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Till keeps his distance from Noam and Niome talking over the specimen, smiling at their conversation. He pulls himself away to check up on the two downed Chelaxians. "No use letting them die needlessly, is there?" If they're still alive, he does what he can to stabilize them. "You," he addresses the one that surrendered. "You're free to go, and take your wounded comrades with you." --
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Till has his morningstar raised and is about to strike, when Noam fells the woman he was about to strike. "Well, yes. Uhm..." Rather than continue with his morning star, Till draws his bow and pushes forward for a better shot. -- =========
Keeping up his boisterous description of their current situation, Till moves forward and aims for the tentacles creature seemingly controlling the Chelaxian. "Say, did I ever tell you about this play I did about a noble and splendid archer, who could shoot an apple off his comrades's head? This is sort of the same thing, isn't it?" He aims high and lets loose an arrow at the incutilis.
"Thank Olandil," Till says as he steps up and swings his morning star. Distracted and surrounded, that's too good an opportunity to pass up. The weapon is all silver and sparkles and looks gaudy, almost like a stage prop. That doesn't diminish its effectiveness however, especially with the force Till can use behind the blow. "Well done, my friends. Come Hell of high water, whatever our alien environment or what foul monsters these adversaries can throw at us, we will counter steel with steel, and tentacles with... zeal!" --
Till has spent some time on stage doing acrobatic feats, and his legs hold him when the whale suddenly lurches. "There's trouble," he informs the others, and draws his morning star just in case. His fears are confirms when the Chelaxian woman lowers herself down the blowhole and makes her demands. He takes a quick look at the others, and decides that surrender just isn't an option. I just hope Olandil is quick enough to get away from that crossbow. Till hopes to buy the Pathfinder some time. He speaks softly and weaves a cautious tale. "It seems we are in a stick situation Lieutenant. You have the element of surprise, and are poised to strike our companion. The sensible thing would be, perhaps, to surrender. Or maybe even to bargain him away for our own freedom. Still, there's something to consider..." He leaves a short pause. [b]"Like some of us can attest. We haven't really made the sensible choices to far. Pathfinders, rally!"[b] He gives his morningstar a twirl, and hopes he's done enough. --
Till is a bit apprehensive about Poppo's plan, but enters the whale nonetheless. "You know what the worst thing about this is?" he asks the others as he takes stock of the 'room' they're in? "I could never use this in one of my plays. The audience would instantly walk out on such a far-fetched and unrealistic story!" He smirks and takes a place halfway between the mouth and the eyes.
"So you need a dead whale to perform this magic? Do you have one, of will we have to kill a whale first?" Till doesn't look too keen at that prospect.
Till doesn't need any special preparations, but he just has one question. "Exactly what is this whale you speak of? How is it going to help us escape? It's not an actual whale, is it?" --
Till has been somewhat silent since their fight with the Strix, and the subsequent deaths and the planting of evidence. "Grizzly business, but it must be done, I suppose..." Once back at the Inkwell, he quickly agreees with Lorrin Meese. "We have little time left, so we'd best make good use of it to undo the worst of the damage. I can compose a poem, I think. That seems fitting. I will perform it once myself, and I hope that several of you will pick it up from time to time, to reinforce the message." Till turns of to be a better performer than writer, but the story seems passably to him. It paints the Pathfinder Society as harmless investigators, curators of history that document without interfering. --
Till spots the danger in Noam rushing forward, just a second too late. He realizes that his wounds are severe, but doesn't want to make it show in his tale. "The heroes of our tale charge forth valiantly, but of course their attack is met in kind! While magic proves hard to resist, steel also shows it's worth. Look, on of the heroes takes a wound in the chest and crumples. Things seem dire for our protagonists, but they do not falter. No, they do not!" To lend weight to his words, Till levels his bow at the Strix with the longspear and fires an arrow, feeling that his aim is true this day. --
"I doubt it, Noam," Till calls out as he pulls out his bow and checks his quiver of arrows. "We've gone this far..." Till clears his throat and then speaks with extra articulation. "And so, the bold companions ventured forth into the crumbled towers, to face these winged devils and make good on their word. They grit their teeth against the inevitable onslaught of an enemy with the advantage of reach and mobility, but know that their commitment, training and companionship will make all the difference." --
Till basks in the compliment Lorrin gives, then turns his expression grave. "No, unfortunately I'm not. You see, we're actually here on very important business. We're taking a chance in coming to you, but I have faith that you won't betray out trust." He puts an arms around the fellow's shoulder and explains the situation they're in.
