[Open]

[spellcollect]

[ Frieren's mind opens up; as before, on the surface it's a calm, smooth pond. She's not quite used to this, so the connection (at first) is a touch tentative and then as she feels her way forward it opens more until she thinks she's finally ready. ]

I have a question for all of you. And you may consider it a simple matter of curiosity; I won't take offense at being ignored.

[ There's a pause, as if she's collecting her thoughts. ]

How many of you are long-lived species? Or long-lived by virtue of who you are? My kind are rare, even in my world, so I can't assume others will be particularly more common here, at the end of the universe.

[ It's an open question. ]

Comments

[spellcollect]

...you're fortunate that someone knew this technique, then.

[wolfish]

My mother just so happened to take in this ailing old man no one else would help and nursed him back to health and he ended up having the knowledge and skill necessary to save me.

Pretty damn lucky, to say the least.

[spellcollect]

And yet it might have just as easily killed you, from what you say.

[wolfish]

I'm sure there was that possibility... But I'm pretty sure he was one of those disciples.

[ How else could he have received the Crest of Aubin, after all? ]

[spellcollect]

Interesting. It's a shame you don't have more material on them - it sounds like it would make for informative reading.

[wolfish]

Indeed... Unfortunately, there are only scraps and rumors about what he did. And since he passed what he'd been given onto me in the bargain, he passed on soon after.

[spellcollect]

Fascinating. Have you tried to study it yourself? Although I know that might be a little problematic.

[wolfish]

I'm good with magic, but it's a different kind entirely. Not a dedicated mage, much less a specialist.

[spellcollect]

But you can use it.

[ That's curious to her; whether you're good or not has nothing to do with whether you're a mage. ]

[wolfish]

Magic? Sure. Offensive, recovery...even picked up a little shielding spell in my time here.

[spellcollect]

Then you're a mage, aren't you?

[ Simple. ]

[wolfish]

I'm a bit of a few things, really. Couldn't call myself a dedicated mage when others specialize in it.

[spellcollect]

I suppose it's personal preference.

[wolfish]

Just the way people look at it where I come from.

[spellcollect]

I can't gainsay it.

[wolfish]

Is anyone who can use magic in your world a mage?

[spellcollect]

I suppose not. But almost everyone who can use it ends up one if they bother developing the skill.

[wolfish]

So what qualifies as a mage, then?

[spellcollect]

In my world, I think it's anyone who dedicates time to study and use magic.

[wolfish]

That'd be...one hell of a lot of people, then. It's standard curriculum at the Officer's Academy... Then there's the School of Sorcery up in Fhirdiad. I know a few people who attended the latter, but I went to the former.

[spellcollect]

It's a bit limited in my own home. I think there were several thousand mages active.

[wolfish]

If we're talking dedicated mages, Fódlan may have more. But it's hard to compare, not having a sense of scale and all.

[spellcollect]

That covers most of the Central and Northern Lands, honestly. There are less now than there were a hundred years ago... but it's also a time of peace.

[wolfish]

Fódlan is fairly insular, but by no means is it small. We'd been enjoying peace for some time before the war, so magic was more of a scholarly pursuit or calling.

[spellcollect]

Magic is a wondrous thing. It should be treated like it.