"Mississippi. I served in the army with some fine men from Mississippi." Sure it was 150 years ago, but it was still an army. "I'm Castor Drake. Pleased to meet you." He offers a hand to Arhiman and Tally and gives them the chance for their introductions. "I moved to Sacramento due to my work. What about yourselves?"
The trick was being just detailed enough to abate their curiosity and just vague enough to not give anything away. It wasn't a sport Castor cared for but it was a necessity of surviving among mortals.