Shavaris holds the orb in her hands, what she has seen had shaken her, but she was worried.  She vaguely hears her friends request on giving the orb back to Gavin and as they finally register with her and that they were all trying to accomplish the same goal, she looks up again, wanting to talk to Gavin, but it was too late.  He had run off.  

Impressed with Travin's camp area, she settles down by the fire and carefully checks out the orb working to attune to it, trying to understand it better, and listens for Gavin's return.

Dageron walks up on Gavin as he relieves himself in a bush, and the boy suddenly flusters as he tries to adjust his clothes before the Hobgoblin gets any closer.  

"Geez dude knock first!"  He says, reaching up to wipe one of his eyes with the back of one arm.  "The Orb?  I mean, I don't know if Jareth meant it for me.  He gave it to Sarah.  She handed it off to me but...  I mean I guess she had reasons, you know?  But I don't know about preplanning man.  We just sneak out here sometimes and smoke pot.  And get away from all that, you know?" 

He motions a hand toward the distant glow of the city.  

"It's a concrete jungle.  Gotta get outta there sometimes you know?  But...thanks man.  That's some pretty nice stuff you said there.  There's not magic here, though.  Information brokers, sure, but no magic.  I know, big adjustment from Hyboria where everything is magic.  But here?  Nah, all technology.  Science.  Innovation.  No magic.  There's libraries and directories!  We can start there, with stuff like that.  There are no other races, either.  Just people.  Errr, humans.  And man, you'd think that they're so different from one another if you ever stopped to listen to them but...not really.  They just over complicate their basic humanity because everyone wants to be...you know what, nevermind man.  Sorry, got off on a tangent.  Yeah, you don't see weapons out in the open usually.  And if you see a weapon its something small that goes in a pocket.   It's technology man.  It's just so much further advanced here...some of it might as well be friggin' magic.  This place...man I don't even know how to start to explain it.  It's just not like Hyboria.  Swords have barely been used in warfare since guns became easy to manufacture.  Weapons are always getting deadlier.  Missiles that can track heat.  Oh, those are like...uh...tubes full of explosives that can track hot things.  We've got these machines that fly that can shoot them at stuff.  Matter of fact we have missiles that are so dangerous we can blow up whole cities with them.  Just a few of them can destroy the whole world.  And...well.  Yeah.  No room for old weapons now.  It's evolution or...something."  

The kid finally shuts up after getting halfway poetic about the situation of the world they find themselves in.  

"As for disguises...we'll just have to do our best.  We can hide Delphinium.  Some of you guys can throw on some flashy clothes and blend in.  You uh...may have difficulty.  Ah shit, Ward too.  We'll just have to do the best we can.  No body armor really, or cloaks or anything like that.  Just outdated fashion, I guess."  

Dageron listens to Gavin's reply with growing interest, "A plane - no, perhaps a pocket dimension dedicated to only Humans? And with no magic either? Perhaps Jareth constructed this place as part of the madness of the Labyrinth?.." He pondered to himself out loud. 

"I understand a bit better now, though the information you have given is hopeful. Our adversary on the flying shark would too have stood out, giving cause to your world's defenders to be alerted. The enemy Stormtroopers that move about in the open do so also at the risk of confrontation with the governments of this land. If what you say is true, then whatever magic brought with them may be a boon, but ultimately will act as a lightning rod for swift technological retaliation."

Then, as if tasting the words in his mouth like a fine wine, "These 'missiles' can blow up whole cities, you say? And they fly through air towards their target by heat? That may be a swift and effective means to deal with the Titan Forge from this side - and what a devastating blow it would be too. We may need to discuss strategies to incite your world's defenses at just the right time and place so as to take advantage of its capabilities. Do you believe there is a way we could do that - or anyone in your nation we could petition for assistance with? We are not invaders, and though this place of Humans is undoubtedly wary of anything unfamiliar, they will undoubtedly care of the threat we have come to thwart." 

In reply to Gavin's discomfort with his proximity, and the realization that the small Human could likely not see in the dark as he could, Dageron motions for them to rejoin the others as he leads the way.

"No.  Jareth came from here.  I guess...you know, it was probably just too boring for him.  Or something.  I dunno.  But this realm is only humans, no magic.  Yeah."  

