Iron Stars - dawn

Darkness. Hunger. Pain. The feelings dance through Dawn's mind as something dark and machine like rattles in the room around her. There is a voice. It sounds distant and possibly artificial. Something is said about the night cycle beginning and the expected sunrise time for the following morning. A heavy weight is removed from across Dawn's body and there is a sudden sense of cold. Eyes crusted with the sleep beyond deep begin stirring as more and more sensory information comes in. The three sensations continue pulsing their slow drum beat of primal need through every cell and nerve ending. They do not want repose. They want action.

Pain. Pain was nothing new to her. Ever since the connection to Aliah was lost, there was a constant pain, at least in a certain way. But this was not the pain, it felt different. And it was the same with the hunger. It wasn't like any hunger she ever felt before. This hunger was more primal, more vicious, more consuming. But the darkness ended when she opened her eyes. All she remembered was the meeting with some, relatively young man. Dawn was still bad at reading the age of the humans. They all looked the same. No teeth to discern them. No markings, nothing. But she will learn. That man supposedly had some knowledge that she wanted. Then he laughed, and bit her. It was strange, yet not unpleasant, quite the contrary. After that, only darkness until now. For now, all she wants is to end this hunger. And know where she. So she got up, which felt so easy, and different. At last, she opens her eyes and asks. "Hello? Is anybody zere? Where am I? What is zis?"

"Dawn. Wake up. Your namesake is the thing we must finish our work before or we're both going to die out there" a bookish sounding voice says from within the room. You can see a blurred humanoid figure through your sleep sand filled eyes and opening them feels like two dull coals have been taken from a fireplace and lodged into your head. Everything pulses in time with your heart- each beat is fresh pain in a sense.

Dawn's hands hold her head, her muscles acke and it feels like it might fall down if she doesn't do so. One hand repeatedly wipes her eyes, trying to clear her view, but in fact only make the dull, irritating feeling worse. Dawn has a hard time focusing on the humanoid figure in front of her. But it is not just the eyesight. Listening is hard as well as she constantly hears the beating of a heart in her ears, or is it just in her imagination? The beating is accompanied by the sound of rushing blood, but different, it somewhat sounds like the sea, with its waves. And as she tries to speak again, her mouth feels dry and sore. It feels surreal. As if she wasn't herself. But she was. Was she? Dawn, coughs, dry and bad tasting, then opens her mouth to speak. More slowly now. "Who. Are. You?"

“I am Malcolm. We are both here as new members of the family I think, or whatever passes for family to these people. Never seen one of your kind before, what are you?” You can only see a blurry image of the man but you can tell he his human, male, and somewhat bookish by the sound of his voice

She sits upright, still holding her head. She is confused, but her confusion takes only a small place amid the many other feelings that occupy her mind right now. "Malcom? Zere is no Malcom in my family. Are you a Seeker? Ze last I remember was talking to zat man. And a bite. Were you bitten as well?"

"I was, and we're going to have to work together if we want to get through this. They left clothes for you. I'll step into the other room until you're ready"

Dawn frowns as she slowly tries to get up. "Why go away? Is nakedness a problem among your kind? Ze universe made us all like we are, clozing we did ourselves. It protects from environment and blade, but underneaz we are all ze same, just different looking. Were is clozing? Is it mine or what is it? I still have problems seeing."

"I'm going to wipe some of the gunk from your eyes and try to help you up , is it okay if I come over there?" Milton asks, trying to get through this situation as best as possible

"Yes, Yes. Zank you. Unless you find zat unpleasant. I am a Jademane, we are proud and strong people, I can help myself if zat bozers you." Either while getting dressed alone, or with Malcolm helping her, she asks. "You were talking about work, and being done before Dawn. I don't understand. What work? Why before dawn? I am confused."

Malcolm helps, rubbing a cooling cloth to your eyes and the bite on your neck. You don't need anyone to help, which is true, but having his help does give your aching limbs some time to adjust. "We're going to see the head of the family in a few minutes and they'll explain more, but I think based on how we both feel, they turned us into something like them. Did they say something to you about your talents? Or perhaps they chose you because of how unique you are to Tece. I don't think we've seen a Jademane before here"

After getting into whatever was given to her for clothing, Dawn tries to find a reflective surface to see if they gave her something that looks fitting for a 2,23m Jademane. "Somezing like zem? I just came here to ask if I can use zeir library, to see if zey have knowledge zat could be useful for ze Seekers. But I did not get zat far. And I am a Jademane, yes, but I am no exhibit, like in a museum."

"You might not think so, but our hosts do. Anyway, get ready, and we'll head downstairs in a minute"

Dawn grunts and cracks her cervical vertebrae. She looks around, but her throwing axes are nowhere to be seen, leading to a sigh. With a few dexterous strokes, she braids her hair. Now, between all the pain, she notices that her jaw hurts a little too. She quickly feels her tusks, afraid that this 'family' might have taken away the tusks that are so typical of Jademanes. But they are still there, proud and strong. A little relief between all the uncertainty and the uneasy feeling. She turns to Malcolm. "I'm ready. Let's go." (edited)

Heading downstairs you see that servants line the stairs, waiting for you to emerge. You are brought down to a sitting room where you can see a figure sitting in front of the fire in a high backed c hair. Its back is to you and you cannot see who is sitting there. The room is dark and blackout curtains have been pulled over the windows. A glass of a maroon colored liquid is placed on a tray that a servant hurriedly takes away. "Ah, you are awake. This is good. You have much work to do "

"Work?" Dawn asks, puzzled. "Work? Malcolm was already talking about work, too. I came here to gain knowledge." "And I got bit for it!" She adds vigorously. "I have a terrible headache and a hunger I never felt before. We Jademans are tough, but I'm not going to work for you if you've made me sick. What disease have you given me?"

"Well now, it seems we both have something the other one wants. I have a job for you,and if you both complete it, I will tell you what has happened, and what life will be like for you now. I won't waste my time on curiosities who might not live out the night"

"Curiosities?" She slaps Malcolm on the back. "Why don't you say somezing? He poisoned us and we might not live to see ze next dawn, and you just stay quiet? Wimp!" Dawn is upset, every cell in her body rebelling against this man who sees her as his possession. Dawn's body, however, is rebelling against everything right now, and she knows she can't just charge forward. She knows she stands no chance right now. That she has to comply if she ever wants to escape his grasp. "Are we so sick zat we're going to die at dawn if you don't help us?"

