Prologue, Chapters 1 and 2 Summary

It was Hari Seldon who foresaw the current conditions of the Galaxy, including the fall of the Empire. Seldon, in an effort to lessen the time of barbarism that is bound to follow the fall, created two Foundations - one at each end of the Galaxy. The idea was that the two would eventually mesh, forming a new, stronger Foundation - the Second Foundation.

Bel Riose arrives at the home of Ducem Barr to discover that the old man has some technical gadgets and that many people come to him in search of love potions and the like. Riose asks Barr about magicians. Riose says that he's been chasing rumors and myths about magicians and that the only fact he's certain of is that Riose's own father met one. Barr says the man Riose refers to was a trader...