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The Dresden Files => DF Spoilers => Topic started by: SerScot on January 14, 2026, 06:58:49 PM
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How does this operate? Does it apply to any physical matter of any size crossing a circle boundary?
If someone is talking to someone in a circle and spittle from their mouth crosses the circle boundary is the circle disrupted? What about blowing air across a circle boundary does that disrupt a circle? Circles obviously aren’t hermetically sealed as they are magically not physically boundaries.
I’m sure intention and belief come into it. But this is really confusing. Why would accidental spit not disrupt but intentional spit would? Is it the intention of the people inside or outside that controls entirely?
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Harry does say, I think in Changes, that dust on his summoning circle in his lab degrades its efficiency. In Changes he also creates a circle purely in his mind.
From this, I take it that intent and human will are close to 100% of the deal. Not quite, but very, very, close.
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Harry does say, I think in Changes, that dust on his summoning circle in his lab degrades its efficiency. In Changes he also creates a circle purely in his mind.
From this, I take it that intent and human will are close to 100% of the deal. Not quite, but very, very, close.
Doesn’t this mean it is impossible to “accidentally” break a circle? Doesn’t this mean that “intention” is all a circle is? That if you believe in a moving magical circle… and genuinely believe it exists and protects you, in the DV, it should do so?
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Doesn’t this mean it is impossible to “accidentally” break a circle? Doesn’t this mean that “intention” is all a circle is? That if you believe in a moving magical circle… and genuinely believe it exists and protects you, in the DV, it should do so?
I think it's tricky and one doesn't construct a circle lightly. I think it's very possible to break a circle accidently, especially if you don't really understand what's behind it, or are careless drawing it. Also not all circles are created equally, as Kim Delaney found out when the circle she tried to draw didn't protect her from the Loop. Also in Changes you will remember that while he didn't laugh at Harry's attempt at a mental circle, Uriel smiled and said that it really wouldn't stop him if he really wanted to cross it.
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Doesn’t this mean it is impossible to “accidentally” break a circle? Doesn’t this mean that “intention” is all a circle is? That if you believe in a moving magical circle… and genuinely believe it exists and protects you, in the DV, it should do so?
It could be like the legal world where if one intends an action, the intent transfers to the result.
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Also in Changes you will remember that while he didn't laugh at Harry's attempt at a mental circle, Uriel smiled and said that it really wouldn't stop him if he really wanted to cross it.
To be fair, I'm pretty sure Harry couldn't actually manage a circle that would stop an archangel who really wanted to cross it *with* physical props either.
Also, wasn't it mentioned at one point that cats are good pets for practitioners because they can cross a circle without disrupting it?