And Really Good Eggs

It was a little known fact to even those that knew Sloan that he kept lodgings near the Wayfarer's Inn. Not at the Inn itself, but close enough that the butler was a fairly regular customer around mealtimes. Apparently it was a day off for the Aesier man today. Gone is the usual black and white linen uniform, replaced with an undyed woolen tunic, the sleeves rolled up past his elbows revealing a roadmap of scars, old and new that one would not expect him to have incurred from a life of servitude. Dark grey wool pants tucked into soft soled, mid calf length waterproof boots, a traveling cloak, likewise of dark grey wool hangs to dry on a peg nearby, water dripping to the stone floor as heavy snow melts from the fabric.

Looking up from his spot at a corner table, the butler watches the wind howl outside, pushing snow and darkening the mid day sun to an evening like hue. Whatever his thoughts, he doesn't voice them at this time.

The door opens with a small gust of wind, and in walks a _very_ damp blue-scaled sith-makar. He's massive in size, well over six feet tall, and his left arm and leg are both clear crystal that glimmers darkly in the dim lighting. He looks around the inn as he comes in, and holds the door for a man who follows him. The pair make their way inside, and the sith chooses a table near the fire as close as he can manage. "Sssaa."

The sith exhales the sound, his voice more than anything giving away that he is male. His clothes are wet clerical vestments, white and bearing the symbol of Daeus on the front. "Thisss one isss quite hungry kin. Hopefully they have sssome vegitablesss left."

The man that follows is a good bit shorter, and much brighter in coloring. Fair as a spring day, in fact, with ginger-blonde hair and pale blue eyes. He is openly and fully kitted for war, an open-front blue and silver robe with ornate full-plate armor beneath. A sword and quiver at his hips, a bow over his back just beneath the twin cloaks thrown over all. Quite clearly a traveler, and a wealthy one, to judge by jewelry and gear. "If not, I shall hunt for you," he offers in a light voice with a distinct Myrrish lilt to it. "I myself would eat, and would find the guard who aided me, if he be yet here."

The word of the day may be 'sodden.' That is the state of the latest entrant some moments following the recently-prior two. Gray robes and cloak are drenched to a dark charcoal shade, making for a starkly non-colorful entrant. This is mitigated somewhat as Verna doffs her hood with a limp *splut*. Perhaps the only consolation is that her footwear appears clean and dry; she leave no undue tracks as she makes her way for the hearth and warmth.

Noting the entry of the others into the inn, Sloan leans forward in his seat. His lunch consisting of a pair of boiled eggs and a slice of unbuttered bread, the Aesir man idly traces a finger around the top of one of the eggs. Finger circling around for a third time, he finally stops and picks the top of the shell off cleanly between thumb and forefinger, the shell broken as though it had been cut with a table knife.

It almost seemed like a ritual as Sloan quietly peeled the first egg, meticulously removing all of the shell with a thumb slid between the rubbery meat and the membraneous inner shell. the inedible part left in a neat pile on his plate. As Verna makes her entrance as well, the butler notes the wet condition of the cloak, and the dry footwear with mild interest, half of is attention turning back to the task at hand as he pulls a small blade from his belt and begins to first bisect the egg, then spread it and the soft boiled contents across the bread on his plate.

Zeke eyes the plate in front of Sloan as he settles down into his seat at the table. He has to turn the chair around so that his tail is not torqued by sitting down. "Eggsssss." He rumbles thoughtfully to Seldan, sounding hungry and eager. It's clear that he likes eggs, and hadn't considered that they might be on the menu. The waiter comes around to his table and he asks after the offerings.

"We've vegetable stew, fresh eggs that can be made into various meals... and a plate of vegetables if that's your preference." Offers the waiter.

"Eggs." Zeke says eagerly, leaning forward brightly. "Boiled. And vegetables." He looks to Seldan for the other man's order.

