The island of Escendit is also known as "the stepdown" for three reasons: it's the closest island to one of the outposts downside; it kinda looks like a staircase if you are flying under it and looking at it from the right angle; it's a transitional place for people that have seen better days and now have to resort to work at the surface.

Esdras does not take a lot of comfort in knowing that his half-brother came to this place willingly. Much less when he traces his steps around town (which takes forever because this is a place where you have to pay attention to your coin purse) and look, he actually did it! Not only did he go to the surface but he also smiled all the while and waved at people when the balloon took off!

The man at the pier thinks the angry staring is directed at him. Esdras waves and signals at his eyes and then at his robes and the man apparently understands that Esdras was just using sensory magic.

Typically the umbra shape and robes are enough, but a lot of people come here because they lost their shapes and need new ones. Esdras comes over and talks to the man to ask a few questions.

A short while later, Esdras is waiting for the balloon to depart.

Esdras focuses on his exasperation because the alternative is imagining the many horrible things that could've happened to his half-brother in the world below. His skin in umbra form is about as light as it gets and it's still more of a cobalt blue. So, Esdras picks a corner between the supplies and a window, mostly so it doesn't look like the umbra guy is being stereotypical and trying to hide in the shadows.

Esdras briefly considers changing into Ventari, but the compartment is bound to get cramped and the addition of his wings won't help that matter and if something does happen to the balloon, he will be able to shift and jump out of the window fast enough. Absently he checks his own robes, good resistant fabric with openings in the back for his Ventari wings to grow; like all mage robes they are easy to remove and to put back on. Esdras' shoes would take longer to remove than the entire rest of his garments. He never tried the trick of removing your robes midair, shift, shed the skin away and then donning the robe again... and he wouldn't actually try if an accident happened, but it is another idly thought while he waits.