"Did you get the feeling that he was going to try and meet one of us, or somebody else you know? Or could it literally be anybody? And why do I have a sickening feeling the person will be the next victim...?"
"It could be literally anyone, anywhere in the city. The only good thing about all this is that we have until nightfall to find. I know he won't be out during the day, the light-crystal would destroy him."
"Did you get the feeling that he was going to try and meet one of us, or somebody else you know? Or could it literally be anybody? And why do I have a sickening feeling the person will be the next victim...?""It could be literally anyone, anywhere in the city. The only good thing about all this is that we have until nightfall to find. I know he won't be out during the day, the light-crystal would destroy him."
"Glad I got breakfast already then," Tam says. "Maybe I'll go next door and see about that hoverbike now. It sounds like we've got a lot of ground to cover and not enough time to walk it."
She smiles and pushes a stray lock of hair out of her face, leaving a grease smudge on her cheek.
"Yeah, I just started here yesterday. I'm Aananda. Is there something I can do for you?"
She searches her memory as she talks to him, trying to figure out if she'd met him before."Not really, I just saw a new face and thought I'd say hi. Oh, you have some grease on, well, nevermind, I guess as a mechanic you get grease all over, huh?"
"My name is Keaton, glad to meet you."
"Pleased to meet you too. And if you ever need something fixed, you know where to find me," she said cheerfully. "Speaking of which, I need to get back to fixing this skimmer. See you around." She waved and went back to work.
"Pleased to meet you too. And if you ever need something fixed, you know where to find me," she said cheerfully. "Speaking of which, I need to get back to fixing this skimmer. See you around." She waved and went back to work.
"Sorry to distract you from your. Until next time then."
He turns and leaves the repair shop, passing Tamrin as he leaves. Tamrin catches a slightly malevolent grin asKeaton walks by, but when Tamrin turns, he is gone...
"Pleased to meet you too. And if you ever need something fixed, you know where to find me," she said cheerfully. "Speaking of which, I need to get back to fixing this skimmer. See you around." She waved and went back to work."Sorry to distract you from your. Until next time then."
He turns and leaves the repair shop, passing Tamrin as he leaves. Tamrin catches a slightly malevolent grin asKeaton walks by, but when Tamrin turns, he is gone...
Tam does a double take, looking up and down the street for the guy, then enters the shop when he turns up nothing.
"Okaaaay - that guy had about the creepiest stalker/nutjob grin I've seen in a while. Who was that guy, Aananda?"
"Pleased to meet you too. And if you ever need something fixed, you know where to find me," she said cheerfully. "Speaking of which, I need to get back to fixing this skimmer. See you around." She waved and went back to work."Sorry to distract you from your. Until next time then."
He turns and leaves the repair shop, passing Tamrin as he leaves. Tamrin catches a slightly malevolent grin asKeaton walks by, but when Tamrin turns, he is gone...
Tam does a double take, looking up and down the street for the guy, then enters the shop when he turns up nothing.
"Okaaaay - that guy had about the creepiest stalker/nutjob grin I've seen in a while. Who was that guy, Aananda?"
She shrugged. "He said his name was Keaton. He did seem a little odd. And familiar, but I just couldn't place why."
She shrugged. "He said his name was Keaton. He did seem a little odd. And familiar, but I just couldn't place why."
"Huh." He looks lost in thought for a moment, then a moment of inspiration hits him:
"Hey! - you didn't by any chance see what color his hair was under that hat, did you? Ryo had one of his vision-thingys again, and dark red/black hair is about the only clue we have to go on regarding what he looks like."
She shrugged. "He said his name was Keaton. He did seem a little odd. And familiar, but I just couldn't place why.""Huh." He looks lost in thought for a moment, then a moment of inspiration hits him:
"Hey! - you didn't by any chance see what color his hair was under that hat, did you? Ryo had one of his vision-thingys again, and dark red/black hair is about the only clue we have to go on regarding what he looks like."
"Huh. He did have dark red hair. Do you think that was him? I mean, he seemed creepy, but he looked pretty alive," she said doubtfully.
"Huh. He did have dark red hair. Do you think that was him? I mean, he seemed creepy, but he looked pretty alive," she said doubtfully.