"Vegetable stew, with my thanks." Seldan is more reserved, less eager, but he at once goes for his coin-pouch, as if preparing to pay for both orders. He is at least a little tense, weight balanced between the balls and heels of his feet like a warrior awaiting battle, and his gaze goes from time to time towards the door. He does not seem to have spotted Sloan yet, but thusly, he spots Verna nearly at once. "Mourner Verna, her light upon your path. What brings you out in this weather?"

Verna was not wholly unaware that others are present: it is, afterall, a popular location and all the moreso given the weather. She was focused upon her path to the fire, however, so the call is something of a surprise. Her steps halt and her head turns with a mild start. A blink follows as the speaker, identified a moment later, is further surprise. Not unpleasantly so.

"Ah, Silverguard. A pleasure. I was reconnoitering local flora, as much as I was able. The weather proved even less cooperative than I expected it would." Her gaze expands to those at the table. "What of yourselves?"

Making room at the table for the other occupants, Sloan speaks quietly, though his appearance is very much that of one from the land of the Aesir, his speech denotes one straight from Alexandria, and probably the nicer parts of it. "The eggs are rather well done in this establishment master Sunguard. I believe the cook candles them before putting them in the pot."

Folding the bread in half, so as not to make a mess with the soft boiled egg. Sloan takes a small bite, chewing thoughtfully. Bright blue eyes once more turning towards Verna as she addressed the table.

Seldan's hesitation with the payment is his downfall in paying for lunch. Zeke is a little bit quicker, pulling out his own coin and a hefty tip as well and pushing them across the table to the waitress. There's a flash of coin as they disappear and the waiter wanders off to put their order in. Zeke pleasantly wags his tail back and forth, nodding politely to Sloan's words and humming anticipation of his food before he offers pleasant greeting to both Solan and Verna. "Peassce on your nessstsss. We are here for food before errandss."

Today, Seldan seems content to allow Zeke to do the talking, although he inclines his head politely to Sloan and Verna. "I have yet to have a meal in this place that displeased," he agrees with a small, polite smile. "Kin, perhaps a shared table will not go amiss, and Mourner Verna, this area is not safe to travel alone." The smile fades. "Even in this weather, for I have learned that even such weather deters not a certain someone."

"Peace on your nest, Sunguard," Verna returns the greeting to Zeke, "and yourself," for Sloan. She approaches the table at mention of its shared nature. "I understand the meals here to be hearty." Her agreement and/or agreeability are dimmed after Seldan's smile fades with further words, doused with a deep frown. "Understood." The number of "certain someones” which Seldan might reference is exceedingly small; singular in any recent context. She takes up a chair to seat herself.

Listening to the group, Sloan continues to eat for the moment. Each bite a considered affair so as not to make a mess, his free hand holding a handkerchief produced from a pocket. At the mention of peace on his nest, the Aesir man gives a polite smile. "And may the Guiding Star smile on you as well."

Shifting once more as Verna joins them, Sloan looks at the group, nodding to Verna's comment. "Indeed the meals are hearty. But the publican does offer other fare if one is not of a mind to partake of organ meats. I find it to be an interesting texture myself." Was it a joke? It's hard to tell aside from the slight crinkling around the bright blue eyes of the Aesir man. As the group speaks of 'certain someones' Sloan considers something for a moment, then takes another bite.

Sloan's comment on 'organ meats' earns a wrinkling of Zeke's snout, but the sith doesn't comment on his words, choosing instead to focus on other aspects of the conversation. Seldan's words make his green eyes darken, and he nods solemnly to Verna. "Thisss one isss willing to ssshare ssspace and wordsss yesss?" He says gently. "Thisss one hassss ssseen too much of what that vampire can do of late."

The mention of organ meats earns Sloan a level but quiet look from Seldan, and a small smile. "I would learn their preparation methods. I am barely a passable cook, and yet is it seldom enough that I dare an inn, of late. But come. Of this should you know, for I judge you more than but a worker," his eyes rove over the roadmap of scars on Sloan's forearms. "And do you make your home here, it is well to be aware of this one. Fortunately, it is not in my mind that the man of whom we speak seeks any save one, but in the seeking will he destroy any in his path."

