Aftermath of Madness

The last rays of the setting sun hang in reds and golds on the edge of the western horizon, just below a midnight-blue sky filled with icily glittering stars above. A cold wind blows in off of the ocean, carrying with it the ever-present salt tang of Alexandrian air, and even as the majority of the temples are quieting down for the day, the activity has shifted to the Temple of Eluna, where clergy and ardently faithful gather for the evening services.

Seldan is no exception to this, except that his current state is likely to draw a great deal of attention, most of it negative. He is recognizable by frame, and by eye and hair color only - his skin is just beginning to show patches of its usual alabaster shade amid the stark, inky blackness that obscures it. He carries full arms and is dressed in full armor, the latter rather thoroughly stained with dried blood and polished to a curious sheen in the places where the dried crimson-rust does not touch. Still, he seems hale enough, if weary, his strides almost impossibly quick for the full platemail that he wears as he makes his way towards the Dreamer's Temple.

It's really a quite sort of evening, except perhaps the evening mass beginning to gather around the temple of Eluna. Seldan isn't the only one headed toward it either. There's a darkly-clothed man of moderate height headed toward the same location at a tempered pace. Like many others he catches sight of the other man's state of being, but unlike them he doesn't stare. In fact he seems nonpulsed by it. As though seeing someone in bloody clothing is an everyday occurance to him.

It does seem however to be of some concern or more accurately interest to a crow however who circles Seldan's form like a buzzard might. Crying out quietly but instantly before finally landing directly in front of Seldan and peering up at him with beady black eyes. This draws the man who is clearly of xian descent in, and he comes toward the crow with a solid stare. "Wuya, you are being impolite. Get out of the man's way."

The man turns toward Seldan and offers a short polite bow. "I apologize for Wuya, he has no sense of politeness sometimes." The raven caws as if to disagree and hops defensively toward Seldan.

As is often the case when dealing with the animals some Alexandrians keep as pets and companions, Seldan stops as the raven circles him, watching it intently and keeping his hands to himself. He says nothing until the owner comes over and greets him. "I would guess him troubled," he offers, his gaze moving from raven to owner. "It has been an eventful afternoon, and doubtless he smells the blood." He isn't moving like he is hurt, though.

Karasu nods and peers at Seldan intently. "You smell of death, and that calls to some of us." He shifts his weight and motions for the bird to come to him, but Wuya disobediantly continues to stay on the ground watching the pair of them as though they are terribly interesting. Finally the xian man sighs as if to himself and bows to Seldan again. "I am Karasu." The raven caws. "And this is Wuya."

"I am Seldan Padaryn." Seldan pushes aside an unruly lock of hair hanging in its face, that would not appear to be entirely untouched by that rust-crimson, either. In short, the man is a mess, and definitely does smell of death and blood, among other things. Certainly he'll need a bath if he means to attend evening services, at the least. He's also all but pitch-black of skin in the enclosing dusk as the sun sinks below the horizon to make way for the moon. "He smells the vampire then, I would wager," he adds grimly in response to Karasu's words. "I am pleased to meet you, even if I be less than presentable."

"Vampire." Karasu sounds startled, but doesn't look it. No trace of emotion flickers across his face, but his eyes briefly do show a touch of concern. "But we are in your way. You are on your way to evening mass are you not?" Karasu moves his hands to shoo Wuya and the bird waves its wings back at him without moving. "Or... perhaps you should simply move around this stubborn bird, I do not wish to keep you from your errands."

Seldan looks towards the Temple, where the first strains of music are already emerging. "I fear that I am too late," he says regretfully. "It is not my wish to send the faithful screaming from Her halls, which is what would happen were I to join the service as I am. It is ... perhaps best that I greet Her quietly this even, as I would on the road, and wait to do so until the faithful are gone." His expression holds real regret and real concern, along with a frown. "Yes, a vampire, the same one that attacked the Grey Lady's Temple a moon or more past."

