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[Ross Vernal]

A chuckle.

"She goes to the forest and runs wild. Good stress relief, or so she says. I wouldn't know."

He's lying about that. You can tell from his tone. Not a total lie - he just doesn't know how a wolf form feels.

"But, nah, you lot can play nice. You both have wolf forms."

[Ross Vernal]

[Why yes, these NPC's can info-dump for just about anything you can ask, generally speaking.

I'd also strongly advise against trying anything violent. There is a reason they're not scared of you.]

[Funk]

Ask about us and daylight.
ask about our old boss, does he have enemys?

[Ross Vernal]

"So, about the sun...?"

"Think of it as an allergy. Hives, rashes, red skin. Eventually, you'll start getting what feels like hay fever, and then your brain will start boiling. Not literally. And your powers, such as they are, aren't there. Wear a hat, sunglasses, long sleeves."

"Sunscreen. And don't go on a tanning bed."

"Duly noted. What else should I know?"

"Try really hard to not get staked in the heart or get your head cut off? Uhm. Don't go buying silver anytime soon. Aside from that... eating is fine, just don't expect nutrition. You can eat all the garlic you like.  Running water doesn't bother you. What your biggest weakness is is faith. Stay away from holy ground, don't go swimming in holy water. And, uh..."

Will shrugs.

"It's not the symbol so much as the faith. So if someone shoves a cross at you, it won't do them much good if they don't genuinely believe. People like me don't need the symbol, so telling someone to throw it away won't save you."

You nod at this.

"Thresholds. You can certainly try to enter a home, you just won't have your powers unless you get invited. Note the word home, specifically. Your average hotel room isn't one. Obviously, mine - ours - is, because we specifically choose to label it as such and believe it. Oh yeah, and masters. Vampires need something to make their heart beat. To keep your 'life' going. Find a necromancer or a big-fish vampire. Or become your own."

"I'll take the last one, thanks. Any idea how?"

Will shrugs, and carefully extends a hand to you, stopping a distance away.

"This may sting, but it'll help."

There's a sudden flushing tingle you feel from his hand, and after a moment, your heart resumes its regular beating.

"I can't do much more for you. I can tell you that what makes a master comes from inside you. Not willpower, not spirit. It's... uh. Look, have you ever been up to your wall and bounced off of it, then got back up until you hit another? And then the next? Kind of like that. Oh, and if you eat other vampires, it helps. Us mortals, not so much."

You take this into consideration, and ask about your boss. Will shrugs.


"I'm sure he's got enemies. Like, most of the vampire population in Los Angeles. And you. I don't know the guy and I really don't want to. In fact, we're going to detour around the city on the way back, for more than just traffic. Babe, any idea?"

"Not in the slightest."

You take a moment to digest this, and then look back at the couple.

"Anything else I can do for you? I can teach you some of the basics of the principles of the movement of energy, or magic, but that's really something you have to learn for yourself. And it'll cost you."

***

Master countdown: 4/3 days remain.

[Detoxicated]

Pay him to teach us

[Funk]

try offering cash first.
an second vampire kitty

[Tylui]

Ask about turning pets; whether it would work or not.

[Ross Vernal]

"Five hundred. And reserve another night.  While we can start now, it'll take time."

In response to the pet question, he shrugs.

"I've seen animal servants. They're sort of like familiars. I understand that you share blood, and they get the whole... immortal, vampire strength and stamina, all that. Same as with a human servant. Useful to have allies."

Seeing the look on your face, he continues.

"Renfields, thralls, servants. Or, if you prefer it bluntly? Slaves, sleepers, and subs. And no, neither of us are remotely interested."

[Funk]

"Oh no your far more us full as friends and maybe allies one day, let get started with your lessons then."

[kahn1234]

((Bump))

[Ross Vernal]

The three of you continue into your room to learn magic. Visual exercises train your eyes to see auras (Will points out that you still squint, but you don't much care), you learn how to See, and after, you begin moving energy around by conjuring energy paintballs, splattering the wall with a rainbow of color. After washing it down with as "neutral" of energy as you can project, you ask why in hell he's going so slow. In response, he flicks his hands and conjures a freaking broadsword made of some royal purple/ ocean blue-green metal and shining with a burning white light. You recoil and shut up, and he dismisses the weapon with a smug look on his face, Several hours of practice later, you finally conjure a dark grey knife, streaked in black, about the size of the one in your purse. It's a damn sight better than the toothpick you first conjured, but it's not a sword. You all proceed outside and Ruth shows you the basics of creating fire, with a lot of emphasis on tiny bits of fire. After having questioned the first time, you think better of it and follow directions.

