Sunshine, At Last

At last, some remotely decent weather blesses Alexandria with calm, brilliant sunshine and no wind off the mountains to cut through one's clothing, and its people are taking full advantage. The Tornmawr sparkles in the sun, its swift flow wide now as it runs southbound towards the Inner Sea, the blue waters deceptively inviting. Nobody swims, though - it's far too cold for that. Most are content to picnic on the sun-dried rocks or simply to stroll the paths and enjoy a brief respite from winter weather.

Among these is a man parked on one of the park benches in full sun, the ice mostly dried off of it, a large, plain-covered book in his lap. He is mostly wrapped in a sturdy traveler's cloak of a nondescript ashen-gray, but bulges beneath it suggest far more layers than that beneath, and while the left side of his face bears a relaxed, focus look, the right side bears very little expression at all, for the right side is a mass of furrowed, twisted, and melted flesh, a golden gem glinting in the sunlight from the center of a steel-and-bronze rings with arcane runes engraved into it where his right eye should be.

That the weather is, for once and for the moment, conducive to unhurried travel outdoors is made use of while such opportunity exists. As well, that the path along the river is pleasant, yet not so much so as to pull vast crowds, makes it a peaceful place for such activities. So it is that Verna... strolls. Her hood is doffed, either to signify a more casual present status or to absorb more of the sun's warmth. Gloved hands are clasped before her and, while she is aware enough of her immediate path, her thoughts and focus are likely elsewhere.

It's been a moment since there's been remotely decent weather during Jacob's time in Alexandria. The brilliant sunshine and lack of biting wind makes Jacob feel as though he were back in the Great Plains astride a mighty horse - for always shall the lands of the Phurai Dae call him home. Perhaps one day he will join the Horse Lords once more. Though as he walks through the park, he's wearing a cloak that falls to the ground, covering shades of red, gold, and grey and a bit of armor that rests over his torso and waist. His shield is strapped to his back and he lets his sun-kissed skin meet the warm embrace of the sun, long black hair coming down to his shoulders.

A stroll always did one well.

"Oh, hello there." He tells Verna, recognizing her as a smile comes to his face. "I trust you are well?" Though his gaze falls upon Dolan then. "Greetings and good morning."

Dolan's head lifts at once at the speaker so close, and his remaining flesh-and-blood eye blinks against the sunlight. At once, he sets a marker in the book on his lap, and closes it to reveal a title of "A Compilation of the Eternal". This he picks up and tucks into the small knapsack at his left ankle, a thing small enough that a book that size should not fit, but he seems to have no trouble doing so, and regards the newcomer thoughtfully. "Brightest of days," he offers, firmly closing up the knapsack and moving over to make room for others to sit. "I know I'd remember you if we'd met before," he adds with a sudden grin that spreads over the mobile half of his face and tugs at the scarred half. Dolan Donnelly."

The greeting draws Verna from her thoughts, head, eyes, and focus turning to Jacob. "Ah, good day to you. I am well enough." The man is recognized as recently familiar. "I trust you are, as well?"

It is only now, between both men's words, that she is fully aware of Dolan's presence. Her path alters slightly to bring her nearer the bench. "Good day to you, as well, Dolan. It is pleasing to see you under The Sun's light, and moreso for yourself to enjoy such, I presume?"

"You too, I would remember." Jacob says to Dolan, the man's appearance too distinctive and unmistakable. Hd stretches his hand towards the man with a smile on his face. "Jacob Ben-Hassid. A pleasure to meet you, Dolan." he happily introduces himself before his attention is drawn to Verna. "I am well, Serriel's blessings always provide good enough reason to see the good on even hard days." He chuckles. He looks at Dolan's book. "Studying the nature of the supernatural?"

"Yeah, that's no lie, for certain sure," Dolan replies to Verna, grinning up at her, although he makes no move to stand when he sees her. "The weather's been damned awful lately. His holy light is a blessing, and a welcome one. Brightest of days to you as well."

"Well met, Jacob." One arm snakes out from under the cloak to be offered as a handshake or armclasp, revealing a sheepskin-lined jacket or duster over a long-sleeved, woolen short with a high collar beneath. "And have been for a while," he assents, something of his grin going ragged around the edges. "Know your enemy and all that." The words are flippant, but the tone is not, and there is a sobriety hidden beneath it.

