Before she became known for her mastery of light magic and kinetic manipulation, Scintilla spent much of her life travelling across Faerûn in pursuit of knowledge. While many wizards devoted themselves to a single academy, tower, or library, Scintilla rarely remained in one place for long. There was always another archive to explore, another forgotten text to uncover, or another scholar whose theories deserved questioning. It was during these travels that she first met Maeror. The two encountered one another in a library while researching the same ancient manuscript. According to Scintilla's own recollection, the meeting began poorly. S: _"You've been reading that book for three hours."_ M: _“A remarkable display of patience on your part. Most people interrupt me after two.”_ S: _“I need that book.”_ M: _“So do I.”_ S: _“Then perhaps we should share it.”_ M: _“An interesting proposal. Unfortunately, I'm currently using all of it.”_ What followed was not a conversation so much as an argument. The manuscript concerned theories surrounding magical energy, and both were convinced the other had misunderstood the author's intent. Neither succeeded in changing the other's mind. Neither left the table either. By the end of the evening they had attracted enough attention that several nearby scholars had abandoned their own work simply to listen. Scintilla departed convinced that Maeror was one of the most frustrating people she had ever met. Maeror later claimed the feeling had been mutual. Several months later, Scintilla arrived at another library and discovered Maeror already seated among a pile of books. S: _"You again?"_ M: _“I was about to say the same thing.”_ S: _“I'm beginning to think you're following me.”_ M: _“An understandable concern.”_ S: _“Oh?”_ M: _“If I were following you, I'd have reached the restricted archives before you.”_ To Scintilla's annoyance, she laughed. Neither considered the encounter anything more than coincidence. When it happened again at a third library, however, the coincidence became a running joke. By the fourth, neither was particularly surprised. S: _"Let me guess, Rare magical manuscripts?"_ Scintilla remarked upon finding him in yet another archive. M: _“Actually no.”_ S: _“Really?”_ M: _“I was hoping to enjoy a peaceful afternoon.”_ S: _“Then why are you here?”_ M: _“I was here first.”_ Over the following years, the two continued crossing paths throughout Faerûn. Wherever Scintilla travelled in search of knowledge, there always seemed to be a reasonable chance that Maeror had arrived there before her, or would arrive shortly after. Sometimes chance brought them together. Other times one would hear rumours regarding the other's research and decide to investigate for themselves. Their relationship gradually developed into a friendly rivalry. Scintilla approached problems as a wizard. She trusted experimentation, observation, and practical application. If a theory appeared sound, she wanted to test it. Maeror approached the same questions from an entirely different perspective. Though an accomplished alchemist, he was equally a philosopher. He cared less about what magic could accomplish and more about understanding why it functioned in the first place. Their disagreements became famous among certain academic circles. Scholars would often gather simply to listen to the pair debate magical theory, alchemy, metaphysics, and the nature of reality itself. One particularly memorable argument reportedly began with Maeror stating: M: _“Your solution to every problem is to cast a spell at it.”_ S: _“It works remarkably often.”_ M: _“That is not a defence.”_ S: _“It is when the problem explodes.”_ M: _“Especially when the problem explodes.”_ S: _“You say that as though it's a drawback.”_ Their debates could last hours. Occasionally days. Neither ever truly won. Neither seemed interested in doing so. Despite their constant arguments, they enjoyed one another's company. Scintilla quickly realised that Maeror was one of the few people capable of challenging her intellectually. He never deferred to her reputation, never hesitated to question her conclusions, and never seemed intimidated by her confidence. Likewise, Maeror found in Scintilla someone capable of keeping pace with his ideas. Most scholars either dismissed his theories as impractical or became lost halfway through his explanations. Scintilla did neither. When she disagreed, she did so loudly. When she criticised him, she usually had evidence. As the years passed, they began intentionally seeking each other out. Letters were exchanged between journeys. Research notes became correspondence. Correspondence became friendship. Friendship became companionship. Somewhere along the way, neither could remember exactly when the rivalry stopped being the most important part of their relationship. Years later, when asked when they had fallen in love, their answers remained completely different. Scintilla maintained it happened during a six-hour argument regarding magical energy transfer. Maeror insisted it had occurred long before that. S: _“You only say that because it sounds romantic.”_ M: _“I say it because it's true.”_ S: _“You once described romance as an inefficient allocation of intellectual resources.”_ M: _“I was wrong.”_ Scintilla reportedly preserved that statement in writing. Several copies may have survived. Several years after their first meeting, Maeror revealed that he belonged to an organisation known as the Symposium of Integration. The Symposium was a secretive society dedicated to the study of knowledge in all its forms. Unlike many academic institutions, it did not separate disciplines. Wizards worked alongside alchemists, physicians, artificers, mathematicians, philosophers, inventors, and scholars from countless fields. Its members believed that the greatest discoveries would emerge not from specialising further, but from combining knowledge that others believed unrelated. Recognising Scintilla's talents, Maeror invited her to join. When he presented the invitation, he appeared noticeably less confident than usual. Scintilla found this deeply amusing. S: _“You realise, that if this is some elaborate attempt to win an argument, it has taken you years”_ she remarked after reading the proposal M: _“It would be an exceptionally dedicated argument.”_ S: _“You are exceptionally dedicated.”_ M: _“That is a fair criticism.”_ She accepted. Working together within the Symposium allowed both scholars to pursue research on a scale neither could have achieved alone. Their studies blended arcane theory, alchemical science, philosophy, and experimentation. Together they produced discoveries that earned considerable respect among their peers. Many breakthroughs bore both of their names. Neither seemed particularly interested in deciding whose contribution had been greater. The truth was that they worked best together. As their professional partnership deepened, so too did their personal relationship. Long evenings discussing research became shared meals. Expeditions became adventures. Professional respect became affection. Eventually, Maeror proposed. According to witnesses, Scintilla immediately knew her answer. According to Scintilla, she chose not to provide it immediately. S: _“You already know my answer.”_ M: _“I know.”_ S: _“Then why are you nervous?”_ M: _“Because if I have somehow miscalculated this, I would prefer to know now.”_ S: _“For a man who studies uncertainty, you're remarkably bad at handling it.”_ She accepted. The two married shortly thereafter. Their marriage was a happy one. Though they continued to challenge one another professionally, their differences complemented each other remarkably well. Scintilla's creativity balanced Maeror's methodical nature. Maeror's patience tempered Scintilla's impulsiveness. Their debates never truly ended, but over time they became less about proving a point and more about understanding one another. Several years later they welcomed twins into their family. Their son was named Fastus. Their daughter was named Laetitia. The children inherited the curiosity of both parents. Their home became a place overflowing with books, research notes, experiments, discussion, and learning. Academic debates shared space with children's drawings. Complex magical theories were interrupted by requests for stories. Research schedules were routinely disrupted by family life. Neither parent seemed particularly bothered by this. For a time, life seemed nearly perfect. Both continued their research through the Symposium while raising their children together. Those who knew them during this period often described them as inseparable. They were regarded as two of the brightest minds within the Symposium and appeared destined to spend the rest of their lives pursuing knowledge side by side. Looking back, many who knew them remembered the brilliance of their work. Others remembered their discoveries. Most remembered the debates. Everyone could see what Scintilla and Maeror themselves had been slow to recognise. Long before they became husband and wife, they had already become one another's favourite conversation.