Yet again I find myself in search of intelligent conversation! Shunned by my companions, encouraged to “Find someone who gives a sh&t,” I am reduced to this; filtering through a pile of missives in search of mental stimulation, that most elusive of things.
I suppose now is as good of time as any to tidy up this desk. Some of these letters are quite old; others appear to be covered in blood, although if that isn’t blood I have little desire to dig deeper.
Here is an interesting question from Aidan, who wishes to know more of the magic of this world. Don’t we all! I would classify my pursuit of knowledge as lifelong, but for the years I couldn’t feed myself.
To explain magic in a letter short enough to not break the back of the carrier—a difficult task. Munir al-Muhtaal may be known for many things, but backing down from an intellectual challenge is not one of them.
To properly envision how magic works, put your hand in front of your face—now slap yourself. Hard.
Do not ask questions to which you do not want to know the answers.
Still reading? Well then—you may have what it takes to learn. As far as scholars understand, to put it simply, there are two worlds—the first, Alam al-Shahada, the Manifest World. This is the tangible world, governed by natural laws and science.
Then we have Alam-al Ghayb, the Unseen Realm. That is the place of transcendental mysteries—jinn, angels, demons, being beyond human comprehension. Forces malevolent and beneficent.
Separating the worlds is a… construct we learned men refer to as The Veil. Imagine it a drawn curtain keeping the light from a room. The Veil keeps the worlds from mingling—which is a very good thing! If you know anything about the laws of physics, you certainly want them to keep functioning!
However, like a curtain… light can creep through. Power and…things from the Unseen Realm can sometimes make it here. Around the edges or if the Veil has gone threadbare in a spot (I can only hope your ability to follow analogy is better than my companions).
I do believe the Veil has been thinning recently, though I cannot be sure why. All I know is that things are not as they once were, and strange things that were once rare may become all too common…
Alas, I have scribbled this page full. I thank you for your question Aidan! I think I will return to these letters more often—even a one-sided conversation with a piece of paper is more engaging that Cem on most days.
Tell your own companions that any questions they may have, they can address to me and I will do my best to answer them!
Never stop experimenting!
Munir al-Muhtaal