Sebastian Blackwood
Sebastian was never much of an investigative type. Sure, he was well versed in the arts of research, and it had served him well while being a layabout in his schooling days. But research had never really called to him until he had begun his studies in sorcery. Magic was understandable to Sebastian, and research into the arcane was something he took to like a fish took to water.
Investigation, Sebastian mused, was a very different kind of research. It didn't come easily to him.
So far, research had turned up one promising lead. Nenia - a mortal psychopomp who not only had the right kind of innate magics Sebastian could use to configure the spells, but was also young and relatively inexperienced. The jaded inhumanity of most other psychopomps would have required payments Sebastian wasn't sure he and the others could pay, but one who has not "been on the job" so long would likely leap for the chance to do some good.
Well, so long as Sebastian could find this Nenia and convince them.
But now that left confirming that this Nenia was real, right for the job, and how to locate her. That would take someone with connections Sebastian didn't have. That meant talking with other sorcerers who were that well connected and/or informed.
Briefly, Sebastian wondered which of the sorcerer-bars he'd go to first. There were more than one would expect, but Sebastian needed someone he could trust, and the establishment had to be Accorded Neutral Territory on the off chance he ran into an old (or current) enemy.
Narrowing it down, choosing The Raven was easy. Besides, Rose and he had...
history.
It'd be good to see her again.
Sebastian had a Servitor drive him in the Phantom as he fiddled with his outfit. Clubbing had always been fun in the past, but Sebastian's couldn't just show up dressed to the nines in his coal grey suit with red shirt and pocket-square. No, he had to alter his attire appropriately. Dressing it down to something a little more casual, and a little more likely to survive a Hyperborean who had had a little too much to drink, was the name of the game. That, and not wearing a tie. Rose had always complained that while it was quite thrilling having to yank it off to get at his neck, having none and the top few buttons undone was more roguishly tantalizing.
Sebastian never argued with the results.
The Phantom eventually came to a stop somewhere around the corner, and the sorcerer could both hear and feel the nearby energy in the air. The Servitor stepped out and came around to open the door for him. Stepping out, Sebastian breathed in deep, a slight smile on his face. It would be good to see Rose again.
The Servitor bowed as Sebastian walked away, getting back into the Phantom and driving it straight into the shadow cast on a wall down the street. He'd call the car again when he was ready to leave.
Easily walking past the line of youngsters and other civilians, Sebastian made his way straight to the doors of The Raven, ignoring the muttered comments and frowns of those waiting in the line. Many of them were civilians, and there were no small number of those with some small amount of supernatural in their bloods - an elvish ancestor, or a quater-troll and what-not.
The bouncers appeared human at first glance, wearing rather stereotypical attire for their profession. They had darker skin that hinted at North-African or Middle Eastern heritage, but Sebastian recognized it as "dog". The two were clearly under glamours and other transformative magics, but Sebastian had no doubt that the bouncers were capable of shifting back to their hybrid dog-man forms and drawing out the enchanted knuckle-dusters from their pockets in a flash.
They had turned their attentions to him as he approached, clearly bypassing the line. The slight flaring of the nostrils told Sebastian they had registered him as a sorcerer, and were waiting for him to declare himself.
Sebastian just held out his arm and pulled the sleeve back. The arcane mark shifted and moved as if there were a real raven trapped in the painting of magic on his arm. The dog-bouncers looked at it. The raven seemed to turn to them and settle it's wings as the bird nodded at them. One of the bouncers nodded and waved Sebastian through as they settled back into position, business as usual.
Sebastian grinned and strode through to the entrance of The Raven. He hoped Rose wasn't busy - she would have the answers he was looking for, and he wanted to catch up with her besides.
Didn't quite finish it last night, but managed to wrap it up today.