Analyzing Lorroakan’s letter to Rolan, line-by-line
“You are most fortunate, Rolan.” <- making rolan feel like he’s special for being chosen
“Few catch my interest, but your letters demonstrate potential.” <- knows rolan holds him in high regard, so gives him something resembling a compliment to strengthen the connection between them, bordering on praise but not quite. asking him to prove his devotion to his own growth
“I am willing to give you a chance. However, a warning - you must be willing to do whatever is necessary.” <- setting up the stage for rolan to blame himself for not being strong enough if he’s unable to fulfill increasingly high expectations. emphasis on ‘necessary’ to really make him feel like hardships are essential trials
“Power is not cheap. And I’ll not suffer weakness in my own student.” <- doesn’t even care whether rolan accepts his offer of apprenticeship or not, makes the decision for him. probably an intentional way of establishing a certain lvl of control over him from the start. refers to imperfection as ‘weakness’. signs just his name, no “sincerely” or “signed” or anything formal at all. it’s a calculated wording on his part
some other questions i had about rolan, who seems to be mid- to late- twenties but still considered an apprentice wizard? late starts in life aren’t uncommon in faerun, i’d imagine, but it still makes me wonder wtf he was doing for 30-odd years instead of studying magic
- did he need to give up his dreams to support his family? it’s lightly implied that he could use magic as a child, but that’s a long time between 12-30 ish. perhaps he was too tired from working shitty jobs to study magic, or he didn’t have enough money or opportunities (as a tiefling) to do so?
- did he fail out, give up, lose his passion or his hope that he’d actually become a great wizard?
- something drove him to write those letters to lorroakan. he wrote multiple. was lorroakan the only one he wrote to? were there others he was rejected from, making him feel desperate for this one thing?
- did rolan, cal, and lia get kicked out of elturel (with the other refugees), or did they leave willingly? did they leave willingly AFTER witnessing increasing violence and hostility towards tieflings?
- why is he wearing a sorcerer’s robe????? he had a wizard robe in EA… and he is labelled as a “prodigy” i’m assuming unironically, so perhaps he’s a sorcerer who thinks he’s a wizard? (he’s clearly labelled in game as a wizard, though, so perhaps it was for visual reasons - clothing that better matches his personality)
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