Drinks for Three

It is an overcast day and it's clear that it's a good day to be inside. People come and go at the TarRaCe, although it is comfortable enough to find a place at one of the quieter tables. Merek is there, taking the time to begin making an order, wearing dark attire with silver and black scale-like decoration. It's different, being back, after the Sea of Mana. It'd be a good idea, if he got a drink. He waits for the blackberry mead which he orders. He begins to build a small thing on the table, whatever it is it is clearly Artifice.

A darkly-clad xian man enters the TarRaCe. He glances over those gathered around in the main room, but doesn't really seem interested in anyone in particular. After a moment he heads to the bar itself, and orders a full unopened bottle of sake from the bartender. The man looks at him in surprise, but after a moment and the flash of coin passing between them, relents and hands the xian man the alcohol requested. With this done the xian man sits down, and... stares at his unopened sake.

"Well, it's good to see your unfortunate circumstances didn't stick," Jinks sidles up next to Merek, fresh from the baths and heavily perfumed. His face has the dew-like sweat of the freshly steamed and his cheeks are flushed. "Cesran was in the other night, on about a swim in the Sea. Fascinating stuff." The gnome has his circlet in the crook of his elbow, hands busied with reaching up to secure his hair back in its customary tail. His jewelry glitters in the light of the tavern.

Merek looks then to Jinks when he sees the man, and offers a nod to him. "Hey, you been doing alright?" he asks. Then he notices that Karasu looks to be about, waving that way. He seems to be polite enough. He does order a sandwich, and will wait while that is made to be brought to him. It seems that he is going for a simple ham.

Surprised by the greeting, the xian man blinks at Merek, but otherwise does not engage him. The raven on his shoulder, which had been nearly invisible against his dark clothing and dark hair pokes him in the ear with its beak and he makes a shooing motion at the bird. Shifting with displeasure the raven twists its head to look at the pair talking, but doesn't add to their conversation any more than the xian man does.

Jinks lowers his circlet into place, catching his reflection in the polished rail of the bar and adjusting the onyx stone to the center of his brow. "Better recently but these are dark times; everyone's struggling, I think. Except maybe the barkeeps," the gnome caps his idle musings by raising his voice subtly to get the server's attention, plucking a coin from thin air with a flourish, and smacking it down. He cants his head behind the man, points out his bottle of choice, and makes a 'two-fingers' gesture before punctuating the order with a 'neat.' When the 'keep points inquisitively at a dusty bottle with a skull-and-crossbones label the gnome waves him off with a face, shaking his head before they both chuckle at the inside joke.

"Little jobs to piece the wardrobe back together. Making inroads with a friend of an... old friend to have a chance at seeing my bastards." He flashes his teeth in a wide, mischievous smile. "Finding some pleasant distractions to make things seem less dire. And you?"

Merek nods a bit along to Jinks, not talking to Karasu for the moment, though looking to the man, then back to the gnome. "Anyway, ya it's been pretty crazy. I don't know, there's a lot that's on my mind. I'm glad you are okay, you been... Uh, well. Some people were concerned about you, I am worried a bit too, glad you're ok."

At least the xian man doesn't seem to be evesdropping. At least insomuch as one can fail to evesdrop on a conversation which is happening right next to them. Instead he finally opens his sake and pours out a cup for himself. Places the lid back on the sake, and then drinks the small cup that came with the bottle in one swallow. He sighs softly in approval at the taste.

"Ah... that," Jinks' smile falters and he takes a long breath through the nose. His drink is a welcome distraction once it arrives but the gnome doesn't hide behind it overlong. "I overplayed my hand on a job and was forced to do something I'm... still not quite able to wrap my head around." He says the last bit into his glass before having that precious first drink, lowering the glass and tinking a ring against it thoughtfully. "But better people than me have been helping. So... onwards and upwards, hm?"

Merek nods a bit along to Jinks, while he thinks about it. "Well, I'm glad you are okay. Anyway, I have just been doing what I can to... Well, you know." The man takes that sandwich when it arrives, and will eat it. Then he's looking about the place, "What have you been up to anyway?"