He turns, then, to Verna again. "Meant to ask you, when are we going back to the encampment" This is likely to be our last chance, if it's even still there. We'd better make good, yeah?"

"Promptly," Verna answers Dolan. "Plans were discussed and made. I am prepared, and others who would accompany also make their preparations, to my knowledge. The opportunity, and urgency, are not ignored." She falls quiet to consider further comment, perhaps, and shifts the topic slightly.

"I would make you aware that a potential fiend in the city was identified operating out of the docks. I suspect it is one of the wish-granters, but cannot be certain. Regardless of purpose, it cannot be permitted to remain. It may not be as urgent as the encampment, yet should be addressed."

Verna gestures a gloved hand to Jacob. "He was also present for the discover, as was Dirk and others, yet I wished to make you directly aware, given the possible nature."

Whatever that was all about, Verna's answer seems to mollify Dolan, because he just nods. "I'm going with you." The assertion is firm. "I'll go blind if I have to. I want to see for myself what's out there."

The news Verna offers, though, sends the lone remaining eyebrow streaking for his hairline, the other eyebrow ridge with its last remnants of hair following suit. "Yeah? Another wish demon on the docks?" He scowls, not a nice expression on the already twisted features. "By the Light, I'm going to track down whoever is calling these damned things and kick their asses so hard they'll need to pull on their shoes using their eyebrows."

Jacob nods softly to Verna. "That I was. Yet, considering the nature of it, it's an issue that should be solved as quickly as we can manage." He smirks a bit. "Though, I would like to come along on that quest, should it be decided to be pursued." As a Cleric, he has no desire whatsoever to allow a fiend - especially one who causes harm to the populace - to continue. All the same, he looks at Dolan and shakes his had firmly.

"Then we are of like minds." Regarding the supernatural. "Though I suspect our motives may yet differ." Though he tilts his head. "Encampment?" He turns to look at Dolan. "Could be a wish demon. Could be a demon who preys and feeds on the mind. and that....is quite an image."

Verna simply nods to Dolan. No rebuttal is offered at his insistence, though she does note, "We have viewed the camp, itself. We need not return to it via the cave." following that, she informs, "We will be swift and unnoticed. There are other caves at the perimeter, and proof that their clergy, leadership, reside within. I strongly expect what we seek lies within one or more of these." She turns to Jacob and considers he and his question before nodding. "Yes, an encampment."

"Make no mistake, Jacob. We'll pursue it, all right. There are both kinds around, plus the shadow demons." Dolan's lips, both sides set into a thin line that quirks at the commentary on his choice of expression. Verna's information gets a mute nods that suggests that he is unsurprised by the information. "Good enough. Yeah, that encampment is quite a story, and I've got a feeling it's related to these fiends, but I don't yet know how."

The matter of the demons, however, has his greater focus, and he returns to that, dropping his hand and tucking it back inside the cloak in the way of one who is cold despite bright sunshine. He leans back into the bench, looping his right arm over the back of the bench, and turns his head so that he can see both of them. "Don't know," he remarks casually of the motives question. "What's yours?"

"Shadow demons as well. I'm beginning to think they are planning a sudden takeover." Jacob remarks with a bit of a chuckle. Oh, if he only knew the darkness that was at play. Eitehr that, or he's just amused and distraught. But he has his attention on Dolan for a moment, nodding. "I understand. If you would have me counted among your number, I would join you in investigating this encampment. I assume combat is expected, or are you simply observing and reporting?"

He turns his eyes towards Verna. "I see. Clergy? Perhaps this can be solved diplomatically?"

"No," Verna responds to Jacob, first, frowning. "My apologies that I hesitate to share explicit details in open air, yet I can state with some certainty that diplomacy is not an option. As well, our intent is clandestine action as we may well be outnumbered one-hundred to one."

Her frown deepens further. "The frequency and number of fiends involved in, interested in, or otherwise active in the vicinity of this city can be rather maddening. Your assistance in that matter would be most welcome. Any one of us can only divide our attention and time so far."