"A vampire I have heard of then, for those at the temple speak ill of him indeed." Karasu rises to his full height, which is a few fair inches under six feet and considers Seldan. "You did well to survive him if the tales I have heard are true. Perhaps I can offer you something then, a bath at the temple of Vardama where the scent of death is not unknown, and company to tell your tale if you wish." Wuya crows softly, as if echoing his invitation.

"We were fortunate," Seldan begins, clearly considering the offer and finally nodding. "His attention was distracted, and with the help of others, I was able to drive him off as well as deny him the target of his visit. I will offer my gratitude and thanksgiving later, but I think myself less likely to frighten the faithful of the Grey Lady, as I am now. I am grateful for the invitation, and indeed, I would share the tale. No doubt they will wish to hear it. Lead on, if you will."

Karasu leads the way toward the temple of Vardama unhurriedly, his raven hopping along behind them rather than flying for the first few steps, and then deciding seemingly that it approves of their journey flaps upwards into the sky to circle them as they walk. Watching. It won't take long to reach the temple, but they do draw some eyes as they make their way. Bloodstained armor isn't that unusual in a town full of adventurers but it's not a mainstay either. Perhaps more common here in the temple district though, what with the clerics handy. "I have found that very little bothers the followers of my patron save perhaps the undead themselves." As they pass beneath a lantern Karasu evades the light out of seeming instinct, but the light is enough to reveal the edge of a symbol of Vardama holding his vest in place. It's hard to see under his high-necked coat but its there.

"I suppose that would be so," Seldan agrees, studiously ignoring the eyes on him. "When first I found myself with this," he gestures to the blackened skin, with only the beginnings of patches of normal skin color, "Eluna's inquisitors wished to ensure that I was not touched by evil." There is a lot to unpack in that statement, made as Seldan and Karasu walk towards the Temple of Vardama in the chilly dusk. Seldan's armor is thoroughly bloodstained, but he does not move as if injured - most likely the healers of one temple or another have seen to him.

Even Seldan's 'affliction' seems not to bother Karasu, who merely makes note of the odd patches of paler color. He seems quite an immovable man, or perhaps just a very deep thinking one. The dark-haired man nods once to Seldan's words. "It was wise of them to be cautious. I assume that it was deemed safe enough." He seems certain of this though he has no real reason to be. "Though being touched by evil is very different from leading an evil life is it not? The touch of evil does not stain a man's soul."

"It is, and this is not even so," Seldan nods. "I understand their caution, though. It is too easy for true corruption to spread, once it has taken hold. They know it for what it is, but ...." He smiles, and it reaches his eyes. "I suppose there are those among the sil who are too much reminded of the mul'niessa, when they look upon it. Even were it not so, I deem it disrespectful to join the evening songs so bloodied. A bath first."

Karasu tisks quietly. "If they are too reminded of the mul'niessa then they might be well reminded of those mul'niessa that serve this city. The evil of a nation does not make for the evil of a man." He nods however to Seldan's mention of the bath and continues on more quietly until... They are suddenly joined by a woman calling Seldan's name. Karasu comes to a stop and offers a bow to the woman politely his black eyes tracking from her to Seldan and back again.

Seldan pauses on hearing his name called, and turns again in that direction, looking around attentively for its source. His eyes light with recognition as he spots Reva, and he signals Karasu to wait a moment. "Forgive me, this may be of import," he tells the Xian. "Reva, it is a pleasure. How might I be of aid?" Although his skin is blackened, the armor still bloodied as it was earlier in the day, the eyes and red-blonde hair remain the same.

Reva finally catches up, and she offers a bow of her head to Karasu as she says, "Please pardon the interruption." To Seldan, she says, "Pardon as well. I had to hurry to my shift at the air station after that encounter today, and so I did not get a chance at the time to ask what was going on."

From the Temple of Tarien comes a cacophony of shrieks, and shortly thereafter, a number of people run out the front doors. Hoots and laughter can be heard inside, and a moment later, a small figure appears at the doors, putting her hands on her hips defiantly. "AND STAY OUT! If you can't take a joke, don't be one!"

