(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."
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."
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."
The man strokes his chin in contemplation for a minute. "I believe what you say, though you may be wrong about your secrets havin nothing to do with me. A word of advice, our entire country has been under interdict for seven years and we are fighting an enemy whom the Church has told us we should accept as our overlords. Latin is probably not the most, diplomatic, language you could use at the moment."
The magus bows his head politely and smiles. "Well, since it is a 'secret', if we're lucky, we may never know if it has anything to do with you. You have your secrets as well, I am sure. Sadly, Latin is still the easiest way for a scholar from Venice, Cairo, and Tolouse to talk together. But your advice is well-stated, and we should be more careful."
"You are free to go." He hesitates a moment then just nods his head and leaves the room.
Plasmatoris smiles. "Thank you for your understanding. And your advice." The artist-magus will gather his satchel of supplies and prepare to go, hoping to meet his friends outside.
Everyone is released at this time
Aetherius sighs but avoid further commenting on the whole incident, simply glad to leave. He follows Aban to the local redcap house.
The local redcap house is a small shipping company and inn down by the wharfs. When you arrive everyone is busy, the normal protocol is to either make contact in the evening or when you disembark the ship.
Evening it is, then.
Plasmatoris will inform everyone that there's a distrust of the Latin language in this area due to the Church making some unpopular decisions locally.
He suggests they find a place to rest with a good view and not too many eavesdroppers to wait until evening.
The wharf is fairly crowded with ships arriving and departing- though more arriving than departing this time of day. Even taverns ted to be fairly busy as disembarking ship's crew and dockworkers grab a bite to eat when they are able to rather than on a set schedule. You are able to find a place that is at least quiet between mealtimes a ways away from the water, though it is a fairly upscale establishment and it is clear that while they are happy to sell you drinks in the middle of the afternoon they are hoping you will leave before the dinner crowd starts coming in.
I figure we may as well have an early meal while we're there and we'll return to the redcap house in the evening.
The service is quick and the prices a bit steep, by evening you make your way to the redcap inn near the docks. The young man at the desk looks up nervously at first, then does a breathing execise, looks over the group again and simply looks crestfallen "We only have two rooms available. I, we, " he takes another breath "Which ship did you come in on?"