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[Chiefwaffles]

You grudgingly agree and after having a meal with the noble out of "respect" (likely from your crops), you depart for the voyage back home.
On the way out of the camp, you can't help but notice the meagre conditions of the troops. Tents and canvasses dot the fields for large distances away from your eyes, but the troops seem... undisciplined. You recall that human armies typically aren't as trained and dedicated as the professional Dwarven armies, but something still feels... off, here.


After more hours pass, you finally arrive at Silverhall, and subsequently the Noble family home. You grab a variety of candles from storage and lay them out in aesthetically pleasing patterns across your room, and medidate. This time, in addition to simply rest, you decide to take a shot focusing on the fires of the candles.
You "awake" the next morning, with the candles seemingly extinguished long before their natural lifetimes. After some theorization and a tidbit of experimentation, you think you stumbled onto an interesting new ability - some kind of absorption. While the candles were much too small to do anything by themselves, it would seem you can now, in a way, "absorb" flames nearby and use them as mana. It clearly isn't the most efficient of transfers, but hopefully with larger flames you can receive respectable amounts of mana. For now, you call this new ability Flame Absorption.
Oh, and meditating through the night restored 3 mana.


Also of note this morning is a letter received. There have actually been lots of (now irrelevant) letters sent to you these past few weeks, but only with your sister's chastising have you began checking for letters.
Of course, the letter is from your sister:

Cazot,
Mother and I have been managing the family's finances due to your apparent lack of ability to perform these duties.
Without income from the farm, the family is quickly heading towards debt. If you don't fix this situation by the end of the month, we will have to find alternative methods of income or expense reduction to stay out of debt. As much as I would like to keep you out of these topics, it is unfortunately not proper for the wizard of the family to be uninvolved in these matters. For the time being, mother and I will do what we can, but you do have to fix something soon.

And I hope you aren't planning on anything stupid. I shouldn't have to remind you that if you die, the rest of the family suffers as well.

Sincerely,
Casset Bobokundin


Cazot Bobokundin
Location: Count Impultus' siege camps, outside Karthia
Mana: 8/10. (A general measure of endurance that is restored primarily with rest and "used" by magical exertion.)
School Proficiencies (Your talent at magic of the various schools and types in existence.)
- Pyromancy: 1 (The art of manipulating fire.)
Spells & Abilities
General
- Manipulation [0m] (The use of magic to manipulate your surroundings via levitation and minor transfers of energy. Generally takes no mana to perform unless extreme feats are undertaken.)
Pyromancy
- Flame Tongue [3m] (For 5 seconds, extend a flaming tongue up to 3 inches from your hand and manipulate it to a limited extent.)
- Basic Sense Inner Fire [5m] (For five minutes, attune yourself to your surroundings and sense the inner fires of those in your proximity.)
- Flame Absorption [0m] (You can "absorb" nearby flames for varying amounts of mana depending on the size, heat, and intensity of the flames.)
Inventory
- Robes

Assets
- Noble Family Home in Silverhall
- Lower Family Home in Silverhall

[NRDL]

Check letters for any opportunity for work for a wizard in other Dwarven noble families. Let's try and get some supplementary income, and it might also be a good chance to practice magic skills.

[thatroleplayerGal]

Make a formal request for experimentation privileges on the city's prisoners who have been assigned a death sentence. Then cast Basic Sense Inner Fire and concentrate on "extending" the flame of your new test subject.

You know what happens when you stoke a flame or throw salt in a fire, right?

It'll be like that.

(Y'know, eventually we should start focus on learning alternative forms of magic. Right now I think acquiring some basic Pyromancy spells is a good priority, though.)

[Detoxicated]

+1 to both above

i say after delving deeper into pyromancy we should start learning more about mana theory.  Flames seem to feed us mana, so if we study the exoact rcumstances of flame mana gain we can maybe learn more about the flow of magic altogether.  Long Term wise i think we should become a master of all the elements

[ATHATH]

Alteration to thatroleplayerGal's suggestion:

After casting Basic Sense Inner Fire, use our Flame Absorbtion ability on the detected inner flames.

