Buying time and making a play...

Wim looked up at the thugs and their boss and smiled politely not moving from the chair.
“That is a poor way to try to talk to your betters, is it not?” Wim asked in a tone that expressed a bit of pity knowing that out here, the people had lost a lot of manors when it came to their place.

He watched people moving some adjusting weapons while others preparing for the brawl to come. Wim was fairly sure that he was already on the losing side and was in for a beating. The money he could lose and that would be okay, but not the book. It had plans and schemes, details of aspects of life that allowed him to do what he did.

Wim decided to play his strength (and his weakness), using his mouth. He knew this was going to be a fight but he also needed to set a tone for his relationships with these people and this territory. He also did not want a sword of the gods, trying to kill him or hauling him in front of Sir Zane. So he needed to play it straight and crooked at the same time. This was his type of game, high stakes gambling. If he failed, he would not even be able to be Sir Zane's page.

“I must say you are not very good at this. No better than common thuggery,” he said talking down at him.
“Where do I start?” he said like a parent talking to a child.
“It took you way too long to find me and you have not checked things out beforehand did you?” He asked in a tone of disbelief.

Moving his hands in an open position he continued, “Before I tell you where you have gone wrong. Let me introduce you to the new Arbiter of the Inquisitioner? She really does not like thieves and thugs. Without knowing this town, She was able to find me long before you did.”

Win said taking his cup into his left hand and taking a sip. His right hand closed the bookkeeping it in front of him.

“I would REALLY recommend that you apologize to her and ask her forgiveness before we go on with our business. I should also give you fair warning that she, by Holy vow, obligated to deal any criminal activity she sees and turn them over to Sir Zane, who is a relative of mine,” he said.
It was a distant relationship, but name-dropping might keep him from being killed.

Arbiter Voah spoke up after the Leader of the Thugs commented, “I don’t think so lady, it’s three against two.”

Lifting up her loose sleeve to show him the brand of the five pillars.

“Count again,” she said meaning the five gods being on her side.

She thought to herself, "If I was planning on a fight I wouldn’t win by myself. I would be poised and ready to block and dodge any potential attacks, make my own attacks, and then hope for backup.

He knew that he should stop and keep his mouth shut. But he was on a roll and had a shovel to use.

“There are a few other things I would like you to consider before you make your next move,” Wim said.

“The bottle of wine is still half full and I have been here most of the afternoon, so you should ask the question why?” He said.
“One in my position might expect someone from the local criminal world would show up as I have been trying to help people improve their lots in life and have prepared for this. So, you might want to consider if the bottle of wine was poisoned in case someone made this type of play,” he said in a tone that indicated wondering.
“When I was in the university studying medicine, an apothecary friend of mine, told me about a poison that works by making it so you can not relieve yourself. He said it takes days to die. You swell up and your skin ends up splitting and you leak out. It has a little bit of a sharp smell, very nasty stuff,” He said in a tone that indicated this was factual.
He pulled out a little paper packet with sand and shook it so it made a sound and put it back in his pocket. He used the sand to cheat at cards.
“A wise man always goes for the cup and not the bottle. The worst thing there is if someone spits in it,” He said.
He had been in medical training for half a semester.

“The next thing is I am a very benevolent man to my friends,” he said. He knew that the eyes and ears of this place were on him and this conversation. In a louder voice Win announces, “If this becomes a fight, I will reduce the debt owed of those who fight on my side. In addition, I will also pay those who capture this man and those who capture or kill his friends. Those that fight against me or do nothing, I will call their notes and have them hauled in front of Sir Zane and then in prison till their debt is paid.”

“Finally, assaulting a noble is still a criminal offense even in this place and Sir Zane would probably love to watch you hang,” He said again in a factual tone.
“It would probably make his life easier,” he continued.

He smiled politely and added, “There is really no reason for this to become violent.”

“I am sure we could come to a much better arrangement that would have benefited everyone,” Wim said.

Wim picked up the book in his left hand. Now he waited to see if he would survive what happens next.