"You won't die at dawn, not unless you are outside, my green friend, so if you're not here, make sure you're not out there when the sun comes up. Now then, your job. I need you to take a short trip outside town to the woods. I've lost something there that is very important to me and this House. Find it, bring it back to me, and you'll know everything you need to in order to have productive new lives as the newest members of our house. So, are you going to let me continue?"

Dawn nods, reluctantly. Whatever disease it was, this person might be the only one with the cure, or knowledge about it. It felt like a sick joke. But she is a Seeker, she has a mission, and she can't fulfill it if she dies. "What is it. Ze zing you lost?"

"A family pet so to speak. To you it would look like a dog or wolf, but larger , with red eyes and silver streaked fur. It is very precious to me, and I think you both have unique skills that would bring it home safely"

"Animals have zeir own minds, and reasons if zey ran away. Maybe it doesn't want to come back? Maybe it is on ze hunt. Maybe its reproductive drive made it run into ze woods. While I don't want to hurt this animal, it might happen in ze curse of your task. Is zere any wildlife in zese woods that could be looking out to hunt zis animal, or us?" The question, while valid and important to gather more information, was also there to press this man into allowing her to have her throwing axes back.

Your equipment seems to have been laid out on a table to the side of the room. Everything looks to be in as good or better condition than you left it.

9:32 AM

"There are few creatures in the woods now. This world is not home to many kinds of life, but the woods are large and have their own dangers. I'd hate for you to have a slip and fall"

Dawn growls. "A Jademane does not stumble in the forest!" She then walks to her equipment and stows it away. Carefully examining her axes. "Where could this animal be? I can track it, but any information could be helpful for interpreting tracks I find."

"I've said already, the creature you're looking for is a family pet so to speak. To you it would look like a dog or wolf, but larger , with red eyes and silver streaked fur. If its species has a name I do not know it"

Dawn nods. "I'll bring it back. And when I do, I want answers." She says, waiting to be shown outside. Waiting for her and Malcolm to be alone, so she can question him some more.

Outside, there are two small motorbikes. One has a sled attached behind it that will be what you presume holds the captured animal if your hunt is successful.

"I am not familiar wiz such zings, but I will make it work." She looks at Malcolm. "Zis person said we boz have useful abilities. I know mine. What are yours? Being quiet can't be ze one."

"I know how to fix things, and now to drive. I'm good at computers too" he says, looking out into the night sky.

Dawn frowns and laughs a bit. "So I don't just get tested in getting that animal back. I also get tested in getting you back in one piece. I will look out for you, maybe we need your knowledge sometime later, as I doubt zere will be a computer deep in these woods." With that out of the way, Dawn walks toward the edge of the garden that is oriented towards the forest, to try and pick of a trail that they could then drive along.

There’s a clear hunting trail that heads into the woods and the beast has also fled this way. You can see deep prints on the muddy ground for several meters before they wind behind trees and out of sight

Dawn points towards where the trail leads. "Zat way. I wonder what we will find in ze end. Why it ran away. Let us slowly drive along ze trail." (edited)

(pilot/dex)

Name: Dawn; The Seeker ~~-----------------------------------~~ Race: Jademane Background: Scholar Class: Adventurer (Psychic/Warrior) Level: 2 Max HP: 11 Max Sys Strain: 18 Base Atk Bonus: +1 ~~-----------------------------------~~ Attributes: ~~-----------------------------------~~ STR: 12 (+0) DEX: 18 (+2) CON: 18 (+2) INT: 17 (+1) WIS: 14 (+1) CHA: 18 (+2) ~~-----------------------------------~~ Saves: ~~-----------------------------------~~ Physical: d20 vs 13 Mental: d20 vs 13 Evasion: d20 vs 13 Luck: d20 vs 15 ~~-----------------------------------~~ Skills: ~~-----------------------------------~~ Gaiapsionics (0) Know (0) Metapsionics (2) Notice(0) Stab (0) Survive (0) Talk(0) ~~-----------------------------------~~ Foci: ~~-----------------------------------~~ Jademane Origin (1) Mageblade (1) PT(Meta) (1) ~~-----------------------------------~~ Class Features: ~~-----------------------------------~~ Partial Psychic Partial Warrior Vampire ~~-----------------------------------~~ (edited)

8:16 AM

!roll 2d6+1

Daira of Artema | P | Jeonia Roll: [4, 1] Result: 6

Moving through the woods, you bring the vehicle slow, almost to a crawl. The path winds into the trees before vanishing through some hollow logs.

Dawn gets off of her Bike and gets down on her knees. Being the Jademane she is, she tries to feel the animal, feel its path, feel the nature around her. and have her throwing axes in reach, just in case. Aliah was no night world, but nature, and animals are somewhat the same, everywhere, even on a world like Tece. Dawn turns to Malcolm. "I guess we should follow it on foot now, I don't zink we are able to drive deeper into the forest. Are you okay wiz zat? Do you want to wait? And don't worry, if I bring it back alone, I won't tell."

Nekosmash pinned a message to this channel. 4/11/2022 9:46 AM

"We're going to have to go in after it. I don't trust this to you by yourself- not when both of us are at stake"

"Good." Dawn says as she moves deeper into the woods, trying to follow the trail and listen to her surroundings. "Do as I do. Animals can be especially dangerous when one doesn't know zem. Say. Are you from zis world?"

"No, I was from Buey originally. I worked at the shipyard there for a while but the Jesuits are...strict...at times. I wanted to see more of the universe so I left and ventured out as far as polity shuttle service would take me"

Dawn nods knowingly. "Yeah, I did travel a lot as well, for my reasons. And now zis. One zing. You said zis family made us like zem. Some animals are able to smell diseases, so if zat animal did run away because it didn't want to stay anymore, zen it might know zis smell, and smells us from a far distance, so it might have the upper hand. Do you know to defend yourself?"

“I can handle it well enough. Maybe not to help myself before but I can watch your back. “

"Zat has to be enough." Dawn continues to follow the trail, along the hollow tree, staying aware of her surroundings and already with a throwing axe in her hand. "So you did run away from having no freedom on your homeworld, to being a curiosity and being seen as someone who is nozing more zan an object zat belongs to zis family. You could be called unlucky, if somezing like luck would exist."

"Maybe unlucky, that is true. But I made the choices I made, and I'm here now. I can't do much else about it"

"Yeah. Quiet now. And keep close." Dawn mentally notes the capabilities of this one. As all Seekers, it was always important to have some connections, everywhere. In case information needed to be transported, or kept, or gathered. Traveling alone, means it was important to know others. She carefully leads the two deeper into the wood, following the trail.

