Sciomancers, and most particularly the "honorable" Shadow Warden Tekias Uymari,

On behalf of the Ascendril Order, I have a bet to propose, and before I do - and for the understanding of the broader audience - I need to first explain some basic mechanisms.

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The Scientific Background
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Elementalism - whose derived arts include Elemancy and Sciomancy - operates by channeling material from one plane of existence to another. Certain conclusions follow from these premises and from the essential physical properties of the elements, but all that need be understood is that channeling moves material from one plane to another.

The Shadow element, of course, does not exist in our plane in vast quantities. In the living creatures originally wrought by the Gods, the element of Shadow exists only in trace amounts, vastly outweighed by the Spirit which animates our frames. Even the tethering which necessitates our current magical practices is a recent phenomenon, a catastrophe that marks the growing strength of Shadow.

Accepting as you do the fact that Shadow - also termed the 'greedy element' - is capable of destroying and subsequently replicating elements, particularly Spirit, you recognize that once introduced, it is far easier for Shadow to spread than to be contained. You accept, likewise, that it is unique in these 'greedy' properties.

This is one reason why the undead, particularly the Consanguine, present a slow danger; they absorb Spirit modicums from the lifeblood and transform it into the Shadow necessary to sustain their unnatural frames. Both they and the undead draw additional Shadow modicums from the earth.

Now consider-

Every singularity, every brand of Shadow you inflict on your foes is like dozens of vampires, feeding at once; possibly more. Every time you introduce Shadow to this plane, you distort the natural scales in its favor. There is more and more Shadow, and less and less Spirit for it to feed upon.

This remains true even if Shadow is introduced in very slight quantities, for a small amount of Shadow can multiply into a great amount indeed, given enough Spirit modicums to feast on. Each time Shadow is channeled into this plane, that is Shadow that festers, multiplies, and replicates, distorting our plane of existence over the long term.

You do not care about this, because you do not care about things like sustainability, reason, or caution; you care only about yourselves and your power, in the short term, with no heed to the wildly destructive implications of your practice.

The threat you present to our plane's stability is identical to that which the Shadow Mother does - Spinesreach should not grant you a pass merely because you do so more slowly.

This brings us to the bet itself.

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The Bet
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If you can conclusively disprove that your use of Shadow is not a serious threat to us all, and justify the existence of your guild as anything but a long-term, apocalyptic threat to Sapience, the Ascendril Order will pay the Sciomancers a sum of money equal to one million gold sovereigns as well as publicizing an admission of defeat.

This offer stands until voided either by myself or by a successor to my position.

-Shachalai, Magister of Spirit

Penned by my hand on Falsday, the 17th of Arios, in the year 468 MA.