As it turns out, controlling fire isn't exactly your specialty, and you end up creating some hot and diffused flame about the size and intensity of a dull light bulb as compared to the coin-sized miniature suns she does. By this point, you feel slightly outclassed, and Will tells you not to worry, because everyone was a 'prentice once upon a time. He then apologizes for the cheesiness, mostly to Ruth, and continues your lessons. At about 2 AM, you've managed to learn about nine workings. None of them are particularly powerful, but they are definitely abilities you didn't have yesterday. Under Will's tutelage, you learn how to hurt or heal someone through sheer willpower, and even a luck curse. Ruth's session with you involves more time spent on energy manipulation, veils, and shielding.

This culminates with a mental duel between the two of them and you. Or maybe a spar - you've done drills with black belts and know how they work with those less skilled. It feels like that, although you have to admit that while you'd been in pain before, you'd never had been hurt or worried the sensei was trying to kill you. On the other hand, by the time 2 AM rolls around, the eggshell shields you started at are like solid oak (for a little bit, at least), the fireballs you sling burn hot, and it takes Will ten minutes to undo your last curse as opposed to the usual ten seconds.

The two of them bid you a good night, suggest that you don't kill anyone in the immediate neighborhood (or at all, for that matter), and retreat to bed, not warning you to stay out of their room. By now, you know better.

Now what?

Spoiler: Spells (click to show/hide)

Offensive:
- Black Knife
- Lesser Flame
- Lesser Curse
- Lesser Harm
Defensive:
- Lesser Shield
- Lesser Mental Shield
- Lesser Heal
- Lesser Veil
Utility
- Lesser Energy Manipulation

Spoiler: Jackie Sato (click to show/hide)

Jackie Sato, Traditional Vampire
Healthy
Hungry (3.5/10 liters)
5/15 MP
Dawn is coming in 4 hours
4/3 days left to find a master or become your own

Inventory:
- Wallet w/$1063 cash
- Your cell phone/Boss's cell phone
- Boss's car keys/Your keys/House keys
- Small bottle of pepper spray
- Escrima stick
- 4.5" knife

Storage:
- Flask of alcohol / Passport
- .38 Revolver, 6/6 Shots / .45 ACP Semiauto 8+1/8+1 x1
- .22 rifle / 12-gauge pump action shotgun 8/8+1
- 5 50-bullet boxes of ammo
- 3 days of clothing
- Cat food
- Zip-ties/Duct tape
- Yoga mat
- Fake Police Outfit x1
- 4 magazines of .45 ACP
- 36" baton x2
- Taser
-
-
-

Equipped:
- Clean clothes
- Comfortable shoes
- .38 Revolver, 6/6 shots
- Purse

Vamp Skills:
- Enhanced Senses 1
- Time Dilation 1
- Feeding 1
- Superhuman Body 2
- Gaze 1
- ?
- ?
- ?
- ?
- ?
- ?
- ?
- ?

Known Skills
- Generic life skills
- Hand to Hand Combat
-- Dodge
-- Martial Arts
--- Advanced Martial Arts
- Melee Combat
- Ranged Combat
-- Small Arms
-- Long Arms
--- Shotgun (Acquired Skill)
- Swimming
- Meditation
-- Sense Magic
- Cast Spell
- Search
- Directioning

Known Spells
Offensive:
- Black Knife
- Lesser Flame
- Lesser Curse
- Lesser Harm
Defensive:
- Lesser Shield
- Lesser Mental Shield
- Lesser Heal
- Lesser Veil
Utility
- Lesser Energy Manipulation

Spoiler: Gleeson (click to show/hide)

Gleeson, Cat
Healthy
Full
Happy

[Funk]

Time to make Gleeson our vampire kitty, so he can guard us as we sleep.

Get back on the road on the road tomorrow.

[Detoxicated]

I dont know, try going to a bar, to get to know other vampires

[Ross Vernal]

You note to depart after tomorrow night's lessons, and contemplate on the merits of vampire cat versus servant cat. As you understand, you can do either. Both fulfill master criteria and both are needed. Of course,  having vampires under you does increase your energy needs.

After doing so, you head out and raise your Sight. There's a few old hotspots, a warded building, and somewhere in the distance, you hear a Call; your Hunger rises and you feel your stomach growling.

(Pick what you do to the kitty and where to go, pretty much. Keep in mind that you need to feed or die, too.)

[Ross Vernal]

[So, master criteria:

- Master your body (CHECK)
- Master your Hunger for blood
- Call your animal servant (Traditional) / Master your other Hunger (Others)
- Call your human servant
- Create vampire(s)
- Totally drain another vampire
- Unlock all "common" vampire powers

Once you do this, you're a master vampire and can start working on higher-tier powers. Which is to say, unique/uncommon powers and tricks on your commons. Like, say, you call Gleeson as your cat servant.

That means you get to call Felis catus, or the domesticated house cat. While you can also call the Felis genus, it's not until you hit master levels that you can start with the Felinae subfamily, then the Felidae family, and finally the Feliforma sub-order.

So, while you start with a common kitty, eventually you can call hyenas and shit.]