-- He listens intently to Lorrin's reply and the favor the man asks of them. He raises a fist and gives it a whirl as if fencing. "A noble challenge, that will aid Pezzack either way. Of course we noble adventurers will be glad to oblige!" He waits just a moment before responding to the second request, gauging his companions' reactions. "Fair enough, Niome," he adds when the apprentive spellcaster pipes up. Her words give him exactly the kind of delay he had hoped for. "Like Aggie says, we aren't too well-versed on the intricacies of Pezzacki politics. You asked the favor of us, so we will give it proper consideration, but ultimately we all have to stand by such a decision to interfere. We wouldn't want to be responsible for setting the town on another rampage, you understand." Meanwhile, he tries to figure out how his faction's order would apply here. Should I try and have us plant the evidence implicating the Docktowners and the Loyalists, so that the Galtans and White Thistles stand up favorably by comparison? That might work... Till checks in with the others. "Shall we go and deal with the Strix? My bow should come in handy, to deal with them. We can discuss about the 'evidence' once we're through with that. I have some ideas, personally, but I'd like to hear about the other's intentions as well."
Till barely hides his amusement at the situation. Is he going to summon a giant whale, to swim us out of here? He finds himself agreeing with Arisha and Aggie, sort of. "I think the White Thistles would be a good candidate to try and work with. They seem reasonable. Still, I would suggest a different course of action. He grins. "What about the Galtans? Like Aggie said, they should be able to provide a decent distraction. And..." He falls out of character briefly. "If things go South for them, I think we can all agree that Pezzack wouldn't lose much to be rid of those rabblerousers." Just maybe, we can both get something out of it. "One thing again that, though, is that I don't really trust the Galtans to speak for the Pathfinders if the need should arise. And it seems we have to find one faction to do both for us, don't we?" --
Till nods at Niome's words. "If you take care of those two, I'll follow Lord Arthur." He raises his bow in the air. "Right behind you, Lord Arthur. Together we'll apprehend this villain and we will call him to account" He spits in his hands and tries to climb the slope as fast as he can. Which is, unfortunately, not at all... --
Please do, Mecha. Apologies once again, but I really have to make some choices on how to spend my spare time/energy.
Sorry for my absence, folks. Work has been hammering me quite hard, and I can hardly find the energy to read up, much less post something useful. I hope things will let up this weekend.
Till breathes in deeply, happy to be in clean air. "Well, that must be called a success, doesn't it? It seems like everything is in place for Jax's daring escape. Dashing!" He shows that he's not totally oblivious to his situation. "Aggie, that wound must hurt. Do you have magic of your own to heal? If not, I have a wand that should help. My own magical talents aren't in the healing department, but a wand should be easy enough to handle..." --
"Good, good, Lord Ockham," Till comments after the Taldan's encouraging words. "You're really starting to feel it." He swings his morningstar with bravado. "Have heart, Aggie. Together we will prevail. The disgusting slug before was merely a diversion, compared to this. An actual foe that shows that it's a threat. This is drama!" --
Till acknownledges the compliments with a flourish, but seems a bit pensive at the sudden conclusion of the fight. "Really, a struggle that is over so soon lacks suspence. For better effect, there should be some back and forth, to increase tension. And then, when the audience doesn't expect it... the deathblow!" -- As he hears a commotion down the corridor, Till puts his head around the corner. "Everyone around. Ah..." He takes stock of the pit trap. "It seems our colleague had quite a dangerous path ahead of himself. Or maybe he planned it this way, to shake off any pursuers?" As Aggie explains her plan, Till moves forward a bit. "If there is something, I might be able to create a knot at range. I've dabbled in some magic, and know basic telekinesis. Also, if worse comes to worst I could try jumping across. It's not too far, really."
