Clueless Delver

"I see, it is no wonder I've seen you specatating several times in spite of your role... Which I suppose I should avoid mentioning..." the gentle voiced woman chuckled softly. "I appreciate your consideration. But now that you mention it, it sounds as though you are not here for the same purpose as I."

"It is truly inconceivable - to this day, even when we are halfway through this Tincturing... I find it hard to believe the Council decided to proceed with this farce. I can only attribute it to the some machinations behind the late Cauldron..." "And have you, any leads one that front?" "That is what I am hoping will be revealed here... Those who are likely of success ok this stage are probably associated with those with vested interests..."

"Following your bar of worth, it appears that none are worthy, if we exclude those clearly taking incorrect steps, and those are are petrified by pressure," the woman with gentle voice replied as she swept her gaze across the crucible hall.

"Of course! Take a look at the most promising at the generation for instance," the woman with the bitter voice spoke as she pointed at Tul-Mitush. "Though it is as you say, her control of flame is perhaps on-par with your own, which is impressive for her age, the other steps appear to be only slightly above average and do not seem to bring anything new to the cauldron." "I would think as a trial to deem oneself fit to succeed the Cauldron of Stone - only those worthy of to be chosen are those who display new methods."

 "It appears that there is a glut unremarkable tincturers. If only I were a little younger, I would have dominated this Tribulation..." From a spectating gallery above the crowd surrounding the granite tables, the somewhat bitter voice of a woman could just barely be heard amongst the excited chatter of the onlookers of the scene. "You believe so? Their command of tincturing flame in general seems to be considerably more steady compared to our generation," the gentle voice of another woman replied.

"Who cares about him - check out Tul-Mitush - she's already at the second filtration of her concoction!" "Man... If only I were a quarter as talented as her..." Chatter grew at the crowd around three tables ahead of the reticent Inur-Ash. Unlike the other tables which were tending to the flame of a cauldron, a woman wearing a shawl which obscured her mouth and had her black hair tied by a wooden ornament in a spiky bun pointed at an intricate assembly of glassware at the bottom of which was a translucent sieve

"Is that really the prodigy of Soot? He was hasn't even touched his ingredients"  "He's just standing there with his arms folded... Is he casting some sort of spell?" "Could it be that he bribed his way to this stage? What injustice this is!" Much muttering from onlookers echoed through the Crucible Hall where Inur-Ash stood with his eyes closed before a large granite table upon which several vials, flasks and herbs were placed. Surrounding him around several steps away were also other identical granite tables, except that the cauldrons were set atop a flame and were either being monitored or mixed by a person each.