It is at about this point that Seldan and Zeke's meals and Seldan's drink are set down on their table. "But I forget myself. I am Seldan, servant of the Dreamer, and my companion is Sunguard Zeke. The Mourner is Verna, another of my allies."

At least one thread amongst Verna's thoughts combines topic of organs, individuals, and the context of their present location. She does not allow this to linger, nor add to her frown, but it does make her disinclined to request a meal at this time.

Pressing her countenance back to neutral, she nods to Sloan with the introduction from Seldan. "Well met, even if the situation is not as well as it should be. I suggest caution and prudence above all else," she notes in yet general and vague terms before looking to Seldan and Zeke. Brows tentatively arch. "Unless there is more recent news?"

Vampire. thats a word one doesn't oft hear in casual conversation. Finishing his bread, Sloan begins tracing his finger around the top of the shell on the second egg now, a quiet cracking sound heard just under the level of the conversation as the butler opens the top of the egg with a fingernail once more, once again picking the top off the egg shell between thumb and forefinger.

Denuding the egg of it's shell in the same fashion as the first one, thumb slipped between egg and shell and worked slowly around until the shell lays neatly on the plate, the Aesir man picks up a spoon and neatly takes the top off the egg itself, exposing the yolk. As Seldan addresses him, Sloan places the spoon down and offers a hand. Any fighter could tell the knuckles had been broken repeatedly, thick callouses matted across them and the heels of his hands. "Charmed, I am sure to meet all of you. I am Sloan. Butler to the Shining Chalice. I have been in residence in Alexandria for the majority of my life, yes." If one were to look closely at Sloan, they would likely realize this be be 'about 25 years'. Noticing his statement had put Verna off her food, he adds. "I apologize if my quip was in poor taste. the main meal today is indeed, vegetable stew, and very well prepared."

The food that Seldan and Zeke ordered comes out, and Zeke nods politely to Sloan as he is introduced, but odds a cautionary note. "Sssome would find the mention of sssuch thingsss to be a bit untoward." He blinks twice, his eyes nictating as he looks at his meal. It is perhaps telling that despite his interest in his eggs earlier that he starts with the vegetables. A flicker of glance is made toward Seldan at Verna's question, but Zeke does not comment on it.

Seldan takes the hand and shakes firmly, his own grip the callused one of an experienced swordsman. "A pleasure, Sloan," he acknowledges, but his focus remains on Verna, and he does not yet start into his food, only picking up his spoon and letting it rest on the edge of the plate. Inn chairs in armor are awkward, but he seems accustomed to it. "Mourner, he attempted the gates two days past, perhaps three. He seeks one he names only as "amber-eye", and while he remembers me not, he does remember Salina, for he said that he sought her, and she turned him away. Your enemies use Kol, and watch him closely, but he is no puppet."

Verna lifts a gloved hand to stay Sloan's apology. "It was not your words, but recent acts, here, by the vampire. You cause no offense." She does not expound any further, lest it might cause further discomfort. Seldan's words are not pleasing in the slightest, acknowledged with a simple nod. "He is not wholly what he was, then. He has a new obsession. He may be more dangerous as he is than ever before. We should, all of us, be most cautious."

She gives Seldan a more scrutinizing glance, of the sort that Zeke may be familiar with. The Sunguard then receives an inquiring glance before she adds to Seldan. "I presume his attempt was made unsuccessful."

Nodding to Zeke as he mentions his statement being untoward, Sloan offers another of those apologetic smiles. "You are right, of course." Taking up his spoon once more, Sloan scoops the yolk from the egg and chews quietly, letting the others speak as he chews.

Zeke bares his teeth for a moment. It's not a smile that he offers Verna. It's not a threat of violence against her either, but rather a note of violence that he might like to do to the vampire. "He wasss sstopped." The sith says firmly, but there's something in his eyes that suggests that there is far more to that story than he is saying.

"He was stopped, at not inconsiderable cost." Seldan speaks gravely, and only then does he turn his attention to his food. "Any attempt to make a final end of that one should be done with planning, preparation, and assistance from others," he adds after chewing and swallowing his first bite. "The anchor will yet be needed, and he yet resists spells. My sword is yet yours, but not idly or for an ill-planned attempt. It is in my mind that more knowledge of him may be helpful."