[Chiefwaffles]

You send a formal letter to the upper nobility in charge of prisoners, asking for expendable convicts. It's not exactly a rare practice, but there will always be a chance that those in charge of the prisoners will want payment in exchange for it. Time will tell once you get a response.

While you wait, you spend the next few days looking for jobs. Some meditation on the side also yields 2 mana.
Eventually, canvassing door-to-door, discussion at more public gathering places for the nobility, and having eyes peeled for job postings results in various mercenary contracts.

WANTED: WIZARD
Must be qualified in stealth-focused magics

Contact Razot's Band for more details

Wizard needed to guard caravan
Dangerous roads
2 mundane mercenaries also required
See Silverhall Trading Depot clerk with questions


Eventually, you return to your empty home to find a letter waiting for you from the prisons.

To the Wizard Casot Bobokunkin:

I'm afraid we cannot supply any convicts convicted to death without a fee. There exists a cost in the transferring and handling of these prisoners that means we simply cannot afford to give them away.
However, the previous Bobokunkin wizard Karzot Bobokunkin did send numerous prisoners that would ultimately be sentenced to death in his earlier years. No payment was rendered at the time and we feel these actions merit the equivalent of two convicts to be received by the Bobokundin house.

Please note that serious fines will be levied if the assigned convicts are freed.

Azultus Arthoks, Silverhall Prisons.

Perfect.
You head to the prisons to meet your new "subject". A secure room is provided and the convict is brought in. Upon entry into the room, you can't help but notice thousands of blast marks littering the walls, floors, and ceiling of the room. It certainly has seen a lot of use.

Ignoring the curses from the convict, you calm yourself and cast Basic Sense Inner Flame for 5 mana and focus.
You feel something... Intense. Large. Their fire strains as it burns.

Without letting go of the spell, you try to reach out and manipulate the convict's inner fire.
Nothing.
Nothing notable, at least. You can feel the slightest sensation of increased intensity in the fire, but nothing else happened. The convict remains standing and chained, visibly unaffected. You decide that this attempt was merely bad luck or a lack of dedication, and put it on the back of your mind. You move onto your next experiment: Flame Absorption.

Suddenly, something feels different. You haven't finished casting the spell yet, but it's almost as if you're encountering resistance. You stay steady and continue pouring mana into the spell and eventually are rewarded for your efforts. A large amount of mana floods into your person. Such a large amount, in fact, that you yourself feel different. It seems that you have a slightly higher mana capability. And an additional 6 mana as well.
You look at the convict. They're still alive, but different. They make no more strains at their chains or curses. The convict stands there, uncaring.

Over the next few days you perform some studying and thought. First, you note, is a new spell - Absorb Inner Flame. The strain it creates on you, regardless of mana, is something that you theorize can only be remedied via meditation. Trying to cast the spell twice without any kind of meditation in between would likely end very poorly for you.
It seems to... absorb some kind of emotions from the victim. Your training covered the typical sorts of necromancy, life magic, and more, but this wasn't ever covered. The victim still remains alive, and if the reports from the prison are to be trusted, capable of logical thought, but without emotion. You don't know if this is temporary or permanent, just that it exists.
Finally, you also look into your new capabilities. You believe this was a one-time thing; that the overflow of mana received went "somewhere else" and aided your own endurance. It's not an unheard of effect.


You feel you should probably think of a term for those affected by the spell. Being rendered void of emotion is a pretty major personality trait of someone that should be noted.
And other than that, what now?

Cazot Bobokundin
Location: Silverhall
Mana: 11/11. (A general measure of endurance that is restored primarily with rest and "used" by magical exertion.)
School Proficiencies (Your talent at magic of the various schools and types in existence.)
- Pyromancy: 1 (The art of manipulating fire.)
Spells & Abilities
General
- Manipulation [0m] (The use of magic to manipulate your surroundings via levitation and minor transfers of energy. Generally takes no mana to perform unless extreme feats are undertaken.)
Pyromancy
- Flame Tongue [3m] (For 5 seconds, extend a flaming tongue up to 3 inches from your hand and manipulate it to a limited extent.)
- Basic Sense Inner Flame [5m] (For five minutes, attune yourself to your surroundings and sense the inner fires of those in your proximity.)
- Absorb Inner Flame [0m] (Absorb the inner flame of another being. If they cannot resist, they will be rendered emotionless and you will gain mana depending on the person. Can only be used once between meditation sessions.)
- Flame Absorption [0m] (You can "absorb" nearby flames for varying amounts of mana depending on the size, heat, and intensity of the flames.)
Inventory
- Robes

Assets
- Noble Family Home in Silverhall
- Lower Family Home in Silverhall

- 1 Death-sentence Convict
- 1 ??? Death-sentence Convict

[thatroleplayerGal]

Let's keep the name something short and simple; the Flameless. They don't have an inner fire, they're flameless.

