"Mercenaries charge too much and then they run off with the money when the going gets tough, or brutalise the local population, or generally wreck havoc. Good honest sons of Stirland would never do any of that - if they flee, they know it's their families that'll pay the price of the province being overrun by the dead."

"Ah, put it like that I quite agree. I'd much rather have fellow believers in the Fatherland to fight at my side. None else can be trusted to fight to the last, and oft not even then. I merely wanted to say that wages, powder and shot, arms and armor, food and wagons and horses must all be phenomenally expensive too."

"War is an expensive matter indeed, but the alternative is death and dishonour in the eyes of our forefathers. But I think many people would rather have another three score of good honest Nuln cannon than a dragon."

At this point, a runner has arrived with a message - Tanya is wanted for another meeting.

"Might depend on the dragon. And the supply of ammunition. Ah, of course, as your disposal."

Flight boots aren't really meant for walking around with, but she really does not want to be far from her means of escape at this time. Also, her equipment still counts as property of the Army, and is not hers to lose track of near wandering eyes. So she'll tromp to this meeting wearing fifty-odd pounds of metal only lightly supported by a flight formula on idle.

Nobody has enough context to question this decision. Certainly, she's not the only person in camp wearing huge loads of metal armour - for example, the greatswords guarding this tent she's being guided into. 

Passive shell wobbles slightly as she double-checks it. She has no other visible sign of nervousness.

In the tent a woman in her early twenties, wearing grey robes that hardly show the hours of hard riding and subsequent surveillance and armed with a two-handed sword and pistols (all holstered safely, for now), who examines her silently for a moment before speaking.

"Greetings. I'm Mathilde Weber, here to discuss your magic use puissant to determining your suitability for recruitment into the Colleges of Magic as described in article 13 of the character of the colleges." 

Ah, the bureaucracy has found her. It's oddly comforting.

"Of course. I will be sure to answer your questions while maintaining the obligations I have to the Imperial Army of Germania. I'm Major Tanya von Degurechaff, 203rd Battalion, Aerial Mages, commanding. I would be delighted to review this charter and any other relevant laws, regulations, articles, declarations, letters, licenses, and so forth, in order to reach a... Better understanding of them."

"One important point of clarification, first: is your magic the blessing of a god, and if so, which one? It's very strange, I've never seen anything like it before, and divine magic is subject to a very different set of regulations."

There is a spike of

FURY

that does not show on her face.

"...While I have in times of desperation found my prayers answered with miraculous feats of magic above and beyond the norm, I strongly prefer not to rely on it. This is quite a sore subject for me. I believe my magic should be treated as would any other Imperial Mage's, honed by training and artifice rather than divinity."

The more loyalty she displays to the Empire- To the Germanian Empire- The more they'll trust her eventual conversion or recruitment here. That's the idea, at least: A reliable person who keeps to the duties taken on.

The fury, does, however, show in the spike of Aqshy that jerks towards her and then bounces off her passive shields.

Mathilde allows a little concern to show on her face, rather than the really rather large amount of concern she's feeling.

"Ah. Who, exactly, were you praying to?"

An untrustworthy meddler. Fuck. It'll be incredibly suspicious to be evasive about this. But she can buy at least a few moments to compose herself and think of a way of phrasing it.

"I would strongly, strongly prefer not to talk about it. If I must..." She pinches the bridge of her nose. "Then I suppose I must."

Mathilde has in fact thought about what she'd do if she was confronted by an arch-sorcerer, driven dhar-mad and in need of being put down. Unfortunately, the answer is probably "die". Still, if she can obtain more information before fleeing for her life to make a report to those back at the colleges who can handle this sort of problem better than her, that would be good. And you know, maybe this is the one time in a thousand where someone just has a complicated relationship with a sanctioned god, rather than being halfway to making mass human sacrifices to mad gods and sliding fast.

"Yes, you really must."

...Being X hasn't bothered her here yet. Could it have washed its hands of her? Did she out-stubborn the bastard? It really doesn't seem likely... And yet.

How about she gives in to the constant urge to complain about Being X and see if it decides to take it out on her. At this point it almost doesn't matter what he does; Surely Being X exists and is powerful, but that does not make it worthy of praise and worship. Every time she has prayed and been answered, it was out of desperation, in situations that Being X itself forced her into by fate and coincidence.