Gavin squints, thinking about the Stormtroopers, and the flying shark thing that is still draped over the top of the van.  

"I'm sure they know about them after that fight in the street.  May make things kind of hot for a few days for sure.  As for the missiles...yeah.  Good luck getting anyone to use those, dude.  We're about one hard fart away from World War 3.  No one is doing shit with nuclear weapons."  

AURYN
Escape from New York
Part I

Kneel down you sinners to streetwise religion

Greed's been crowned the new king

Hollywood dream teens, yesterday's trash queens

Save the blessings for the final ring

Amen

As evening wanes, the first full day of sunlight the Dawn Guard has seen in weeks, the band begins to bed down.  Some in the van.  Some around the van.  Some around the crude fieldworks that Travin has constructed.  They take turns on watch.

It's Dageron's turn in the dead of night when the General hears something approaching through the forest.  Senses trained by a lifetime of conflict are keen enough that it doesn't take much to alert him, as as his body goes rigid, prepares to uncoil like a wound spring, a soft voice crawls out of the undergrowth.  

"I come in peace dude.  I ain't going to cause any trouble."  

A man materializes in front of Dageron.  He stands in the edge of some of the undergrowth.  Blue jeans.  A black leather jacket.  A white tank top.  Square toed boots.  Sunglasses in the middle of the night.  

"I'm alone.  You don't have to trust me man but, one more time, I'm not here to scratch gravel.  Name's Severen.  I represent this fella..."  

He slowly reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small black card with red lettering.  It glimmers in the starlight.  The rest of the band begins to wake up as Severen cautiously offers the card up to Dageron then backs up slowly.  

"Strahd van Zarovich, head of Barovia International.  Real top dog, my boss.  Anyway, he sent me here to get a word with you guys.  He heard ya'll were in town.  I guess from the news.  That guy's face is all over it."  

Severen points at Ward.  

"The boss says that you guys have a common enemy.  I don't really know what that means...but I can guess, you dig?  Yeah.  He wants to talk, see what sort of mutual agreement you might be able to come to.  He also says that he's got something that belongs to you.  Something pretty important that you guys thought was gone forever.  Not sure what he means by that.  But hey!  I'm sure if you want to meet, he'd be more than glad to talk about it."  

The card corroborates Severen's claim.  It reads Strahd von Zarovich, Barovia International.  Yadda yadda, Barovia Tower, Manhattan, yadda yadda.  

"So if you're interested...I can take you there.  Got a ride and everything.  Might get some heat off of you for now, you dig?  But I'm not here to for your hand.  And I don't want any trouble."  

Ward grins when he is pointed at. "What would this news be saying about me and us by chance?" Ward asks

"Yeah dude, there's a hotline for information on your whereabouts.  You're wanted.  Not in a good way.  Street fights and ****in' up cop cars will do that to ya'."  

"I have disagreements with that portrayal but appreciate the information. How many gold pieces is it worth? I wonder if this time they at least put a worthwhile bounty on our heads." Ward says turning to the group

After the newcomer arrives and introduces himself, with everyone else up and alerted, Dageron steps aside to confer with them - out of earshot of Severen. "I might point out that this person knew exactly where to find us in a remarkably short amount of time." He looks pointedly at Gavin and his two friends. "I would be interested to know how he did that. That said, if he was aligned with the enemy we could be walking directly into a trap if we go with him. I have no reason to believe that is the case, as a portal to the Titan Forge suggests no limit to the forces that could be called to reinforce here. Had they known our location, it would have been easier to overwhelm us out here, away from the city, then to lure us back there and risk more local interference. Also, if this Strahd has a means to find us so quickly,.." another glance at Gavin and the other two, "..then they may be just as quick to find our quarry."

"Another one..." Shavaris states to no one in particular as the group is introduced to Severen.  She then speaks up to the intruder with her hands on the hilts of her weapons, "Is your boss a vampire as well?  We ran into one with stormtroopers when we arrived and he was very much ready to dispose of us.  Is this a ruse?  Are you planning to ease us into your lair and take us out as well?"

Her eyes are narrowing at him as she talks, trying to size up the man.  "A common enemy... and you have no idea who this is?  And something that belongs to us?"  then Dag pulls them aside and she continues to watch the man as Dag talks.