There's a small huff from the xian man, a shake of his head. He seems to realize that he's responded to their conversation and shakes his head again. "Pardon. I do not mean to intrude on your conversation but... It does not sound to me as if he /is/ okay." He looks at Jinks. "I do not know what you did that you are trying to wrap your head around, but I do know that all that it takes for evil to trumph is for us to do nothing to stop it. Even an evil action, one seated wholly in evil is forgivable if you do it for someone you love. Something you care about more than your own life." He looks away suddenly, pours himself another drink of sake. "At least... that is what I believe."

Jinks was set to respond to Merek when Karasu speaks up, closing his mouth. He hides a half-bitter smirk behind his glass before tossing back its remainder, slapping another coin down and waving for a refill. "It's a noble sentiment. And you echo the voices of many notable do-gooders here in the city. It just seems to take some time to bridge hearing a thing with believing it. Maybe it's my shorter legs, tallman." His lips spread into a smile and he offers the xian fellow a wink.

"But! Now, your thing." The gnome drums his fingers on the countertop, closer to Merek. "I've been on the periphery of events. I hear talk of the Shards and Mulria's minions. That actually sounds interesting."

Jinks is ready to change the subject, apparently.

Merek looks between the two and nods a bit, then he thinks about it. "Alright, well. We are looking for shards because people want to bring back Animus. I think it's a whole thing, we went into the Sea of Mana and fought with an entity of chaos, the unmaker of things."

The man, whomever he is, shudders at Jink's implication that he sounds like a 'do gooder'. He shakes his head and mumbles something to himself that sounds suspiciously like, "Offer a man sound advice and -" Nothing more. He pours himself another pour of sake instead and drinks it down. Seems like he might intend to drink the whole bottle right here.

"Cesran mentioned as much." Jinks nods, finally climbing into a seat to settle. "Who is it working towards his resurrection and how does Mulria play into it? I recall She and the Mistress of Dreams warred briefly over some cosmological consideration but the Father of Time ultimately took his seat."

Merek looks then to Jinks, "I'm not sure about all that, but I just got back. That said, I know that it involves a lot of tasks, and all kinds of shards came into the hands of different people," Merek then looks to Karasu, "I like your advice. You are wise," he smiles, then he thinks about it. "I don't know, it seems like there's always a kinda new thing about it. I know Griva would know more, she leads the Resurrectionists. They are the people trying to bring them back, and they have Time Magic."

Merek's comment gets no response from the man he offered the words to, and the xian man simply pours himself out another drink. It seems he intends to get royally drunk. Or perhaps has a strong constitution for the stuff. Either way he's five drinks in and doesn't seem inclined to stop until he hits the bottom.

"Huh," Jinks responds, considering the explanation while smoothing down his goatee. "'Griva.'" And then his second drink arrives and he's lifting it in silent toast before a modest sampling. "It's just seemed odd; Animus wasn't part of the dark pantheon before He died but all the stories I've heard of these Shards seemed to involve some wicked magics or ominous events."

"Ya, I think it's because people went looking for the Shards when they came to Ea, and were picked up by less than kind people," Merek will admit. "They're powerful things, while Animus was kinda neutral, so pretty much anyone that managed to get them, they used it for their own needs."

The xian man drinks the last of his sake in silence, but his raven caws loudly at last, proving that it is indeed alive. He waves a hand at the bird and heads for the door. The raven makes several complaints about this action, but the door opens and he leaves once again without introducing himself to anyone.

Jinks nods again, glad for a bit of context to sort the scattered rumors. "... maybe it had something to do with the context of His death, too." The gnome gives a little shrug and drains his glass. He's curious but not exactly the type to spend hours pouring over old tomes and pawing through scrolls. If he had that kind of dedication he'd've been a wizard. "Good to see you up and about, Merek. If you run into any of those 'worried' parties... well, don't stick your neck out; I burned my own bridges. If it's worth it I'll see them built again." The gnome offers one last lop-sided grin and then bounces out of the stool to make for the door.

Merek looks then to the gnome, thinking about it for a moment. "I'll keep that in mind, in that case. I do wish you the best with them, you take care." He nods a bit, then takes a little bite of that sandwich, "Mmn. It's nice to be back in the city at least."

-End