"Well, he sure did a great disappearing act after he went past me when I came in...but Ryo did say he would only be active at night. It's probably nothing, but let me go tell him anyway, then I'll come back and see about that hoverbike idea we talked about last night. I'll be right back!"
Devlyn goes back into the Inn, and tells Ryo about Aananda's new 'friend'.
Ryo listens clamly until Tamrin metions the name 'Keaton'. When he hears that, he drops drink onto the table and pulls off his blindfold.
"Are you sure that was his name?"
Visible shaken, Ryo's hand unconsciously go to his cards inside his cloak.
I know he won't be out during the day, the light-crystal would destroy him."[/smaller]
"I wasn't sure of this but it seems our sun lacks the power of the one from Above. It never came into play in the Tunnels. Or maybe he has some sort of extra protection."
"Keaton, dark red/near black hair. I shall make some discreet inquiries."
Kannic heads outside for a few minutes, then returns.
"Maybe we'll get lucky. I've warned them, 'highly dangerous'. If he has a lair here it'll help."
Ryo gets a far-away look on his face.
"I didn't think he'd be bold enough to tell people his real name. I really thought he knew better than to do that when he is in trouble.."
Ryo gets a far-away look on his face.
"I didn't think he'd be bold enough to tell people his real name. I really thought he knew better than to do that when he is in trouble.."
"Is this fellow in trouble, or the trouble itself? We need some more info on this, Ryo."
"Is this fellow in trouble, or the trouble itself? We need some more info on this, Ryo."Ryo gets a far-away look on his face.
"I didn't think he'd be bold enough to tell people his real name. I really thought he knew better than to do that when he is in trouble.."
"Keaton.. is the creature. That alone is trouble enough."
A small, cleaver-weilding kobold has the misfortune of walking past Keaton at the wrong time. Despite the fact Keaton removes it's skull in broad daylight, no one really cares. The kobold was a jerk anyway.
A small, cleaver-weilding kobold has the misfortune of walking past Keaton at the wrong time. Despite the fact Keaton removes it's skull in broad daylight, no one really cares. The kobold was a jerk anyway.
After hearing Ryo's words, Tam gets back up.
"I'll pop back over and let her know your suspicions, Ryo. It sounds like this guy really wants to mess with your head if he's trying to ingratiate himself with people around you. Crazy stuff here."
Tam goes next door and fills Aananda in on Ryo's reaction and Kannic's response.
A small, cleaver-weilding kobold has the misfortune of walking past Keaton at the wrong time. Despite the fact Keaton removes it's skull in broad daylight, no one really cares. The kobold was a jerk anyway.
A small, cleaver-weilding kobold has the misfortune of walking past Keaton at the wrong time. Despite the fact Keaton removes it's skull in broad daylight, no one really cares. The kobold was a jerk anyway.
After hearing Ryo's words, Tam gets back up.
"I'll pop back over and let her know your suspicions, Ryo. It sounds like this guy really wants to mess with your head if he's trying to ingratiate himself with people around you. Crazy stuff here."
Tam goes next door and fills Aananda in on Ryo's reaction and Kannic's response.
Aananda frowned. "Well, that certainly isn't good. He looked pretty normal. No one would even notice him. He could cause all sorts of trouble in this city if we don't catch him. Don't worry," she said laughing lightly at his concerned look. "I can take care of myself."
"Hey, you wanted to talk vehicles. What you want is some sort of hovercraft. There's two types, the skimmer which can seat multiple passengers, usually four, but it varies. And then there's the hoverbike, which is a single passenger vehicle. This is a skimmer," she said, showing him the one that she had been repairing. "And I can take you over to the shed and show you my hoverbike. Then you can tell me which it is you're looking for, okay? And we can ask my boss over there where you can find a cheap one."
Aananda frowned. "Well, that certainly isn't good. He looked pretty normal. No one would even notice him. He could cause all sorts of trouble in this city if we don't catch him. Don't worry," she said laughing lightly at his concerned look. "I can take care of myself."