As long as it spites Being X... And describing him correctly to a whole new world...

Yes, that will work.

"The thing known as Yahweh is commonly worshipped within the Germanian Empire, and abroad, under several different names. It demands praise and faith for its glory, seeking to increase the number of faithful praying to it, granting miraculous might to those who would inspire others to greater faith, and feeling great spite at those who-" She smiles. "Reject its so-called greatness. As a victim of its machinations, I refuse to do any such thing as proselytizing, and yet I have become an unwilling symbol for the times I call out in desperation, and am answered. But it is not the kind and worthy thing it presents itself as, no. It's nothing more than spiteful, selfish, petty power in the shape of golden light. Were such a being a man he would be the worst sort of ruler, an idiot king who takes out his own failings on his subordinates and demands constant bowing and scraping from yes-men, unconcerned at what must be done to maintain his palatial standards, opposed to the advancement of technology and gradual flourishing of humanity for the sheer fact that healthy and educated people feel less need to bow and scrape to such a pathetic existence!"

A pause for thought.

"So I gladly reject his lucky breaks, the commandments and laws, the bullshit story about dying on a cross to save all from hell and get them into heaven if only you would have faith. From what I have heard in a single day here, you have more worthy ones about."

Okay, so she's at least willing to *claim* that it's just that she's in conflict with her local death-god, but not so much conflict that it won't help her when she's faced down with what is plausibly the forces of real chaos. That's a good sign, and also a sign that this is above her paygrade, probably.

"That doesn't immediately match to any major proscribed gods that I know of. I will be clear here: Drawing on the power of proscribed gods is extremely prohibited within the empire, especially with regards to using said power to enhance spellcasting, and is under many circumstances grounds for immediate execution without trial. While I see no immediate signs of corruption, and the god you describe doesn't match any of known censured gods, I would still advise being examined for lingering effects by a specialist, which I can put you in contact with after this conversation."

She pauses, waiting for a reaction. Everything else will be positively easy, after this.

Proscribed gods, check. Paranoid witch hunters, possibly also check.

"The correct response depends a great deal on the nature of the examination and the benefits of remaining in this Empire, as well as its worthiness in comparison to alternatives. I am for example duty bound to keep the practice of magic as used in the Imperial Mages as a military secret."

Ah. Well, it's fortunate that examinations for suitability can, under suitable circumstances, be extremely protracted. She's aware of one of her seniors who has been examining certain groups for suitability for decades. 

"I should outline the articles of magic, then. Arcane magic not permitted under their such charters is forbidden as witchcraft."

"Thank you for the detailed recitation..."

Tanya takes notes with a pencil and a neat little spiral bound pad.

Never know when you'll need to sketch out scouted positions before you forget, after all.

Now, loopholes and contradictions are to be expected in something like this. The technology level seems medeival- While people are not idiots, social and legal technologies need inventing, too. And the laws are written for the reality of the time.

Priority of loyalties: Empire, Emperor, supreme college head, college rules, college head, employers, superiors in the college.

"Just thinking out loud a bit. I appreciate that the first loyalty of every Magister is to the Empire, and not the Emperor. That would be a dangerous incentive."

Do not interfere with the Emperor.

Obey the normal law, with only permission to study magic as an exception.

Reasonable.

The colleges may study magic under certain restrictions in good faith.

The colleges may teach magic and pass on the authority to study magic to their members.

"Hmm- Is there a similar charter for magic users of a more divine persuasion?"

No magic without having permission or a good reason.

Thankfully blowing up necromantic rats probably counts.

Very stern warning against Demonic Powers, Necromancy, and Dark Magic. Very stern.

"I will want the standard no doubt redacted description of Demonic Powers, Necromancy, and Dark Magic, so as to better avoid such. Though I'll likely stick with the system I currently use regardless."

Because she's not sure where to even start on learning an entire new paradigm, Imperial magic is already comfortingly algorithmic. Almost like lining up spreadsheets back in Tokyo.

Obey the Electors (within reason).

"Ah, right, an imperial electoral system... That could get messy when it's time for a new one, couldn't it..."

Serve the armies on request unless it would hurt the Empire.

Protect diplomats and do special missions on request.

...They want to get some use out of the mages. Keep them in the light. Well, the Imperial Army did the same. Wait...

