Andre Marek
You can run, but you'll only die tired...
I'm gonna try to get a post up tomorrow or maybe tonight. We'll see.
Nah, I think Lorkas research fits with what the character would do. Don't think many mages, explorers or not, would pick up a magic crystal that SHOULD have ominous latin chanting surrounding it, and go "cool, new toy".
For the hooded creeper, my theory is that he's just a really shy fan who saw us kicking all kinds of ass in the swamp and is too nervous to man up and ask.