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Stickmaker ([personal profile] stickmaker) wrote2008-10-06 10:23 pm

Fantasy Novel Excerpt

Excerpt from a fantasy novel in progress:

"Real things are independent of observation," said Llewellyn. "They have ontological inertia. If you go away, they're still there. Things of pure magic - as opposed to real things altered by magic - do not. Once the magic is over, they're over. Most magical changes to real things also only last as long as the magic lasts. To make a permanent change requires a magical effect different from such things as disguise or shapechanging spells. That is one reason major healing spells are so difficult. You are removing infection, knitting flesh. Ironically, some of the simplest spells also make permanent changes. Mend. Move. Multi-volume works have been written on how spells with permanent effects are different from those which cause only temporary effects."