Reply To: The reactions of Ramses, Bess, and Exador
Well for Lenamare, there is “notice” and “officially notice” Obviously he knows about Edwyrd, but he doesn’t factor into the wizard’s worldview/calculations…yet, except as an annoyance.
Just like he knows about his students, he might even subconsciously know all their names (not that he’d admit it) but they are pawns/tools.
Remember, it’s also about putting people in their place, it’s a management style. If you pretend they don’t really exist, it keeps them in their place.
The Rod Members haven’t actually met Edwyrd. They just know of him, as reported by the ship. They are going to be discussing him quite a bit in book 2.
As for Talarius…I wouldn’t count him out yet. For the time being, he is an unwilling member of Tom’s Entourage…but there are a lot of people in the Abyss who are going to be very curious about him and perhaps acquire him for themselves. And while he himself bemoans being “defenseless” no sane or rational person would actually consider him defenseless at the moment. He’s just less offensive…
I will also note, that Animages are a secretive lot, so the fact that a powerful animage has managed to stay out of sight for his entire career is not a huge shocker. The Society tries to hold them together, but it’s not all encompassing and there are other animage groups around, particularly on other continents.
In other words, they probably won’t be that suspicious of him just suddenly popping up so powerful. The default assumption is going to be that he’s a hell of a lot older than he looks, that he knows a hell of a lot more than he’s letting on, and his secrecy is pretty understandable.