Till lights up when he learns the nature of what thery're up against. "Oh, what a wonderful plot: Adventurers underground, in a filthy sewer. And then: They encounter a foul creature that is sure to draw a reaction from the audience!" He quickly falls back into character, spewing some lines that could only have come from a play of questionable quality. "Take heart, my fellows! If we stay strong and remember our teachings, such a creature may pose no threat to us, no matter its disgusting nature. Into the breach, fellows. Let us face this foe with steel and wit!" --
Till acts modest when the time comes to enter the Guts. He lets Lord Ockham lead the way an positions himself in the middle of the pack. "Well, our friend is well-prepared it seems. There's light burning which suggests recent activity here." He draws his shortbow and checks his quiver, despite the cramped quarters making it unlikely he'll get a good shot off. Aggie's comment on her sense of direction draws a quizzical look from him, but he goes along with it. "If you're always right, does that mean that we should always go left?" He looks as if he remembers something. "Isn't that the best way to get somewhere, in a place like this? Take one direction and stick with it?"
Glad that others are covering for his bungling of the situation, Till fades into the background. He gives one of the guard another nod, just to have something to do. --
Till realizes that he might have made a mistake, but tries to hide it as best as he can. Which is not really well. He shrugs off the woman's interest, over-acting his indifference. "Psh. Anyone could have hold us that, indeed. I was hoping for some actually interesting information. No clue as to where Amalia is hiding?" --
Till notes the massive presence of guards, and gives them a cordial tip of his hat. She must be running a good business, to afford so many. Her information must be good. Hopefully, she's a bit discreet as well. After Arisha has asked about Jax, Till adds his questions. "If you have any information on Amalia Wraxton, we might also be interested. She hasn't been seen recently, I heard. Also, is Habar Curl up to anything these days?" He thinks he could pass off these questions to his companions as if he were merely trying to cover up the true object of their interest.
Till is happy to see Lord Arthur taking the brunt of the blame for their actions, and stays in the background. He follows the other inside and makes some attempt to search for anything interesting. The affair just seems like an abandoned warehouse to him, and he finds himself very softly humming a heavy-ho song while he makes his round of the warehouse. Aggie's discovery pulls him out of it. "Very nice. Well done, Aggie. Guided by the stars, were you?" he quips with a wink to her levitating goat.
Till slowly lets go of the rope. "I believe we should let them win this argument, good Sir," he remarks, trying to be smooth about it. "I suppose, if we keep a good watch of that shady character, we can negate anything unjust he might think of. And it will allow us to see what the warehouse is like without leaving a trail."
Till, still wearing his student robes, is absolutely up for the task of aiding Lord Ockham. "Very well, let's show the rest what a great team the both of us make, if we set our minds to it." He picks up the rope behind Arthur and starts pulling as well. He grins as he's working, realizing that he's stronger than the Taldan but trying to make it seem like he's only helping. "This really would be the proper timing for a heavy-ho interlude song, but I suppose we'll have to leave that, since we're trying to be stealthy."
Till is mildly annoyed that he didn't spot the person spying on them, but Sir Osmond wouldn't let that get to him. "Starling idea, Sir Ockham. Let's draw a lot of attention here, so the person spying will be too occupied to notice Noam." He sets his back to the wall and offers the Taldan a leg up. --
Till follows the others, and begins describing their actions again, keeping his voice low since they're supposed to stay hidden. "The intrepid explorers arrive at the scene after dark. Alas, they find their way barred. What will they do? Is a locked door enough to keep them out, or will they take a chance and try to venture inside?" While Arisha makes a round of the warehouse, Till keeps her guard up, looking for people who might be there to spot them.
Wow, Tier 1. Have a lot of fun, and make good use of your off-time for sleep, I suppose. :)
Take care, get well soon.