Strutting into the central area, the Gobbo pauses and then squeaks. She runs right at Seldan, but comes up short, her eyes wide. "Oi, Seldan! D'ya know that yer armor is covered in blood?" Aaaand well here's a weird sight, but maybe a common-ish- one? Here's Kae, trotting down the street, though she doesn't have her wagon at this time. She's probably put that up. She has her harness with it's double set of large saddle bags strapped over the barrel of her back and all...

Kae grins cheerfully as she she 'skips' yeah sos he's prancing.. along and she pauses as she hears folks... THen peers at a certain Gobbo...

Another pause, a tilt of her head, a lash of her tail, a poor parishioner going flying off in the same direction as tail encounters said person, combined with an appropriate Wilhelm scream and Kae blinking as she flails her arms "Ooh sorry, that thing has a mind of her own!" She says to the person who's now upside down in a convenient barrel.

The man at Seldan's side is clearly of xian descent, and it shows not only in his disposition, but in his mannerisms, and in his speech which is gently accented. "We were just about to head inside." Karasu motions toward the temple of Vardama. "So that Seldan can recover from said events and recount this tale." No motion toward Seldan's bloodied clothes is needed, just a flicker of the eyes to draw attention to them. To remind her that Seldan is perhaps ill-suited at the moment for being among company.

This polite reminder is however dashed aside when a small goblin woman approaches and announces such to the world. Karasu's eyes twinkle with amusement that doesn't show elsewhere on his face. "Indeed." So softly spoken as to be unobserved. Wuya, a raven floating now down toward the ground crows quietly and eyes Kaelyn speculatively before alighting upon Karasu's shoulder carefully.

"Yes, Acedia. At the least, some of it is Kol Demontry's." Seldan closes his eyes as the Gobbo makes her pronouncement, but there's a smile on his face to say he isn't angry. "It is as he says," nodding to Karasu. "If you would hear the explanation of what happened today, and why it came about, then come with us. It is no secret, and indeed, the more that know, the better. She was present when it happened, and aided me," he adds to Karasu. "She deserves to know who that was, and why he is a threat, if she can stomach me bathing while I tell its tale."

Reva will follow Karasu and Seldan, then, toward the Temple of Vardama, and she says, "Do not let me interrupt you. But that seemed a particularly deadly foe, so I was hoping to learn a bit more." She eyes Acedia warily, wondering what sort of horror it takes to get chased out of the Temple of Tarien.

The Gobbo peers at Karasu for some time, squinting ever so slightly. She look then to Reva for a moment, and grins broadly, showing off quite a few teeth and fangs. Her expression softens though, and she nods to Seldan. "Are you wounded? I have some healing magics I could put to use." Acedia moves closer to the man, eyeing the armor curiously, looking for damage.

She glances from Seldan to Karasu and back again, nodding solemnly. "I would hear of how this came to be. Tell me, did you slay him? Badly wound him...?" The Gobbo gestures to the Paladin's armor. "This is a generous helping of blood." Acedia looks to Kaelyn then. "You're still stuck with four legs, huh? I'm still uhm... looking into things."

Kae blinks and shrugs at the Gobbo "Yup! And when I find a ways to kinda fix it, it gets worse and some more dwaggie features drift to the upper body and I get a lilll bigger, but that's after I bust my pants and get 4 legs again!" She says and flails her arms.. "But I'll get it yet! Would be better if I could find what's causing it in the first place!" She says to Acedia and grins... "It still ain't terribibble."

Karasu looks somewhat questioningly over the group, but shrugs and nods to Seldan's partially unspoken request. "You are all then invited to the temple of Vardama." He says this quietly, barely disturbing the conversations ongoing, but heads off toward the temple nonetheless clearly expecting to be followed. He takes everyone to the more private quarters of the temple where Seldan can have his bath, and all can be discussed in relative privacy. Karasu bows to the women and eyes them critically with Wuya on one shoulder. "Would anyone care for tea?" Not the expected statement here.

Seldan's armor appears to be unharmed, but he shakes his head at Acedia. "No, I am well." He had turned to follow as well, explaining, "Telmentar's faithful saw to that, although they have also bid me rest, and that have I not done as I was told. I shall, when I have seen to my duties." He begins to remove his armor, piece by piece, and slowly - an operation that is more complex and difficult without assistance, although he does not ask. As he does so, he reveals clothing that is in at _least_ as bad shape as the armor, and some of it considerably worse.

