"Liavek is a hot, busy trade city, situated on the southern shore of the Sea of Luck at the mouth of the Cat River. In Liavek, magic is based on one's 'birth luck' and the length of time one's mother was in labor. Everyone has luck, but using it is another matter. Luck, or magic, must be invested annually in some object outside oneself; only then can it be used to power spells. And investing one's magic is difficult and dangerous. Prospective magicians who fail find their magic draining away, and with it, their life."--Back cover.