Trials and Copper

[Winters-Feather]

The mage smiled at the sealed envelope in Ash's hands. She was old and squat, her brown and green robes frayed at the edges. She was pale and wrinkly, with skin as tough as leather. Though her gray eyes were kind, there was a hardened look to them.
"I've been expecting this," she  said, examining the envelope.
Ash nodded and stepped back, his eyes scanning the interior of her home.
Her hut was filled with potions lined on shelves and dead forest rodents hanging from the ceiling. He didn't like the stench of the animals, of the magic. His business here was done.
The lady didn't seem to think so.

"Hold on, boy," she sharply ordered, a hand reaching into a pocket. She pulled out a gold coin.  It looked like more than she could afford, though Ash knew better than to take a mage at face value.
"Take this. A tip," she said, holding it out.
Ash paused before stretching out a gloved hand, wary. Once it fell into his palm, he quickly grasped his hand around it, nodded, and walked away.

He had already checked in at the near by TRS office. There was no need to go back right away, just yet. Besides, the old House Keeper was full of questions that the youth didn't feel like answering. Ash suspected he should be exhausted after  coming all the way from Adela, but he wasn't. He had made excellent time, coming in a day and a half earlier than expected. Indeed, this morning he had only but covered a couple of miles. His eyes lingered towards a pub sign. Ash grinned. Well, why not? The red sleeve did have the next two days to himself, if he so chose.

Besides, this was his first time in this godforsaken city of rouges, runaways, and refugees. A hodgepodge of individuals. He had to be on his guard, always, especially with sorcery afoot.
I could find information on the vampire I seek here, he thought.
Maybe even find him, himself. It was worth a shot... and a round of ale.
Ash boldly stepped into the pub and ordered himself a drink. It was lunch time, so the pub was filled with working folk wanting some time to relax. It was loud, though there was a sense of uneasiness  that Ash could not shake off.  He assumed it was partially because he was being watched; a couple of eyes followed his figure as he quietly made his way towards the back in a lone table, where nobody would notice if they weren't truly looking.

[Wan]

Grey hair, grey skin, yellow eyes, and black cloths.  The cloths were an option, the eyes were constant his entire life, but the hair and skin were constant reminders that Adonai was old.  Really old.  And age was a double edged sword.  He had wisdom and knowledge that few could imagine, as well as a level of security in some societies that was unusually helpful.  Unfortunately, he also had weak joints and a bad back.  Sure, he could hold his own in a short fight- anyone foolish enough to fight him without sufficient talent wouldn't live longer than a short fight- but he was incapable of performing extensive physical tasks on his own anymore.

In recent years, he supplemented his modern deficiencies with slaves.  Unfortunately he was currently slaveless, and the slave market in Zantaric was unreliable to say the least.  He needed to make some significant money and find a good, high quality slave.

Until such an opportunity arose, however, he could only wait here in the periphery of society and make enough to keep himself living comfortably.  To that extent, he was sitting in a pub, sliding a letter across the table to a younger man who held a bag of coins.  He was aware that someone had just taken the seat at the table behind him, but the person looked Hyoite, and the information didn't apply to anyone outside of Adela, so he felt safe speaking up over the din of the bar so that his client could hear him.

"Everything you need to know is there.  Be careful though; she fancies herself a goddess."

"Indeed?"

"Indeed.  Pass my name along to her if you are not executed on sight.  Revolutions are good for information brokers like myself."

"Very well.  Here is your pay." The man said, giving Adonai the satchel.  Adonai pocketed it without counting.  Unfortunately, that was a necessary risk.  Opening a bag of coins in a place like this was the equivalent of flaunting your gold jewelry in a back alley of a lawless city.  He could defend himself, but he'd rather not have to.  His client rose and left the pub.  Adonai remained in his seat and sipped at a beverage while contemplating some of the other jobs he was working.

