15724/Alky Alky Alky-hol!

Alky Alky Alky-hol!
Date of Scene:	21 October 2023
Location:	McAnally's Pub
Synopsis:	Sinister, Fate, and Nick.
Cast of Characters:	Doctor Fate, Phantasm (Drago), Sinister

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Doctor Fate has posed:
McAnally's.

A fan-favorite for many, though it was a favorite place to relax for one Kent Nelson. He was at the bar, dressed in a full suit, his hand currently curled around a thick mug of alcohol, bringing it up to his now-bearded face as he indulges in the sip. Yet, with his very presence in the building, it's like a magic beacon, the richter scale of sorts for magical energy off the charts. But Fate doesn't intervene.

Sometimes an old man just needs a drink.

Classical music is playing and the place is relatively busy. Some folks are even dancing with the tunes! "Mac, your drinks as always is a good lift to the soul. May I open up a tab?"

"Sure thing, Doc."

Kent smiles softly, checking his watch. Is he waiting for something? He hums softly. "Oh, excuse me, may I also try some of your ribeye? I hear it's to die for." the man himself gives Dr. Nelson a thumbs up and goes to work on it. Meantime? Kent is just....watching. Watching people. Watching conversations.

Watching life unfold before his very eyes.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Well, it may be clear that Nick is welcome at the Lux when he wants to be. But Lux doesn't have McAnally's steak sandwiches. And it is with that general craving in mind that Nick has made his way to this side of the state to... not go to the Lux.

Another thing McAnally has is a rather relaxed dress code. Which means the knit cap and second hand clothes are back!

And while Nick might have a signature of his own, Nick's ability to pick up on them is kind of lacking which means there's not even a blink as he makes his way into the establishment. But then again with this pub being a favorite for the magically inclined, even if he could, would he be that surprised?

With food on the mind, the musician comes down the steps, taking a moment to note the amount of people here tonight.

Oh right. He usually comes here during the less busy times. Not spotting any empty tables, Nick finds himself making his way towards the bar. And as fate would have it (heh), he ends up going for an empty spot to the side of one bearded man in a suit.

"Hey Mac," Nick greets upon catching the eye of the bartender, "Ale and Steak Sandwich, please."

Sinister has posed:
Sinister does have a /kind/ of magic sense. In that he's got a device that can tingle in the presence of it -- maybe that's what brought him here. Only it's not the face anyone knows.

Young, Italian looking, black hair shiny as a raven's wing and cut like someone just took a knife and slashed it all over the place. And a soul patch. The hair hangs over one eye, where an eyepatch hides beneath the bangs. His ears are filled with studs and hoops; leather biker jacket, black jeans, DM's, maybe 20 years old. Maybe. Lean. And wearing a full double hand of small silver rings on every single finger.

The Not-sinister looks around as he enters, kohl'd eye looking about, a messenger bag on his back and heads to the bar to slip onto a stool and sling off his shoulder-boulder.

The youth looks along the bar, one black eye blinking a few times, then he's hauling out a book on Archaeology. College material. "Can I get a guinness?" asked of Mac, even his accent is perfectly New Jersey.

Doctor Fate has posed:
There it is.

Nick Drago's arrival. While Kent enjoys his drink in relative peace, Nick Drago coming up on hte right side of him makes him smirk just a little bit. The musician had food on his mind, it made meeting in a pub easy. Though what Nabu failed to inform him of was the topic matter. Not that he needed to know. He was quick-witted and it felt nice to not feel like he was only ever giving bad news all the time.

Even Grandmaster sorcerors get to relax every now and again!

"Hm. Six seconds behind schedule. I trust you're having a good day, Mr. Drago?" He says with a friendly smile on his features, though as soon as he says that, he seems to hum. "Right on time."

He turns his attention briefly towards Not-sinister,a smile on his face. "Hello sir. Is that an archeology book I spy with my weary eyes?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Hearing a somewhat familiar voice addressing him from his side, Nick's brow raises. Looking to the man more directly, he manages to place him. "Ah. Dr. Nelson." Nick greets, "Nick is fine for me. And yes I am doing well, and you?"

Nick pauses as Fate turns to greet a student, inquiring to the book. Considering a past dinner conversation, it ends up peaking his own interest. "...Come to think of it, I know you're a doctor but I never asked 'of what'"

Sinister has posed:
The student Not-Sin looks up, looks around, looks back at Kent and then at the book. There's a blink and a nod. "Uh-huh, Doc?" Because Nick just referred to the man as a Doctor, the kid that is Sin shrugs one shoulder a bit. "Checking out some light reading. I got an assignment on the Khalistani and I'm real, real rusty." It does look like the book is about the Indian subcontinent.

His guiness is delivered then with a "Thanks, Mac." looking back under the bangs along the way. "Nate. Nate Russo," he extends a hand, beringed as it is, aiming it for both men. A meet. A greet.

Doctor Fate has posed:
"If Nick is fine for you, then surely Kent is fine for me." He puts himself and Nick on the same level, showing the man a playful smile touching his features. It might be strange to see Kent so...'mellow' by his normal standards. Often times he appears on business or with ill-tidings. But the tidings have been given out. Now it's just him being his normal self: friendly and elegant. Yet even still, Kent is asked what he's a doctor of and Kent seems to wink. "Yes." as if that answer will suffice. "Young man, I'm a Doctor of Archeology and I have my medical training as well as a physician. Guess you could call me a jack of all trades and master of only a few." He chuckles a little bit.