Till is a gracious listener, nodding and asking the occasional question as Auntie tells her stories. "That's certainly an interesting rumour," he replies in the same conspiratorial tone. He cringes slightly at Arisha's addition. Does that really help, to add more notice to him? He tries a different approach. "Would be nice if it were true, wouldn't it? Like a modern-day Romero and Juliana?" He thanks her for her time and watches her leave, thinking on what he learned when they're interrupted by the shaggy drunkard. He remains stoic as the man - Robillard tells his drunken tale, but has the same hunch as Niome. "You're right," he whispers back. "I have a mind to check out the warehouse, but it might draw too much attention. Maybe it's about time we return to the Professor? Or we could try Gold Street. Lost of people coming and going there, maybe people know who's been buying magic stuff." --
Till feels like he's being pushed in a direction he might come to regret. He's rather hear stories of local affairs than have to tell them. Luckily, Arisha seems equally keen to spinning a tale and making it just believable enough. "Aye," he concurs with his companion. "Could have come to blows as well. Lucky it didn't... The Galtans are probably up to something" he adds with a rueful smile. "Aren't they always? It'd be good to know, but if it's all the same to you, I'd rather also hear of what goes on in Docktown here. It's good to know there are people who just try to make the best of their lives, despite all the tension in the town."
After the bleakness of the theater, Docktown is a welcome change of venue for Till. "It does me good to see that some people just want to go on with their lives, and make it the best they can with what they have. It's a sort of tenacity that you have to admire, isn't it?" His smile is back by the time that they enter Auntie's. "Good morning, ma'am. We've been hard at work this morning, and could use something to drink with a decent conversation to go with it."
Yep. Doing great, Mecha!
Till has been uneasy with being watched as well, and nods at Lord Ockham's observation. "A daring and dashing plan. I love it. Not quite suited to my expertise, but I wish you the best of luck." --
Once they reach the ruined theater, Till quickly figures that searching it is a fool's errand. Still, they have to make the effort. The place makes him melancholy and philosophical, and he starts talking, as if an off-screen narrator where describing his actions. "Despite their better judgement, the six roll up their sleeves and start the bleak task of finding something of us in the burned-out theater. It is a grim task that reminds them of the volatile nature of the situation. How bad have things grown, when even a place dedicated to the Arts isn't safe from the ravaging of Man?" --
Hmm, I think Shorewall is out, then. But Sir Edmon is a bit of a rebel, so going against Poppo's advice and visiting the Theater doesn't sound too bad. Besides, it's a theater! Also, haunted places like that have a tendency to provide good safe spots, because no one bothers to check there. Alternatively, we could maybe check Alchgarden, or Gold Street. Maybe we could ask around, and find our whether any of the Jaxes have been a patron there recently.
Till arches an eyebrow at Lord Ockham suddenly chill reception. What's that all about? He wants to make a snide remark about all of them letting their past allegiances go as Pathfinders, but it would break character, and the chance of being overheard is too big. He's about to make a similar comment that mentions the nobleman's Taldan origin when it suddenly hits him. Haha, of course. He'd be proud enough to let himself be offended by that story. Till decides to let Arthur soak in his pride for a while as he handles his business with Meese. -- When Arisha asks for the volume of poetry later, Till easily hands it over. "Sure, you're welcome to study it for a bit. I'll want if back, though. I am an admirer of the arts, and it is a signed copy. Besides, it was a gift, even if one I had to pay for..." He takes a sideways looks at Lord Arthur, deciding whether to broach the topic of his story again. He decides against it, for the time being.