Fair treatment, respect, and pay as befits a noble while employed by the Electors. Permission to seek employment to other approved groups that aren't enemies of the Empire.

"Hmm? Or not necessarily? The employment clause is pretty open, and 'fair treatment as befits a noble' is a fairly nice perk... Ah. 'While in the employ of the Electors'."

Doesn't count if it's not an Elector. So that's where the power lies: Definitely with the electors. At least most of the official power; The Templars seem to have a lot of soft power.

Seek out magic users and observe/recruit them, turn them over to the Templars, or kill them.

"Ah, thirteen is where you're at now. I see, I see. Registration and permissions required, eh? Not unreasonable. I truly understand the necessity."

Like owning a car, or better yet, a gun back in Japan- Only hunters, police, and military need them, and they'd better have a clean record and no shifty tendencies. You don't want criminals with a Passive Shell and Ignition Formulas robbing random stores, or even the mentally ill with the same.

Help the Templars deal with 'servants of malignancy'.

"I assume 'servants of malignancy' includes but is not limited to the aforementioned Demonic Powers, Necromancy, and Dark Magic?"

Seek out and counter destructive entities that are beyond the Templars and civil authorities, and serve Demons, corruption, etc. This is the 'prime concern' of the Colleges, and failure to do so voids the Articles.

"Ah, here it is. The purpose of magic is to be a blasting wand pointed at enemies. And here I hoped I would retire to a nice training position in a back office somewhere, some day..." Tanya sighs and cricks her neck. "Zombies are a less sympathetic set of enemies than enemy infantry, at least. I'd have no compunction burning zombies and the like for a living."

"Many wizards live long and comfortable lives in support or research roles. Clause 15 is generally considered to be relevant primarily on an institutional level. As long as the colleges can and do deploy Battle Wizards, the fact that many wizards will never be that strong is politely ignored, as long as they're generally compliant with the broader articles." She is not going to mention the Night of a Thousand Arcane Duels, or the fact that the subsequent 15-year siege proved that the imperial government can in fact no longer meaningfully destroy the Colleges, at least at a price they consider worth paying.

"... as for your other questions. Yes, Magnus was the first good emperor we'd had for centuries at that point, he was not expecting us to always have good ones. The Grand Conclave meets to formalise agreement about outlawed cults and resolve interfaith negotiation and disputes, but they have only limited capacity to oblige action from legitimate cults. There are very good lessons on how to handle dark powers - if you continue in a fighting role, you will inevitably end up fighting them all regularly." She gives a wan smile. "The electoral system hasn't produced a civil war over election in nearly a century. I will admit I don't have personal experience, but employers who are not elector counts do find that they need to match the offer Electors are obliged to give, if they want to get many takers. You would be correct, regarding servants of malignancy. The empire has many enemies, and many allies we spend too much time fighting with."

"I'm glad you understand the importance of membership in the Colleges."

"Mmhm. I would not want to be too hasty though. I'm rather low on local context, there could be important considerations I'm missing."

Such as what it's like in other countries.

"Indeed. I thought that, at a minimum, an observation period for the remainder of this campaign would be desirable, given the circumstances, and then I'd like to take you to the colleges to help you decide which one to join, since it doesn't seem like your current magic involves a specific wind." Which is several kinds of concerning, but it also doesn't seem to involve dhar or what she speculates that qhyash would look like, so. Something for the theorists to discuss.

She cheers up a bit at a clear course of action. It's not even a betrayal of the Empire, instructions if stranded are to lreserve yourself and make efforts to return.

She'll examine all those feelings about it later. Yes, later. Or maybe never.

"I'll need replacement armaments for a weeks or months long campaign. Or a handgun of local make perhaps, presuming I can get my formulae to stick to simple balls of lead. And I would appreciate an attempt to locate my home, unlikely as that seems to bear fruit."

"What's the limiting factor on enchanting bullets? That's what you were doing against the Blasphemy of Blood?"

"It's a specific formula designed for a specific, precisely shaped bullet. I have to enchant them ahead of time, and then cast a spell as they're fired as well. This much is general knowldge, I can talk about what I'm capable of. Just now precisely how I am."

"And the bullet is mundane, and you have examples of suitable bullets? If none of the engineers can replicate it, I'd be astounded if a dwarf could not, given examples and sufficient monetary incentive."