"Rituals only work as much as the person doing the ritual thinks they do. That is the trick. If they decide that killing people left and right is a ritual, then it is, if they have the power to put behind it." Which was one of the things that made magic so hard to learn -- and so dangerous when someone got a hold of it.

"Fear is a very powerful thing. With fear, you can control people, things, rule countries, worlds. Why would someone aching for power not want to cause fear?"