"No need for now, my friend. I think I have everything in hand. Do me a favour and keep Mel, Joshua and Dunn out of here until I'm done, will you? Oh, and probably best if nobody stands at the foot of the tower about... say 20 to 30 feet out."

Dunn goes "woohoohooohoo" and makes a goofy show of walking 30 feet out. Then another 20. Then 10.

After that, he'll go around encouraging anyone who didn't back off (from the various factions) to do so. "We've got this covered, but you may want to step back. There may be a big boom soon."

(I'm assuming Dunn does this "after" Yul passes on Morlan's request ...that or he has acquired telepathic powers )

"Mel, Morlock says no thank you, he would like some alone time with our new wizard aquantance. I'm guessing its an elf thing."

How about { italics in curly brackets } to indicate thought speech?

Hard for me to do from my phone. And color is no easier.
How about *astericks* for thought speech

Works for me.

Joshua examines the wand carefully, seeing if there are any clues in its construction. He is interested to uncover whether it is an antique looted from the ruins, or something the looter brought from outside.

Either way it seems like it makes a powerful weapon.

With no remaining options, the half-elf submits with a slight nod. Morlan knows well the look in his eyes though. Whatever subtlety this person was capable of at one time, it's now all he can do to mutter a claim of surrender.

"Nortis," he offers as a name.

The rod is white oak, mostly unworked but with rings of runic script in a climbing spiral around the shaft. It has no obvious method of operation.