Moving into the woods you see deep marks where the creature has moved off from the path and into the rain soaked forest. Pine needles, cones, and other plants that need both darkness and light live here- and you can hear the calls of birds in the trees who hunt by night.

Dawn digs a hand deep into the muddy ground just to smear it all over her, followed by rubbing pine needles and other plants with strong scents against her clothing. She then turns to Malcolm. "Do like I did. It will mask our scent."

He makes a face like this is the most unpleasant thing he has ever been asked to do, but after a moment does the same- not wanting to upset you, nor compromise the msision.

"You will see. It will help." Dawn would lead the two further on, but would signal them to stop, once the trail gets fresher. So they can try to be more silent until they locate the animal.

He nods once and does the same, taking about five minutes longer than you do the task, since has not had a lifetime of skill in it like you have.

12:30 PM

"Alright, lets try this again" he says, as thunder above announces you're about to get even wetter than you are.

"Thunder. A beautiful thing." Dawn says. "We need to be quicker. More rain might make it harder to follow the trail." She touches some broken plants. "This way."

Moving through the hollow logs you find the corpse of a small rodent that it looks like your escapee had tried to eat- and got a bit of a meal off of. It still steams, a recent kill, and fresh. Your senses seem to be heightened at the smell of recently spilled animal blood and your insides recoil with an animal need of your own. Hunger, an empty, hollow hunger, responding to the only thing that will allow you a moment of peace without its nagging pull at the back of your thoughts.

Dawn grabs the corpse. A corpse that is merely half a rodent now, after the escapee had took a bite of it. Intestines hang ouf it and blood. So much blood. She stares at it, in her hands. The dead body gets closer, and closer, and even closer to her face. Her breathing gets faster and faster. Her mouth opens. Saliva drops out of it. She has lost all control as she stares at this wonderful meal right in front of her mouth. Something hurts in her mouth. She tastes blood, her blood. Her gum, hurts. And she just wants to bite into that dead rodent. Just one, bloody, bite. It can't be wrong, can it? If one has such a hunger such a desire to penetrate that skin, to feel the still warm but not pulsating blood and meat in her mouth. It can't be wrong. Breathing intensifies as the skin touches her lips. She is just a fraction of second away from doing something that has nothing to do with who she is, or better, who she was. A fraction of a second. But then, a bird can be heard, singing. She looks up. Taken out of this spiral of hunger, be it just for a few seconds. She realizes what she was about to do. She throws the coprse away. Afraid. Of herself. The breathing slows down as she stares into the woods, and towards the rainy sky. She then turns to Malcolm. Staring at him for way too long. "It was here. We. We need to keep going."

You see your fellow explorer looking at it with the same lust in his eyes. "May I... May I see that for a moment?" he asks, reaching out for it without waiting for your reply. This is far from the timid man too nervous to even look at you for more than a few seconds when you first met an hour and a half ago now.

Dawn turns towards him and lunges forward to grab his throat. "Come to your senses!" She hisses, full well knowing that she was in his shoes just moments ago, and thus don't overdoing it with the blaming. "Zis is not who we are! Whatever disease zey gave us, it makes us so hungry. We need to focus. I want zat animal. I want answers." She loosens her grip around his neck again and kicks the corpse out of sight, even if it feels like she can still smell it. "Malcolm, are you ready to move on?"

You sense him almost ready to chase it into the woods like a bloodhound, but your words keep him rooted to the spot. "Al..Alright,lets continue. I smell, something in the air. Do you?"

"I smell more rain, and ze corpse I still smell too. What do you smell?" While asking, Dawn tries to focus on her own senses to try and find an unknown smell as well.

"Blood, and something musky, coming from in front of us. I think it is moving, and fast"

(I understood it as the thing running away from them. If that was wrong, I can alter the text.) "Zen we can't waste time!" Dawn tries to speed up, still careful to not slip on any muddy or slippery sufraces. "Fast and careful not to fall! If it is fast, we don't need to be sneaky. It will not be too alert. But we can't let it get further away!" Hunger, lust for blood, but in a strange way, and the thrill of the hunt, all mix to give her a rush she never felt before.

(it is running from you)

9:09 AM

(exert/con)

!roll 2d6+1 ! running like the wind through the slippery woods

Daira of Artema | P | Jeonia Roll: [4, 1] Result: 6 Reason: running like the wind through the slippery woods

You find a path and slip, falling forward and sliding on the muddy ground as the creature bolts out of the woods to your left, almost tackling malcolm as he gets his arms around it. It barks and howls, though is more akin to man sized than beast

At first, Dawn angrily stares at it, her Jademane tusks aggressively pointing toward the creature. But then her facial expression gets calmer. Her right hand stays close to her side, ready to grab one of her throwing axes. Her left hand on the other side, makes calming gestures. She wonders what this thing is, then starts to talk. "Shhhh, all good. Calm down, pretty zing. We don't want to hurt you." She looks at it, at its reactions, and also signals Malcolm to let loose if its reaction stop being aggressive.

The creature is trying to do what he can to rip and tear in to Malcolms stomach as captured creatures sometimes do,

The brawl between the creature and Malcolm spills blood, even if it's just a little. Her eyes turn red, lust takes over as she rushes toward the uneven brawl. Dawn fights the lust to go for the blood, she tries to fight the unnatural hunger that befalls her. In the end, she pushes on, to do what she needs to do, behind a red veil that almost actively tries to cover her vision and tries to take over control. The man-sized beast might look like the actual predator here, with Dawn and Malcolm switching roles from hunters, to prey. But Dawn, a tall and proud Jademane, tries to take over control. She jumps the beast, she tries to get it away from Malcolm by grappling it and pushing it to the ground, with herself on top of it. (alright so I am trying some grappling here, to get control over it. we can go into initiative if we want, but as of now, it is all about catching that creature alive and not killing it right away. If we go through with it, it would be a punch attack from Dawn, to see if she gets a chance for an opposed roll against the beast, unless you say grabbing it is easier thanks to it being in a brawl with Malcolm.) (edited)

(its an exert/dex or str to grapple, opposed by the creature. Since it is already fighting with Malcolm I'd say this gives you a +2)

!roll 2d6 +3 ! exert/dex

Daira of Artema | P | Jeonia Roll: [4, 3] Result: 10 Reason: exert/dex

A bear hug crushes the creature in a sense between between you and Malcolm and it wriggles, trying to get out of your combined grasp. Its greasy fur is musky and the stench threatens to overwhelm your senses all on its own.

