From: Leo
Have you heard any theories from the Light Council or any other mages about where and why Richard had been missing for over a decade? I doubt it is correct but I was just curious how someone of Richard’s status leaving the mage world would effect the political landscape and the reasons they might give for it.
On a separate note do you think Richard had contact with Morden or other associates during this time? It seems a bit odd that he would come back and become a major player like nothing had changed unless he prepared for it somehow.
Current theory is that he travelled to another world. Conventional wisdom is that that’s not supposed to be possible anymore, but there have always been a few theories saying the opposite.
The Light Council doesn’t think that Richard and Morden had any significant contact before Richard’s return. Both Alex and I are pretty much one hundred percent sure that that’s wrong – they work WAY too closely together for them to be new acquaintances. My personal theory is that they go way back, but it’s much harder to get that kind of info about Dark mages than it is about Light ones.
From: Jesse
1. Has Alex ever seen Richard use magic during his time as an apprentice? By using magic I mean stuff like ritual magic, magesight, using magical items such as gate-stones, condensers, or other forms of battle magic. I only ask because he must of done something to be a top Dark Mage and keep Elementalists like Onyx under control.
2. Also just a thought but I noticed that Richard’s tactics of being persuasive over the use of force is similar to the mannerisms of how the Jinn gain control over their human hosts. Do you think when researching the Jinn he became inspired by that? I don’t think he uses mind or charm magic because I think Alex would of noticed especially in their more recent encounters.
1. I think so, but it was always items or trivial stuff that could be easily duplicated by just about anyone. His reputation was always dangerous enough that no-one was willing to pick a fight to see what he could do.
2. Could be? Not really any way for me to know one way or another.
From: Lance
Hey Luna, I hope you and the gang are holding up okay just few questions about the Council.
1. Does the secretary in the Senior Council meetings have similar privileges to the Junior Council? Even though they are just recording the notes it seems like an important job if they have access to classified information.
2. Is there a reason why mages like Levistus, Morden or other similar in stature mages have not had assassination attempts? It’s a morbid thought but they seem too dangerous to each other, wouldn’t there be some effort to try too?
3. What do you think Lyle’s and Sonder’s end goals are at the Council? Are they trying to be on the Senior Council or something else entirely?
1. Kind of, I think. The admin people in the Council don’t count as actual Council, and in fact most of them aren’t even mages at all, but Council status isn’t everything – they have way more special perks and privileges than your regular guy on the street. Knowing the right person in the Council bureaucracy goes a long way.
2. They do. You just don’t generally hear about them. Also, mages don’t get to those positions by being easy to assassinate.
3. I’m pretty sure they both just want to climb the ladder. More status/rank in the Council, which they’ll use to gain more status/rank in the Council. I’m not sure what they’d do if they ever got to the top. I’ve got the feeling they don’t really know either.
From: Darren
Have you, Anne, or Vari ever thought about getting an imbued item? Alex has a dreamstone and armor, it would only be fair if you and the others got some as well. I remember that Pyre was after Cinder’s Dragon’s Claw gauntlet and it was supposed to be good at defensive magic something fire mages are not typically good at. Do you think that it could help Vari out if he somehow got hold of it? Is there any specific item you would want to have if you could get one?
I’ve thought about it, but imbued items are kind of double-edged swords. Sure, they’re really powerful, but as soon as it gets out that you have one, all the Dark mages and half the Light and independent ones are going to be wondering if they can take it off you. One of the bits of advice that Alex gave me when I took over the Arcana Emporium was that if I did pick up any imbued items, I should make absolutely damn sure to keep them secret. I think I’d rather have an imbued item that worked as a last-resort trump card than something that you use all the time like that combat gauntlet of Cinder’s. I’m not in a hurry to pick them up, in either case.