Ian is, just totally at random, hanging out in the Thrax hall. He's standing in front of the statue of Donris Ashcrest and pensively swigging from a flask.

Looking like she's just wandering about, Denica's meanderings have led her to the Thrax section of the Hall of Heroes. There doesn't seem to be a specific purpose for her arrival, but perhaps she was just feeling nostalgic or thinking about her family. Or, maybe she's been drinking, who knows. Either way, she saunters through, skirts whispering. There's a familiar sight and she cranes her head to the side and looks in his direction. Diverting her course she approaches, "hi Ian. Fancy seeing you here...," Denica says with a brief bit of warmth in her tone.

Ian turns towards the sound of Denica's voice, and nods to her. "Have you also come to gloat?" He asks this with a twist of wry amusement in his voice. Then, as if he feels the need to explain his statement, he adds: "When the path ahead feels particularly hard to overcome, I sometimes come here to remind myself of who we've already beaten."

Denica Rolling her shoulders and looking for her flask, she seems more comfortable holding it in these halls. "I've been feeling pretty lost, I suppose. Coming her reminds me that...feeling lost is probably never going to change for me," everyone has their different outcomes. "But, that's a good approach," she says of Ian's more optimistic one. Sort of. Taking a sip of what looks like to be strong liquor, in the way her eyes squint a bit. Denica lets out a breath, "lot of hard paths, not enough sunsets," she says and then studies him briefly.

Ian has turned his gaze back to studying the statue of Donris Ashcrest. There's a familiarity about that gaze; he's probably been here, specifically in front of THIS statue, that he doesn't even really need to look at it to see it, anymore. "What's coming is going to be rough. And from what I'm hearing, we're not too far from the Traitor's next big move. He's had death squads moving through the gray forest, collecting primum and collecting names. And bodies."

Taking a moment to study the statue that Ian is in front of, Denica has no doubt come here many times. Her hands slip into some hidden pockets of her dress and she lets out a slow breath. The woman rolls her shoulders a little. "Not surprised--," the woman says dismally and breathes out slowly. "It's really a matter of when, he's been building for so long, it only makes sense to make a move soon.," she says letting out another breath, exhaling from her nose. "Have folks been scouting, or has the information been coming in from the standard patrols and the like?," she wonders.

Ian shakes his head. "I don't know if people have been scouting. Pr -- Aindre was back in Arx about a month back, just long enough to come see me, and he told me about it, then. He's been in the gray forest trying to get people to safety. It feels like a small gesture, but I guess the big stuff probably is going to have to be done by his daughters."

There's a small nod, "yes-- it seems like the majority of the battle or whatever it ends up being, will be done by those more connected to him or other means of...well dealing with the situation." Denica says and rolls her shoulders a little.

Ian raises his eyebrows to Denica. "I comfort myself with the knowledge that he's got enough lieutenants and underlings for everyone to have at least one of them to themselves." Again, that dark humor flickers through his intense blue eyes. "Helena's the one who's been doing the damage Aindre's trying to stop, but I think Calyana's doing the same sort of stuff. And the mor'ral, the wolf shifters he's got working for him."

Taking a comfortable lean against a wall, Denica does her best statue impression for a brief moment and the she looks back at Ian. There's a small dark chuckle that escapes her lips. Then she nods slowly, "yeah-- he's got a gang of allies, but so do we.," the woman says thoughtfully, glancing at a particular statue and then back at Ian. "If it's of any help, what I noticed when we brought in some people into the House of Questions, was those that were transforming into centipedes had a marking, like a tattoo. Similar to the Mor'ral. That said, my ability to investigate this further, didn't go very far, but it's something to be aware of.," she says unsure how relevant that is right now, but something reminded her of it.

Ian pushes a thoughtful hand through his hair. "I think that's a cult of his followers. I never really ran into that cult, but I know they're scattered around. There's a lot of people who've gone to him, mostly for protection from the Compact. Or the poison in the primum."

Denica There's a small nod, "I mean it makes sense-- he's got that whole hive mind thing, where everyone is sort of controlled as one? Or at least, that's how I was interpreting it. The mark, likely is some sort of connector. I mean, images are pretty powerful, and so there's no doubt that this is no different, but even more so," she theorizes a little. Then a nod, "I am sure people have their reasons, but in the end, I suspect he will sacrifice any and all of them, to get what he wants. But, what can they really expect, evil begets evil."

Denica is overheard praising Ian: Helpful, thoughtful and full of information!

Stojan, a cleverly reserved assistant, 3 Thrax Guards, 1 Ulbran Thug, Sivas, an artsy ostentatious curator, Lady Snow, 1 Thrax Elite Guards, Cato, a stealthy non-descript man leave, following Denica.