[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]

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.

[wolfish]

I think you'd have liked Constance, were she here. She's very...creative about her magical pursuits.

[spellcollect]

Oh? Is she? What does she dabble in?