At this, he hesitates.

Verna has not oft witnessed teeth from Makar in such a fashion, and perhaps never from the Sunguard, himself. This all but confirms her passing suspicion even before Seldan's explicit statement. Her frown returns in force, though it is heavily shaded by consideration in the furrows upon her brow.

"As greatly as I wish to see him ended," she notes, "you are correct. This is a matter beyond merely might and magic. Throwing ourselves at him will harm us far more than he. We will see what we can glean..." She pauses to lift a hand to pinch at the bridge of her nose and lament, "It was too much to hope he might be sated or otherwise occupied for fortnight..."

Finishing his egg quietly, Sloan chews thoughtfully as he listens to the trio. “Sorry, I hate to intrude with ignorance. Are you referring to an actual vampire? I assume you are not using this as a euphemism."

Zeke sees Seldan's hesitation and tilts his head, about to question it when Sloan offers his own question and the sith nods once. "Yesss. The thing we we ssspeak of isss a true vampire. Though that may not be all that he isss." A somewhat cryptic answer then. Zeke eyes Seldan in a way that suggests that he hopes that the man will speak up.

"An old nemesis of ours, of late returned." Seldan carefully does not look at Verna, splitting his attention entirely between his plate and Sloan. "A vampire, yes, and perhaps more. A foe not lightly undertaken, in any event." He shakes his head at Zeke's look, clearly declining to speak and instead opting for more food, seeming - uncomfortable?

"Returned in a most unusual manner," Verna adds for Sloan's benefit. "I believe he is not the original, but another entity entirely. One that has taken on his strengths, perhaps not all of his weaknesses; enough of his original mind to be as sadistic, yet apparently no so complete in his memories. All of which makes him perhaps a more dire opponent than the first."

Nodding as he listens to the group, the Aesir man sets his plate to the side and flags the server down as they pass to request a tea. Considering the others at his table for a long moment, he finally says. "Something that was once a vampire, but is no longer, and potentially worse. That does sound intriguing in a vile sort of manner. How does one combat such a thing?"

"We are, unfortunately, uncertain." Zeke says calmly, finally finishing his plate of vegetables and poking one of his eggs delicately with a claw. It's amusing really to watch him delicately handle the egg with his claws. One of them made of crystal. "He isss not asss normal vampiresss are. He can walk in sssun-light for insstance. He isss very fassst, and quite ssstrong." Zeke peels the egg carefully and then eats the tiny thing in one bite with a hum of approval.

Verna upgrades her frown to pursed lips. "Unfortunately, I can attest to his strength and speed from practical experience. His prior incarnation required many working in concert to be defeated. This shall require no less."

"Knowledge, predominantly. Knowledge which we yet lack..." Now her frown returns. "Which I should be seeking sooner rather than later." To which she also rises from her seat.

Watching the trio and absorbing the information, Sloan considers things for a long moment. Quietly cleaning the small knife he had previously brought out, he replaces it in a small sheath on his belt next to a larger knife that looks like it was tucked in his belt straight from the butcher's block in a kitchen. "I fear there is little that I might offer in this instance by way of personal assistance. Perchance, I could give this...thing a stern tongue lashing, though from the sounds of it, that would ensure I no longer had a tongue...or a life. if it is information though, may chance it would be of use to you if I were to speak with my masters at the Shining Chalice? They do seem quite a knowledgeable group."

"We could ussse all the help and knowledge that we may find." Zeke replies to Sloan. "Though fasscing the creature issss dangerousss in any circomssstance. It isss posssible that you may find sssome knowledge that will end it, and that would be sssome-thing that many would be grateful for." Zeke nods to Verna, allowing Seldan to remain silent without his own silent judgement.

Seldan, who has been eating his food in silence while the others discuss, nonetheless listens attentively. "Knowledge will serve better than strength of arms, in the matter of this foe, for it was by knowledge that this creature was brought low when last he predated Alexandria. This time shall be no different. It is in my mind that he is a different entity entire, and yet was he beaten before."