"Hey, you wanted to talk vehicles. What you want is some sort of hovercraft. There's two types, the skimmer which can seat multiple passengers, usually four, but it varies. And then there's the hoverbike, which is a single passenger vehicle. This is a skimmer," she said, showing him the one that she had been repairing. "And I can take you over to the shed and show you my hoverbike. Then you can tell me which it is you're looking for, okay? And we can ask my boss over there where you can find a cheap one."
"I didn't....that wasn't what I....Vehicles! Right - we need to talk about vehicles," Tam says, looking like he's ready to dodge incoming tools.
"The skimmer would probably be the more practical choice, but the bikes might be a bit cheaper - and much cooler," he says with a grin.
"I didn't....that wasn't what I....Vehicles! Right - we need to talk about vehicles," Tam says, looking like he's ready to dodge incoming tools.
"The skimmer would probably be the more practical choice, but the bikes might be a bit cheaper - and much cooler," he says with a grin.
She grinned back. "Well then, I'll show you my hoverbike and you can decide for yourself which you want." She led him back to the shed, opening the door and motioning for him to go inside. The hoverbike wasn't shiny and new, but it was obviously well cared for. She ran a hand lovingly across it. "I built it myself out of spare parts." She grinned again. "I'd offer to take you for a spin, but these are single passenger only vehicles. More than one affects the balance and can lead to accidents."
She grinned back. "Well then, I'll show you my hoverbike and you can decide for yourself which you want." She led him back to the shed, opening the door and motioning for him to go inside. The hoverbike wasn't shiny and new, but it was obviously well cared for. She ran a hand lovingly across it. "I built it myself out of spare parts." She grinned again. "I'd offer to take you for a spin, but these are single passenger only vehicles. More than one affects the balance and can lead to accidents."
"Oooooooo....that is nice," Tam says as he looks over the hoverbike, visibly impressed.
"Pity about the passenger thing - I'm sure this thing rides like a dream. But I'll defer to your expertise - we don't need any accidents right now, if we can avoid them," he says with the same infectious grin she has.
"If you can do half as good as you've done on your baby here, that would still be all kinds of amazing."
"Kannic, I've been meaning to ask you something. Your contacts, how exactly are they looking for the creature? Are they going to do anything except look for it? Not that I'm saying they must do only that and nothing else, I'm just wondering if they may try to become a little more informed about the vampire."
"Kannic, I've been meaning to ask you something. Your contacts, how exactly are they looking for the creature? Are they going to do anything except look for it? Not that I'm saying they must do only that and nothing else, I'm just wondering if they may try to become a little more informed about the vampire."
Ahem...very discreetly. First, try to ferret out the locations of the attacks, victims and any connections among them. That's straight forward. Simple location of the vampire is first, with the goal of seeking out a lair. They'll keep their distance, physically and information-wise. Most will depend on what they stumble across.
Ryo looks relieved with that answer.
"Good. That means there is little chance it will notice them."
Ryo looks relieved with that answer.
"Good. That means there is little chance it will notice them."
After a bit of conversation with Kannic to pass the time, Ryo retreats back to his room to exercise his psychic abilities in private. Before he can start though, he notices his pack. The corner of a book is peaking out, and Ryo pulls it and sits on his bed looking through it, a mixture of happiness and saddness on his face.
Downstairs though, Kannic receives a bit more information than he thought he would about Keaton, but it's not what he expected.
"I looked up all the people with the name 'Keaton', and only one has dissappeared in the past month, all others have been accounted for. The Keaton who went missing was a 17-year old human male, and was none other than the younger brother of 3rd Rank Seer Ryo. Whether the Keaton that you are having us look for is the same person, I am not sure."
"Oooooooo....that is nice," Tam says as he looks over the hoverbike, visibly impressed.
"Pity about the passenger thing - I'm sure this thing rides like a dream. But I'll defer to your expertise - we don't need any accidents right now, if we can avoid them," he says with the same infectious grin she has.
"If you can do half as good as you've done on your baby here, that would still be all kinds of amazing."
"So, which sort of vehicle do you prefer?"
Once she has his answer, she'll grab his hand and drag him inside.