A yet to Dawn unknown power of hers surfaces, as her right hand turns into a bloody claw, with blood dripping from it. But it is no blood, it is some kind of magic as the drops fizzle out in the air just centimetres after leaving the tips of her newly formed claws. Dawn is ready to dig deep into this creature, to pierce its fur and rip lumps of flesh out of it. A constant battle between hunger, and lust for blood, and her own self control. She needs knowledge. She needs to get answers. This thing has to survive. "Calm down! Your master send us. Calm down, or I will kill you!" She yells, knowing full well that this thing could still kill them both.

Bound as it is, and tiring itself out you can feel the creature beginning to struggle less. Pressure increases between the both of you until finally its limbs go slack and it begins panting much like a dog on a warm day.

Dawn breathes heavily, somewhat out of breath from jumping at the beast. She is still tense, but her strange claws return to a more normal look. "Good boy." She says while still trying to keep it under control. Without turning her attention elsewhere, she asks. "Malcolm, are you alright?"

"I think so. I am hurt, but I will recover"

9:17 AM

He is very hurt. The creature has torn deeply into his guts and he is doing his best to keep things tucked in given his grievous wounds.

Dawn doesn't see it, but she smells it, the blood, and the damage done. She stares at the creature and instinctively knows that she will not be able to turn her back on it, or else, she ends up mutilated as well. Dawn is no healer either, never was, most likely never will be. So all that she could do, wouldn't hold, and most likely would only delay a quicker return where a real doctor could check him. If he returns. "If he dies, it will be a warrior's death, he will die proud." She thinks to herself. "Get going Malcolm, if we make it quickly back, you will get treatment." Dawn then gets up and lets loose of the creature, but still stares at it, ready to physically get it under control again, if she must. "Heel! We will return to your master." She says forcefully to try and keep it under control.

Bested, and tired, the creature does nothing but comply with your commands. Malcolm is not looking well, or doing well.

Dawn looks at Malcolm, and becomes miserable. He was no warrior, just some Tech person with the same poison in his blood that she carries as well, contracted by that man who sent them here. When he dies, he won't be happy that it was a warrior's death. But Dawn won't take her earring out of finest bone and start stitching him back together and pushing his intestines back to where they belong. It would be out of her ability to do this. But she can do something. Dawn quickly rips some of her clothers appart and takes other clothing items as a whole to try and create a makeshift pressure compress to keep Malcolm together, and everything in.

(heal/int)

!roll 2d6 +1-1

Daira of Artema | P | Jeonia Roll: [5, 3] Result: 8

You're able to do what you can for him for now, and though he is still goingt o need medical attention, he thinks he can wait a few hours now as opposed to lasting just minutes .

"Let us go. Now even more, with you being hurt zat much, we will demand and get ze answers zat we deserve!" As they walk towards the bikes she always stays close to the beast, and now, with tension a bit lower, she looks at it more closely.

4:35 PM

It is a shaggy looking dog, growlong angrily at its confinement

As they reach the bikes, and Malcolm can sit on his bike to rest, Dawn points at the transport cage for the beast. "Zis is where you have to sit in while we bring you back home." With a bit more time at hand now, Dawn carefully looks at the Dogs reaction to the cage and tries to see if it is in any form injured.

It is injured but it is alive. You can see it’s back left leg has been broken and it must have happened as you and Malcolm crushed it against yourselves.

Seeing this so late, Dawn instantly feels bad. She quickly grabs a durable stick and rips some more of her clothing off. With these two components, she tries to make a makeshift support for the dog's leg. She would then try to carry it the last remaining meters into the cage.

the dog whimpers as it is placed into the cage and Malcolm doesn't seem to be doing much better. In addition to the almost evisceration, he has been given a deep bite along his neck. No major blood vessels have been hit, but his need for medical attention is much more severe now.

"Can you drive on your own?" Dawn asks, clearly thinking about abandoning the second vehicle in favor of bringing them all back to the mansion. Alive.

"I...I think so. We have to try" Malcolm says, not wanting to succeed the mission but fail at the end by virtue of returning with less than was sent into the woods to begin with. "Lets try to get moving quickly"

Dawn nods. Not too happy with the decision, but she thinks she knows where it comes from. "It shouldn't be taking too long. We know ze way."

He nods weakly and almost collapses over the handlebars as the vehicles begin moving again, returning to the manor just as it begins to rain once more.

12:57 PM

There are two guards outside, and they wave you in

"Get him help, now." She almost yells at them in a commanding tone. Before she drives to the main gate of the manor. Almost certain that someone would open the door and show them in. If not, she waits. She loves the rain. And with most of her clothes used either for the dog or for Malcolm, there were only rags that could get soakingly wet.

The rain bathes the entire area in a cleansing deluge, and the blood and muck begin naturally draining off you as the main house doors open and other household staff come out to attend you, the beast, and Malcolm, just as the first hints of dawn begin lightening the sky beyond.

Dawn turns around and sees the first signs of dawn. "I am the one who collects Efyos during the misty dawn of the cold season. I will get my answers. I am a proud member of the Jademane. I am a Seeker." She thinks to herself. Bolstering her self-esteem as she turns to the household stuff while pointing at the sky. "I guess Malcolm and I need to enter the building. They said we might not survive if we stay outside when the sun kisses the ground. Whatever light allergy accompanies this illness, I want answers, not death." Slowly the adrenalin and distraction from this trip, and trying to get Malcolm back alive, start to fade and with it, the hunger return, screaming louder than before. And it almost feels like she hears and feels the heartbeats of those staff members in front of her.

You are welcomed inside to a small table where two large cups have been set aside for you. The smell of the beverage there is enchanting , drawing you in closer almost without you being aware your legs and feet are moving. Malcolm look to perk up a bit himself, and you are told the lord of the home will be with you in a moment, and to help yourselves in the meantime.

8:57 AM

There is also a silver ewer here with more of the intoxicating smelling liquid in it.

It had been so long. This trip might just have lasted ours, but the hunger, the hunger just got worse and worse. Dawn feels so empty and that beverage just seems to be all she needs. Her feet carry her. She grabs the cup and pours the liquid down her throat. It is as if life itself runs down her throat and into her system. But the taste was familiar, but different. Exponentially more intense. She stares at the stuff. "What, what is zis?"

"Something that will make you feel better, and will let you think more clearly. It's a drink called Tarn, of the master's own devising"

"Tarn? I never heard of somezing like this." She turns to the side to see if Malcolm was drinking it as well.

