The desert nomad stays still as the restraints fall from him and he steps forward, rolling his shoulders and head. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, then let’s the breath out and opens his eyes to meet those of Shavaris.

”I ain’t good. I ain’t bad, and I sure as hell ain’t ugly” he says with a southern accent. 

He jumps up onto the table, doing a 360 in the air as he does, and lands with hands out and an “OUA OUA!”

” I am Ralik Two Kinves! A most deadly uncle!”

He goes to and gives Shivaris a hug and let’s her go. He quickly walks to those fooling with the T.V. And puts his face right in front of theirs. 

“Don’t focus on the finger, or you will miss allll the heavenly glory” he says in a surprisingly decent Bruce Lee impression and pointing at himself. 

“I die in six days, I don’t care if this is real or not, but I’ll not let my fiends die in any reality, illusion or no.” He pronounces. 

The constant days of confinement, illusions and indulgence of T.V.  had Ralik’s mind constantly racing and his body ready for movement. The creature of action that was this sand nomad could not be contained much longer. 

“We can watch T.V. Later. The H.B.O. wizard in the scry box never tires and has many great stories to tell. Though the wizard often chooses to replay some scryings repeatedly. I do not want to die, again.”

Dageron approaches Severen. "From your master's remarks, I assume you can guide us to these wizards? If so, perhaps you can brief us on their headquarters and how it is defended, their full numbers capabilities - I'm assuming they have non-wizard retainers, and if they have reason to expect us - or any trouble - coming their way? Also, we need the items promised to mask our presence here. Lastly, please go ahead and give us all the information you have on Vigo now, as we may be able to use the sum of your knowledge to kill two dragons with one ballista."

With a turn, Ralik's eyes meet Strahd's. There is a seriousness and intensity there.

"Oh great night lord. I thank you for the mercy you have shown me, though I cannot trust mind or eyes around you most of the time. I ask of you one thing. Lend me a weapon or item of power to aid me on this, perhaps my last quest. I'm sure you have the power to make it return upon my death, or completion. Grant me this, I beg. You would have little to lose, and much to gain." he display's a sly yet respectful grin "If not for any of that, than maybe for the fun of it and the satisfaction of knowing your instrument will be what beings the end of this pesky rival. A quaint trophy of a quaint success to look back on and reminisce about the strange Desert Nomad." Ralik says andends in a bow.

The attempt was genuine, but Ralik had low expectations to start with. A yes would only be a pleasant surprise. What did anything matter anyway. He had six days to live, but was living how he always had. On the edge of disaster. Dancing on the tight rope of life and death, and enjoying every second of it. 

[Persuasion = 20]

Ward gives a last glare at Strahd for his refusal to answer about where Ralik came from. "We're finishing this conversation after we complete this mission." Then turning to Ralik he smiles, even letting down the tenseness in his shoulders for once. "Oh my friend, you will not be dying any time soon. This mission will be a simple task, and this weight will be lifted. Plus i've gained a few new tricks to keep us going." Ward chuckles "Running Bird will be so happy to see you once we are back in our realm." Ward says, then turning to Strahd, "As well as what was promised, would you have a way for us to get a diamond or two? It is required for some of our magics, however, it seems our money isn't exactly as accepted here. I would happily pay a fair exchange rate of gold coins, I simply do not know what it would be." Ward requests

Shavaris hugs Ralik back, tightly.  And when he lets go and starts on in a typical Ralik fashion, she smiles.  "No, Ralik, you aren't going to die in six days.  We are going to accomplish our mission.  Hopefully sooner than later, as this contract we're in with Strahd does not sound fun."

She listens to Dageron question Severen and feels she is slowly understanding his strengths and how they need him in their chaotic little band.  She waits for Severen to answer, though itching to get going.  "Who has the address?  Do we know how to get there?"

And then remembering what that woman whispered to Strahd before she drank from the cup, she looks at Travin, worry clear in her eyes, "Travin, the guards that are watching Gavin and his friends, they say one smells like a vampire."

Travin raises an eyebrow, "turquoise or hawk is a vampire? Hmmm, Travin trusts Gavin's choices of friends, yeh yet, let us not jump to conclusions, hm we's should ask the situations first." Travin looks to Strahd, "the other vampire in our midst, hmm the one waiting outside, yeh, is it the young man or the young woman? Hm?"

Dageron looks at Travin, a hint of surprise in his voice, "You do not suspect Gavin is the vampire? Why? Wouldn't it make far more sense that he, and not the seemingly ignorant Humans he is with, would be the vampire? Didn't he say he struggled with being 'just a Human' again after returning here?.." Dageron's tone isn't confrontational or patronizing, but somehow soft and cautious - as if trying to prepare Travin for a possibility he may not like.

