"I should do a patrol ever, when I have a coat and maybe a backup weapon, but I'm probably better off crafting..."

"Yeah. I mean, you might still want it for the circles, if you're in a place where you can still get those off patrols."

"I'd never heard of the circles thing before, definitely not phrased that way and only sort of 'adventuring makes you stronger' - but City Frostbound was pretty censorious about some things."

"I dunno if your thing even has circles, I'd have to stare at you with Detect Magic or something. Maybe it's all supernatural shit."

"As a colloquialism for getting stronger and weirder though it makes sense to say 'circles'. The stories are all, oh yes Agatha Heterodyne grew mightier and mightier over time, but- That could also be explained by accumulating materials, projects, and minions, and people exaggerate everything. So I can't assume I will circle up, or that I won't."

"Oh it's not colloquial, it's a topology thing. But like fighters also get stronger and they don't have circles because they're not doing anything topological."

"...But can you say, oh, that fighter's about like a third circle wizard?"

"Yeah, pretty much, you're guessing but there's fighters who can stand up to the same kinds of fights as a fifth circle wizard."

"I guess I have plenty of time to learn the comparisons..."

She is pretty much done with her food at this point and looks like she's considering getting up.

"Lemme know next time you're gonna cut loose so I can watch, I'll letcha know if I see any circles."

"Oh, sure. It's a good idea to schedule it and have watchers to yell at me if I get too out of hand, too, yeah."

She'll go return her bowl.

And then... Report to the commander that the stove is done, she guesses?

"Excellent. I haven't heard any complaints from the kitchens so I take it everything went more or less as planned."

"Yes. I interrupted cooking for about forty-five minutes last night. They're already using it and - rumoredly - approve."

He nods and counts out her money.

"This says it's - backed by the souls of the damned'?"

"Yes. I don't have this amount in coin on hand but I can get it, if you prefer."

"-I

Is it just - notional - we had money backed by heat and you could go into an office and turn some in and get the heat being sent to your quarters raised- augh."

"I am not aware of any mortal having actually collected a sufficient amount of money and made an expedition to go exchange it for a damned soul but if it were not possible in principle the money would not in fact be backed by the souls of the damned."

"Yeah I'd prefer coin or supplies in kind - with a markup for transportation costs, whatever."

This is probably 'religion', isn't it?? 'Damned' is doing a lot of work in this Share Language.

"Very well. I can get you half this in coin, obviously you need cold weather gear, what supplies most interest you -" Papershuffling.

Deep breath.

"...Iron, coal, copper. Glass. Paper and ink and a pen. Slate and chalk. Plain cloth, needle and thread. Maybe some wood but that can be more cheaply got by going with whoever next plans a logging trip. Rubber, if it's available. Small samples of sulfuric or nitric acid. Glycerol, niter... Could go on but that's already probably longer than what my pay would get. I'm not going to be picky when this is already a change."

"We do not have all these things in the fort but I can inform the quartermaster's office about your... what shall we call it, it's not really a line of credit... your allowable expenditure, at any rate."

"Alright. I had - more ideas for things to build - but now I want to think first before proposing them. -I was advised by someone to not talk about religion." Because your religion SUCKS APPARENTLY.

"It's not usually constructive. If you do have a burning question I am a reasonable person to ask."