Alaric took the backhanded compliment from Landar with an abrupt exhalation of acrid smoke, but it was good to know that at least someone here showed support for his research, despite their now decade old squabble. Perhaps the old dog wasn’t quite as intolerable as he’d once been. His attention was drawn away by Ephraim’s outburst.

Alaric had a very distinct understanding of Ephraim’s dangerousness. The elf was well disciplined and deadly with his dual swords. Still, Ephraim had reacted like a lazy fish sucking up a baited hook. It seemed he acted from his heart rather his head and Elves were notoriously passionate creatures, after all. Alaric popped the pipe stem from his mouth and performed a mock battle from his chair, parrying and thrusting across the table toward his adversary with the smoking instrument. He was scared in Melazus, and it would not do to be scared at the first meeting of the former heroes. Though it also would not do to provoke a killer, and his good sense returned as Alaric bit down on the pipe stem.

Leytan spoke up, addressing the issue of his manpower. Alaric had very little interest in these matters. Between the monks, the mercenaries, the vigilantes, and the damned witch hunters, Alaric was quite positive that the streets were safe. At least for him, Halflings didn’t garner much interest on the street and evasion was one of his specialties.

With witch hunters on his mind Alaric addressed Ephraim. “There really is no need for violence, Ephraim. I won’t be joining pacts with demons, I’m simply using modern technology to pick up traces of the esoteric elements between the planes. If a creature not of this world comes into it, traces of the aether [i]must[/i] remain. By finding these clues we can learn more about the creatures and spells that populated this room.” He proposed.