"And names?"
This will be sequential, but in the interest of saving time, he will interview Aban next. The interviewer does speak Arabic.
"Please state your name and where you are from."
Plasmatoris scratches at his chin again and nods to the interviewer. A casual conversation indeed. He'll mention the other's names, as they've been introducing themselves to people on the trip. "My name is Mafeo, though as an artist I have been known by a more pretentious name."
"Aban. I am a traveling medicus and guide, so I would be hard-pressed to name any particular home for myself - though beautiful Sicily is certainly especially close to my heart."
He replies in Sicillian, speaking too quickly for Aban to understand.
"Do you really need our names and all these discussions ? East or West, we don't know. We just travel from one place to another. We are neither spy, nor warrior. We aren't a threat, just some scholars, guides and artists."
"You claim to be scholars, guides and artists, but nobody claims to be a spy. The guards brought you in for questioning, and you refuse to answer questions. We need your name to check with the docks, here and in other cities, to know how you have come to our island if you have come by legitimate travel, and were not put ashore in the middle of the night. We have to ask these questions because we cannot assume that everyone simply tells the truth, and I do not believe you re telling me the truth."
FYI everyone is in separate rooms- you cannot respond to questions asked of other characters, though the basic "what is your name, what are your companions names and where did you enter Sicily" will be asked of everyone.
"Tastheus. Aban, Aetherius, Mafeo and Malachi the stupid child. And where, I don't know... I have no sense of orientation. As I say, I just don't know. I'm just travel from place to place, like the scholar I am. It's good, your curiosity is full ? We can continue our trip ?"
"What kind of scholar are you? What do you study?"
"I'm Aetherius. Others in the group include fellow scholars, Atys, Tastheus and Plasmatoris, our guide Aban, and the kid is Malachai."
Re: our entry, Aetherius will give a generic answer that corresponds to the direction they came from, but more in line with the coast.
If asked what he's a scholar of, he'll reply he has an interest in ancient landmarks, symbolism, legends and fauna, but of course any scholar goes through the basic of learning Latin and Artes Liberales.
"Human body... how hurt without killing... how make a people sleeping without poison him... do you want a free demonstration ?"
It's not clear if he jokes or not.
Aban gives the names. At the Sicilian that he doesn't understand, he chuckles: "Unfortunately, I never took the time to learn the language."
At the question regarding where they entered Sicily, Aban assumes a wily expression.
"The specifics are a secret of my trade. Suffice it to say that we have done nothing wrong - we simply wanted to pass through, but did not realize that the conflict here would have you all on edge like this."
The questioner will also ask everyone their purpose for coming to Sicilly.
(Mafeo is the mundane name Plasmatoris uses.)
"Personally? I am hoping to get a better view of the city's architecture. The color choices I have seen for the walls are bland, but it's a defensive structure, not a showpiece. I think -" He coughs slightly and shakes his head. "We're looking for a scholar. I think a priest of some order. I suspect he has moved on to other lands from here, but there's not reason not to visit the city and enjoy its sights before travelling on."
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Atys will tell the questioner that he is traveling with a group of scholars. However, given that he just joined, he is not familiar with the details of the others. But he will help in any way he can
After spending a few minutes questioning each of the people in the group as well as language barriers permit the investigator returns to Plasmatorius.
"You, my friend, are clearly the focus of this group, at least so far as I can tell. I am inclined to believe you are an artist, as you claim, and many of your companions have identified you as Plasmatorius, though you are far too young to be him. Your entire group ore or less admits to sneaking ashore, or at least avoiding the ports which you must admit is suspicious. I do believe you are hiding something, though I am not certain what it is, and your group is well versed in Latin, suggesting some form of education which, again you have collectively been evasive about. so I give you this opportunity, I do not care what your secret is, so long as it does not affect the security of the city, or of Sicilly or Andorra. If your secret is innocent with regards to these risks I will keep your confidence, but please tell me what it is that you have been hesitant to reveal."
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Plasmatoris is... quite bewildered about being the focus of the group. Huh. Strange. "Well. There is some surprise to me there," he muses, studying the investigator. "We are versed and Latin, due to our various educations. I myself was trained in Venice, for both art and science." He shakes his head, trying to appraise the investigator, despite his unsteady experience with people. "Our original departure point was actually notably distant, over the sea-" He pauses then.
"I'm too young? Are you familiar with my name in artistic circles then?"
"I am familiar with Plasmatorius, as an artist, he even did some work that is in one a church in Palermo, about 50 years ago. I would think he must be getting to be rather an old man by now.", he cocks an eyebrow, "But enough equivocating, you are rapidly convincing me that your entire group needs to be detained indefinitely."
Makes a low, satisfied sound at the information. Palermo, he'll have to take a look at it if he could. "Perhaps-" He pauses, brain catching up to the conversation a bit. "I have gone by the name for a few years now. I make no claims to the works nor credit of the other's works. I have few of my own works actually to show, but I am hoping to change that. I am in the same family as the one you know. It is irrelevent to our current issue, however."
He studies the investigator a moment more before he continues.
((Silveroak - Do I get a sense that this investigator is actually going to be willing or able to be an ally here instead of an enemy? I'm more than willing to spend confidence on this - seems much better than trying to do any lying or shenanigans with my -2 Presence and the gift.))
Not an ally. He believes what you have told him, but also believes you are being evasive, as he said, and just wants to find out what it is you are hiding so he can tell if it is something he needs to worry about or not.
Plasmatoris stares at the man appraisingly for a long moment. Then he gives a sigh, and a shrug, slumping back into his chair awkwardly. "You wish to know my secrets? It has nothing to do with you, your city, or whoever the damned your state is warring with right now." He idly fiddles with his art satchel, slowly pulling out a scrap of palimpsest, studying the charcoal sketch he had made before continuing. "I have run into some problems while I was south in Africa. Very troubling, mystical problems that I do not understand. One of our purposes here in Europe again is to seek assistance with it - and we have already dealt with that before ever coming to your city. We are on our second task, seeking a missing individual."
Plasmatoris is not a particularly good liar, and as someone who was lectured on philosophiae and essential nature, he wants the words he says to be essentially true. "I am not going to tell you the full details of my secrets, because not all of the secrets are my own to keep. But we are seeking remnants of a small sect of Cathars, towards Languedoc. Our purpose here in this city is merely a stepping stone to that destination, and perhaps seeking more information regarding that."
"You have no reason to trust me, but I would think you have no reason to stop us either, other than the fact we are strangers, that we have secrets, and likely the fact you get a very suspicious sense of us."
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