"I would be pleased to accept tea," he nods, removing the clothing as well until he stands only in breeches to reveal several interesting things. The blackness of his skin extends down here, but stops short at the massive tattoo running down the back of his spine from his neck, disappearing into the waistline of the breeches. The tattoo is a complex series of arcane and divine symbols, with Eluna's crescent-and-sphere at its center, at heart-level. It's also marred by a number of gray-red marks, fully healed and looking like memories of wounds, that look like nothing so much as clawmarks. A residual from the healing, that will fade in a day or so, but judging by the number of them, someone got him _good_.

As he works, he talks. "The man with the green eyes is Kol Demontry, the same that attacked this Temple a month or two past. He is the puppet - and I do not use that word lightly - of the one responsible for the plague that has overspread the city. He is very much a wanted man, and is a dangerous foe indeed. Not lightly did I use the magic circle against evil, even knowing that he could cross its barriers. No, its power also protects against control of the mind by evil creatures, and that much did it do."

Acedia seems set to stand firm and not go to the Temple of Vardama, but when Seldan moves, she falls into step beside him. "Well, you are a stubborn one, to a fault." She laughs and lets out a breath. "And it seems to have rubbed off on others."

The Gobbo seems quite nervous once they approach, and enter, the mountain temple, and she sticks even closer to Seldan than before, bumping him several times. "I will take tea.", she says quietly, in reply to Karasu. She falls silent at Seldan's disrobing, the wee woman looking everywhere but him as he does so. "So uhm. You're letting your skin stay black?", she wonders, holding up her hand to peer at it. "You're basically the same colour as I am now. Not including the uhm scars and tattoo."

Acedia purses her lips when talk of Kol starts. "Did you wound him?"

Reva will follow Karasu and the others as far as the quarters, and won't decline the tea, but she won't be accompanying anyone into the bath. She's fine with waiting outside and having the discussion afterward. Or be forward, as Seldan explains things. "I see," she says, and sighs at wounding him. "Not that it seems to have any effect that lasts past seeing it," she grumbles, referring to the regeneration she saw.

Kae blinks curiously and looks at Seldan now and blinks "You sooo didn't get affected by whatever it was that got me didja?" She asks curiously, squinting and bending at the waist to look at Seldan better, her tail wagging a bit as she studies the person curiously....

Karasu sits down beside a tea pot and begins to make tea very formally. He makes tea for those that requested it and no one else. First the water, then the tea leaves. Wuya makes himself comfortable on the back of a chair and Karasu listens with interest to Seldan's words, but offers nothing to the conversation just yet. Not even very much in the way of expression. If what Seldan is describing surprises him at all it doesn't show.

"It will fade," Seldan tells Acedia. "It does not stay, in the absence of bright sunlight." Seeing that his state of dress seems to have discomfited at least one person, he hurriedly draws a curtain between himself and the others, and soon there is the splash of water. From the water, his voice emerges from the other side of that curtain. "No, the spell prevented him from doing so. We were able to wound him, if we could catch up, and given enough time, we might have overwhelmed him. He got away. I have not yet mastered the fourth circle, else would I have prevented that." Frustration mingles with the Myrrish accent. "I am nearly there, I think, but ... not yet."

Reva hrms and nods about the bright sunlight thing. The bits about magic go over her head, so she can only shrug to that. "Hopefully you will be able to prepare your magical defenses soon," she says.

Acedia nods and smiles. "Still.. it is neat to see you this way, and better to see that you've accepted the curse." She peers at him as he decides to pull the curtain across. She moves around and pulls the curtain apart slightly, moving to settle upon the edge of the bath... splashing her feet in the hot water with a laugh. "So.. what do we do next? We know now that Kol can be hurt. He can bleed. We... we have to become the hunters. Lay a trap for him. Capture him. Then find out how to get to his mistress. And then reach above her to those who pull her strings."

