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Azura Skyrock's avatar

The Imperial Pyromantic Academy of Calamar with its orange tiles, rust-red bricks, and jagged lines is quite the sight! Whoever designed it certainly knew how to make it look alive with fire. That makes me wonder: How long has the Academy been there? And who did design it?

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Durrin is up to his old tricks of picking locks. I remember that he bought a few crude tool in Elandria for the same purpose. I suppose that is how he obtained the Elandrain officer's uniform. Where did Durrin learn such covert skills? Surely they don't teach lockpicking at the Academy. Or do they?

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Jeremy P. Madsen's avatar

The Academy as an institution was established by the legendary pyromancer Kymar Roline over 300 years earlier.

But the physical building in its current form was built about 70 years prior, as part of a decades-long series of building projects ushering in Calamar's golden age. (That golden age and building spree is still continuing---you'll remember the massive statue and the new section of city wall that Durrin saw while entering the city.)

Oh, yes, they teach lockpicking at the Academy. Along with tumbling, juggling, pick-pocketing, sleight of hand, climbing, knot-tying, forgery, tracking, martial arts, and quite a few other skills of somewhat nefarious application.

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Azura Skyrock's avatar

"By their fruits ye shall know them"!

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Taliana the Aquamancer's avatar

Ah-HA! So it was YOU! You and your curly-haired friend who burst into my master's shop eight years ago, costing us 3,549 shekels in property damage and nearly burning Ilyan's mixery to the ground.

I should have known.

Twigly! Assemble!

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Twigly the Barbaric's avatar

I'm assembled!

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Taliana the Aquamancer's avatar

Ready the ballistas, the ballast, and the bayonets. The culprit of Ilyan's Debacle has been un-earthed. We ride at dawn!

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Twigly the Barbaric's avatar

I've got the ballistas and the ballast.

What's a bayonet?

Also . . . where should I pick you up at? Last time I checked, you were off the beaten trade winds.

P.S. You don't "ride" a cloud frigate.

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Taliana the Aquamancer's avatar

Bother. You're right. (A rare occurrence, but this time you actually are.)

You will have to go without me. Avenge the crimes against my illustrious former master. Burn Durrin's business ledgers. Destroy his most valuable measurement devices. Smash the inner workings of his door locks. Wreak havoc!

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Twigly the Barbaric's avatar

Wow. You are . . . fired up about this.

You know, considering it was eight years ago now, and I'm pretty sure Durrin doesn't have any of those things you mentioned, I think I'm good. Really.

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