[pnpgm] Hullo out there...?

[J Hooten]

  Raban sighs, "Kiet my friend, you are too trusting for this. The world 
is a sad place full of intrigue and has quite a few who think rules do 
not apply to them. Such simple hiding will work for a little while but 
eventually there will be those who will demand to look further or who 
will arrange spies to find out more. And a common bypass of your idea is 
to use women to search the wagon, though most guards will not have 
access to that method, some can. The most vulnerable time is not in the 
wagon but outside it! Frema will have to leave it at times and that is 
where spies will learn much. On the road or in towns, the risk is much 
the same. The overly curious or those seeking information for 
advancement will try to learn more. Then there are the perverse who 
arrange to view baths or other private places. It will be our jobs to 
make sure none of those can occur, and not just for Frema but for 
anything we may have out of the ordinary. If anyone becomes suspicious 
they will arrange a means to discover more. The key is to avoid such or 
plan for it. Frema and I will be obvious targets of such spies. Me 
because they will be curious just what kind of monster I may be or 
whether some spell is involved. Frema because she is beautiful and 
hiding so they wish to see more. But anyone can draw further attention 
and it is best to keep to your role at all times. At first it will not 
be much of a problem, but the risks will grow the longer we are there."
  "But there are many ways to deal with those problems. One is for the 
wagon master or someone else to offer to sell them information or a 
peek. The corrupt expect corruption and making the offer can be enough 
to lower the risks. At the worst you arrange for them to see less than 
they think they saw. In some cases you bribe them to go away, but you 
must be very sure that is the right response or it leads to more 
problems. At some point I may end up killing or hurting one of them 
because they were where they should not be and you will need to pay some 
fines or bribes as a result. The injury would need to fit the role and 
how much they may have seen. But such an action is expected, its a risk 
they take, at least for those who are involved in spying. With luck it 
will not get that far because if it does we are under a lot of suspicion."
  "I do not know Katai, so perhaps I am being overly paranoid. But it is 
best I speak up on what can occur so we can plan around it. Maybe the 
usual guards will not be a problem at all, but those who hunt magic will 
not give up so easily if they think we are suspicious... Do not get me 
wrong, there are honest guards out there, but they tend to be far rarer 
than most people think. Temptation to abuse those who cannot defend 
themselves is too much for many people. But mostly it depends on who 
leads them, if that person has higher morals then the guards will as 
well as otherwise they are rapidly dismissed. So I would expect the 
degree of corruption to vary wildly and in most cases a noble traveling 
would be one they will not abuse directly."

Schnockel wrote:
> Kiet says, "I still think the best thing we can do for Fremea, if she 
> so chooses, is to simply put her in a curtained wagon or 
> carriage...where she could play the part of the Noble's daughter.  She 
> could simply show her face (I think painted for a future wedding?).  
> No guard would DARE search such a vehicle or our noble could throw a 
> hissy fit and make them fear for their lives.  One of the other women 
> could be her nurse?"
>
> "This way Fremea's wings would be unconfined and she much more 
> comfortable."