Practicality is one of Istredd's greatest suits. He has it in spades, so he was prepared in most ways he could be before coming here. It did take some psyching up in order to get here though. He did get used to socializing more during the dig, surrounded by common folk or good people interested in his work, but it was pretty casual. Work-related and never more personal than that. It is where he thrives. This is all pretty personal.

"Mages are trained to go to courts and influence them, or find avenues to power for the Brotherhood, but they gave up on me fairly early. I was given a lot of freedom as a failure."

He says that dryly and without resentment. Even young he didn't mind being a 'failure' to the eyes of his mentor if it meant he actually got to do what he wanted to. Istredd managed to follow the path he wished for instead of being forced into the box everyone else had to fill. He would not have changed that. It is one of the many reasons he and Yennefer couldn't have worked out. Different interests.

"I don't mind doing it, I want to help them. I'll just sleep very well tonight." His cup of energy is draining. It's fine. He can do hours of magic and be mostly fine, but hours of socializing and he needs to sit down.