"Of mages, I know less than I'd like," she said, "I haven't met many, none, except you, that I'd care to have a talk with. I know that you organize yourselves, though it seems to be based on strength, something like us, I suppose, but the lines seem blurred, age seems to play a part, but mortals have short lives, so it hard for me to make sense of," she said.<br/><br/>She pointed to a wall, which held a portait, her own, clearly, though painted at least two centuries previous.<br/><br/>"I've been an elder for a long time," she said, "it is the prize for long life, even to exceed a century is increasingly rare."<br/><br/>She leaned back once more and sighed.<br/><br/>"Tell me," she said, "what do you desire? What is your reason for coming? I can only make you an offer, if I know what I have to bargain with, and guessing games have not been my favourites for a long time,"<br/><br/>