Chapter 120: The Envoy
Arthur used his gloved hand to prop the solid wood door to the private reception hall open. His smooth motion seemed practiced and allowed the stranger to enter first without exposing his back to the stranger at any moment. The faux butler continued to hold the door as Captain Kayla followed their guest through the threshold. The pirate captain walked with her cutlass already drawn, its slightly curved blade flashing in the light, but the stranger didn’t offer any resistance as he quickly made his way inside.
Marcus stood up from the comfortable seat and offered his hand in greeting after rounding the dark wood table. Maybe it was a bit on the nose, but he saw the opportunity to play the good cop to Kayla’s bad cop, so he took it. If it got them a few answers, like where this guy had come from and what he wanted, then it would be fine. He inspected the stranger using his Hierophant based aura skill, called Thoughtful Guidance, which had the additional benefit of revealing each stat where his target had a lower value than his own.
[Human (Level 66)]
[-Agility]
[-Mind]
[-Intelligence]
[-Acumen]
Marcus acknowledged that the man had an impressive level for anywhere except Ghost Reef. It wasn’t all that special in the island settlement after the first event, but that meant he was probably favored wherever he came from. That implied that he was most likely dealing with someone with a clear purpose.
Based on the man’s attributes, Marcus knew he had invested into Strength and Body, and therefore, he could surmise a bit about his class archetype. It wasn’t a perfect guess given the diversity of classes out there, but a guess based on stats was as reasonable a starting point as any. Marcus was a few levels lower, at 60, but he had distributed his attribute points into a wider variety of stats due to his class’s variety of beneficial skills.
The man’s equipment appeared to be basic, with a dark gray, loose fitted shirt that was tucked into dark pants, an off white, open robe that draped over his shoulders, and dirty wrist wrappings that went up into his loose sleeves: not something a faction would have provided. His hiking boots seemed as out of place for a sailor as the layered clothing did for the tropics, and Marcus adjusted his assumptions regarding his origin. Nothing about him indicated he was from a nautical settlement other than the fact that he had arrived via the sea. Mountains or jungle, Marcus guessed.
The stranger also had a long chain necklace that hung all the way below his chest. A large round pendant was attached to the end of the chain, weighing it down, with what appeared to be the hieroglyph of a skeletal face surrounded by intricate triangular patterns inlaid into silver and gold rings. The only other piece of equipment he wore was a black skull cap that barely covered the crown of his head and caused his hair to splay out. He supposed the stranger’s clothing fit the bill for a traveling priest or monk.
The man’s demeanor was odd. His dry, salt-reddened eyes were open wide, unblinking, as if he was surprised, but his focus was firmly in front of him rather than seeking threats. Marcus blinked as he inadvertently imagined the dryness and his own eyes watered.