Even though he looked more like a dirty brigand, and barely that of a hired sword, Reyvadin knew the importance of looking good. He did his best to comb out his hair and wipe away the sweat and grime on his face. Contrary to popular belief, looking like a poor peasant isn't going to protect you from thieves and low lives. This wasn't some sort of fantasy game where cutpurses and psychopaths prey on able bodied heroes who wandered into the wrong alley. No, they often go for those who are most vulnerable but may have even just a few silvers to spare. After all, if these thugs were willing to throw themselves against someone who looked mildly rich, what made one think they wouldn't be above harassing someone they know is weaker than them? Thus Reyvadin must make sure he looked as good as he could, to make it known he wasn't just some unfortunate peasant among the mass of distroden refugees. Or at least not look the part.

Still if there was anything Reyvadin has learned these past few hours, it was the importance of subtly. And while he did his best to look decent, he didn't try to look too good either. Not just because of a lack of basic necessities such as water, but because Reyvadin was trying to intentionally cultivate a certain level of nondescript about himself. Clean enough that anyone who may talk to him might think him decent, but not so immaculate that they wonder why such a noble is slumming it with the poor. Because the unfortunate truth is that Reyvadin [i]is[/i] poor right now, and trying to act like he isn't won't help at all. So while he needed to prove himself better than the common rabble humility is a virtue, and hopefully it'll keep him beneath notice while he's out and about.

Not that it always goes according to plan. But no plan ever does. When the group reached the gates they were halted by the guards. Decently armed men but Reyvadin knows that guards don't merely pick out "random" people for tolls. Either everyone pays, or no one does, and this was obviously a shake down. As Reyvadin had mentally noted, thugs would have no shame in shaking down those who obviously don't have much to give. He eyed the men, knowing that he was far too out numbered to bother trying to fight, though he also noted that the crowds where thick enough that escape wasn't entirely impossibly. These men were armed with billhooks, suitably for fighting against different types of foes, but no so great if they had to slash and stab into a crowd of people. And as Reyvadin was thinking of his next plan of action, the more mouthy ones of the group decided to make their presence known.

Frankly, Reyvadin expected this to happen. If nothing else he's quick to adapt to what he has instead of bemoaning what he doesn't. As the crowd continued to move and jostle around Reyvadin would subtly melt into the crowd, bending low at the knee to seem shorter as Emmaline and Lorcan went on some diatribe that Reyvadin honestly did not care to listen for. But he did want them to keep talking so while the guards were focused on the pretty face and the giant of a man, a relatively normal looking human could just slip by unnoticed. Save him the silver and ensure that these guards don't recognize his face too much.

[hider=Rolls]
Stealth = [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/22187]5[/url]
[/hider]