I invoked the latent power of the gemstone topaz. This is exactly the colour it should be now. I could also choose for it to be crimson as a ruby.

[ She is vaguely insulted by the assumption that she is a witch. Or perhaps moreso that he would lump disciples of any magical art into the category of 'witch'. ]

Arcanists are not witches. We are adepts at the art of the arcanum, harnessing our aether using symbols of power born of geometric techniques. Arcanists are not conjurers, nor thaumaturges.

If it has self-awareness enough to decide on its own name I am not going to force another upon it. It is my companion, not my thrall.

There are some who give names to their Carbuncles, but it is not common.

[ She thinks of Alphinaud, barely seventeen summers old and already a prodigy in the arcane arts. Era may have raw, immeasurable aether reserves to draw upon, but her young friend has an unmatched mind for it. ]

There are also others more talented than I who can create Carbuncles of obsidian, diamond, and moonstone using geometric arrays that they invent. Each type of Carbuncle has a different specialized skill set.

[ She pauses thoughtfully here, initial offense mostly forgotten in favour of her continued explanation. Era is not one for conversation - not face-to-face, at the very least - but when it comes to magic she can't help but gush and ramble. ]

I have found that it is the magical discipline most favoured by intellectuals