"A challenging hunt, though. Good climbers and their spit is rather violently exothermic if they get alarmed enough to use it."

"I have a spell for that, if we want to wait until tomorrow," he tells Abernathy.

"A spell?"

"He has some rare abilities, it comes in useful," Abernathy comments. "I'm not sure how long I'd like to stay yet, though. A Heater Lizard may be a bit much, really."

"We could probably manage it if the 'spell' is not the usual charlatanism," Mr. Remington opines.

"It is not. The one I have in mind protects against heat, you can stand comfortably in a bonfire with it if you have something for the smoke."

"But how does it work?"

"Let's go order tea if we're going to sit here chatting," Abernathy says insistently, then pulls Raafi towards the counter by the shoulder.

"Sorry for that but do you see that bracelet?" Mrs. Remington was wearing one half-hidden by her sleeve. "Holy symbol of Christianity. I don't know if they're the type to get upset about the idea of other gods but some who carry a cross are. If they are, perhaps we'd better find someone else to hunt with, I suppose."

"Ah. I can explain it without mentioning Fharlanghn, if that'd be enough, but I'm not sure what happens if they make a scene; I would like to know how Christians will react to my magic, and this doesn't seem like the worst time for it, but of course I'll defer to you on the wisdom of that."

"If they make a scene, well, it's a scene, that's all. I highly doubt they would shoot us about it. The worst that'd happen is we'd be out some hunting partners, most likely."

They get to the counter. He waves jovially at the bartender, then asks for a pot of Oolong tea.

Raafi will take whatever the bartender recommends. "I think we'll be okay hunting alone if it comes to it."

They can both have some nice tea. Abernathy pays for both of them and indicates the table they're sitting at. The bartender promises to bring it out momentarily.

"A bigger group is always safer, but that's not as much of a concern with you around."

"No, I think we'll be all right." Back to the table?

Back to the table.

"What guns do you carry?" Mr. Remington politely asks, ignoring the dropped matter of spells.

He has the model of his semi-automatic memorized. "I'm new to guns, though - there's a bit of a story there, actually."

"Oh, that one's good enough as a mass-produced piece anyway. I know not everyone has a workshop in their cabin. And everybody has to start somewhere. And now you've got me curious for the story."

"There was an explosion in the marketplace in Port Prosper a few weeks ago, some kind of artifact interacting with a barrel of time, they think. It seems to have pulled things in from a number of other worlds, including me. That's where my magic comes from, too; it's reasonably common, in the world I'm from, but we're a bit behind you technologically."

"It's a big universe. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see humans from a more distant part of it. And lots of things from the Neath might as well be magic. What do you think of the Reach so far, then?"

"I like it! I've always been a traveler, and I wasn't running out of things to see, exactly, back home, but there wasn't much left that was quite this new. The technology especially is fascinating. Hopefully I'll be able to set up trade between here and there, eventually, I'd love to see what my people would do with it."

"Technology is quite a power. It's why the Royal Society is so important, even though they're also isolated because of how dangerous they can be, unstable experiments and the like."

"Sounds a little like our wizardry. Funded by the crown, though, or is the name for some other reason?"

"Funded by the crown and at least officially for the Establishment's scientific advancement. Not fully funded anymore, things have decayed a fair bit in the last couple of decades, cuts everywhere, but the name is quite stuck. The Royal Society is the epitome of Academe."

"Huh. Maybe I'll go check them out when I'm not so busy, see how that works for them. Research wizards usually just fund themselves, where I'm from."

Abernathy comments, "Aside from engineers, academics don't tend have any particular money-making skills. And even engineers, something they can sell is often weeks of work. You get your magic back every day, right?"

"Mmhmm. And wizards do too, or they can make magic items to sell like your engineers."

"Magic is terribly unspecific," Mrs. Remington complains. "...Though, I suppose 'physics' or 'engineering' is just as unspecific. I retract my complaint."

"Anyway, do you two want to hunt with us, or shall we go ourselves."

Mr. Remington peers at Raafi, then nods firmly. "I think we should plan on a group hunt tomorrow, if you two are willing."

"Of course. Is there anything else magic would be useful for, here? I don't have much in the way of weapons, magically, but I can heal and protect and temporarily improve people in a variety of ways."

"Healing does sound quite handy. Something to help deal with food and fuel concerns, perhaps? And the danger of starlight, of course."