Silver Insanity

Stewart snorts. "Human, mostly." He glances over Aurora and chuckles. "You might actually be fine, other than being an adventurer."

"I wonder how good they are at telling whether someone is who, or what, they seem..." Aurora's voice is faintly amused as she watches the line slowly advance.

The line squelches forward, and soon enough you can see the guards hunkered down inside the gate. Most of the people entering the city have passes already, and are being waved through with hardly a first glance, let alone a second - the guards seem to be too busy being miserably wet to actually pay attention.

Or, at least, to pay attention to any of the humans in front of you.

"I wonder," asks Luma, "if it would be better if I just stayed out of sight?"

"It might reduce the fuss caused I imagine." Aurora's mouth quirks. "On the other hand, I expect it would quite distract them from the rest of the party."

Luma shrugs. "I'll stay nearby, then. Call if you need me." And she heads off to one side, rapidly vanishing into the heavy rain.

Soon enough you reach the front of the line. The guard before you starts to repeat the same old tired line, "Pass, plea..." but stops and stares at Stewart. "What are you?" he asks, instead.

Stewart's ear flicks, but his expression is pleasant. "I am an arcanist. My associates," he gestures at the visible members of the party, "and I were hoping to enjoy the hospitality of this town for a few days while I track down some information for my research. I am given to understand there is a small customs fee." As he finishes speaking, he pulls out a small coin purse.

The guard blinks, apparently thrown (further) off his stride by Stewart's response.

"Um, right. Lessee. Err, adventurer's passes? for, one human and two..." You can almost see the steam coming out his ears as he tries to work out the legal requirements in his head.

After a few seconds, he gives up. "Hey, George! Get out here!"

"In that rain?" comes the response from inside the gatehouse. "Are you crazy?"

"Then tell me - what's the adventurer's fee for one human and two," he pauses, trying desperately to find the right word, "Zoticks, I think?"

"Depends on exactly what they are, then," George shouts back. "Hold 'em out there while I find the right paperwork, would you?"

The guard turns back to Stewart, and shrugs.

Stewart smiles slightly, trying not to show too much of his fangs, and asks, "I don't suppose you could hurry up some? Cloaks don't keep out all the rain, and damp fur is quite unpleasant."

The guard shrugs again.
"George! They want you to hurry up!"

"Just a minute, I said!"
Under the sound of the rain, if you listen very carefully, you can hear from the gatehouse the faint clatter of dice.

Stewart's ear flicks again. "Well then, I'll just have to do something to warm up." He pulls a tindertwig out from his pack, carefully lights it under some cover and tosses it on the ground, where the flame slowly begins growing. Rain hisses off the obviously unnatural flame as Stewart stretches his paws over it.