"Excuse me, Mr. Thorg!" she called out, "but my friend here was wanting to buy a vehicle, preferably something cheap that he can have fixed up, and I was hoping that you could tell him where to go look for one. Since I don't really know my way around this town yet," she continued cheerfully.
Thorg somehow managed to scowl and smirk at the same time. "Ye'll be wanting Rannor's Junkyard." He quickly gives them directions. "Ye might as well go with him. Ye're already finished with the work I had for ye today. Go make sure he buys the right stuff."
Aananda grinned. "Thanks, Thorg!" she called out, as she pulled Tam after her out the door and started towards the Junkyard.
"Hurry up, slowpoke," she laughed as she ended up almost a half block ahead of him.
"So, which sort of vehicle do you prefer?"
Once she has his answer, she'll grab his hand and drag him inside.
"Definitely the hoverbike. Hopefully we can convince the othAAAAAAHH!" as he gets cut off in mid-sentence when Aananda drags him inside to talk to Thorg.
"Excuse me, Mr. Thorg!" she called out, "but my friend here was wanting to buy a vehicle, preferably something cheap that he can have fixed up, and I was hoping that you could tell him where to go look for one. Since I don't really know my way around this town yet," she continued cheerfully.
Thorg somehow managed to scowl and smirk at the same time. "Ye'll be wanting Rannor's Junkyard." He quickly gives them directions. "Ye might as well go with him. Ye're already finished with the work I had for ye today. Go make sure he buys the right stuff."
Aananda grinned. "Thanks, Thorg!" she called out, as she pulled Tam after her out the door and started towards the Junkyard.
"Hurry up, slowpoke," she laughed as she ended up almost a half block ahead of him.
"I'm so glad I invested in these striding boots - Wait up, I'm coming!" he calls out as he hoofs it to catch up with her.
"I'm so glad I invested in these striding boots - Wait up, I'm coming!" he calls out as he hoofs it to catch up with her.
Aananda leads the way to the junkyard with seemingly boundless energy. When they get there the gate is chained shut and a large two headed dog starts barking at them from where he is chained up just inside the gate. Aananda rattles the chain.
"Helloooooo. Hellooo, in there!" She keeps this up until a cranky looking old gnome comes to the gate.
"Hi,"she says cheerfully. "We're here to buy. Thorg sent us. We're looking for a hoverbike. And the parts to make it working," she added with an endearing smile. "And if you could let me know the price for a might work again with a little help skimmer that would be fantastic too."
The gnome looked a little nonplussed. "Er, sure, just ummmmm...." He turns to look at Tam, clearly overwhelmed. "Is she always like this?" he asks plaintively.
The gnome looked a little nonplussed. "Er, sure, just ummmmm...." He turns to look at Tam, clearly overwhelmed. "Is she always like this?" he asks plaintively.
Aananda leads the way to the junkyard with seemingly boundless energy. When they get there the gate is chained shut and a large two headed dog starts barking at them from where he is chained up just inside the gate. Aananda rattles the chain.
"Helloooooo. Hellooo, in there!" She keeps this up until a cranky looking old gnome comes to the gate.
"Hi,"she says cheerfully. "We're here to buy. Thorg sent us. We're looking for a hoverbike. And the parts to make it working," she added with an endearing smile. "And if you could let me know the price for a might work again with a little help skimmer that would be fantastic too."
The gnome looked a little nonplussed. "Er, sure, just ummmmm...." He turns to look at Tam, clearly overwhelmed. "Is she always like this?" he asks plaintively.
"Yes sir,"Tam says with a smile and a nod, catching his breath. "She's a mechanic who works for Thorg, who recommended we come to you for the best parts."
"Yes sir,"Tam says with a smile and a nod, catching his breath. "She's a mechanic who works for Thorg, who recommended we come to you for the best parts."
"Oh. Er. That's alright then. Why don't you two just step inside the side gate over here," the gnome says, ushering them inside.
Aananda starts rummaging through the broken old hoverbikes and a vaguely bikelike pile of parts starts to accumulate.
"Er. I'll tell you how much it all is when she's done. I don't think it's safe to go near that pile while she's still throwing things on it. Might end up buried in parts."
Eventually she finishes. "That's about it," she said. "All the parts we need. You'd better total that up now," she said to the gnome with a cheerful smile.
