There You Are

It's been several days, and leaving messages at Temples and Guilds wasn't getting Dolan anywhere at all with finding Verna. Frustration is beginning to set in, and thus it's with a determined step that he *thump-thump-thump*'s up the stairs to the portico of Verna and Auranar's home. "She's got to come home eventually," he mutters to himself, making no attempt to conceal his presence. "Let's see if she's home now."

A very firm *knock-knock-knock* on the door follows.

That Verna recently reduced her obligations at both temple and Society also commensurately reduced her time spent at both. This has left her with a sudden increase in unallocated time, and intentionally so. Circumstances, however, also removed much of her intended use for said time, leaving her home alone more often than not. Just possibly not during prior visits

Now, however, the door is opened in relatively short order, if not fully. Verna is dressed, as it were, in a house robe. "Good ..." a pause to look past him to the skies " morning, Dolan. How might I aid you today?"

Dolan lets out a long breath when the door opens, of what can only be relief. "_Finally,_" is the first thing he said. "I've been trying to track you down for several days now, Verna. There's - been some updates on the werewolf situation." He wears the usual brace on his shoulder and a light, closed-front vest over a collared shirt with rolled-up sleeves, atop trousers that are linen instead of leather in deference to the weather. No weapons are in evidence, and he seems relaxed and in good spirits enough, if focused.

Verna's expression firms at the news and the attempts to presumably exchange such. The door opens further as she steps back with it. "Please, come in. I regret that you were unable to locate me until now." She waits for his entry before closing the door and securing it behind him. "What occurred?"

Dolan enters as bid, and walks with firm stride over towards the seating area. "Tel and Lana got an in on what that sewer-sucking bastard Seraquoix has been up to. Zalgiman was just one of his puppets. When Zalgiman was killed. he got another, a young man name of Micha," he begins, seating himself without prompting on the nearest seating surface and turning his entire face towards Verna. "We were able to chase Seraquoix out of the Soldier's Defense, where he was holding his lover hostage against Micha's good behavior. When Micha found out that we had N'thain safe and sound, and that Tel wasn't the demon Seraquoix was painting him as, he turned on Seraquoix and told Tel and Lana everything."

"The Blue Moon brewery is where all of these people that Zalgiman was stealing were going. They're all werewolves, every damned last one of them, except for the ones that are were-something else. Micha's a weretiger, for example. It's being funded by Charneth nobles, and most recently, by a Selentian noble." His stare goes blackly furious. "To be specific, Andie's birth mother. Turns out these Charneth nobles are controlling demons, and peddling them out for services in return for funding. Andie's mother is using this to control her children to further her aims. We got Seb out of her clutches - Seb was possessed."

He settles back, and lets out a long breath. "Micha's turning pissed off Seraquoix pretty good. He broke into Tel and Lana's house and wrecked it. Pothy and the pixies got out, but - the place is a mess. They're - in the Temple of Eluna."

Verna blinks at this news. Thrice; once at each significant point. "The Blue Moon and Micha... that explains a great many things. I am pleased to hear that Andelean's brother is safe." The remainder also draw forth a scowl. "I fully expect that my former house is among those Charneth... and I had no knowledge of an attack upon Lana and Telamon!"

A hand lifts to pinch at the bridge of her nose. "I will seek them out in short order to offer aid. They are welcome here, always, as well."

"They'll be glad to hear that, I'm sure. Andie and I would put 'em up, but honestly, we haven't got the space, and I think Lana would be scandalized, plus the cats would chase Pothy." With his news out, Dolan lets out a breath of relief. "They're planning on replacing their stuff. Most of it's broken, but if magic can fix some stuff they can't replace, I'm sure they'd appreciate it."

For the first time, one of his crooked quirks of a smile emerges. "They're okay, although I get the impression Pothy's a wreck. He won't even come to me. If you can help 'em out, I'd be grateful, too."

Verna nods. "Of course. They are family. I will aid them all they need and I am able. Items can always be replaced, at the least. Individuals, far less so. Even Apotheosis."

She turns from him to pace somewhat to and fro across the lounge. Perturbed. "Is there any thought this Seraquoix would strike again, or where he might be?" Unlike Verna, and possibly other cats, Hunter is currently neither perturbed nor chasing. He currently recharges himself (or has been carried to Vardama's Halls?) upon the couch via a ray of sunlight through the window.

