There was a time when being considered a man of magic brought great respect. A time when men like Gung Fu Tze were sought out in their mountain retreats for gifts of wisdom and power. A time when the mountain hermits were expected to come to the aid of those living nearby - and did. This time has long been gone into the dust of ages, along with the hermits and schools who once attempted to set the novice along the right path.

There are no more mountain retreats to be discovered by the neophyte trying to find his way - instead he finds a jumble of half forgotten scolls, half illegible journals, and oblique references. Without a mentor or guide, the pitfalls almong the path of the Magi are many. With the wrong mentor, one mistakes the pitfalls for the path and becomes damned.

Without something to ensure that one's sense of responsibility, and one's moral fiber keep pace with the growing power of the arcanist (or indeed anyone who becomes strong in any way), a lust for power begins to take hold. The greater the power, the stronger the temptation to misuse it. With time, those arcanists who lack a strong well centered cause tend to slowly slip into darkness as they become more and more distanced from those without power.....

There are still good men who hold arcane secrets out there, I can only pray that they are as tireless in their vigilance over their peers.

In my experience, not very.

It's the ones that take magic very seriously that are the serious danger.

The neophyte is more a danger to himself than anybody else. Although sometimes they are playing with such power that they can't help but hurt somebody else. In general though they're a nuisance more than a real problem. They're definitely much easier to take down. They're not hardened and so their reaction to big men with guns is to cry like bitches and surrender, not blast you with a fireball or whatever.

I don't mind getting hurt nearly as much as getting paralysed.

I've seen a room with thousands of pages filling spell books.

Yea, I can believe it.

Sounds like Carter's dream house.

It is.

And not just his.

Hope that you don't.

Doctor Boggs,

It is agreeable to see you still with us.

It's not paranoia if they're really out to get you!