"Tarn is a mixture of the blood and tears of slaves, laced with a gentle narcotic to ensure it is drunk every day to keep the cravings to a minimum"

Dawn looks at them, almost like she was stunned. Could it really be blood? The taste was familiar, but still different. Maybe the narcotics? And, blood and tears of slaves? What was this place? Is she seen as a slave now as well? Made addicted to this Tarn? Can this really be? She wants to shatter her cup. If it has to be, by hammering it against the head of this master. But she still needs answers. And drinking it felt so good. Shattering the cup would be wasting drops of it. Why was she even thinking about drops of it? Her thoughts were drawn into thinking about this Tarn. She fills her cup again and drinks some more. Just to see if it really was blood. It tastes something like it. But it tastes so good. She can't stop, even if she tries. After the second cup she stares at the stuff again. "Why would you give us blood to drink? And narcotics? First disease, now drugs? What is wrong wiz your master. Where is he?"

"I am here" The voice says from above, as the lithe figure descends down the stairs. Automatic shades are being pulled over the windows now, and you see that the fully covering suit the master is wearing is something he did have on before. "And it would be a good idea to drink. Have a sip, and I will tell you everything"

"You don't tell me what to drink! I am a Seeker!" She says, just to fill up her cup again, and down it, slowly, with a constant flow of Tarn down her throat. She can't remember if she ever felt so alive before. This must be so wrong, so foul, but it was so good. Answers she will demand, but now, she just wanted to drink. As the last drop flows down her tongue she looks at the Master of this house again. "Tell me everyzing."

"You are now a creature of the night, I have given you many gifts, but those come with some changes you and dear Malcolm here will need to learn to adapt to if you want to remain alive, well, and otherwise not turned into an ash sculpture by next sunrise. Life as you know it has come to an end, and there is no way to reverse the condition, but I think once you hear everything I have to say, you won't want to go back. You're immortal now, the both of you, functionally, at least. You can still be killed by a number of different methods but your bodies and minds are going to be stronger, sharper, faster, and better in every way than you were before. "

Dawn stares at him, her feelings are mixed and there is a part of every imaginable emotion coming up in her. "Creature of the night? I will never be able to, to walk and experience nature by day anymore? But being immortal means, I can collect wisdom for all eternity? How old are you?"

"I stopped counting the exact year sometime after I turned 300, but I don't feel a day older than 35, of that I can promise you. Everything you have said so far is correct, Seeker"

The grown Jademane starts to cry upon the thought that she was never going to walk across a meadow on a sunlit day. She wants to rip this person apart, ram her tusk into his throat. The last part, frighteningly, let some lust arise within her. A lust she has felt a few times before since she was infected with this disease. * *Once the first wave of sadness had passed, she starts to talk again. "What is it zat keeps us alive? Zis Tarn drink? Or is it some magic? Are we your slaves now?"

“Every culture has a different word for it but at heart the mythology is the same. Vampires are real, and you are one now. You and Malcolm both. Slaves? Perhaps in a sense but you will see that your chains and this cage are quite gilded indeed , and in time you will amass considerable power of your own- far more than what would be afforded to a slave “

Dawn looks at him and thinks for a moment. Processing all that he has said. "A Vampire? I read about them when I stayed on Gudrun. Mythical beings, but fiction, not reality, I guess they covered up their tracks well. I can't stay, I am a Seeker, I have a mission that goes far beyond my own existence. But if he is right, I've got some more time. I need to understand first, and then he will learn that there is no cage able to contain a Jademane. For now, I behave, and take as much as I can." "So zat is why I reacted ze way I did when I saw blood. Say, your dog, seemed like no regular dog, and it didn't fight being brought back. Will you tell me now why it left? Was it freed, by someone who doesn't like you, or is zere anozer reason?"

'That dog is called a Koth Hound, and it might be the only one left of its genetic lineage. Those hounds were used in abundance during the First and Second waves of human exploration, and over time the colonists were able to domesticate other local kinds of wildlife. The hounds were then much less useful, but some remained as pets or in the hands of collectors. Over time, more and more genetic lineages faded"

"Sometimes ze circle of life contains ze end of a species, and ze end of one, might be the birz of anozer. But I feel like ze Collector zat you are, you take more from having ze last of a kind, zen letting nature have its way." "But you being a collector is why I came here in ze first place." She eyes the Tarn again, but suppresses the urge to fill another cup and down it. "When I came here. I wanted to see if you have literature, about ley-lines or ozer documents about strange planets. I am a Seeker. Part of a Jademane group zat tries to find a new homeworld, zat is more like our own was, and more zan just a place to live. And while you making me a beast of ze night destroyed my life, my purpose continuous to stay ze same. Even if I am now seemingly bound to your house and zis planet. I feel zat you won't just let me have my way wiz ze knowledge zat you collected. Everyzing seems to come wiz a price. I survived ze night, what would I need to do to get a glimpse at your library?"

"You have paid it. You are a member of the family now, but you will be asked to undertake missions or errands on behalf of the household for continued access. "

"Understood." "To leave this world, was to learn what it means to be a Vampire!" That would be her motto for the coming time. But for now, she was a mere fledgling, neither knowing her limits, nor her new strengths. "I am not yet used to what I am now. Nor do I know enough about zis world. But for continued study, I am willing to work. May I ask for a favor? Would you have an empty book for me? To be filled wiz zings I write down?"

"Of course, we have many empty volumes in the library, feel free to grab something off one of the carts and make it your own"

Dawn nods. "Zank you!" She looks down at herself. Partially naked and with mostly ripped clothing. "Ze night was, adventurous. I guess I should get some rest. Where would I do zat? Ze room I woke up in?"

"Yes, Malcolm will be moved to another room upon his return from the medical wing"

"Good for him, he was somewhat uncomfortable at seeing a naked body. There is nozing more natural zan being naked. But I already saw way to often zat humans and Taros have a tendency to feel embarrassed when zey see someone naked. I excuse me for ze nig... day. I will get some rest and return to you when I wake up again." She leaves the room, led by a servant, who also gives her an empty book and leaves her alone in her room. She gets out of her damaged clothing and sits back down on an armchair with the book and a pen in her hand. She starts to write in a less known Jademane accent, trying to make it hard to translate if someone were to read the book.