The look that Dolan favors Jacob with includes a small smile, and someone might as well have written the words oh if you only knew across his face. "Verna's right," he admits. "On all counts. We can definitely use help with the fiends. I've crossed a few of them, but it might be better if someone else handles that for a while. They're dangerous, don't get me wrong, but when it comes to fiends, that battle's won or lost before you ever draw your sword, and it's all about how much you know and how prepared you are. You're a whole lot more likely to win if you've done the legwork before you call one out."

"Good." Jacob remarks. "As much as I adore the act of diplomacy, I fear that there can be no negotiating with fiends and darker creatures of similar ilk." Jacob tells Verna then, but he seems to smile when she happily accepts his assistance. "Then I am happy to help you however way you see fit for me to handle." He looks then towards Dolan. "Then I best return my eyes to my holy books and prepare certan divine magicks. Even so, I serve Serriel's work in beating back these shadows." He nods softly. "Besides, more brains put together is better than fewer."

"We, and the city in general," Verna expands to encourage Jacob, "welcome aid in many ways, many varieties, in whatever form such can be provided. There is no shortage of needs. In my experience, this city bears, to quote the vernacular... never a dull moment. It is always best to be prepared and mindful."

Dolan reaches one arm beneath the cloak to rub at the opposite shoulder, or at least press on it? It is hard to tell what, precisely, he is doing. "Like she said. Everything isn't awful, but it's smart to be ready for anything. The problem is that just getting rid of the fiends isn't doing us any good. Someone's summoning them, and whoever they are, they're outside the walls. The city's warded, you can't summon or teleport inside the city gates. So these demons are being summoned outside the gates and walking in looking like normal humans."

"Prepared and mindfull I shall be." Jacob remarks to Verna with a happy smile on his face. "Besides, if there were a dull moment, would any of us be in this city?" he grins in a cheeky fashion, clearly a joke, before he turns to look at Dolan. "Have you tried capturing a fiend and giving them to a wizard? I believe they hold magecraft enough to tear the thoughts from their mind to know who summoned them."

"Indeed. Their source must be located and removed," Verna concurs with all of their statements... or nearly so. Her brows lift with Jacob's suggestion to Dolan, then her eyes shift to Dolan and back to Jacob. "It is not an easy matter to capture a fiend, but should it be wished..." Her eyes return to Dolan, "I can recommend those who should hold the appropriate magical ability and might be daring and/or foolish enough to try. I much prefer that my thoughts and those of a fiend remain separated as they are at present."

"You're thinking about that wizard friend of Patch's, aren't you, Verna." Dolan doesn't seem to recall the name of this wizard. "Fiends are damned good at lying. They've been doing it for thousands of years. I wouldn't want to touch a demon's thoughts either, but maybe someone will. I wouldn't want to see them get loose, let alone twist the wizard, and they'd sure as sunrise try. It's how they operate."

His idea went about as well as expected with the other two. Jacob clears his throat. "Yes, that becomes a problem. But I doubt a demon - unless it was in the final throes of its life - would willingly give up that kind of information. It's just an idea. Not a good one, by the sounds of it. Perhaps we could simply trick a fiend and play it's own game against it?"

Verna lifts a hand, palm out, to Jacob in a staying motion. "The intent of the idea is sound, and the idea, itself, is not entirely infeasible. It is better to have inspiration and ideas, even if some are not ideal, than none at all. Should you have any further ideas, I welcome them."

To Dolan, she assures,"I shall keep you informed and included when we act on the encampment, and all else. For now, I must excuse myself. The respite from my duties ends and I must return to them."

"Just be careful," Dolan warns, as a cloud moves over the sun and dims it. "I should also go back to the Temple and find Andie, but just keep in mind that fiends have had thousands of years to perfect their games. Trying to beat one at it is damned risky. Same with deals. I'm not going to touch it." He hefts the haversack and sets it over his shoulder, standing to let the cloak fall around him.

Jacob seems to look at Verna long and hard for a moment. His eyes briefly widen, before they soften and warm. "Thank you, Verna." He mentions then, a chuckle touching his features. "I'm full of ideas and delighted to share them." Though as they both start to begin to wander and state their exits, Jacob nods softly to the pair of them. "Not a worry. And don't worry, Dolan. I'm always careful."

Usually.

He smiles at the pair of them and he lifts his hood over his head. "Until we meet again. Stay safe...and beware the night."