[readers they were in the palm of the hand of a crazy mage for god knows what reason]

We've no idea if he's mad. He could just be holding things from us. I'd rather madness than someone who was playing a cruel game.

[Sane men are the ones who lead armies to conquer nations and hold people under their thumbs. There are many more things that can drive a man crazy.]

I heard they're another kind of magic - clocks and time - but how am I supposed to know about any of that? All I can think is that we might already be running out of it.