A Vampire, a strange word, with an even worse meaning. I won't be able to walk during the day. It is as if a part of my identity was ripped out of me. But at the same time I have become more capable. Time is of no importance to me anymore. I don't know what to make out of all of it. What this will mean. I know that I need to escape from here, to do what I have to do. But with this condition I have now, that won't be easily possible. And there is still much knowledge to acquire here. I need to make contacts, in this house, and outside. Malcolm might be a good start, even if he is a typical human :-). I need to find out if there really is a drug in this Tarn. If I want to escape, I either need to be clean, or find a way to supplement a possible drug until I find the time and place to get clean again. There is still much to learn. But I am a Seeker, and that is what Seekers do.

She closes the book. Takes a shower, something she still did not like as much as cleaning herself in a nearby creek. And finally lays down in her, sarcophagus, another strange thing to do for her. But she will adapt. Learn and overcome.

8:46 AM

. After waking up and getting out of her sarcophagus again, she immediately sees a new batch of clothes. She gets dressed and leaves for the Master of this house, to ask if she was allowed to visit the library for a bit, or if he had other plans with her.

(up to you how soon you want to get into another mission, if you're not champing at the bit to get out there, we dont have to. Also, 3xp, and 5000 credits)

XP Log
Intro Mission 3XP

Level UP!
LvL 1->2
AB 1->2
Old HP: 10
HP Roll: 3+8=11
New HP: 11

2SP + 1PSP
Talk -1 -> 0 (1SP)
Notice -1 -> 0 (1SP)

1PSP banked

New Focus: Psychic Training (Metapsi)
Metapsi 0 -> 2  (due to Jademane reduced cost.)
New Techniques: Mindtracing (Level 1) & Psychic Static (Level 2)
+3 Effort Max (1 from PT; 1 from Meta 1; 1 from two more levels of Meta, halved because Jademane.)

She knocks at his door, waiting for permission to enter. She has plans, but for now, she needs him to feel like he has her under control.

Entering the library , you see the lord of the manor is here, looking into a few books himself though his has a silver chain criss crossing its cover.

"By ze light of ze moon, may zis be a night of learning. I see you are here to read as well. What is it zat you read?", Dawn asks as she enters the library and tries to get a feeling just how big this might be.

"A history of the houses of Tece, where we record our history and our dealings with the other noble families here. I am updating the chronicle, now that you and Malcom are both family members, and have performed a task of note for us"

"Zat is, nice. I wonder, how many of zis family are zere?"

“Ten of us major members. Other juveniles like you who have yet to fully prove themselves. We do not generally record their names as most tend to perish before they fully come into their abilities “

"Interesting!." She says, acting like she was interested. For her first visit of the library, Dawn tries to find out if there was anything written on if Vampires really need Tarn, or if normal blood will do as well, and on how long a Vampire can go without it. She knows that her visits here will always be a race against the clock, as she only gets permission to visit in exchange for doing something for the family.

(admin/int)

!roll 2d6 -1+1 !admin/int

Daira of Artema | P | Dawn Roll: [6, 1] Result: 7 Reason: admin/int

Blood will work. Tarn seems to be preferable due to its other properties, at least by the members of this house, but when it is not available, normal blood seems to work more than fine to sate the deep and gnawing sense of hunger that has gripped you since you woke up here in the first place. The books do not detail exact blood collection methods organized by the house.

Dawn remembers that information, for her to write down in her book, she then quickly tries to find if there is any available information on how long a vampire can go without blood supply, and if there are any known complications. If she was to leave the house, and planet behind one day. She would need to know as much as she can to safely do so, and to safely continue her wandering to gather knowledge, without dying of hunger, or being exposed of being a vampire if she can't control her hunger by miscalculating her blood supply.

Like eating a regular meal, or set of meals, daily intakes are preferred, but after four days the fight against the hunger inside becomes almost animalistic in nature, and after a full two weeks, the vampire has gone entirely feral, devolving into some kind of beast like state that is no longer able to think with anything resembling reason.

"Three days max, four if it can't be helped. Even more and the end comes nearer and nearer. I need to write that down." Still with the book in her hand she turns to the Master. "You said I have to furzer earn my time in zis library, and a place in zat book you carry. Did you have anyzing special in mind?"

"That depends Dawn, I have jobs to do, and there are always more available than people to do them. It depends what you think you could handle"

"I am a Jademane, as such I am a versed warrior, but I doubt a secret society like zis is in need of some brute force. And as you might know, I am good at finding zings, mundane zings, and supernatural ones. I can do everyzing, but I might not be ze best at getting somewhere unnoticed, because I am large, and ze people here don't know Jademane. I am willing to work for my time here."

"your talents for finding living things , like animals, have been noted. You think you could do that to a person? or one of the night-kin?"

She laughs a bit. "Do you know what ze purpose of a Seeker is? Our purpose, our mission, is to find a world like our homeworld, of which maybe no ozer exists, but even if some exist it is less likely to find zem zan, what do your people say, like finding a needle in a haystack. Still I do it, and I am positive zat one of us Seekers will succeed. To answer your question, I find you everyzing, and everyone, zose who tap into ze Metaspace, are easier for me to be found, but as I said, I find you everyone."

"Well it just so happens we've got someone we need you to find. A former associate of the house we think is talking to the others a bit more than he should be. Family secrets are on the line, and we need to close the leak"

"Closing ze leak. I find him, locate him, what zen? Bring him back, like ze dog?"

"You said you were hungry, weren't you? If I give you something with his scent, I am confident between what you can do as a night creature, and what you can do as a Jademane, you will find him before long. You may kill him, eat him, whatever you want, but the leak needs to be closed forever." (edited)

She will find a solution for this, a way to handle it. But how to handle the situation will depend on whom she will find in the end. "I will do what you want me to do. What can you tell me about zis, leak."

"He is a wimpish man, weak willed with tainted blood. His name is Ezore, and he knows too much of the house operations to be allowed to continue to live. We think he' has been talking to the new house- those upstarts "

"Upstarts. How are zey called? And what is zeir business? What do zey make money wiz?"

"Racovitza, a new house that has supplanted the old. A terrible thing to see , and perhaps something we will put a stop to. Their leadership is very good at turning people from the looks of things"

"Racovitza? I read zat name at ze door of some club, wiz ze strange loud music coming from inside. Zat gives me some place to start. But. I guess I should involve zis ozer house as little as possible? Like you don't want zem to know what we are doing?"

