Gervasiel

[Porcelain Fish]

"Truth be told, I suspect half of Tsuiraku is still the slightest bit frightened of Dr. Cleiviein," Maduin volunteered. "I think a number of the administrative officials overseeing the process were relieved that he actually left without a fight." He winked at Rose. "He still casts a long shadow in the city, all the more for having become somewhat . . . notorious."

His hazel eyes went to Argus. "I daresay we've definitely upgraded your status from "vagabond" at this point though, sir." He let a self-satisfied smile cross his features. "I must say, I rather splendidly outdid myself yesterday with that three-piece set." His gaze turned thoughtful for a moment before it returned to the road ahead of them, absently looking for a hat-shop among the businesses they passed. "I think you'd look simply smashing with a light gray bowler to go with it."

[Graybeard]

Sister Rose permitted herself a wry smile at the thought of Argus wearing a bowler hat. To be sure, Maduin's outfitting had served him well. The Tsuirakuan mage looked quite distinguished now, and indeed, rather ... handsome. However, to her eye a bowler just wouldn't fit at all. She'd grown too used to the idea of Argus as another road warrior like herself, and he just wouldn't do as a citified fop. Well, maybe the Tsuirakuans thought the clothes made the man, but Luminosita cared only about what was in the heart ... But that didn't keep her from indulging in certain -- fantasies as they walked.

She was still having curiously carnal thoughts about Argus and his various outfits when they reached the Red Parrot Inn. A quick inquiry directed the group to a room at the back (it was a small place), and moments later, Rose was knocking softly at Professor Indianel's door.

She wasn't completely expecting the man who answered. Her limited experience with faculty at Emerylon University had been mainly with middle-aged to elderly men who looked like they'd spent altogether too much time in a library. Professor Indianel was short, maybe shorter than she herself was, and no more than her own age. He was also no frail, bleached spook; on the contrary, his broad shoulders sprouted well-muscled arms that might have been those of a weightlifter. His tanned face beneath close-cropped hair suggested a man who'd spent a lot of time in the sun, as presumably he had.

"Welcome, Major Nuria-Lucas," he smiled, in an unexpectedly musical voice. "We've been expecting you. Becky, would you please fetch our guests some tea?"

A slender young woman emerged from the back room of the suite -- Rose noticed that this man apparently rated a two-room arrangement rather than the single rooms that she and her fellow travelers occupied -- and smiled shyly at the group at the door. Catching Rose's look, Indianel hastened to explain. "My research assistant, Rebekah Codoin. Don't get any improper thoughts; she was just over here so we could plan our day with you, her room is at the other end of the building." The girl smiled again and pushed past Rose without a word as Indianel continued. "And, if I might ask, who are your own companions on this expedition?"

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[OOC: Shall I take another quick turn as Lillith so we can move things along back at the Stone Man Inn? Sounds like Sareth may be out of pocket again.]

[Drannin]

Argus nodded politely. "Argus Cleiviein, humble traveler," he said, which was basically correct.

[Porcelain Fish]

"Maduin Lochlear, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Maduin smiled cheerfully.

[Graybeard]

Kim got the deer-in-the-headlights look as Indianel raised an eyebrow in her direction, expecting an answer to his question. Eventually she summoned her courage and gave one. "K- Kim," she said. "Rose is my friend." That seemed like answer enough. (It also made Sister Rose feel rather good for a fleeting moment.)

Indianel nodded, smiled. "Please call me Avner," he said. "I'll introduce you to the other members of the team when we get out to the site. Two of them spend the night there for security, plus there are a couple of casuals from in town who help us out sometimes." He looked off into space for a moment. "Cleiviein ... Cleiviein ... Somehow I feel like I've heard your name before, but I can't place where or why. Well, no matter. Let me gather up some things, and we can head for the site." He excused himself and went back to the bedroom.

Leaving Rose having an I've-heard-your-name-before moment of her own, but it only took her a few seconds to figure out who, when, where and why. That "research assistant..." She decided to try mind-speech to Argus; it might be best not to make too many waves for the moment.

<"Rebekah Codoin. If I'm not mistaken, she was one of the girls who was with Father Egbert when that incident with the warp gate happened. Am I remembering that right?">

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"Thank you," Lillith said softly to Brad, a shy smile on her face. "I'm done meditating now. We can go back and see what Drusia and Suriah are up to. I'd like to hear more about Snamish -- wouldn't you?" The smile widened just a fraction ...

... And Brad's joy knew no bounds. He could barely stammer out his agreement as the pair wandered back toward the inn.

[OOC: I hope Sareth doesn't mind this tiny adoption of Lillith to try to get things moving again with the part of the group that stayed behind. Come on back, we miss you!]

[Sareth]

[OOC]Nope! I don't mind. Sorry about my poofing for a bit with no warning... Let us proceed and... proceed![/OOC]

[Drannin]

Argus blinked in surprise. <"I think you're right. It's been so long that I'd forgotten. Quite a coincidence."> He paused, then glanced quickly at Rose. <"Sorry. I must be getting paranoid. It IS just a coincidence, isn't it?">

[Graybeard]

<"Sorry. I must be getting paranoid. It IS just a coincidence, isn't it?">

Sister Rose had been wondering exactly that herself. <"I really don't know,"> she thought back. <"My first inclination is to believe it is. The archaeology department at Emerylon University is one of the faculties involved in the exchange program with Tsuiraku, where the Codoin girls have relatives. It would make sense for her to have that as a major, and archaeology students do field work. Why not here? At the same time, some of the things that have happened on this trip have started to strain my belief in coincidences."> She broke off, seeing Rebekah Codoin approaching from the outside with a tea service, and Professor Avner Indianel emerging from the back room wearing a large backpack.

With tea served, Indianel got down to business. "We can get most of the way to the site on good road," he said, "but the last mile or so is on a foot trail. I hope that won't cause too much of a problem." He looked at Maduin and his outfit, then at Argus, then off into space, thinking. "Cleiviein ... Cleiviein ... I'm just sure I've heard that name before ..."

[Porcelain Fish]

"Perhaps it was the name of a famous Farrelian bandit lord?" Maduin suggested helpfully. "From what I've read they've had a number of those."

[Graybeard]

"Perhaps it was the name of a famous Farrelian bandit lord? From what I've read they've had a number of those."

Avner Indianel looked puzzled for a moment, then answered. "No, no, nothing like that," he said. "It was something I stumbled across in my research, if I remember correctly..." His eyes grew distant as he rummaged his memory, then wide as he found what he was looking for. Unrestrained glee spread across his face. "Aha! Now I remember! It was a paper in the Journal of Urban Thaumaturgical Science, about ten years ago, on the interplay between inorganic magical manipulation in an urban setting and the organic matter -- I think that was your phrase -- in the setting. Brilliant work! I referenced it in my own doctoral thesis, and I always hoped to meet the author ... but he just seemed to drop out of sight after publishing the paper."

The glee was replaced by puzzlement, perhaps tinged with a bit of suspicion. "So where did you go, and what brings you to an out-of-the-way place like this? Because it's fair to say that your topic is very much of interest on this dig -- although maybe I shouldn't have said that."