Trav looks to Dageron and then looks down to the floor, "it can't be... Hm? Gavin has been through enough." The words form like a statement of fact, but there is an underlying hope, a prayer that Dag can feel. Maybe Travin hadn't considered it before that point, or maybe the little junk creature is simply lying to himself for a modicum of comfort. Either way trav looks back to Strahd hesitantly awaiting an answer.

"Mr. Two Knives, I'm sorry, but I'm not a charity.  Let's see some results, and we'll see what I can spare from my private collection."  Strahd says, pausing at the door at the back of the room.  He doesn't waste time turning around to face Ward.  He simply points behind himself at the Druid.  "I'm in a forgiving mood, paperweight, otherwise I'd have my people replace your parts with balsa wood and tin foil."  

He ignores everything else Ward says after that and answers Travin instead.

"Beats me.  The vampire smell is your problem.  But my organization?  We don't make more children of the night to feed.  Whichever one it is, it's one of Vigo's."  

Strahd shrugs, then steps out of the room.  Everyone else files out after that, except for two guards and Severen, who begins to corral the Dawn Guard toward the doors they entered through. 

"Alright folks, closing time.  You don't have to go home but you cannot stay here."  He says, pushing the doors open and leading Dawn Guard back to the elevetor and taking them back down to the parking garage where two guards are still waiting with the kids and the van...

The response was expected, but worth a try. Ralik nods in acceptance to the night lord, then follows the others to the elevator.

Ralik stands in the elevator slightly bobbing in place, then leans uncomfortably close to Severen "Juicy? Fruit?" he askes with a hand out, palm up, and a toothy grin. 

The nomad looks around at the troupe with a grin. He was being let out. How long had it been since he seen the moon and felt the air? He did not know, but it was about time.

"Yeah dude, you know it."  Severen says, slapping a stick of Juicy Fruit into Ralik's hand and then getting himself a fresh piece.

Still a bit stupefied by the entire meeting with Strahd, especially her current situation, she looks up to Ralik and smiles - though a bit wanly.  "I can't even express how good it is to see you.  How is this even possible?  We buried you after you died in the bog, how are you here?  Do you recollect anything?"

As they head down to the van, she gets close to the kids as they all greet one another.  Her eyes grow wide, but she doesn't say anything.  She turns to Severen, "Do you think it wise to use this mode of transportation while we are being hunted by what you called the cops?  Do you have something else we can use to get to the address?"  She turns to the kids, "Hey, you guys have really helped us out and we appreciate it, but we don't want to get you in any serious trouble, so maybe here is where we part ways?"  She looks over to Travin to see how he takes this.

"It's cool.  Hold on, let me show you this."  

There is a ring, something like a bangle, that is now hanging around the antenna of the van.  Severen reaches out and squeezes it, and it lights up briefly before the bad ass wizard-fighting-a-dragon on the side of the van is replace and the whole thing is turned white.  A logo scrawls itself over the side of the van that says "Mario Brothers Plumbing".  

"See?  Hot car isn't a hot car anymore."  

Travin gets into the van without commenting on its change of appearance, he looks to Gavin and then to Hawk and finally Turquoise, before asking directly with a sigh, "one of yous is a vampire huh? One of us is a vampire too, hm? so don't worry, We justs want to knows which of yous it is. Yeh?"

The three kids slowly work their way back into the van, with Hawk getting behind the wheel, Turquoise riding shotgun, and Gavin climbing in the back with his brother.  Hawk looks mildly surprised by Travin's exclamation, while Turquoise seems to be pretty nonchalant about it.  

"What are you talking about?" Gavin says, shocked.

Shavaris walks away from Severen and hesitates briefly before heading into the van herself.  She overhears Travin and Gavin, and putting her hand on Travin's shoulder she says, "Hawk is a vampire.  Aren't you?"  She asks looking directly at their driver.

"What?!"  Hawk says, exasperated.  He turns around from the drivers seat and looks into the back of the van, pale as a ghost.  "No, I'm not a vampire!"  

Travin moves up to Hawk, leaning over the driver's seat, junk scraping on the top of the van, he whispers something into hawk's ear for a minute. 

Hawk shrinks back and away from Travin, reaching around to grab the door latch and then falling out of the van and landing smack on his back before jumping up, his eyes watery.  

"I'm not a f&ckin' vampire man!"  Hawk shouts, looking like he's about ready to bolt.  "You think Gavin is so f%ckin' innocent man why don't you ask him!  You're the one that f#cked him up!"

Travin goes red, his blood boiling, as he reaches over and slams the door shut leaving Hawk outside the van. Turning to Gavin, trav tries to cool off, but fails, energy crackling round him once more, "what's going on Gavin? Hm? Sevrun any answers? Hm? Shavaris? Someone... Please."