituals are of varying duration, and must sometimes be performed long before the actual spell is cast. In sum, performing a spell ritual requires a spell book, words of power, and reagents. The Circles of Magic There are eight concentric circles of magic. These circles correspond to vortices within the ether, all spinning one within another as they expand through the universe. The more powerful a spell you wish to cast, the deeper into the inner circles of ether you must penetrate. The deeper you go, the more mana each spell requires you to expend. Spells of the Eighth Circle require great measures of both skill and mana, indeed.