From: Claire
This is probably going to sound like a really boring question in comparison with all the others, because the rest are either really intelligent or just cool, but anyway…
So Alex spends half the time fighting the forces of evil and generally being epic, and the other half he… well I don’t really know what he does. I mean he hardly ever opens the shop, so what does he do for money? Does he have some sort of innate power that only mages can tap into that allow him to hypnotise everyone in to believing he’s paid the rent? And if so could he teach me? Just realised, I’ve asked three questions in this thing haven’t I? Four, dammit! Sorry!
Don’t worry about it – it made me laugh!
Alex does actually open the shop pretty often, like four or five days a week. I guess if you listen to the stories it sounds less common than that, but that’s because you’re not getting the boring bits, just the highlight reel. Sometimes whole weeks go by without anything unusual happening (okay, not often, but we do get SOME quiet weeks).
Still, you’re basically right – what with the days he misses and everything else, the shop doesn’t really make much money. It’d make more if Alex sold the really powerful/expensive items, but he says he doesn’t want to and I kind of understand why. The real way Alex supports himself is . . . well, let’s say he uses his magic a slightly more direct way. I probably shouldn’t spell it out in public, but here’s a hint: what depends on short-term probability and has a lot of money changing hands on short notice? (If you want more details, you’ll have to wait ‘till September.)
Most mages use their magic to make money, rather than earning themselves a living the normal way. It’s kind of what you’d expect really.
From: Orion
Dear Luna,
in regards to your luck magic, how does it compare to a chance mage?
is their magic more powerful or controlled and would they have the ability to counteract your magic?
I’ve never hung out with another chance mage long enough to know for sure, but from what I’ve learned I think I’d be able to match them, at least when it comes to what I can do. From what Alex has told me most chance mages don’t go in for fighting, so what with the amount of practice I’ve gotten in over the last year or two I might actually be stronger than them when it comes to my fortune shield/curse.
The downside is that while I might be able to beat a chance mage at the one thing I can do, they’d have a lot more things that THEY could do, and some of them might work for counteracting my curse. That’s the problem with adepts and mages. You can be better than them at one thing, but they’ll always have more options than you will.
From: Orion
Dear Luna,
I was wondering how imbued items are made, such as alex’s cloak?
Haven’t a clue. Well, okay, I know ONE way that obviously worked, but since that involved the mage dying and putting himself in the item, it’s kind of got its drawbacks.
As for making them the non-suicidal way . . . well, Arachne can do it, but I don’t know how. Mind you, I don’t know how she does any of her other tricks either.
Your name is sounding really familiar, by the way. Do you keep writing in with these questions, or—
From: Orion
Dear Luna,
I was wondering how magical constructs are made? and do you know what time of mages Talisid, Morden and lyle are?
—guess that answers that.
For constructs – no clue. It’s only the older mages who seem to do it.
Morden is supposed to be a death mage, but I’ve never seen him in action, so I don’t know for sure. Lyle’s an enchanter. No idea about Talisid, he keeps his cards very close to his chest.