Kae blinks and follows the others curiously, she's in the way of curtains.... Yup yup, very much so in the way. She blinks curiously and looks around curiously "Soo Kol? That was the weird ashen skinned fellow earlier riiiight?" she asks curiously…

"It seems so." Offers Karasu finally speaking to Kaelyn. He pours out tea for those that asked for it then rises to his feet to procure from a dresser a robe which is not covered in blood. He lays it across the top of the curtain for when Seldan is ready for it and then returns to his own tea. "Something must have been the reason that he left. Surely he would not go without reason?"

"Yes. I think that he was summoned back. For no other reason would a man stop moving while under assault by multiple foes. Only because he did so were we able to strike him, but I was able to land enough of a blow to take his arm off, and others cut deep as well. He will regenerate that, quickly enough, but ... he was forced to leave without his quarry, and that is a victory for Alexandria." Seldan is quick enough to bathe, studiously ignoring Acedia as he does so. "I know who it was that he sought, and why. I had hoped to draw him from her control, but was unsuccessful. She controls him like a puppet, that much is certain, if you watch his movements."

Reva will sip tea and nod slowly at the explanations. "I see," she says. "You had said before that he was somehow related to the magical plague going around?" she wonders.

"Yes.", the Gobbo says in reply to Kaelyn's question. "That does fit his description indeed. He is a vampire." She looks to Karasu, and nods, gesturing to the concealed Seldan. "Kol's mistress likely pays close attention to her tool-pet. Any sign that he might be endangered in a way he is unable to handle, she pulls him back. His is, from what I have experienced and from hearing it from others, quite capable of getting out of tight scrapes on his own. But we are growing wise to his ways, and are gathering power enough to bring him to his knees."

Acedia will accept the tea, and slurps at it rather noisily. She looks to Reva and nods. "His mistress is likely the progenitor of the plague, or rather, the person who rediscovered it, and has unleashed it upon the world. Kol not only helps spread the plague, he was capturing people and taking them to her... returning them later. He also likely helped foment unrest and instilled fear in the city's population."

Kae oooohs and waggles her arms... "Well he says words that makes you wanna do what he says." She says and rubs at the back of her neck.. She then shrugs slowly, tail lashing again as she looks around curiously. "Had a good beer party with all the local gards though..."

"That is a vampire's ability. With a look they can bespell others to do their bidding. The more powerful the vampire the more people they can control. We are... lucky that this vampire does not turn his gaze upon entire crowds to force them to do what he wants. It is a wonder that he does not." Karasu's words are hardly comforting, and he drinks his tea quietly as he considers Seldan's words and his own. "What method did you use to try and bring him out from under this other's control?"

"The plague is her work," Seldan corrects, amid splashing from behind the curtain. "Agh! Acedia, perhaps you are also in need of a bath?" he asks pointedly, then ducks under the water from the sound of it. When he re-emerges, he answers Karasu's question. "He was not always evil, not as a boy. I had ... hoped to remind him of that, but to no avail. The magical method may be the only means, and such spells are yet beyond me." Quiet, then, as he considers the words that have been spoken. "I was able to prevent him controlling myself and Menel, and the Sunblade nearby, I think. He and his Mistress have a different goal ... Menel says that she does magical research upon those she imprisons."

Reva hrms to Acedia, and nods slowly. "I see," she says. As far as bespelling everyone in the scene, she surmises, "Perhaps he did not want anyone tracking him back through the minions?" She winces about the magical research, and she says, "I'm glad she didn't try to control those of us as were outside the Circle."

"Her work?", Acedia wonders. "Hmm, that is an interesting thought. Does this mean, then, that Zeheir .. oh. Hmmm." She squeaks at the threat. "But I'm all in leathers, the water'd ruin them." She snorts at him and nods. "What did you do to prevent him from controlling you and the others? Is this a temple or priestly magic? Or could we bards learn such a thing, I wonder?"

She splashes a bit more at the water in the tub. "It is nice and warm though." The Gobbo looks to Reva and rubs at her cheek. "We should all invest in protections against his magic. Imagine the look on his face when we deflect his go-to trick?"