Till makes an elaborate bow to receive the thanks of the audience, then climbs down off the table. In his rush of being on stage, though, he hasn't picked up at all that his story offended his companion. He claps Lord Ockham on the shoulder. "I could see you getting the crowd in the right mood. Thanks!" He then points out Lorrin Meese and mumbles that he has some business, leaving the Taldan nobleman. The actor plays modest for Meese. "It was nothing, really. I enjoy giving a show like that, and I'm just glad I was along to prevent the mood from going sour the rest of the evening." He's genuinely thankful and surprised when the man presents him with a copy of Amalia Wraxton's work, and gladly pays the price. He shakes the man's hand in thanks and holds him close, whispering "I meant what I said up there, but that doesn't mean I consider all sides equally favourable. He gently taps the necklace with the ivory rose in it. White happens to be my colour. If you ever need anything, just try to get word to me and I'll do my best." He hastily packs the volume of poerty and then rejoins his companions. "Thanks all," he says jovially, fulling in character as the dashing adventurer. "Isn't it great when one's talents allow one to make a difference?" He leans in close to Arisha for just a moment, speaking behind his hand. "It's Osmond." With that, it seems opportune to discuss their next destination. "Where next? Our friend has connections everywhere, so any place if as good as the others, I suppose. It might be a hornet's nest, but the Galtan's fortress is nearby. Fancy our chances there?" --
"...And I don't really know you that well, you know?” While Till mulls over a way to win Meese's trust, the disagreement between the Loyalist and the Galtan quickly escalates. "Watch," he tells Meese with a wink when Arisha provides a distraction, and he makes his way to a clearly visible place and jumps on a table. "Fellow countrymen!" He shouts to get everyone's attentions, exaggerating his Chelish accent ever so slightly for emphasis. "Galtan guests, as well!" he adds in the hope of forestalling and heckling on that account. "We have our differences, but seeing all of you here together gives me hope as well." He speaks fast and with emphasis to catch the attention of the crowd, despite what had been occuring so far. "It remind me actually," he laughs as if remembering a joke, "of a story I heard once about a band of Taldan adventurers looking for a great treasure in the Verduran Forest..." He leaves a small pause for dramatic effect, but decides to give away the punchline already with his best smile. "As you would expect, that didn't go so well." Till is totally improvising, but he assumes that Chelaxians and Galtans could set aside their differences when Taldans are the butt of the joke. He waits just a second for either laughter or heckling, but is determined to tell the story and defuse the situation. Till launches into an improvised one-person two-acter wherein a band of foppish Taldan adventurers head into the Verduran Forest to retrieve a great treasure. They constantly bicker among themselves, fall prey to mischievous faeries and snapping wolves and are eventually forced to retreat back home wearing just their smallclothes. It's a fast-paced and light-hearted story, but for those listening carefully he also injects some references to actual plays and classic texts. Till is enjoying himself on his make-shift stage, and is quite confident in his ability to tell the story and entertain the crowd. The toughter, the better. As he finishes the story, he decides to push his luck. "Proud people of Pezzacki, I thank you for your attention. Please remember that we are all on this journey together. There's monsters in the woods, and we are not foolish Taldans. Take care of yourself, and each other. Thank you!" --
Till coughs. "Ah, yes. Of course. I was just thinking that like-minded people such as yourself might know more. I was really hoping to hear her recite some of her work some time." He summons his most disappointed-seeming look. "Maybe, if I can't hear them for herself, do you at least have some of her work written down, or printed? It'd be a poor substitute, of course..." When there is opportunity, he turns to his companions. "It took quite a bit of trouble to get here. Should we stick around a bit, order a drink and talk to some folk? Anything we may pick up could be useful."
Till feels right at home in the noisy common room full of artists. He soaks up the atmosphere as he takes the flyer and listens to the gossip. Like Lord Ockham he notes the bucket of weapons, but draws a somewhat different conclusion. So, the Thistles have the power to make demands of Loyalists, and they agree. That says something about the power balance. Despite not appearing to pay attention, he nods at Aggie's statement. "Yes, we're on the right track," he agrees. He waits for Arthur to speak with Lorrin, then points at his own flyer and adds. "Indeed, seems interesting. Actually, I'm a quite a poetry admirer. Do you think Miss. Wraxton will be in attendance? I've heard of her, but never had the opportunity to meet her." --
Till holds out his bowl of Noodles for Aggie to nab something out of. In he very quiet whisper, he quips "Explore. Report. Cooperate. Share. Right?" When Niome related the information she gleaned from the poetry, Till is genuinely impressed. "Bravo!" he whispers, choosing a word that seem a bit out of place again. "That is quite an important find. Maybe that means that Madge just plays the fool. Or our colleague managed to play her just right. Regardless, it seems like he is going to give us a great opportunity."
