"Yeah, okay, the defenses are nice. And are the free points. But I guess, what's a good example of the rank scale? Just to get a feel, you know? Is Sozin's Comet Ozai in the final battle the right image for rank five, burning a vast swathe of land to scorched earth, or too big?"

"Last saw the show whiles back. Rocketship fire thing Azula does is real and can hurt you, or, I mean, yours won't, but somebody else's can, comes in rank three. Mile of range by rank four. Five ranks, ten miles, firebolts then like being hit by a highway car which also is afire and can be programmed like drones to go corners or whatever, hot enough to melt steel beams etcetera, feedback-loopy little fireballs for bombardments - don't bombard any things on this Earth, plays merriest of hells with the Veil we are using to not all die."

"Mmmmmmhhhhhh....."

She takes a deep breath. "Okay, yeah, that's more control and about the same power as full-on Sozin's Comet. And kind of... Sinks in the fact that this seems to be real. Also I realized I never introduced myself, hi, Wendy."

"Nia! Though you would not be the first to refuse to give her name."

"Faerie bullshit, aye, but I figure if you were fucking me over there's not shit or shingle I could do about it, so..." Shrug. "May as well be nice."

"Witches are very scary indeedy. But I am your nice neutral awakener here to help. You want similar rundowns of more elements or is the gist gisting enough?"

"That's enough, I just wanted the rough scale. I'm assuming rank one is like- Throw a wee little fireball across this room, maybe make it  dance? -I promise not to set anything in here on fire. Magically or elsewise. But yeah."

"Rank one candles go on and off or do little dances, thirty meters, magic molotovs. Oh, also, sorceresses get theme colors, you can make all your elements be your color, they are oomphier this way."

"I shall consider what color speaks to my soul. Maybe something bronzey. I do like my hair."

"Oh, it is the color of your aura, not a selection. Looks like this -" Red-brown, maybe more like jasper than like bronze.

"Huh, fair 'nuff... I do think I want maximum power in alchemy and hexing and, uh, runes? Crafting type stuff!"

"Luxal sorceress has affinity in alchemy and runes but not at all in hexes - nine points each for five ranks of first two, fifteen for five ranks of hexes. Do you want to see the trials tribulations inconveniences and annoyances you can take for more points, to balance the budget?"

"...Say more about hexes being transmutation? Maybe not so much if it's so expensive. Also sure."

"Most hexing is about turning X into Y, or Y into X, while vanishing some supply of some Z that you have on hand. Higher rank hex, pricier Z, more options for X and Y. Often the X and Y sound very specific, like 'egg' and 'chocolate', but you can choose what kind, if you want an ostrich egg and you have a pile of continental breakfast, you go through a step having a pile of Special Dark. But also turn living creatures into other critters - rank 1 and it can't be bigger than a cat to start or twice that to finish, nor too small. Rank 3 is when you can turn grownup human-scale folks into toads, or just do plastic hexery - if you take a Witch Mark, third nipple, it appears randomly, but I can hex it wherever you would rather it be this way. Rank 3 is also when you can animate an object, Mickey Mouse style, broom sweeps by itself for you, perpetual motion machine, sponge that makes your dishes present themselves for washing and go dry themselves and put away. Rank 4 for making golems with or without sticking a soul in them for bonus complicatedness, also turning critters into knicknacks. Rank 5 for de-aging folks, duplicating loot though their magical features are not featured. Medium very pricey at this level but rank five metallurgy does let you turn metals to other ones so not so bad for you."

"Rank three seems like the sweet spot since I'm doing rank five of two other crafty-type magics? A third nipple is... Weird but seems mostly harmless. It'd stick through attempted cosmetic-ing?"

"Yes, anything giving you points sticks like nobody's business, but fortunately the witch mark is not picky about where it sticks. Three ranks six points."

"Magic is weird... Let's tentatively do three ranks. And start laying on other disadvantages but if I'm going to have to live with 'em for good..."

"Yes, but some are not so bad. This one is probably though, I have never seen it taken, locks down your maximum rank to zero and forbids all the expensive wild magic too - witches who wake up naturally and have it without a by your leave usually get by on cyborg nonsense and magic items. Also still possible to buy the turning into a kaiju one for some reason."

"Clearly not given my current whole build."

"Didn't think so. Are we a yes or a no on the third nipple?"

"Yes, fiiine, it sounds like lots of people do it anyway."

"Widely regarded as free points. Four for you, it is sorceress-aligned. Next, melt like the wicked witch of the west? Alternately iron or fire. Cuts right through the elementalism protections where they apply sorry to say."

"Seems like unnecessary vulnerability. I'm already tempted by astronautics five for anti-telefrag ability, no sense adding NEW weak spots."

"Aether-nautics. Next, animals hate you, no green thumb, two points. Doesn't affect familiars."

"Hmm. Maybe? 'Attack on sight' hate or 'even dogs will flee' hate?"