Kae oooooooh's "Sooo he was a vampire! I knew he had a wierd look to him!" She says and waggles her arms again, tail lashing slowly and she peeerrrrs at Acedia... curiously....." She then ummms... "Heeey, you know I kinda gotta do this high-ish pressure wash using artifice to throw out warm water and stooooofs! I tried a bath once, most of them now a days no fits!"

Karasu listens intently to Seldan's words and then nods. "The minds of those dead work strangely. They do not perceive time as we do. To him his humanity could be as close as yesterday, or as far as the end of the moon. But nothing can bring them back entirely. Their souls have flown to Vardama's hand and only the mind remains." His voice is grim and he drinks his tea. "Do not forget to drink your tea while it is still warm Seldan."

Seldan nods, and quiet falls at Karasu's words. "Then there is but one thing left to be done about him," the Silver Guard says quietly, determinedly. A little bit more splashing, and the sound of him emerging from the bath, followed by a quickly-chanted, brief few words in the arcane tongue. "I shall," he acknowledges, though does not take it yet. "The spell is of the third circle, an abjuration. The magic circle is tuned to a force, and is normally used to defend against summoned creatures and those who do not belong here, that are of those forces ... but it will offer defenses against their attacks and the wiles of the mind as well. I know only the version that is tuned to defend against evil creatures."

After a few moments, the robe vanishes from the top of the curtain as well, and Seldan emerges, bringing his fouled and shredded clothing with him.

Reva is, when Acedia looks her way, standing and facing away from the curtain. She sips her tea and thinks about what a vampire's perspective on time must be. When Seldan finally emerges, robed, she'll turn to face him and resume a more normal conversation as he explains about the spell. "It is frustrating sometimes that there is nothing for us normal folk to do in such cases. But I will recall your guidance, and share with any who may benefit from it."

Acedia peers at Kaelyn, and makes a sour face at the mention of artifice. "No, I'm not really one for baths. And I ain't going to mess around with artifice. Already had t'deal with crazy parents. An' I don't wanna get stuck with four legs of some animal. With my luck, it'd be a spider or something." She shudders and turns about on the edge of the tub and hops down. The Gobbo leave little wet footprints as she moves over to Karasu, offering him her empty cup. "Thank you for the tea."

Acedia looks to Reva once more and nods. "I know how frustrating that is... at the start of the plague, with people beginning to arrive at the Soldier's Defense, I didn't do anything more than walking around handing out hot or cold cloths for people. And I helped with the laundry and disposal of plague ridden clothing and towels. Then I caught the plague... spent my time alternating between moaning about my lot in life and reading up on stuff to help others.. like Chay and Zeke. They saved my life. Then I ran into Seldan and Malik. Seldan was sick... I helped comfort him. Hah, now we've been going around kicking over anthills and squishing the Mistress's minions... an' falling off bridges."

Kae peeerrrrs at Acedia curiously and blinks "No baths? Get a showeerrrr, clean up! It feels great!" She says cheerfully, waggling her arms in the air... She then ooohs "Yeaaah, so instead of getting this plague thingie? I ended up with a giant dragon bummm...." She says and shrugs.... "Again I thinks I was lucky."

Karasu nods quietly to himself, agreeing with Seldan's grim determination clearly. Though the magic talk only draws a flicker of curious eyes. "Do not be all-trusting in magic. Particularly in use against vampires as they are intelligent foes. Did you not say that this one was aided away from you? So this one too has powerful help that might thwart such efforts." He watches Seldan move about the room, subtly shifting the other man's tea closer to him and sipping his own.

Once Seldan has gathered his clothing and deposited it in a chair next to him, he finally picks up the tea and sips from it, with a nod of thanks to Karasu, but seems pent-up, unwilling to sit just yet. "Yes, his puppeteer called him away," he answers Karasu. "It is so. Magic can aid one's wits, but cannot replace them. And ... there is far too much I am yet missing." Another sip of the tea. "Acedia, why did you throw yourself from that bridge?"

