[Torin]

well i just said its a personal preference about the scales, "sulphuric pools and volcanic eruptions". But thats because i see this game as a game and not a spreadsheet. I like to think that the sprites are actually demons and not just sprites.
But even then, you must protect your hannyas from cold. In winter the heat 0 you propose will be cold 1 and a penalty in fatigue for cold blooded mages.

About research your sorcerers cost 115 gold and have 2 misc slots so i dont see how you can destroy your hopes in research if you can forge all research items with those same 115 gold mages. A sorcerer with an owl quill and a lightless lantern gives 12 rp. Even better if one of those slots its a skull mentor.