Test our current, flameless convict for any reaction to pain beyond a basic nervous reaction. We need to determine if they're willing to fight back from an attacker whilst Flameless.

[Detoxicated]

Let's keep the name something short and simple; the Flameless. They don't have an inner fire, they're flameless.

Test our current, flameless convict for any reaction to pain beyond a basic nervous reaction. We need to determine if they're willing to fight back from an attacker whilst Flameless.

+1 for all also the name
join the trade hall job. feel for different flames of different kinds of beings, and note down differences between test subjects. Within these studies compare the flames of animals to one another and to a human flame

[thatroleplayerGal]

Let's keep the name something short and simple; the Flameless. They don't have an inner fire, they're flameless.

Test our current, flameless convict for any reaction to pain beyond a basic nervous reaction. We need to determine if they're willing to fight back from an attacker whilst Flameless.

+1 for all also the name
join the trade hall job. feel for different flames of different kinds of beings, and note down differences between test subjects. Within these studies compare the flames of animals to one another and to a human flame

I'm worried that if we spend too much time getting a job, the war on Karthia will already be over and all our progress in finding a way to drive the soldiers off our farm will be naught.

Though, if the Trade Hall job doesn't take enough time away from us, then I say +1.

[Detoxicated]

Inform family of our talk to the noble and state to them, appearing democratic, that you find their troops to be meager looking and that there is something off about the troops. Find out if they have more info on the guy. Also ask if we have any able men to fight if necessary.

I see we have a small flame lick, and some powerful soulflame magic going. We haven't used our telekinesis at all. I believe if we train our telekinesis to be able to raise multiple metal balls we could engulf them in flames and hurl them around us destroying anyone in path. I feel that we could probably switch off the noble with our absorb inner flame spell but having a second skill like the one i mentioned greatly increases our chances of success.
So far the guy did not seem as if he was lying to us at all, he answered quite modestly. For now I guess its best to go with the flow, only to ocassionally drop in at our farm to see how things are going.

[thatroleplayerGal]

Inform family of our talk to the noble and state to them, appearing democratic, that you find their troops to be meager looking and that there is something off about the troops. Find out if they have more info on the guy. Also ask if we have any able men to fight if necessary.

I see we have a small flame lick, and some powerful soulflame magic going. We haven't used our telekinesis at all. I believe if we train our telekinesis to be able to raise multiple metal balls we could engulf them in flames and hurl them around us destroying anyone in path. I feel that we could probably switch off the noble with our absorb inner flame spell but having a second skill like the one i mentioned greatly increases our chances of success.
So far the guy did not seem as if he was lying to us at all, he answered quite modestly. For now I guess its best to go with the flow, only to ocassionally drop in at our farm to see how things are going.

I still want to know how well the Flameless respond to pain. If they react like a normal person, I.E with aggression, then Absorb Inner Flame is no good. But if they don't respond to attacks the same way after becoming Flameless, it could give us a serious advantage when we decide to take our farm back.

[Detoxicated]

+1 to test pain

[Chiefwaffles]

You decide to deem the victims of Absorb Inner Flame the Flameless. Concise, descriptive, and to the point.

After finishing that difficult task, you travel back to the prison where "your" convicts are being kept. You ask for the Flameless to be brought out and the guards quickly make it happen. It seems they've already adapted to the new nature of the convict, as the security seen during the movement of the Flameless is much less comprehensive than what you observed the last time you were here.

