The Science of Magic
The rabbitlike creature stood in the hallway, studing a small and decrepit book intensely. In theory he should have been moving, strolling briskly about on his many errands. But soemthing had caught his eye. It was while he was lost in deep contemplation that another creature, this one far more mouselike, nearly ran him down. The interloper was smaller, and somewhat lighter in the fur depertment as opposed to the larger buck's golden brown fur, mostly hidden beneath a dark, rust colored coat (And, most strikingly a pair of emereald-lensed brass goggles.). Their names were Tinker and Dolton, mages of the highest order. (Well ok, one of the higher ones. Pretty high up, all things considered.)
"Careful now, some people are trying to read here."
"Bit of an awkward spot. What's so interesting?"
"Just reading some field notes from Nycteris the Counter, mostly dealing with the Archmage Riktor."
"Never hard of him."
"Destroyed himself and his entire village about 200 years ago."
"That might be why. What's so interesting?"
"Well it seems that the explosion had a lot of the characteristics of Malvilio's torch."
"That's weird... it's a kid's toy isn't it? Harmless."
"Yeah, but according to witnesses there had een alrger and larger explosions in the months beforehand. ANd what little of his notes remain are... interesting..."
Dolton considered this; that didn't really make sense. The spell was beloved of those who liked to spread chaos, more the black mages than anything. But destroying an entire village? Surely that wans't possible, you'd need to cast it a thousand times over."
"Interesting how?"
"It seems he was trying to alter the summoning incantation."
"But... you can't do that..."
Magic was a gift from the powers, it was very important to always use the same spell in the same way each time, it was the only way to b assured you'd get anything at all. You couldn't just mumble and old gibberish and wave your hands about, at best you'd look like a fool, at worst you'd splatter yourself across the room with misdirected power.
"He found a way I think; changing one sylable at a time and keeping notes of the effects of each one. I think... I think he was trying to discover a new spell, something like the much more powerful Concussion Flare, but easier to cast."
"That's terrible!"
"Maybe, he was after all a black mage, I don't think he could concieve of doing anything else. But what if... what if someone were to try the same thing with a more... productive spell. Like Cass' Candy Constructor?"
"So like, making bigger candy?"
"Or more of it. I really could use more."
Dolton considered this, nobody had thought of that before. Not being gifted with new spells, but somehow...finding them for yourself. The potential was massive.
"We could try altering each step in the incantation, and measuring how much candy was summoned with each one."
"Just by weight at first, and maybe by kind, I don't like liqorice."
The two dashed off, all thoughts of previous errands forgotten.