Didn’t take you long to become the most wanted did it Ward? Johnathan pauses for a moment as he inspects the stranger. What is this Strahd anyways, and how is it that everyone is able to find us so damn quickly? He listens as Shavaris suggest that he may be a vampire. His expression turns sour at the thought. Vampire? Don’t freaking tell me we have to work with one of them, they can’t be trusted. We come to this land to dispose of Dracula already, is this some sort of vampire civil war that we are being dragged into? Wait. Did you say he has something that was lost. Johnathan has a look of realisation. There’s no way, if it is what I think it is then a vampire holding it is possibly the worst case scenario. The Orrery?! No ways, it can’t be.

Ward motions for the Shav to not bring out her weapons and all that. "Oh I'm sure he at least isn't trying to lead us in to a trap. He seems like a standup fellow." Ward says, then one eye glows purple as he looks at Severus, as Severus hears Ward in his head for a moment. "I will say, if they have the Orrey that makes me quite, concerned about how one would acquire such an object." Then Ward looks at Johnathan as his eye glows purple for another moment.

As the random dude approaches and the group wakes, Travin slumps from the back of the van where Gavin and his friends are sleeping. Travin doesn't say much, merely watches the guy and listens to the talk of vampires and the orrery, Travin positions himself between the new guy and the van, calling Delph over to sit on Travin's chair with a gesture, and to be prepared if anything does go down. 

As the conversation progresses, Travin's curiosity gets the better of him and he moves forwards slightly, humming a tune and similarly to Ward casting something that makes his eyes glow a little.

"Five hundred bucks, I think?"  Severen says, his eyebrows knitting together.  "It's not much, I guess?  Who cares man.  The less it's worth the less people care."  

His attention is on Shavaris as Dageron addresses the rest of the group.  

"Strahd?  Well yeah babe, of course.  You don't think vampires settle for working for humans, do you?  That'd be ridiculous.  Listen, lady..."  

He pauses, squints even harder.  

"Oracle?  Whorery?  What the f&ck are you on about man?  I didn't say anything about ab whorery dude no matter how fun it sounds.  Anyway, take you guys out?  You always start accusing people who come in peace of shit like this?"  

Ward mumbles something about "not even worthwhile bounty ... disrespectful... " before collecting himself and locking his eyes on Severus. "You may come in peace but don't act like that greater invisibility was particularly trust building my friend. We just tend to be cautious, it tends to help us in our line of work." Ward says

"Don't even act like you haven't pulled some shit when walking up on a bunch of people who are on edge and probably want to kick your ass for, oh I dunno, being a vampire."  Severen says, adjusting his sunglasses on his nose.  "Now are we going to stand around and bicker all night about this?  Who has more to lose here?  A bunch of nobodies being approached while camping?  Or a successful multimillionaire bringing a bunch of people to his place of business who are wanted by the cops for violence to in order to talk about some enemy he needs help with?"  

Adam is leaning up against the van, picking dirt out his cuticles and looking at his hands, listening to this new information, and trying to make sense of this stranger.  (Insight : 16). 

“Strahd.  Sounds like a cool name.  Barovia International.  Never heard of it.”  He finishes messing with his hands and walks forward to look closer at this individual.  He stands next to Shavaris, turns his head to her and says “What do you think, baby cakes?  Do you trust him?  What do you sense about him?  Should we go?”

Ignoring Adam's petname for her, Shavaris shrugs.  "Cautious.  Yes."  she adds to Wards words.

Looking to Adam, "Trust him?  No, but I believe he is being truthful in his request.  I mean, what other options do we have?  And if his boss.." she shivers, "has the same adversary as us?  It's worth checking it out."

Turning back to Severen, "No, we are not going to stand here and bicker all night.  Lead on."

Huh, I don’t think we have a choice really. Let’s go see this Strahd, maybe he knows where we need to go. Johnathan seems a bit annoyed when he says this but does his best not to let it show. Working for vampires. This is crazy, even for the dawn guard. 

Travin returns to the van to wake Gavin, Hawk, and Turquoise, "hey hey, yeh yeh, cans we starts the van hmm? Need to follow a stranger's to a place called Barovia International hmmm? Dawnguard needs to meets a vampire there yeh yeh! Buts we will protects you yeh!? Don't worry."

