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Message: <blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 3486192" data-attributes="member: 11">InterSession #5.1: “An Argument at Market”The late afternoon found Markos and Laarus in the market, seeking out appropriate clothing for the party to blend in as sailors for their trip to Kraken’s Cove. After looking around for a time, Laarus stood slightly back from his cousin, noting what items of clothing Markos was collecting for the rest of the party, as he haggled with the merchant. Satisfied that he had a grasp of the type of clothing that was needed, Laarus walked over to another nearby stall selling finer attire and began to look at similar items, but of more durable and comfortable quality. “You know, finer clothing may not fit into the image the group as a whole will be trying to convey,” Markos said, walking over with his unpaid for bundle of clothing under one arm."Do none who sail the sea wear such?" Laarus of Ra queried, holding up his selection. "I'll not wear such poorly-crafted clothes as you have chosen. I doubt our plans will be hindered by not doing so. And to bring up a matter we discussed earlier, neither should lying be a must. You wish me to break the vows and tenants of my faith. You think that's the only way to succeed."Markos was taken aback by his cousin’s sudden accusations. "I feel you are mistaken," He said with anger growing in what had been a resigned tone. He held up the bundle of burlap and sailcloth clothing, "So sorry to upset your noble sensibilities, cousin.  And while there are some who wear finer fare on the high seas they generally aren't the ones looking to be hired on as part of a general call for employment.  If we were passing ourselves off as some group above the typical riff-raff then finer clothing would make sense.  We are not.  Instead, we are acting as those answering a rumor of employment.  As for fibbing, if I said that lying is a must then I overstated my point. Lying is something that may be needed if we are to avoid discovery.  If the need is not there from the beginning, then it may not happen at all.  However, if your faith does not leave you room to be flexible you should have been more emphatic earlier on this matter, before we all agreed to this course of action.” Markos stood there fuming for a moment, looking up at his cousin, who was barely taller than he was.  “Excuse me - I will pay for these clothes, you buy whatever you like."  He walked back to the original stall, making sure to pick out an extra suit of clothes for Laarus as well.The priest of Ra was waiting patiently to reply when Markos turned from completing his purchase. "I do not disagree with the route we've chosen, cousin.  It may be the only way to get there in time, and that is more important," he said in a hushed tone. "But that doesn't mean I am willing to stain my honor."  Laarus brushed by his cousin, making his way back towards another stall "I'm glad you don't now disagree with what we all agreed to prior,” Markos said, following closely behind his cousin, and talking in a harsh whisper. “As for your staining your honor, what effect would getting all of us killed because you couldn't figure out a way to have your faith jibe with telling a minor embellishment have?  Would you ever consider disguising the intent of your forces in a battle to encourage the enemy to make a mistake?  Actually, don't answer… Bring it up to the rest of the group as I don't have the patience to deal with this and I suspect I will somehow insult you.  Good day."  He began to walk off and then turned to add, "Cousin."Knowing Timotheus was somewhere in the market as well, Markos wandered about until he found the tall Schiereilander chatting about current events with a knife-seller whose stock he was examining. "Go talk about honor and fibbing to my knucklehead cousin,” Markos said to Tim. “If he is put in the wrong situation as things stand now, he is going to get us all killed.""Well, hello to you too, Markos,” Timotheus said, making a dismissing, but apologetic gesture to the peddler.   “What's he up to now? Taking lessons from Little Miss Death-Before-Dishonor?""Oh.. uh.. Hello…  Yes,” Markos was taken aback by having his rudeness pointed out so casually. “Yes, I think it can be summed up that way.  Right now he is picking out clothes suitable to his stature.  To be fair, he may simply be looking for clothing good enough to endure wear and tear; we are, after all, going to wearing these a lot."  Markos hefted his bundle to show it to Tim. He had a strangely hopeful look on his face."Suitable to his stature?  But he's very – Oh! You mean social stature.  What, is he buying cloth of gold?  A bandanna with the holy symbol of Ra on it?  It better not be cloth of gold, I doubt we can afford cloth of copper on our budget."Markos smiled.  "He is paying for what he plans to wear out of his own pocket. Just go talk to him, please.  I'm afraid he is going to be asked a direct question by someone at Kraken's Cove and end up getting us killed by answering honorably.  I just don't have the patience to meander through the tortured logic of the faithful.""Sure, might as well."  Timotheus Smith gave the knife-seller a couple of silvers and a smile in exchange for a shiny new dagger, and then he turned back to Markos.  "Not that it'll make much difference; you know we're gonna end up in a scrum at some point, no matter how hard you and T.K. try not to.  Anyway, where is Laarus?  Let's get this over with."Markos simply pointed toward Laarus’ direction. "Please forgive if I avoid this conversation...."Tim went over to the clothing stall where Laarus was picking through clothes.  "Hey there, distant cousin.  Do you got a moment to talk?"As he handed his money to the merchant, Laarus nodded to Timotheus.  "I'm finished here.  Can we talk as we walk to the inn?""Sure thing."  Timotheus fell in alongside Laarus as the two made their way out of the marketplace.  "So anyway, I was talking to Markos just now, and he seems to think you're going to go blab to the pirates about who we are and maybe get us all killed.  And he asked me to come talk to you about it, so here I am.""He thinks I should forgo my vows and the mandates of Ra.  Otherwise we'll fail or die.  I disagree,” Laarus replied. "I have no intention of announcing our presence to those we are after."Timotheus took a moment to digest what he'd heard, then replied, "If you're not going to announce who we are, then what vows was he asking you to, uh, forgo?""He expects me to wear items cheaply crafted.  One of my station is required to dress with more decency.  And he's concerned that I be able to lie.  Truth's a virtue highly valued by Ra.  I do not desire to soil myself in His eyes.""I don't see what the problem is with buying some nice clothes.  But as for the lying thing, no one's expecting you to do the talking for us, right?  So it's okay...  I mean, it's okay if the rest of us lie, right?  And you can just not answer things that'll get us in trouble, right?  Or is that lying too?""The rest of you may do as you wish.  I doubt we'll be in a position where you will be speaking under oath," Laarus turned his head to meet the soldier's gaze. "Though, it'll speak much of your character." He turned his eyes back ahead of him as he continued, "What answers I give will be done so with discretion.  I've no problem with that.  It is the better part of valor, another of Ra's virtues."Timotheus’ face flushed slightly.  "Well, I'm glad you'll let us lie for you.  I'm sorry you feel it says bad things about my character.  But you know, I didn't want to be doing this.  I'm not the one who voted for pretending to be pirates.  I wanted clean fights, not skulking around and playing spy.  But now that we're here, if it's a choice between lying and letting people get hurt or killed, you're damn right I'll lie about it, and I won't feel a damn bit guilty about it either.""It appears you and my cousin are of like mind," Laarus stated very matter-of-factly.  "You both think lying will be a necessity to prevent death and keep up the pretense…” The priest opened his mouth as if to continue his thoughts, but instead just closed it and shook his head."I'm not going to be pretending to be anything,” He finally continued. “We're being brought to our destination only because we're saying we're looking for work.  I intend to do just that.  Working alongside others there may be helpful in finding information we need." Laarus turned his eyes once again to meet those of his companion, "If you don't want to pretend to be something you're not, don't.  Honor the agreement you're making for our travel.  But if you'd rather play pirate, I hope you don't stray far from the lit path.”"By the gods!  You are a hypocrite and an assh*le.  I don't want to play pirate, so don't go putting words in my mouth!  And by your saying you're not going to pretend to be anything, you're not fooling anyone but yourself. And you know what?   I'm not gonna lie for you, and neither is anyone else.  And you can find out for yourself whether it's gonna 'prevent dying' or not." Tim spat on the ground.  "Your vote got us into this.  Now you can choke on it."  He turned and stomped off, muttering to himself, "No wonder nobody likes any of the gods-damned priests of Ra…"A satisfactory smile graced the priest's face as the bastard son of Briareus finished his tantrum, happy that he had gotten Timotheus to announce that nor he or anyone else would life for him. Laarus of Ra stopped in his tracks to allow Tim to continue the remainder of the walk alone.And Timotheus did not look back.End of InterSession #5.1</blockquote>

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