"That would be correct. The mole needs to die, and die quietly, He just needs to vanish, and we need to do so in a way where the other houses are unaware the leaker was directly targeted. Making it look like an accident, or they were caught in the crossfire of other violence would be the best way to do this, but in the end, as long as he dies, we will deal with the fallout"

Dawn nods. Unhappy with becoming a hitman, something way below what a Seeker stands for. But right now, working for the family was her top priority. As much as she wants to leave, there was still so much to learn here, about the universe, and her new self. And in the end, nobody was stronger than a Jademane. Before leaving the library, she turns around again. "What was the last place he was seen at? And do I need to take a taxi, or is there some driving service for house members? As much as I love to walk through nature, we are a bit off, and the urgency of returning before dawn, makes me want to have a safety net."

"The taxi will be better, no one will recognize house transport that way. He was seen outside their club , and is probably hanging around there to try to make contact with whoever his handler is"

Dawn nods and turns around. "Until dawn then." It takes her only a short amount of time until she had called a Taxi to the Mansion. Walking around in the rather fine clothing that the House, her current family, has made her wear, was still strange. It was not good for traveling, not suited for combat, and even worse for longer stays out in nature, it was mostly looking good. But she will get used to it. Outside she waits for the taxi to arrive.

The black taxi with blue luverly light pulls up to the curb and you hear the pop of its doors being unlocked from inside the vehicle. Its headlights flash once, letting you know that the driver is there for you, and the human behind the wheel looks to be quite tired. Overweight, pale, and with thinning hair and glasses, he looks to be eager to end his night so he can return to the safety of his dwelling.

Dawn frowns as she enters the taxi and sees her driver, somewhat afraid that he might not be fit enough to get her to where she needs to go, safely. But she didn't have a choice, so she tells him of the Club that she wants to visit. Has to. She would rather visit a library than a club, but the mission that was ahead of her, will be done perfectly. As they drive, Dawn asks: "Tell me, is zere a bar where ze young boys meet. Zose zat act like zey are men already, but are actually just grown boys? Zose wiz too much testosterone I mean."

He gives a short laugh to himself as much to you 'There's a biker bar a few blocks away. Most of the people in there think they can fight and that they're too strong to have to follow the rules the rest of us have to. Why, you got business with them?" he asks, as he checks his mirrors and carefully pulls off the curb, sliding expertly into the traffic pattern on the street.

"Not yet." She says, already factoring this information in, into the many possible plans of executing what was ahead of her. She wasn't fearing Ezore, she knew she could eliminate him, if she must. But she is a Seeker, and an undying one now, so anything that could pose more difficulties for her future endeavors, were to be avoided, if possible. Her first encounter with Ezore will show where this all ends. "Not yet. I just wanted to know which bars to avoid if one doesn't want a group of testosterone monsters following oneself into a backalley, where one would end up stabbed or otherwise beaten to death. No no. Let us continue to this club."

(Did you want his answer or are you dismissing him from the conversation?)

(I mean she got the info of that one biker bar. So depending on how the meeting with Ezore goes, she might utilize that one biker bar with the bikers for a more covered up approach of getting rid of Ezore. If that makes any sense to anyone outside of my brain.)

(I am not following, more or less I just wanted to know if you wanted to continue to roleplay with him or if you wanted me to change the scene to what we're doing next)

(let us change scene to the club Ezore is at.)

Outside the club, which is a different one than where the bikers are known to hang out, there is a large set of speakers set up wjere music is projected out into the street from within.

"They call this music? Oh well." Dawn looks around, trying to see if any shady person stands outside. If not, she would try to enter the club.

You don't see anyone outside doing anything to call attention to themselves as being shady. You expect for an informant to live this long, they probably do not look like a Saturday morning cartoon character, and the bouncer at the front of the club has a checklist, and looks to be stopping people from getting in.

Dawn enters the waiting line, and as she does she once more looks around, to see if someone was there, someone who wears similar clothing like herself.

THere is no one there wearing quite exactly what you are wearing, but to that end you do not look incredibly out of place. 3

Dawn keeps waiting in line. If the bouncer tries to keep her out, she will find a way to talk herself in.

Eventually you are moved to the front of the group, and the bouncer looks at you. "Sorry, we're at capacity right now. Big concert going on inside and lots of people are trying to get in tonight"

She nods, eyes wide open. "Oh no! Oh no! Oh I came from my homeworld to see zis concert. Ze only Jademane within ten days of Spike travel and can't see ze concert I want to see? Oh no. What can we do? I am a big girl, I can stand in a back row. Zat would work, right?"

He sighs, looking inside as someone manages to make it out, looking to already be too drunk to enjoy the show. "ALright, you're in luck tonight, the concert is just about to start. Good luck in there, I heard it gets a little rowdy during some of the more up beat songs"

She smiles and her Jademane tusks shine while her top tightens because of her muscles. "I'll be fine, but zanks!" She quickly scurries into the club. With the concert starting soon, time is against her, so she quickly tries to make her way to the bar. If anyone knows everyone, it's surely the bartenders. (edited)

The bartenders have a song and dance of their own tonight as they make stylized cocktails and throw various items back and forth to one another. They work in a steady rhythm making drinks and serving the various patrons waiting for the concert to begin

Dawn just watches them for a while as they do their thing, somewhat mesmerized of their bartending. She then gets closer to the bar waiting for a Bartender to take her order.

"And for you my friend!" he calls over the music, still trying his best to remain in sync with his fellow co workers. "What can I get for you?"

"Hey! Two Elysian Coolers please." she says with a smile. While the drinks get prepared, she looks around, as if she was looking for someone. When the drinks arrive, she looks at the bartender, trying to look somewhat worried. "Zank you, uh, a friend of mine just wanted to meet someone and zen return to me. She was ze one who brought me here, and now I am a bit lost. She said she wanted to talk to someone, named Enzo, no Ezore was ze name. She always falls for a certain type of man, and I worry about her. Tell me, do you know someone named Ezore? Is he a regular here, picking up women?"

'Never met anyone like that. Security can tell you if they scanned in to the event tonight though, their kiosk is on the other side of the club. If he doesn't claim that drink, maybe I'll come share it with you later? " he asks, doing his best to look confident.

She smiles. "I know you are just being nice, but I doubt you could handle a Jademane." She laughs and adds. "But zank you for ze help. I will remember zat." She leaves a five credit tip before making her way over to the Security with her two Elysian Coolers in her hands. "Hey. Do you know if someone named Ezore is already here?"

"Ezore....ezore..." the desk officer says, looking between his computer screen, you, and the stage all at once. "Yes. He's here, should be in the club somewhere. It looks like he's been checked in"

"Well done Dawn. Now you know that he is in fact in here. But you have no idea who this guy is, and where he is. And those drinks are most likely nothing compared to the fermented nectar of the Purjus-Plant on Aliah." She sips at one of her Elysian Coolers as she moves away from the security and tries a quick web search for someone called Ezore, or a double check of her mails from her house's master. Because a picture of Ezore, was something she was missing right now.