"So, do you want to price out skimmers, or should we leave that for another time. I mean, maybe we should figure out what it is that the others actually want. They may have some alternate means of travel we don't know about..."
"Oh. Er. That's alright then. Why don't you two just step inside the side gate over here," the gnome says, ushering them inside.
Aananda starts rummaging through the broken old hoverbikes and a vaguely bikelike pile of parts starts to accumulate.
"Er. I'll tell you how much it all is when she's done. I don't think it's safe to go near that pile while she's still throwing things on it. Might end up buried in parts."
Eventually she finishes. "That's about it," she said. "All the parts we need. You'd better total that up now," she said to the gnome with a cheerful smile.
"So, do you want to price out skimmers, or should we leave that for another time. I mean, maybe we should figure out what it is that the others actually want. They may have some alternate means of travel we don't know about..."
"I say we go ahead and price it out now, that way if they haven't got other means we're ready with a quick solution. Besides, I'd feel pretty bad pulling you out of this place before you've had your fair chance to rummage through everything," he says with a barely contained (though still good-natured) laugh. :D
[
"I say we go ahead and price it out now, that way if they haven't got other means we're ready with a quick solution. Besides, I'd feel pretty bad pulling you out of this place before you've had your fair chance to rummage through everything," he says with a barely contained (though still good-natured) laugh. :D
She grinned and sorted through the skimmer parts. She quickly found one that wasn't in too bad of shape. Sure, the engine needed to be rebuilt, but a lot of the parts were still usable. She gathered up all the parts she would need and pushed the vehicle over by where the gnome was still cataloguing all the hoverbike parts she'd picked out.
She waited impatiently while the gnome went through the final tallies for both piles.
"Alright," he said at last. "If you take both today, and I recommend you do, cause I don't think I can handle another bout with little miss sunshine over here, I'll give you the lot for 300 gold."
She grinned and sorted through the skimmer parts. She quickly found one that wasn't in too bad of shape. Sure, the engine needed to be rebuilt, but a lot of the parts were still usable. She gathered up all the parts she would need and pushed the vehicle over by where the gnome was still cataloguing all the hoverbike parts she'd picked out.
She waited impatiently while the gnome went through the final tallies for both piles.
"Alright," he said at last. "If you take both today, and I recommend you do, cause I don't think I can handle another bout with little miss sunshine over here, I'll give you the lot for 300 gold."
"300 gold...I'm okay with that if my expert here is," giving a nod over to Aananda. "Can you transport this to Thorg's shop, or is that a problem?"
"300 gold...I'm okay with that if my expert here is," giving a nod over to Aananda. "Can you transport this to Thorg's shop, or is that a problem?"
Aananda nods. "It's a good deal. We should take it."
The gnome looks relieved. "Alright. You all help me load this stuff on the lift," he says, pointing to a heavy duty hover platform, "and we'll get the payment all squared away, and take this lot over to Thorg's place."
"The sooner the better," he muttered mostly under his breath.
"300 gold...I'm okay with that if my expert here is," giving a nod over to Aananda. "Can you transport this to Thorg's shop, or is that a problem?"
Aananda nods. "It's a good deal. We should take it."
The gnome looks relieved. "Alright. You all help me load this stuff on the lift," he says, pointing to a heavy duty hover platform, "and we'll get the payment all squared away, and take this lot over to Thorg's place."
"The sooner the better," he muttered mostly under his breath.
"Done deal then. Let's get this thing loaded!" he says, stifling a grin at the gnome's comment.
Tam does his best to help out Aananda and Rannor with the loading, getting thoroughly dirty in the process. Once they get the lift ready, he settles up the tab and counts out the appropriate coinage. Aananda notes a slight look of concern on his face as he does so, but it passes quickly.
"Done deal then. Let's get this thing loaded!" he says, stifling a grin at the gnome's comment.
Tam does his best to help out Aananda and Rannor with the loading, getting thoroughly dirty in the process. Once they get the lift ready, he settles up the tab and counts out the appropriate coinage. Aananda notes a slight look of concern on his face as he does so, but it passes quickly.
