"That's fascinating. I suppose you've been in Thedas long enough to gather that hand-to-hand combat is not a skill you can assume most formally trained mages have, though I suppose more of those you've met in Riftwatch do than you'd find in the general population." A bit ruefully, he adds, "There's rather a conflict between organizations that find it useful to have battle-ready mages and those who find mages dangerous enough already."

Julius himself is effective on the battlefield with magic at his disposal, but not much of a brawler; the idea of using marital arts as a foundation is interesting but somewhat alien.

"Is there a difference between the mystical arts and magic?" It wasn't the main thrust of what Strange had said, but it's caught Julius's ear.