Almost a year into Beyond Light, I've felt that the mythos regarding the treatment of power and its usage in Destiny to drift away from myth's primary function: to give a "heads up" on what the experience and ethos of life is like. Instead of elucidating the relation between ethics, power, choice, and action, mythos is instead being used largely as a storytelling device conflating these things to nearly Orwellian doublethink. If the Light within you is Darkness, how great is that Darkness? If myth is more about entertainment, and less about moral, myth loses its function to inform us of ethical guidance, or anything else. I feel it necessary to provide the following, as an antidote for Destiny's current mythos concerning use of power in disregard for its source: Mage's 1st Rule: A power can't be used against its nature or intent. To do otherwise is the very definition of abuse and would only wreak Chaos. The nature of a power will determine the attitudes, ethos, and perspective of its allies, users, and servants. Mage's 2nd Rule: To use a power is to be beholden, if not bound, to it. You can't change the nature of a power. If the source of that power, the manner of its expression, or its usage depends on evil acts, then such a power can only work evil through you. Even power has bills. Mage's 3rd Rule: The bills come due. Whether in Karma, or in consequence, a power requires replenishment after expenditure. Energy isn't created or destroyed: only invested, divested, or transformed. Be wary that the sacrifices and transformations you would perform do not commit or lead to evil. You will only promote a different brand of Hell otherwise. Mage's 4th Rule: Power is addictive. Wielding it can quickly become a dependency: you forget how you used to cope without it, or how you might achieve victory on your current level of responsibility without it. In the end, use as little possible to complete the immediate task, and be prepared to rebalance the scales to insure health. Mage's 5th Rule: Power tends to be corruptive. Its usage often leads practitioners to a delusional state where they believe themselves either perfect or beyond consequence. Users fail to notice how a power's usage has altered their ethics and perspective. Don't seek power, seek to do the right thing instead. Mage's 6th Rule: Refuse hording power, eschewing both fear and greed, lest you draw attention from those wishing to enslave you and others into evil or tyranny. Actively practice grace. Mage's 7th Rule: Power invites challenge, challenge incites conflict, and conflict... breeds catastrophe. This is why The Traveler left the Eliksni: too many of them started thinking of The Traveler only as power to be used, eventually for conquest, rather than as a respected ally.