Severen listens, his head bobbing side to side as he thinks.  He looks up at the sky, the stars, adjusts his sunglasses again, and then looks back through the woods in the direction he'd come from.  He mutters something to himself, then shrugs.  

"Yeah man, uh, I guess we can take that jalopy."  He says, stepping toward Travin in the back of the van.  "Kinda crowded huh?  This is probably better anyway man.  You guys should be comfortable."

He climbs into the back of the van and pats Travin's junkpile the same way you'd pat someone's shoulder.  

There's a certain unease amongst the teenagers as they make their way back down the road they'd went down to hide.  They pass a limousine hidden in the trees near the entrance to the forest, no doubt the same vehicle Severen arrived in earlier, but the vampire remains silent as they go except when he needs to tell Hawk where to go.

The sun isn't up before they drive back into the city, and by some miracle they don't encounter any cops; perhaps the trip through town in the middle of the night was by design.  They meet very little traffic at all, and save for the bizarre human pedestrians there is very little activity within the realm of artificial lights and steaming storm drains.  They proceed without issue across the bridge into Manhattan, and before long Severen is directing Hawk to make a turn into a parking garage, and the van dips off the road and into the underground area that isn't too different than where they arrived in New York the day prior.  

"Well that was a miracle."  The vampire said with a grin as the back of the van popped open and he filed out into the garage.  "Can't believe there weren't any cops.  We're really lucky.  Otherwise we'd have been tied up with some really uncouth bullshit.  Anyway...Strahd wants you seven.  The kids can stay here.  They'll be safe."

Gavin, Hawk, and Turquoise look dubious of this as Severen walks away without them.  

He walks across the interior of the garage, approaching an elevator, very close to the one they'd been in when they'd arrived, just to complete the feeling of deja vu.  Severen and the seven members of the Dawn Guard entered, and then, when the doors closed, the vampire punched a code on multitude of buttons, and the elevator started to rise.  

"Just be cool.  We're not going to take your weapons or cast any spells on you or anything like that, so no trouble."  Severen said with a grin as he pulled out a pack of gum and put a stick in his mouth, then offered it around to everyone in the elevator.  "Juicy fruit?"  

The elevator went up...and up...and up...much further than the trip they'd taken when they'd left the Labyrinth...and then it dinged one last time as it came to a stop and the doors opened into a lavish foyer outfitted with gold trimmed red rugs, beautiful crystal chandeliers, golden sconces, and all manner of portraits and busts.  Severen was almost as out of place as their guests.  

At the end of the foyer was two huge, solid oak doors, with two vampires on either side.  These were dressed a little better than Severen though, both looking more like the vampire they'd fought the previous day.  

"Hey there fellas."  Severen said with his most suave tone.  "Here to see the boss.  Can we go in?"  

Not a word.  One of the guards pushed a door open, letting Severen and his new friends (friends?) file into a huge dining haul that would have been fit for King Randor or King Hyrule or the Childlike Empress herself.  

There are two more guards on the far side of the room, as well as two or three servants moving about, setting the table for a feast.  Seated at the position of power at the far end of the table is a man in red robes that are ornately spun.  He's pale with dark hair that is slicked back and fingers covered in beautiful rings.  Chest hair pokes out of the top of the tied robe, and a fat chain hangs around his neck.  

"Ah, you came!  I am glad to see you!"  The man, a vampire, says as he stands.  He holds his arms up in welcome and smiles, pointed fangs showing off to the Dawn Guard as he steps from his place and makes his way around the table, attempting to shake hands.  "Severen never lets me down!  But where are my manners?  I am Strahd von Zarovich, your host, and I am delighted to see you!  The Dawn Guard, here in the flesh!  Ah, don't ask me how I know that.  A good magician never tells his secrets.  Please, sit, sit!  Wow, I am glad that you actually came or all this preperation would have been for nothing, huh?"  

He pauses long enough to grin at Shavaris and attempt to kiss the back of her hand.  

"My lady!"  He says with an even more wry grin.  "But are you able to eat, still?  Or should be bring you a chalice of something a little more...palatable...for one of your particular disposition?"