He smiles. "That's fair," he agrees. He sets the book to the side and has another drink, inhaling some of the steam to aid the magic along.

"No one knows exactly where Mr. Brimstone came from. Sometimes, he claims he was the bastard son of a wizard, and other times, he pretends he was a foundling, raised by earthen spirits rather than people of any sort. He's written many a book, and his personal history varies in each one. As for me, I believe he probably has humble origins, but prefers the mystery to the truth. No matter where he came from, one cannot deny his influence on the advancement of magic in my world."