[Winters-Feather]

Just then, a man with a very alarming complexion sat near the runner. Ash  side glanced him in the way that people do when they are nosy but don't want to be caught. He was an elderly gentleman with yellow eyes. That's what caught Ash's attention, the yellow eyes. Yet this man wasn't the one he was looking for. The eyes didn't have the same gleam to them, and the vampire he was hunting wasn't so old The man had the look of a person whose been bitten by one too many neighbor's dogs and killed the whole family- and the dog. Certainly not one to mess with, though Ash wasn't planning on much interacting with the folk here. He was done with his business for the most part, and if he couldn't find the information he wanted, then he'd be back on his way. The vampire hunting was only a part time deal, something he did as a hobby. He was really only interested in the golden eyed one, anyway, and even that he was still unsure  what to do with the information once he got it. IF he ever got it.

To pass the time as he drunk his ale, the young man's eyes wandered the bar. Nothing was as interesting as what was going on beside him, with the old man. He was joined by a companion, to whom he had slid a letter to. He talked in a normal tone, too, not whispers. He didn't really care if he was overheard. Not that it mattered- Ash didn't really understand who 'she' was, though being executed on sight sounded rather alarming. None of this, though, really interested  Ash. What did were the words 'information brokers.'

Ash watched as the old man's companion left, pondering on a few things. He had the gold, hopefully. Maybe this man was the answer to his mother's prayers.  Ash scoffed at this thought, making a face.
I can't trust him, he thought as he turned to catch a glimpse of the man again.
Ash quickly turned back towards his ale, rolled his eyes, and drowned it all. He could hear his mother's whispers in his head.
"Damnit," he growled.
What the hell. He's been  trying to search on his own with no luck this whole time. Maybe an information broker would change that. Ash quickly scanned the bar before getting up. He solemnly walked over towards the seat where the client had sat and placed a hand on it.
"May I?" he gravely asked. "I want to talk."

[Wan]

Adonai sipped at a glass of strawberry wine in one hand while the other was fishing through the pouch in his pocket.  He was counting every coin he'd been given and feeling the surface carvings to  ascertain their value.  He'd been shortchanged by the Adelan, but not significantly.  It was things like this that had him increase his price rates.  Still, a payday was a payday so he wasn't about to complain.

He finished his glass when the young man behind him got up and came to his table.  Adonai looked up at him and gave a polite nod to the empty chair across the table from him.  He lifted his glass towards the waitress as she came by and she refilled his glass.  He tipped her a copper coin and looked at the newcomer.

"I take it you overheard some of my earlier conversation." He said, "Or you know of my reputation.  If the latter, and you're here to enact revenge for some petty coward, I assure you I am harder to kill than I may appear."  That was his typical greeting to people who sought him out.  Give a subtle warning that was designed more to anger the other party or put them in a cocky mood rather than actually scare them.  Anger and confidence were powerful tools when applied properly.

[Winters-Feather]

At the nod, Ash promptly sat down. He watched quietly as the waitress refilled the man's glass, but did not ask to refill his own. Business first. He sat tall in his seat, his hands folded on the table. Ash thoughtful stared at Adonai as the man gruffly warned him about his talents.  Though it was not his business and that the old man had every right to be wary of his presence, Ash couldn't help but to wonder what sort of reputation this man had. Who was he, anyway? Really, Ash had just heard 'information broker' and sort of went from there.
Introduce yourself, then.

"I do not doubt you, sir," he replied in a slow and deliberate manner. 
"I cannot deny that I've overheard you speaking, but your business with that man means nothing to me. What does interest me, though,  is your line of work. I go by Ash. I'm a Red Sleeve of The Runner's Society."
He did not offer a hand to shake, not yet.
"I want to know what your rates are. To gather information, that is, or to tell what you already know or heard rumors about."

[Wan]

This 'Ash' was a careful sort, or at least was putting on a careful fascad at the moment.  Adonai could respect that, and he'd be lying if he denied dropping hints of what he did to random strangers in order to attract more business.  The young man was ready to pay as well. This was a good bit of news to Adonai.

"Hmm, rumors are free," Adonai said, "Even I won't charge to ramble on about what I've heard people have heard.  Rumors about specific people, places or things, however, are cheaper than sending me out to search for something.  But also far less reliable."

Adonai took another sip of his wine.  "Call me Niheel, and tell me what you want to know.  I'll formulate a price after that.