"I can pay you back for the skimmer if you need. Not all at once, but eventually," she says quietly as they walk back. "And I should be able to cover my own expenses from now on. Once I've got food and shelter taken care of, I can just divide the rest between Kannic and you. It'll take a long time to pay back, but I can do it. I know that money doesn't grow on trees."
"I can pay you back for the skimmer if you need. Not all at once, but eventually," she says quietly as they walk back. "And I should be able to cover my own expenses from now on. Once I've got food and shelter taken care of, I can just divide the rest between Kannic and you. It'll take a long time to pay back, but I can do it. I know that money doesn't grow on trees."
"Huh? Oh, no - no, don't worry about that. I just forget sometimes that I'm an expensive date," he says with a silly smile as he looks at his new collection of parts floating along on the hover platform.
"No, I'm just thinking about being here for a while, and making sure I budget for that. Maybe I can invest a few coins in some local businesses here, if we're going to stay in this city. 'Make your money work for you, not the other way around' as the saying goes..."
"Huh? Oh, no - no, don't worry about that. I just forget sometimes that I'm an expensive date," he says with a silly smile as he looks at his new collection of parts floating along on the hover platform.
"No, I'm just thinking about being here for a while, and making sure I budget for that. Maybe I can invest a few coins in some local businesses here, if we're going to stay in this city. 'Make your money work for you, not the other way around' as the saying goes..."
"You should probably talk to Kannic about that. He seems to really understand the local businesses pretty well. I bet he can help you plenty."
"You should probably talk to Kannic about that. He seems to really understand the local businesses pretty well. I bet he can help you plenty."
"Yeah, he does indeed," Tam says, an odd smirk on his face. "But I can look into that later. We should be focusing on the toys we have now, right?" he says with a wink as they round the corner and return to the shop.
"You should probably talk to Kannic about that. He seems to really understand the local businesses pretty well. I bet he can help you plenty.""Yeah, he does indeed," Tam says, an odd smirk on his face. "But I can look into that later. We should be focusing on the toys we have now, right?" he says with a wink as they round the corner and return to the shop.
She laughed. "I can hardly wait to get started getting these things put together. What color are you going to want your bike to be? Hmm. I'm not sure if Thorg has paint or not. Well, we can ask. He probably does."
Downstairs though, Kannic receives a bit more information than he thought he would about Keaton, but it's not what he expected.
"I looked up all the people with the name 'Keaton', and only one has dissappeared in the past month, all others have been accounted for. The Keaton who went missing was a 17-year old human male, and was none other than the younger brother of 3rd Rank Seer Ryo. Whether the Keaton that you are having us look for is the same person, I am not sure."
Kannic successfully covers his surprise, more from his suspicions than skill, at this information and what it portends.
"Well, if that's the only lead we have to go on, try to get some information on the missing lad. Associates, hang outs, etc. Could be that our quarry is using his identity, and we can use that to get closer to him. Or using the name to get closer to the Seer. Either way, tread softly, lest we get embroiled in the mess."
He slides the associate a small bag of coins for his trouble, and takes a long pull from his tankard.
Kannic successfully covers his surprise, more from his suspicions than skill, at this information and what it portends.
"Well, if that's the only lead we have to go on, try to get some information on the missing lad. Associates, hang outs, etc. Could be that our quarry is using his identity, and we can use that to get closer to him. Or using the name to get closer to the Seer. Either way, tread softly, lest we get embroiled in the mess."
He slides the associate a small bag of coins for his trouble, and takes a long pull from his tankard.
Kannic's associate leaves to dig for more information, wondering just what he has gotten into...
She laughed. "I can hardly wait to get started getting these things put together. What color are you going to want your bike to be? Hmm. I'm not sure if Thorg has paint or not. Well, we can ask. He probably does."
"Oh, it doesn't have to be flashy or anything. It actually might not be a bad idea if it looks like yours does right now - it would be less conspicuous."
Grinning at her obvious excitement, after a moment he says:
"I'd offer to help, but I'd probably just ruin your fun and get in the way. And my hands are better at working on a microscale rather than macro anyway," he says as his hand unconsciously goes toward his duster. He stops himself and just motions toward the pile of parts.