(He gave you one I thought, he should have at least(

She quickly finds a picture that she had already forgotten about. She memorizes it and tries to use her own height as an advantage to spot him in the crowd.

(notice/wis)

!roll 2d6+0+1 !sharp eyes

Daira of Artema| P| Dawn| Aruke Roll: [5, 4] Result: 10 Reason: sharp eyes

You find him, talking to a group of three other people dressed in black near the double doors leading into the kitchen and bottle room.

"Got you." As a Seeker, the end, in most cases, justifies the means. This one gone, was a necessity. Dawn wasn't a violent person per se. But even before becoming what she is now, she able to overpower others. She carefully walks closer to them, sneakily, one could say. That way she wanted to overhear what they were talking about while acting like someone who wants to listen to the music but not standing in the middle of the crowd. She tries to use her drinks to make her cover even more believable.

"...Now is the time, I'm telling you" is all you're able to make out on your first pass. It is vague enough to mean anything, but Ezore is a known schemer already, and those words coming from his mouth is no doubt a bad thing for your current way of life.

"What do I do? I need to get him away from them. I have an idea!" She approaches them again acting somewhat deep in thoughts, trying to run into Ezore and to pour all of what was left of her two Elysian Coolers onto him. Trying to make it look like an accident.

Naturally playing it off, you stumble into the middle of the circle of conversation, and you hear the commotion of their discussion being loudly interrupted.

"Oh I am sooo sorry. Oh no!" She grabs Ezore's arm. Tightly, but not with full force, as she doesn't want to reveal her new nature. "I am going to clean you! I have to. I don't want to fall from grace!" She would try to pull him towards a disabled toilet. Hoping that it was a classic, one lockable cabin, one.

It looks as though there is an ADA cell available here, and you are able to half drag him inside. He looks bewildered and confused, but cannot resist your superior strength, especially with his limbs and judgement loosened by alcohol .

Dawn locks the door and turns to Ezore. Making sure she has the right one. "Oh I am soo sorry! Let me fix your clozes. What is your name?"

"Ezore" he says, his cheeks the lush red of someone who has had way too much to drink and is no longer in full control of himself.

(alright, so while "cleaning" Ezore's clothing, she wants to step behind him, and try to knock him out. I was thinking that in his state, a try could be possible.)

(I would say a punch attack with surprise might do the job)

(skill roll or attack roll?)

(attack roll, there's no non-lethal executions)

!roll 1d20 +2 !please dice gods, or Ognyena

Daira of Artema| P| Dawn| Aruke Roll: [17] Result: 19 Reason: please dice gods, or Ognyena

(hits) The blow is quick. Ezore never sees it coming as his head is bounced off the tile wall, and then more softly, off the edge of the sink. He bleeds a bit from a wound near his temple, but you can see it is not lethal. He is knocked out, sleeping soundly.

Dawn swiftly and gently cleans the wound, but has to supress the urge to ram her teeth into his head and drink him empty. Once he looks like that he just hit his head and spilled his drink he puts an arm over her shoulder. She holds his hand with her land Hand, so it looks like he is still conscious and putting it there. With her right hand she holds his side, and that way, with her superior strength, carries him. If someone looks at her, she looks annoyed. If someone asks questions, she says her friend had too much and that she is pissed to miss the concert. Her aim is to get out with Ezore and call the same taxi again.

No one questions it. People over indulging and needing to be rescued by their friends is a known sight here and you’re just one more partygoer playing their part.

Once outside, Dawn tries to call the same taxi driver once more. He seemed somewhat nice and trustworthy. Quickness was important here, as she needed to make sure that they get back to the mansion before Ezore wakes up again, or else she would need to beat him up once more.

His cab is open, and pulling up to the curb he comes to a halt just as the rain begins to fall. There is a click as the doors unlock.

She shoves Ezore into the cab and gets into it as well. "Hello again. A friend of mine. Had to much alcohol. I bring him home. To my home. He tends to be violent when drunk. I don't want him alone wiz his pregnant wife." A lie. But one that allows her to beat him up again if he wakes up, and make it seem like she has to defend herself from a violent alcoholic.

(talk/cha)

!roll 2d6+0+2

Daira of Artema| P| Dawn| Aruke Roll: [6, 3] Result: 11

He nods, any protest fading away on hearing about the pregnant wife. "Where are you going? I picked you up on the street in the middle of nothing, remember? "

"Zat is just ze place you will get me back too. I don't like ozer men knowing where I live. You know, to protect my privacy. I make an exception for zis one, just to protect his wife."

He shrugs, driving through the city streets. He says nothing and Ezore doesn't seem to be waking up anytime soon. The drive is uneventful, and you're back on the corner where you were picked up just a few hours ago.

"Zank you!" She says as they arrive. She hands him a 50 Credit Tip and drags Ezore outside. If he doesn't wake up, she would carry him to the mansion. Bringing him back, intact, feels like the best outcome to the task she was given, that was achievable.

The tip has the driver heading home for the night. More than enough gif the next set of bills and he doesn’t even bother looking in his rear view mirror as he speeds away.

Once the cab is out of side, she puts Ezore over her wide shoulders and jogs towards the Mansion. There was no time to waste.

(He's not waking up, so we can more or less do what they want )

She quickly carries him to the mansion, and once inside drops Ezore on the ground and sends the servants to get the Master of the House.

The master is gathered and comes down after a few moments with a pleased look on his face. With a gesture, several servants come and restrain Ezore, who is about to wake up elsewhere in a world of pain.

Dawn looks at the master. "I did not kill him, I did not make a scene. But I found him and brought him here. What will you do wiz him now?"

You get the sense its going to be nothing good, and he is dragged away before he regains his senses.

7:32 AM

"Nothing good. He will be dealt with the way traitors to the house are dealt with. You no longer need to concern yourself with it"

"This is what happens to traitors then. I need to be careful." "Good. Tell me. How many of us vampires ever leave Tece? I know zis world has lots of protection and conveniences. But still, are zere many leaving?"

"Only two have ever left. Valentina, of the newly formed House Spiros, and one other, who does not have a house, but is working with many of them to ensure blood supplies remain even. He contracts with us as well, and it is only now due to the supplies being diverted to the war front that we have to hunt again. it is to be expected. Someone would question the diversion, and the survival of our race is important beyond temporary inconvenience. There is something to be said for the thrill of the hunt"