Reva winces as Acedia explains about her history with the plague, and she looks worried about the falling off bridges thing. "That sounds bad," she admits. As far as being all-trusting in magic, she asks Karasu, "What is the alternative? Everything runs off magic, and it surrounds everything. You can't get away from it. And how else can you fight it?"

Acedia shakes her head at Kaelyn. "I occasionally take a swim but that's it." She crosses her arms. "I'd rather have the plague than dragon farts.", she says firmly. Glancing to Karasu, "Eventually we will be able to smack Kol so hard, he'll be dead before his mistress can save him." She thrusts her empty tea cup into the man's hand.

The Gobbo goes still and silent when Seldan speaks and asks that question. She peers down at the floor and huffs. "Cause we were tryin' t'find ye in an oncoming blizzard. I thought maybe you were down there, maybe hurt... maybe some creature on you. I had hoped that my dragonspitter could crack or break the ice... I hoped anyways, that it was a river that bridge crossed over. I also figured that perhaps your sword might have some use aside from stabbing things and talking so much and so loud t'give ye a headache. A talking sword could at least cast feather fall or something t'be useful."

She peers up again. "I also felt havin' a damsel in distress t'rescue might just draw you out of your uhm... introspection."

Kae peeeerrrrs at Acedia "Well you knoooows, baths, showers, etc are really good for your skin and stuffs, I could show ya a non-artificed way to set up a nice hot shower!" She says and waggles her arms... "And having to go around without real clothes waist down, I have learned the wonders of a good shower or bath and stuff..." She then tilts her head at Acedia... "Aaanyhoooo I saw those plague folks, sooo you'd rather be sick and not has 4 legs and a dragon bum and tail?"S he asks and blinks, then taps her chin.. "Dunno if I blame you."

Karasu takes Acedia's cup with a blink of surprise at her firmness but says nothing about it. He simply sets the tea cup aside and finishes his own tea. "Why ask me?" He asks of Reva. "I have never encountered the vampire, have never seen it in combat. What kind of fighter is it? Does it move quickly or slowly? What kind of reaction does it have to pain? Does it react to anything else oddly or in a way that I might use to my advantage? What is it's history? The art of war is a complex one, and without the answers to those questions fighting would be unwise to say the least. I am merely giving advice."

Seldan sips at his tea, listening to the swirl of byplay going on around him, but it is Acedia he focuses on, listening to her explanation. "The dragonspitter nearly buried me," he answers, but with no rancor. "Still ... it was well-meant. Thank you." He adds a smile to that. "I am well enough. The sword is ... complex, and I would not bore you with its tale." He does not comment on the vampire for the moment. "The plague ... is a difficult and dangerous thing, and some may say that either is more or less of a curse. I deem the plague the greater curse, for what one must do to be rid of it."

The Gobbo offers a bow to Seldan. "I count you as friend, Seldan. But." She rubs at her cheek a moment. "But I did that for Malik. You scared him." She grins and bounces on her feet. "But I must run. I have a gig!" With that, Acedia pivots suddenly and bolts from the room.

Reva gives Acedia a puzzled look. Just ... a puzzled look. She hrms about the plague being a curse, and she agrees, "I have heard that even those not susceptible to disease have succumbed to the plague," she agrees. "But thank you, you have more than answered my question about the attack today, thank you." She finishes her tea and returns the cup. "Thank you for letting us join you," she says to Karasu, nodding to his explanation of non-magic tactics. "I see, thank you," she says to him as well, and will let herself out.

Still thoughtful, Seldan looks after Acedia as she bolts from the room, tea still in hand. So cooled, in fact, the he can drink it relatively swiftly, although his eyes go to the door by which the others exited more than once. "You have my thanks, for the company, for the invitation, and for the tea, Karasu. I shall remember you kindly, when we meet again." He, too, sets his teacup aside, and casts another small spell, this one similar to the last. Its effect is immediately apparent - its job is to clean the blood from his clothes before he puts them back on. This he does with relative swiftness, then dresses again, most of the armor getting stuffed in the haversack, save only the breastplate, which he slings over his shoulders.

-End