Hunter being a card-carrying member of the Sunbeam Appreciation Society comes as no surprise to Dolan, who casts a quick glance at the sleeping creature, then turns his attention back to Verna. "Hard to say. We need to talk to Seb when he recovers, see if we can get enough to have Andie's mother arrested for consorting with demons. I'm still working on Jal'goroth, too. "He might strike again, but I doubt he will unless we do something first. We should ask Tel and Lana about that."

"I hoped the worries of demons were silenced a year ago," Verna exhales a sigh. She does manage to halt her pacing, at least, and seats herself on the couch away from dangerous sunbeams. "Instead, much happens of which I do not know until afterwards."

She folds her hands before her, though they are not entirely still. "How might I aid you further in this? I find myself with comparatively copious amounts of available time as of late, and it is clear I have not used such constructively."

"Mostly I was hoping you could help out Tel and Lana," Dolan answers honestly, his harlequin gaze open. "But - were you able to find out anything about the portal?"

Verna shakes her head lightly. "Not yet, though I am in the process of doing so. In our last meeting, you made me painfully aware of how minimal and speculative our information on the portal is."

"Yeah. Can I help?" Dolan again has his full attention on Verna, leaning back against the chair with one arm on the armrest. "I mean, if one of the totems is holding it open, maybe the other totems know something about it?"

"Indeed. I have a similar thought. As well, were it a totem chaining Caracoroth that holds it open, could not one, or more, possibly close it? If it is but one, I possess more myself and we hold far more again as a group," Verna notes. "As I have expended all literary research available, which was minimal, at best, I seek The Harpist's insight into such matters. She did not craft a chain of Her own, but Her knowledge would yet be undeniable."

"Good idea. I can ask the Knight's servitors, too, if you like. He did create one." Dolan nods at once to that notion, as if it is no surprise. "That and, if it's here on Ea, maybe it's in the Dream, too. Maybe we can close it more easily in the Dream."

Verna considers that last. "It might be more easily closed from the other realm, yet the portal leads to Nightmare. I am quite loathe to attempt to venture there to close the portal. I have had more than my fill of nightmares and dreamscapes."

She gestures to him inclusively. "Please, do whatever you believe is of aid. I only seek to may myself more productive and useful on the matter, and it appears I am already rather lacking at present."

Dolan sits forward, watching Verna with a small sigh. "I know you miss Auranar, but you aren't alone, yeah?" The open, harlequin gaze is entreating. "We're here for you too. I know Tel and Lana will say the same. Me and Andie, too, we're still your friends. No disappearing on us, yeah? It took me the better part of a seven day to find you."

Verna blinks at that revelation, and her frown is weighted by more than just the reminded of Auranar's absence. "Yes, I miss her. I am quite surprised that we did not coincide until now, and yet it could also be considered appropriate to the current series of unpleasant coincidences of timing. Now that I have fewer duties, I seem to accomplish less outside of them."

A brow lifts at the mention of disappearance. "I hold no intent to venture on my own to The Vast, nor elsewhere, if that is the concern.

"Yeah, it's true that I had my own share of absence, I'd left you a few messages and then gone to Selentia," Dolan admits. "Just - don't be a stranger. That's all I'm saying, Verna. Don't be a stranger. We still want your company and need your help."

"I will not," Verna assures, "and you shall certainly have my aid. I wish this all resolved as much, if not moreso, than others. A pleasant existence free of fiends, lycanthropes, threats to all existence, and so forth is very much desired."

She glances down at herself. "To that end, I should dress myself more appropriately for the day, lest Hunter sway me into joining him in his rather..." a glance to the nearly not-kitten "lackadaisical use of time."

"I'll wait here, or outside if you'd prefer. We should go find Tel and Lana, if you're so inclined." Dolan makes as if to get up from the chair, an inquiry in the words.

Verna rises and nods. "Yes, I would see them promptly. If you intend the same, there is no reason we cannot seek them together." She then gestures with a hand in a staying gesture.

"You are welcome to wait here. I will not be disrobing in the lounge, if there is a concern for propriety." To that end, she moves for the stairs, adding, "As well, I am rather certain I lack several traits along your preferences..." She heads upstairs with a trailing, "A strong use of vernacular vulgarity chief among them, of course."

Dolan's belly laughter follows Verna up the stairs, but he, notably does not. Indeed, he seems quite content to await her in his place, the better to find Telamon and Cor'lana when Verna is suitably dressed for an out-of-doors sojourn.