His gaze shifts now to Sinister.

Or more accurately, a 'face' he wears. "Ah, the Khalistani. Fascinating developments in the Indian subcontinent. The punjab region has been in a separatist motion for awhile now." Though he hears the name, Nate Russo. Not a bad one by any means, though as he looks at the hand, he can practically already /sense/ it. Yet, he takes the hand anyway and gives it a firm grip and gives 'Nate' a knowing look.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Russo."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
With the indirect permission to move to first names, Nick gives a nod. "Kent it is then." He corrects himself. When Kent reveals Archeology being one of the focuses of his doctorate he gives a bit of a nod. It does kind of help with the one theory he had formed about the doctor but being that the pub is unusually crowded, he takes a moment to indirectly follow up. "Ah. By any chance would the archeology focus be how you met that... colleague of yours that we met at the club? He seemed quite into Egyptian stuff."

Nick glances over to Nate for a few moments. The comment about being a master of none causes him to look over to Kent once more. "...That'd be a good line but, don't doctorates require a masters' program?"

Sinister has posed:
"Yeah. Interesting origins and a lot o' the stuff there's hard to find. I'm not really up on Asia, much. Prefer Europe, they leave stuff all over the place to dig up and find." 'Nate' replies, bobbing a nod to the Doctor, narrowing the one eye a little at the odd look he just got. Knowing? Knowing what, one wonders. Probably more than he'll ever say.

His pint is raised, a long drink taken, enough to give him a Guiness 'tache to go with the soul patch.

"Man's got a point," nodding to Nick with it. "Hard to be a Doctor without havin' mastered a helluvalot." He grins, turns back to his book and flips it open from memory to a region that deals with the 'middle ages' in terms of historical references. He also fishes the Mahabarat out, flips that open and begins reading the Sanscrit, looking from the one book to the other, as if comparing.

Doctor Fate has posed:
Kent smiles at Nick. "Good." because he likes being informal. He's formal ALL THE TIME and it'd be nice if things were plenty...simpler. Yet even still, Kent has always been a lover of history. He's been alive for over a century. If you don't love history, what did you /do/ to deserve this kind of fate (pun unintended)?! "Hm? Oh, sure. Directly, actually. It involved a great deal of history and as it happens, he's a stunning conversationalist once you get to know him." He chuckles at the mention of Nabu. "So...so many." Masters programs. "But worth it, if you have the time and the drive."

He turns to look at Sinister.

"So many things are buried in those sands, in those forests, in that earth. It'd be a marvel to discover them all one day. Ah, Europe has plenty of discoveries, yes, but they didn't try nearly as hard. Take the Valley of Kings in Egypt, for instance." He smiles softly, though he hums softly. "I've mastered a great deal in fact. Just...trying to be polite." He chuckles, taking a sip of his drink and once the sanscrit is revealed, Kent's eyes go wide.

"Oohhhh. Do you need assistance in translating? I love reading old script."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
The problem being that it's hard to get to know him." Nick comments, "Which is why I think my friends would prefer to work more with you than him if they had a choice between the two."

Hearing the thunk of a pint glass and a plate, Nick turns his head to look to his food. "Thanks, Mac."

With Kent focusing more upon the 'student' and their book, Nick uses the moment to lift the house ale to his lips for a sip.

Sinister has posed:
"Oh, sure," even though he wasn't having any trouble with the sanscrit, Nate slides the mahabarat over, tapping the right hand side of the first page, about half way down and withdrawing his hand.

The text refers to the vedic traditions, but also the rain of fire that came when Brahma was in pain and angry with the world. From his pain and anguish, the Rakshasa were born and tried to devour him with his cry for help -- From the ultimate order, came Chaos and it sought to devour all power.

Historically, the actual archaeology book indicates the roaming kingdoms of the Sikh people, who were the warrior nation and originally patrolled the hindustan, pakistan borders as nomads, until they became the original Pakistani kings. The Koh-i-Nur was stolen by the british from a child prince of the Sikh raj. There's footnotes written in a neat hand, that compare world religions in the area, noting that the same myths pop up in Hindu religion, jainist, buddhist and Islamic traditions.

Doctor Fate has posed:
The Mahabarat is slid over to him and Kent starts to part the cover from the pages, reading over the ancient script in his hand. What edition is this book?

Does it matter?

A low chuckle rumbles in Kent's throat as he looks through the reading. "Ah, this is a wonderful tale. At least in the gripping sense. Brahma was in pain and angry with the world. Rakshasa were born from his pain, his hatred, and his anguish, seeking to devour Brahma with his own chaos that he had sown. The Chaos that tried to devour all sense and power."

The chaos that still lives.

"Many vedic traditions are in this particular novel...and of course, speaks in detail about the Sikh people and their government. The warrior theocracy who were eventually laid low by the British Empire during their mass colonization." He frowns softly. "Comparing literatures, are we?" He gestures to the footnotes in each page.

Sinister has posed:
"Naw, not so much. Tryin' to match myth and reality. When you have the foundation comin' from the same place, ya get similarities, but this'n's pervasive. Similar got found in greek and roman, but it translated some, got more absorbed and changed." Nate folds an arm over the back of the barstool, hooking his elbow, one boot on the railing, one on the rung of the chair. Comfortably poised whilst apparently slouching? Yep. The dark eye of the youth tracks between Kent's gaze, left to right.

"You got an opinion on why some stuff like that translates and sublimes into different culture and religion? Cos it ain't just word of mouth. Run statistics on it, the number comes up significant."