"The shape is sacrificed as it dies, it's possible to just lose it without getting an extra power out of it. If you have non-addictive pain relief, I might accept it, but it isn't that much of a concern. I wouldn't mind sitting. There are exceptions to those magical rules. We call them shift-dancers, I am one."

He pats a crate, "You're welcome to one of these, or we could move to a more comfortable room. As for pain relief, life magic can do it, though most people who can do it would have to be touching you. I can do it, or I could call a healer for you." Admittedly most of those are a bit busy at the moment, but he thinks most would agree this person with proveably unique abilities thinking well of them is important. Particularly if he figures out how to call more like him. They're already fighting a ruinous war, no need to go looking for more people to fight. 

He shrugs. And sits on a crate. "It's probably not a good idea to try new magic interactions right away. As I was saying, there are shift-dancers, which are unique people that just show up sometimes and have unique abilities outside the regular rules. Which we call them dances - the term is from a figure of legend that could shift so easily that they could do it while dancing. Mine is having two identical brothers which are also shift-dancers with abilities that benefit the entire group. We acquire shapes as one. We share sacrifices. It allows us the unprecedented ability to get a face sacrifice and feed it to itself."

He nods thoughtfully, "So if one of you - kills a face. All of you get the power. And you aquire faces from those pools you mentioned?" He pauses in his questions, "I expect your brothers will be very worried," he says. He certainly would be. But perhaps this other world is safer than this one. Perhaps they aren't close. Jaim adores his brothers, but the king and his siblings are indifferent at best. 

"Do you think you will be able to aquire a power which will take you home? You mentioned this form is good at transportation." 

"I have not discarded the possibility that I will acquire such power. My brothers will sure do their best. We have a mild sense for each other. We might be able to use it for communication. If nothing else, the fact that I am rebinding our power will clue them in, and we might be able to use that for communication, if nothing else." He might be slightly more guarded against a very already guarded baseline.

He notices. He looks away, "I apologise if I sound - grasping. I think anyone would if they heard they could make their loved ones immortal, but eagerness is no real excuse." 

He's not entirely sincere about this, but it's true that he regrets any discomfort he might have caused. 

"Don't apologize for that. I absolutely want to figure out a way to share our form of immortality with your world."

He looks up again, "Then you are a better person than many I could name, to share something so precious with a world full of strangers." 

If his fa-the king, learned of this... King Rael would keep such a power close, refusing access to any but his most loyal soldiers and maybe his family. The man cares nothing for anything but the war, and his own authority. Jaim sometimes thinks that if the Emperor had not started the war, Rael would have.

"It is the default in my world. I can't even phantom what it must be like for it not to be."

"I think most people would like to think they would offer something like that freely. Sanctuary really would, I believe. Though given their other policies it might be hard for the average person to reach them to make use of it." 

"It wouldn't actually be trivial, the pools are controlled access with waiting lists. Sometimes you have to pay to use them. But I absolutely want to work towards the option being available and easier to access. We would need to give two shapes per person to an entire generation for the issue to be solved, but at least it would be solved."

"Are the pools actual pools? Or are they just called that? I take it even if they are literal pools taking some of their contents somewhere else to make more doesn't work." 

"They are natural pools where the water settles in, no one is quite sure why, except it's said to be a gift of the gods, and it only works if you put the person in the pool and leave them be for the time required to give them the shape. The water is more potent than regular water at dissolving people, but can't change people while away from a pool."

"Dissolving people," he repeats, "I suppose this procedure is quite painful, then." 

"Widely regarded as the worst pain possible. Though, I am pretty sure there are powers that can do worse."

"Lovely." He says, wry, "Though not too much to pay for the benefits, I suppose." 

"Well, obviously. Specially if it means that your children won't have to go through yourselves. Oh, forgot to mention that dead or sacrificed forms are not hereditary."

Before he can reply, someone knocks on the supply closet door. 

"Sir?" Comes a masculine voice, "Are you in there? The Commander sent me to ask after our guest." 

Jaim stands from his spot on the crate, startled. He strides quickly across the room and pulls the door open.

"Yes, I'm here. What did she want to know?" 

The man at the door tries to subtly peer into the room over Jaim's shoulder. Catching sight of the half-naked Zephyrinus, he carefully controls his face to prevent a raised eyebrow, and then answers his superior. 

"She wanted to know if he would be staying for a time, and if she should have one of the VIP quarters prepared, in that case." 

Jaim turns to Zephyrinus, wincing slightly when he also notices the shirtlessness again. Great, more rumour fodder. And there will be rumours, this is the Cialin military and he was schooled at the Sanctuary Academy. There's already rumours. 

Still, the question, "What are your thoughts on the matter?" He asks. 

He takes the moment that it takes for Jaim to answer the door to dispose of the last remaints of his skin.

"My thoughts on the matter is that I don't know my options or the implications of my options."

"Point," he agrees. "I can give you an overview of your options as I see them," he offers. 

"All of these are assuming you don't get a useful transportation power, and your brothers cannot retrieve you, of course. You can stay here at the fort, if you like. The Commander has offered one of the VIP quarters here, of which there is some still available. This is the largest fortification in this area, and often has important visitors. The Commander may request information on your capabilities, and perhaps your aid in some way.

"Prince Ilek and I will be here for the next five days. You will be welcome to come with us back to Fort Helen then - the fort which I am in charge of - or remain, if it suits you and the Commander. If you come with us I would love to speak more on your plans for when you manage to get in touch with your people again. 

"You might also wish to visit Sanctuary, in which case I can get you access. Sanctuary Academy is the home of the greatest minds in the world - even some Imperials used to visit when we were at peace. 

"And of course there's nothing stopping you from leaving entirely, if you choose." 

"I see. Should I make up my mind before the five days timeline?"

"If you don't want to remain here that would be best, yes," he agrees, "And in either case I suppose you might want those quarters for now."