[Winters-Feather]

Ash immediately felt sheepish for asking for the price of rumors. Of course those ought to be free, he should've known better than that.
A lesser man would have charged.
That still meant next to nothing, though. Was this man any good was the question. At the very least, he hadn't turned the young man away and seemed interested in the job. That was a good start. Ash nodded at the name. He didn't really question if Niheel was the man's real name or no; a name was a name, and that was good enough for him.

"I'm looking for a vampire," he plainly stated, lowering his voice.
"A pale faced and pale haired man, tall and thin. Doesn't look older than in his early twenties. His eyes are gold..."
Ash gestured towards Niheel's  face.
"Not the same as yours. Different. Gold as coins."
He paused, his jaw hardening and his muscles tensing at the memory.
"Has such a man passed through these parts or lives here?"

[Wan]

Adonai calmly listened to Ash's request.  He nodded when he mentioned the golden eyes, them being a rather distinguishing feature in almost any race, especially humans.  As he listened he made a mental list of who he would ask and how he would ask them to obtain the neccesary information on this vampire.

Unfortunately for Ash, Adonai did not know where to find this vampire.  He only knew of two vampires, neither of which were in Zantaric and neither of which fit that description.  One was a fat slothish woman who had her food brought to her by slaves and the other was a man of significant influence in Serendipity who paid Adonai handsomly at semi-annualy intervals to maintain his secret and in some instances help protect it.

"One silver," Adonai said, holding up his index finger to emphasize the one, "Will get you an answer to that question."  This was how Adonai conducted business.  Start with the cheap, easy information.  One silver wasn't exactly cheap, but it was very cheap compared to what he'd offer next.  After telling Ash that he had never seen such a vampire nor heard rumor of one in these parts, he would offer to start seeking him out.  That would be the more costly venture.

[Winters-Feather]

One silver.
Ash had expected the man's services to be costly, though not as bad as he had expected. For now.
If he's demanding a price now, there means there are no rumors.
The young man's heart sank at that. No rumors probably meant that he was just wasting his time here. Ash was fairly certain a vampire of the the physique he described would be obvious to spot out, but maybe he was wrong.
Ash quietly pulled out the silver, holding it in his hands. He had to make certain of one more thing, first.
"How will you give me an answer?" he asked, curiously. "I'll be here for four days, maybe five."

[Wan]

OOC: I'm assuming Adonai will be able to take the silver from Ash's hand.  PM me if I'm wrong and I will edit my post accordingly.
----

"I will answer you right now, verbally." Adonai said, reaching out to take the silver.  Once it was in his hand he put it into the pocketof his cloak with the payment of his previous client.  He let the moment draw out some by taking another sip of his wine before actually answering.

"No.  To my current knowledge, no such man, woman, or creature of any type lives in Zantaric or the lands hereabouts nor has one or any passed through the region."

Adonai allowed Ash to absorb that for a moment before tossing out the proverbial carrot.  "I can obtain further information, however.  Provided you have the coin to pay for my services."  He couldn't judge whether or not Ash was wealthy or in squalor.  His willingness to part with the silver could indicate either an abundance of money or a desperation to find this vampire.

[Winters-Feather]

Ash was startled as Niheel reached out and took the coin as his own.
He has an answer now? he thought, but his hopes had been too high. The young man scolded at the answer, gritting his teeth.
Waste of a good coin, he grumbled to himself, indignant.
No such man, indeed. That shouldn't have been allowed to count!

The young man crossed his arms, his jaw hardening. He couldn't appear to be angry or start a fight, not while he was in uniform or in this country. Ash was about to give up on relying on information brokers entirely when the old man proposed a new deal. Ash visibly relaxed at that as he contemplated over it. Ash knew that if he was going to keep this man in his survices, there was no way he could keep paying for it, not extensively. However there was one thing he could do...

Ash bit his lip as rubbed his fish hook between his fingers. It was a tough decision, but it was one that had to be made. He had his pride in his Sleeve, but he also had a promise that his mother bonded him to, as well.
"I have some gold," he explained flatly. "But I doubt I can pay you in full. However..."
Ash leaned in a little.
"I can run for you. Half off, cross country.  Or..."
Ash silenced himself.
Or for free, but he did not dare offer that, not yet.
Though he was aware people made illegal deals here, Ash was no criminal. At least, he didn't think he was.