"It's all right."

...well, if she can't think of anything else to do might go give them the information they did this over.

"Alright, so: information.

I'm not actually from here, I'm from Tscher. I wanted to check out Kashjar but, as noted, they don't go for that kind of thing. I met Genea when I snuck into the town she was a fore-citizen of the guard in and pretended to be a mage-slave. I was doing some mind stuff for people not to notice me and she noticed me anyway because she was curious about mage-slaves.

Then she saved some people's lives in a way her town didn't like so they were probably going to kill her, so I helped her get the hell out.

The going plan at the moment is - 

So I can pretend to be a mage-slave. Genea can pretend to be looking for a job as a guard. Rescuing mages is a pretty hard problem - there's records and stuff, and the Helas know who and how many are supposed to be around. But if a mage growing up turns out to be too powerful the Helas kill them. I'm pretty sure I can catch one of those, make them think they killed them, and actually smuggle them out. Meanwhile Genea, with my help, can go around seeing if there's any sympathetic people - or potentially sympathetic people - like her around.

Payoff, some kids don't die and if we pull it off a few times we'll have more people and maybe we can do something bigger or something.

Disadvantage, it doesn't help the rest of anyone.

Counterargument, it's the best idea we have."

"How many people do you have now?"

She points between herself and Genea. "Two." (however trustworthy even magic says, she's not outing the hidden mages until they've done a good bit more than talking.)

"Do you have a base or anything?"

"No."

"A secure base of operations is the first step in a successful campaign."

There's a moment of a feeling - oh thank spirits someone who knows things. She - hadn't even realized how much she was feeling not having that. She clamps down on it - magic questions or no, she shouldn't get hopes up. But.

"We would be very glad to learn all about that."

"Do you have more detailed maps, population centers, known patrol routes?"

Brief moment then she pulls out the map.

Map, population centers.

"Patrol routes vary. My town figures them out for each next year. I don't know what other towns do, but probably also that."

"Without resources we'll have to rely more on the terrain. Cliffs or rivers to guard flanks, caves or ruined buildings for shelter. Somewhere we won't be stumbled across by accident."

The map shows rivers and cliffs. Maybe a few cave systems. Not ruined buildings. 

"People don't usually go out on their own. Just trade and travel groups and patrols." Trade and travel routes are marked on the map.

"If we really need material resources we can ah, cross the river." She gestures at Tscher. "It's - well, we'd be taking them from people who can't say no to me. I can do things in return - healing, fireproof their houses, make their crops grow better, shore up walls... More of it than they'd get if one of the others decided to drop by, probably. But that's what it is. 

If we really need it we can get labor that way too. If I take some people somewhere and say 'build me things here' they're not going to ask where they are. Or, won't insist if they ask and I don't tell them, anyway. And I can repay them again and probably give them a token over that so they're less likely to be bothered by someone. And I can find ones who won't mind the travel. But - that's what it is.

Oh and, speaking of travel, you got any advantages there, by any chance?"

"We don't get tired, and can probably run faster than you."

"This spot looks promising. We should investigate."

"Alright.

Our current state-of-art travel is, I teleport us as much as I can for the day - well, leaving some aside for emergencies. And then we walk."

How far away is the spot? 

"How much distance does a teleport cover?"

If she does one maximum-distance teleport (while saving for emergencies), this much. If she spaces it out a little with some walking, a bit more.

"We can also try to sneak over some place with humans and get a ride, if it works out better that way. And if we can find one where basically disappearing it won't mess things up for someone."

"How much would we stand out?"

Look to Genea.

"Depends on - a lot of things. 

But we don't need all of us to do the - stealing."

"Better safe than sorry until we have somewhere to fall back to."

"Probably right."

"I mean it's not really a danger for us thing - if we get in trouble I can teleport us out and they're not going to find us. Danger's if people know what we're trying to do we kind of can't do it. 

Also if I cause a mess, or I guess if someone else does in a way that looks like it could be a mage, they'll probably take it out on their mages."