You decide to first test for reactions to minor pain. Some cultures may call this torture, but in your eye it's nowhere near the same. The pain would ideally be equivalent to the pricking of a finger.
Just as you prick them, they swat your hand off and back away from you. They even ask you to stop in a clear matter, indicating that the Flameless is likely still intelligent.
The next test is more major pain. Still nowhere near the level of torture, but notable. You approach them again. They're more cautious, but still willing to let you approach.
Again, they back away after swatting off your hand, but this time they stay away. Their reaction doesn't indicate any kind of fear, but rather, if you're correct, a more logical response. Pain is bad, avoid it.

You depart the prison for now and leave for the Trade Depot where you converse with the clerks at the front about the job you saw some number of days ago. They tell you it'd likely take a week and is set to leave as soon as the wizard is hired. For now, you decline the offer for time-related reasons.


As you travel through Silverhall, you cast Basic Sense Inner Flame (for 5 mana) and continue to make observations. The inner flames of most of the people you pass by seem to be consistent with the inner flames of those you've already seen. You make sure to look for animals and rodents while still under the effects of the spell. After a brief scramble to find one, you carefully try to make sense of a rat's inner flame. It's present, but different than the flames present in dwarves. As always, you find it hard to truly describe what it feels like. The only word that comes to your mind is "simpler". After this, you spend about a minute continuing observations but nothing new comes up.


Some time later, at the lower family house, you make one of your more formal appearances in front of the assembled family. Not everyone's here without advance warning, but the more important members are present. You inform them in a very dignified matter about your discussion with the noble and your observations of his assembled troops. You even feel somewhat proud of your brief speech. Well, before you talk to your sister again.
She makes various choice criticisms about your role in the family and the speech before continuing onto more important matters. Eventually, you manage to get in a question about the noble and the availability of soldiers.
"...Soldiers? Cazot, who do you think we are? Not every family has people ready to fight for them. At most, we could hire a handful of mercenaries, but that'd be the death of our finances. Where do you even get these assumptions from?"
Casset makes a mildly dismissive gesture before addressing your questions about the noble.
"But somehow you know more about the noble than us. Before this point, we didn't even know his name. I would doubt that anyone in Silverhall knows his name. Perhaps a more prestigious or wealthy family may be able to perform some espionage, but again, we don't have the resources. I have to continue finding cheap food to feed the family, so if you'd just move out of the way..."
After you shuffle a few steps to the right, she aggressively walks past you and out of your sight.


Cazot Bobokundin
Location: Silverhall
Mana: 6/11. (A general measure of endurance that is restored primarily with rest and "used" by magical exertion.)
School Proficiencies (Your talent at magic of the various schools and types in existence.)
- Pyromancy: 1 (The art of manipulating fire.)
Spells & Abilities
General
- Manipulation [0m] (The use of magic to manipulate your surroundings via levitation and minor transfers of energy. Generally takes no mana to perform unless extreme feats are undertaken.)
Pyromancy
- Flame Tongue [3m] (For 5 seconds, extend a flaming tongue up to 3 inches from your hand and manipulate it to a limited extent.)
- Basic Sense Inner Flame [5m] (For five minutes, attune yourself to your surroundings and sense the inner fires of those in your proximity.)
- Absorb Inner Flame [0m] (Absorb the inner flame of another being. If they cannot resist, they will be made a flameless without emotionless and you will gain mana depending on the person. Can only be used once between meditation sessions.)
- Flame Absorption [0m] (You can "absorb" nearby flames for varying amounts of mana depending on the size, heat, and intensity of the flames.)
Inventory
- Robes

Assets
- Noble Family Home in Silverhall
- Lower Family Home in Silverhall

- 1 Death-sentence Convict
- 1 Flameless Death-sentence Convict
[/quote]

[thatroleplayerGal]

(Wow.

I'm conflicted on whether Casset is a bitch, or a badass.)

Meditate, then absorb the inner flame of the second convict. As they think rationally and without emotion, attempt to bargain with them; accompany you to the family farm, defending you if necessary, and you'll attempt to arrange their freedom. After all, their new status as Flameless will make it far easier to convince the government that they're rehabilitated, as they no longer have any drive to commit crimes.

If all goes well, take the two convicts with you to the farm, estimating the amount of soldiers there as you prepare to take back your family's wealth!

[Detoxicated]

+1 As you travel to the human noble attempt to feel for inner flames of the forest animals.