He blinks, as if envisioning something in his own mind, but shakes his head and says nothing of it.

"Indeed," Verna nods in firm agreement. "Any single insight or morsel of notion can spark the path to the knowledge sought. A path that yet requires its own effort and one I should return to." She begins to step back from the table, pausing to add to all at the table, "Your company was, and is, welcomed, yet I should return."

Rising from the table as Verna does, Sloan offers a stiff, shallow bow. Nothing extravagant, or overt, merely a sign of respect and decorum. "It was a pleasure to meet you Madame. " Looking to the rest of the group, he adds. "It is in my mind that such a creature would not do well for a city such as this. as one of a civic mind, it is my honor to do what I can to aid, humble as my contribution may be, I will do what I might." Once Verna has taken her leave, Sloan returns to his seat once more. "Is there a way of contacting you should there be information to be delivered?"

"Thisss one isss often at the Temple to the Dragonfather." Zeke explains, opening a second egg carefully. This seems to have much of his attention. "Have you need of thisss one, inquire there. Thisss one can alssso reach Sseldan at need." He looks at Seldan here.

"Her light upon your path." Seldan's farewell to Verna is mild, much of his attention on his food. "You may also leave word at the Temple of Eluna, although the Temple of the Draco Solis - you may know it as the Temple of Daeus - will be more swift. Kol does ill for _any_ city," he adds levelly. "It is well to be rid of the threat as quickly as we may. You have my gratitude for the assistance."

GAME: Sloan rolls knowledge/local: (14)+2: 16

Nodding at the pair, Sloan hands some money to the server as she brings his tea. Listening to the pair, he makes a mental note before replying. "I know of them. I will speak with my master forthwith and see if they are able to offer anything by way of assistance."

Zeke finishes his egg and pops it in his mouth whole like the one before it. Chomp-chomp it's gone. "Thisss one ssshould return to the temple kin." Zeke says to Seldan, rising to his feet. His plate is neatly ready to be taken, and he lets a little shake roll down his spine. "Thisss one will meet you back at the sshelter when thisss one can. Her Light upon your path until then."

How does a sith-makar have human kin? Zeke doesn't explain, he merely continues out the door with a little wave toward Sloan.

"Brightest of days, Zeke." Seldan looks after the makari, seeming to easily accept the words. "I shall restock and await you." With that, he turns back to Sloan. "If we are in need of assistance, where might we reach you?" His plate, too, is nearly empty, but he shows no rush to begone as the others do. Instead, he sets his spoon down and picks up his mug.

Returning the wave from Zeke with a polite tilt of his head, Sloan looks to Seldan for a moment as he considers. "I break my fast here most mornings. I can normally be found at the Shining Chalice." Considering for a moment, he adds. “Some of the serving girls here know of my residence if it is an emergency."

Taking another sip of his tea, the butler regards Seldan for a moment. "Your cloak, it is an interesting make."

"A gift from one that I would regard as a friend," Seldan answers, looking down at the diaphanous cloth. It is a difficult thing to watch, the movement of that cloth, and yet it seems sturdy despite its apparent ephemeralness. "I cannot say how it was made, for I was not privy to its making, and yet has it served me well in the short time that I have owned it."

Smiling at that, Sloan downs his tea in a quiet moment as he listens to Seldan. "Such things are to be treasured, I am sure. I have a gift of similar sentimental value, though nothing quite so, otherworldly." Looking out the window once more, the Aesir man stands quietly and grabs his cloak off the peg. "It has been my pleasure Master Seldan. I will find you when I have information to share. For now though, one should be on with one's day." Offering another semi formal stiff backed bow, the butler makes his way towards the door.

"Very well, and in truth should I be about my business as well." Seldan finishes his drink and stands as well, retrieving his bow from where it had been set beside him. "I should not linger overlong. Her light upon your path." In short order, he too is prepared, and strides purposefully for the door, leaving the lunchgoers to their meal.

-End