Till's eyebrows shoot up when he hears the price of a cup of noodles. If those are the best in town, things are dire indeed... He digs a pewter plate out of his mess kit and holds it up for Madge to fill. "My good lady, I have brought you salted meats in trade for this meal. No doubt your patrons wouldn't mind the change of flavour?" When they have the opportunity to converse among themselves, Till shrugs at the suggestion that they return to the professor? "Really? It just seemed like a lot of junk to me..." He thinks for a second. "We've just crossed half the town just to get here. Going back already would be a lot of hassle, for what's probably a wild goose chase." He makes a slight nod of his head to the north. "Why don't we hit up the Inkwell? We're halfway there already, and I think we need some solid leads fast. The longer we stay here, the more people will grow suspicious." --
Till sleeps well enough, and is up early the next day for some more vocal exercises. He's still in the character of Sir Edmond, right from waking up. When they make their way up to the surface, Till is a bit intimidated by the state of the town, despite his efforts to hide it. "What a terrible tragedy, that people should be so at odds, as to destroy their home like this." Till follows the others to Madge's noodle cart and holds his peace for a moment. He looks around, checking whether their visit has drawn anyone's special interest. At the mention of poetry, he joins the conversation. "Poetry? We'd gladly take it to the professor of course, good madam, but wouldn't it be more appropriate for the Inkwell? That is where those skill in the arts come together, don't they?" He tries to ignore the fact that the writing could hardly be called poetry. What are we hoping to learn here? Is she even sane enough to realize what's going on? He tries another avenue of approach. "So, with a noodle cart like this, you must get a lot of people passing by each day. All kinds of people, I suppose, just chatting while they enjoy their lunch or dinner. You must know a lot of what's going on in the town..." --
Till nods emphatically as the professor fills them in on the situation. "Very well, very well." He also takes the opportunity to take a good look at their Ulfen companion, who finally seems to have stopped disappearing on him. He accepts the scholars robes and starts undoing the bundle of trade goods that concealed his bow. "That's a positive, at least. Wouldn't want to be stuck without my trusty bow for long." He holds the bow at arm's length and admires it. "Hello, my dear. Of all the adventures we've been through so far..." He gives his companions a winning smile, as if they already knew of his skill in archery. Till then turns back to the blue-haired gnome. "Now, if we could profit from your extensive wisdom just a bit longer, professor... We've heard it mentioned before that Pezzack is very unstable. We wouldn't want to do anything to upset this delicate balance, considering the dire consequences this might have. What is your estimate: If whatever we do here might have the unforeseen effect of spurring the White Thistles or the Galtans into action, what would happen most likely? Would the Loyalists strike back so hard as to cause a full-scale civil war, with the Strix to pick clean the bones?" He conjures a look of utmost concern on his face. That's what the Venture-Captain warned us about at least, but I'm not so sure... When they're done, Till dusts off his robes and readjusts his bow. "So, off to noodles then. I must say the fish have spoiled my appetite a bit, but she came highly recommended and we'd be remiss to skip out on such."
Till listens as he processes the gnome's information, then makes a broad hand gesture as he takes the word. "Fear not, my friend! We are here to solve your problems, and rescue our colleague from this situation. And from himself, if need be. By my Oath, we will do this!" His voice is slightly different from what it was before. He articulates his words more, almost as if he were on stage. His lines could have come from a play the way he phrased them. Perhaps they did... He smiles, obviously satisfied. Whether with the delivery of his lines or with the actual effect of them is difficult to say. He first tries to put the professor at ease. "I am sure those were trying times, professor, for Olandil and for yourself. It's not easy, juggling so many personas in one's head. Believe me, I know... But you did admirably, if I may say so. It must take someone with an agile mind to keep up with all that, as you have done..." He looks around the room they find themselves in and places himself just so, where he would stand out if the place where a stage. "Now, it seems like we have some choices to make, but perhaps some practical questions are in order first." "Can we walk around town without drawing suspicion? People will not recognize us... Will our cover as whale sailors hold, if we don't do anything brash? Second, what are the local laws regarding the possession of weapons? And do we have a way to slip in and out of here unnoticed? Lastly, you said the... Loyalists know who Olandil really is. Do you mean all of his secret identities? If so, why haven't they apprehended him yet?"
Till retreats to a private space on the ship for a while. He can be heard talking to himself and performing vocal exercises. He returns to deck an hour later, a different man. Well, he's still the same man, but also different. For one, he has changes his stark Chelexian coat for a white shirt with ruffles, partly unlaced to show some of his chest and also revealing a necklace inlaid with a rose in ivory. Over the shirt he wears a well-made leather vest decorated with brass studs. His blonde hair, earlier worn loose, is now held back by a thin leather cord. It shows off the lines of his face, among which a scar on his cheek that certainly wasn't there before. The scar is not the most surprising addition to his face, though: That qualification must be reserved for this smile. While Till has rarely smiled so far, he now seems to wear an almost perpetual friendly smile that even reaches his eyes and makes everything about him seem... softer. Once back on deck he makes a round to practice his walk, which could be described as casual. He then approaches Niome like they've never met, makes a stylish bow and takes her hand if she lets him. "Young lady, I don't think we've been introduced. Sir Edmond of Estelbury. But please, just call me Edmond. Tell me, I've heard it say that you are a practitioner of the arcane arts. Admirable, such dedication to a difficult field of study. I'm a bit of a dabbler, but surely that pales in comparison to your skill. Do you have a specialization?"
