"Let me talk if needed" Tarvek said, disguised in the form of a tall human male, a knight which made it easier to match in his power armour into the guise. These lands had a human city nearby, and while there were green orc settlements…he suspected they had a better chance of information in the city now he'd gotten scans of their language "There is magic here, which means mages. Disguises may not be as strong as needed"
Janet was in her armour too, under her own arcane disguise ring, as was Mayuko, in as best an approximation of the local garb as he could manage. Travelling mercenary with family seemed the best approach, but even there Tarvek was wary…but, as always, he, they, needed information. His companion sighed "Why the city then? Would not the, ugh…orcs do better?"
"You are not orcs" he stated simply, shrugging, getting into character as a human knight "Plus those are smaller groups, maybe clans, maybe warbands. Not easy to slip in. Cities are oft full of fools, not always, but numbers work in our favour against tight knit clans or warrior brotherhoods"
He gave a snort, looking out at the farmland and city they would venture to "Again, there is likely to be more rumours and knowledge within. We can spy only so much on farmers and travellers before the returns begin to diminish"
Truthfully, as with all such things, it was a gamble, but one that favoured higher returns for lesser risks as blending in was…difficult when one did not know the culture. Simple mistakes were possible, far too easily, and even he, who had training, could make such. Janet and Mayuko, with none?
The risk was too great in adding not only cultural differences, but species-based ones as well.
No, this human city, this Theramore, seemed an outpost city of some sort, with mixed groups and mercenaries wandering through it. Perfect for ones such as they who might have to play off being eccentric. Stoic eccentric perhaps, as attempting boastfulness offered other troubles when unaware of the culture in depth. Simply having rings to translate, and disguises to mix in, did not make things easy. Janet believed otherwise, for these folk were less developed technologically than hers had been but overlooking that her world had been underdeveloped in the arcane to an extreme as well. Primitive as she would put it for technology.
It was an island city too, with strong walls, and, importantly, a port. Ports meant sailors, and sailors oft meant taverns or some cultural equivalent. Ideally with alcohol or other drugs that loosened lips. Because seeking answers with magic, like charm or such, was not the best approach in a society that recognised the signs or had watchers hunting for such things. Considering this was a border city of some sort, between what sounded like two warring groups, maybe at truce, with mages…then there would almost certainly be someone watching for such things. The disguises would be hard enough to get away with after all.
"Farms are very close to the city" he observed as they moved through said farmland, or limited number of it, with fortified villages and homesteads "Looks different at this height, but…hmm, they must import a great deal"
"Good?"
"Perhaps?" he answered Janet's query, as she was walking beside him, armed with a 'crossbow' over her shoulder along with a pack, while Mayuko was clad as a pretty looking young male, or boyish female "I have hopes they have many humans of different lands. Easier to blend in with such. Still, try not to react to those not human, as there are elves and dwarves within these lands the drones observed from above"
"You have warned us, and I'm ready as I can be I think" Janet offered back with a sigh, unhappy and ill at ease, but professional enough that Tarvek had faith she would do so "Mayuko?"
"Hm, hm, yeah, don't talk. Got it" came back, Tarvek seeing her fidget, hand touching and untouching the hilt of the shortsword, for her, curved dagger blade he'd gifted her. It was acceptable, and in line with what was to be expected, even if was concerning. Less so that leaving her behind at least. And he had to hope it was sufficient as they approached the guards at the gates after a long walk past a fortified village, bored, but suspicious, gazes upon them. It wasn't unexpected, Tarvek nodding as he approached at the head of his 'battered' looking trio.
"Who ye be?" came the stocky looking of the four guards, looking better armed than the others "Don't recognise ye"
"Tav, this me family" Tarvek answered with a weary grunt, sticking at himself with a gauntleted hand, then at Janet and Mayuko "We were shipwrecked off south in the storm just gone. Damned fisherfolk left us for dead we think. Had travel here afore orcs saw us"
'And if you bother to look, you will find a wrecked fishing boat' he didn't say, as he made sure to have a story that had some facts, even if it was true. A few days old wreck. So…something believable, the guard wincing, but grunting afterwards "Hope ye got coin then. Don't want no beggars ere'"
There was an undertone of 'despite what someone above me says' there Tarvek judged, but he shook his head that all would not be so, chuckling heartily "Nay worry there friend guard, some coin remain to us, and friends within shall make us whole"
"Uh, fine, enter then Sir Tav" came back after the guard and his colleague did a series of shrugs and grunts at each other, the human returning to sitting in his previously bored manner. The large gates were already open, and Tarvek could detect faint enchantments upon them as well as he led his two companions through them and into the city proper. He could have asked where various places were, but his aerial survey indicated what some places might be, and now ground investigation would confirm what they were…and it was early in the day yet, with time to do so as it was not a very large city either.
There were two gates into the city, close enough to each other, and, as he'd hoped, the large building near the gate they'd earned was a several stories tall Inn. Some cultures didn't have such, but this one did, and likely for the same reason as Tarvek's view that infiltration wasn't too hard; there were significant numbers of clearly out of place groups of humans, along with a few elves and dwarves, that might be wandering homeless murderers as such were. Or 'Adventurers' to be more polite. Local currency was in the value of metallic coins at least, and the few he'd gotten from a wreck, and then spying on local farmers to leave replacements, had allowed careful forgery of a decent supply hopefully for their needs. At least sufficient to acquire more of such and a better understanding of value.
The inn was busy, with a human female in charge clearly as Tarvek made his way inside, stomping carefully up to the woman sweeping the floor behind the counter "Welcome to my inn, weary traveller. What can I do for you?"
"Room for me and mine" he answered Tarvek answered, taking out his coin purse "Our arrival was…less pleasant than desired and some few days to recover would be most welcome"
The human female smiled pleasantly, perhaps showing empathy "Ah, you poor dears, well you are in luck, there are two rooms available…"
Exchanging coin for rooms was a dangerous affair, not knowing exact values, though Tarvek placed out several gold coins and managed to gather several days for now at least, including meals once a day. Starting now, after being shown rooms upstairs at least and returning downstairs at least, as Tarvek felt it a good means to listen in for rumours and get an update on day-to-day language. Being taciturn and stoic wasn't always possible, not when he needed to ask questions like 'maps of the world' and 'where the library at' to get answers on the best ways to find the next portal. Not when this world was abundant in various energies, even divine realm as Tarvek's prayers had drawn forth power easily to his Compass.
There were the general details too of course; some wizard-lord ruled this city, a human female by the name of Proudmore, and the population in the tavern seemed loyal at least. All of which was part of some 'Alliance' against the orcs, who were also allied with…elves?...called the 'Horde'. Also, goblins were around and discovered blackpowder. That was often a bad thing in many dimensions, just as the fact that there appeared to be sentient undead roaming about in the world in places. Thankfully he could turn undead and had various tools with him to stand against such, but it did mean several weeks upon the dimension would be dangerous even based on a few hours' drunken rumours.
Food was good at least, as was the ale surprisingly, with their protections screening any poisons or allergies from their systems. There weren't many, with a high standard in terms of hygiene for…some…magically aware and active societies. No, it was decent, and Tarvek already had plans for the next day to investigate the various businesses of the city, such as the alchemists and what sounded to be a bookshop of some sort – arcane spells were always of interest. Such would give a better idea of the level of arcane and divine development of the plane, and of what the locals knew of extra-planar and extra-dimensional travel. From there he could plot their journey…
