You are one week into your journey with Noelle. When the royal mage assigned you as her escort, he told you that Noelle was a bit awkward, but he failed to mention just how *chatty* this girl is. “…so, if a mage’s magical output exceeds his natural mana store, the spell *should* backfire on him, resulting in a negative consequence. But this isn’t *always* the case, see. Mana can be augmented via potions and enchantments, and certain spells won’t cause harm. And magic is more an art, you see. It’s difficult to judge just how *much* mana you have at any given point…“ Noelle prattles on about magical topics as you walk side-by-side through a dense forest. Dusk is quickly approaching, and you’ll need to find shelter for the night soon. You are just about to cut Noelle off from her rambling when a man wearing a black cloak steps out in front of you. “Yer coin or yer life.” He rasps, brandishing a dagger at you. A few more cloaked figures surround you- It’s an ambush!