Till's ears perk up as he hears Lord Ockham expand on his own knowledge regarding the current affairs in Pezzack. He seems especially surprised to hear the name of Amalia Wraxton, but that might just be coincidence. Still, he gives Arthur another scrutinizing look, trying to figure out where the Taldan nobleman would have gotten such detailed knowledge. When he is called out by Arisha on his allegiance, he is about to take the offense and give her a sarcastic remark. He's been very careful so far to cultivate the idea that he only joined the Pathfinders 'pro forma', as a way to interact with and study other adventurers in the wild, to draw upon while acting in stage. Still, the Ulfen woman is backed up by the formidable half-orc captain, whom he can't cut off. Lord Ockham surprises him once more by speaking in his defense and he gives a - slightly overacted - bow to acknowledge the support. He holds up his hands as if relenting. "Very well, very well... If it pleases you, I will take on the costume of Sir Edmond for this adventure. It will get me in character, and should remind all of you" - not himself, of course - "that my nationality shouldn't be a hindrance in this matter." He gives a wry chuckle. "Of course, Sir Emond will profess to be a law-abiding man with Chelaxian interests in proper regard. To do otherwise would be foolish and dangerous. I should think I can pull that off, don't I?" He gives another wry chuckle. Don't I know it... To close the matter and forestall further questions, Till changes the subject and takes the worn scrap of paper from the Venture-Captain. "This doesn't make a lot of sense, does it? Is any of you versed in code-breaking? Or is this something that's only understandable with the whimsical mind of a gnome? No matter, I suppose. We'll just ask him straight up when we find him." Till then stands up. "I've heard enough. I'll do some trading at the quartermaster, then retreat to my cabin to prepare for my next role. Please call on me when we're ready to board the whaler." --
As they are talking on deck, Till suddenly swivels his head from left to right. "By Asmodeus's horned..." He doesn't finish the curse, but rather spend more time looking left and right. "The Ulfen woman. She was just here, wasn't she?" He leaves the group looking for her, eager for an excuse to get away from Niome's earlier question. -- Till hangs back during the Venture-Captain's briefing, studying the other Pathfinders present. When Aggie asks her question he naturally interjects before Calisro Benarry can even answer. "The Chelish Navy, of course. As your Venture-Captain said, these people tried to upended empire's government some years ago." He looks scandalized, thoroughly used to what he should be saying in situations like these. "The place is a hotbed of anarchy and vying factions. If left unchecked, they would fight until there's nothing left for them to fight over. Luckily, Cheliax takes care of its people and makes sure it doesn't come that far. Miss Arisha seems to have some knowledge of the situation and the parties involved as well, but it seems wise to know what you'll be getting into:" He puts up four fingers, counting them off. "You have the idealist White Thistles, oblivious fools. Then there's Galtan spies, anarchists and even worse than the Thistles." He makes a spitting motion. "There's the people of Docktown who would just like to leave their life and build their business. And finally the Loyalists, who do what they can to see that the town stays at peace." He leans back into his chair again now that he's shared what he knows. "But I'll leave you to your planning..." This takes all of two seconds before he leans forward again. "Now, I'm just here to observe, as you know, but you must all appreciate how this could put me in a difficult position. My loyalty to the empire comes first, of course. But I suppose, if this Pathfinder wants to leave Pezzack, the town will probably be better off without him. He must have just been biding his time, or he would have been caught already." He states this as a fact. "Since he hasn't performed any crimes against the empire and Pezzack will be better off without him, I see no reason to obstruct this mission of yours." He leans back again, then immediately pushes forward once more. "Just out of curiosity. This Professor Poppo... Do we know where his allegiance lies?" --
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