The arena, the card-table, the magic circle, the temple, the stage, the screen, the tennis court, the court of justice, etc., are all in form and function play-grounds, i.e. forbidden spots, isolated, hedged round, hallowed, within which special rules obtain. All are temporary worlds within the ordinary world, dedicated to the performance of an act apart.
Quotes about the magic circle
Players and designers often make the distinction between “cheating” and “exploiting a loophole.” They always struggle to define this, but it boils down to whether or not the extraneous action is one that resides within the magic circle.
