Mikolajki, Poland, Nov.11th, 1908, 4:01am

 Davin flew for hours to catch up with the train though he was fast, the cold and blustery weather helped to waylay him. The train made few stops during the night and only one which took a significant amount of time. He hadn't sensed the mind of agent Phoenix since the airship went down, which was puzzling since he hadn't sensed his death the way most people die, no psychic echo or trailing psionic energies to follow. So he quickly had given up on that task. The train station was not large and was situated in a sleepy river-lake community north of the gate-lands by a thousand kilometers in the northern end of Poland, but he could feel their presence within his mind like a cardinal direction.

(OOC: Davin, tell me what you want to do!)

In the dark of the night the lake glistened dark and mysterious beneath his wings. Feeling relieved to have finally caught up to the train and circled down landing in the darkness of the early morning. Transforming back into his more human form, Davin shrugged his shoulders and stretched his fingers to their limits in a show of discomfort. Giving them a shake he stepped onto the train. The rabbit he had eaten earlier was not sitting well. Glancing around with his mind and eyes both to make sure no one had seen his abrupt arrival, he yawned. He brushed his mind across the passengers making sure that Phoenix was truly not on the train and that Ms. Blankenship was. Debating internally, he sighed and should he find her mind decide that the news he brought could hold for a few more hours.

He had a few prayers to say and hopefully catch an hour's sleep before Day arrived.

 Only a small girl, of only two or three years of age, saw his arrival with wide eyes through the falling snow. She tried to tug on her mother's coat, but couldn't get the woman to listen to her, as the woman was scolding the train station ticketer for some perceived wrong.

 A moment later he was on the train however and it would make no difference. Onboard the train the load of passengers had lessened greatly. He could see something interesting was going on in the tea car however, a loud raucous game of poker was being played with limited coinage.

 Elsewhere down the line, Miss Blankenship's mind seemed to be racing through a dream with myriad thoughts, both good and ill. They were muddled though, images of a tutor of magical theory, a group of men, and currently, a striking woman dressed in some sort of occult accoutrements.

 Then a surprising hand on Davin's shoulder startled him back to his own body. It was a very slick-looking man of mid-twenties. His mustache was an immaculately groomed pencil line. Davin finds it difficult to read his mind, which seemed to be full of cobwebbed thoughts. His young female companion though was full of racy thoughts and muddied with liquor. The man asks quietly, quizzically, his eyes made direct eye contact, "Are you one of my brothers? You seem...familiar."

(OOC: Please roll me a psyche feat.)

Davin turns smoothly to more fully face the other man, and at the same time ridding himself of the other's touch, he breaks eye contact with the man to glance at the woman. "I do not believe so. I have not met all of my brothers of course, but I doubt I am one of yours."

OOC: Davin Mandic rolled 100 using 1d100 ((100)).

 The man smiled ruefully, his jaw lowering to reveal some rather wicked-looking incisors, "My apologies then, but you have the scent of home on you."

 The man waved a hand, "you are free to join us for drinks in that case friend," much to the chagrin of his companion who looked at him haughtily. "We can adjourn to my private quarters then."

Davin's left eye twitched behind his glasses. "I thank you for the offer, but I have other business to be about before the night ends." His gaze flicked to the woman before returning to the man. Davin kept the pair in sight as he decided to change course. His attitude and demeanor suggested a Child of Night. In times past individuals such as he had sought refuge in his homeland. They lacked.....understanding and most were destroyed. His great aunt had told him once that certain ashes had great alchemical uses.

Still his presence put more pressure on him and he decided that Ms. Blankenship had slept enough. He began to walk towards her cabin keeping a mind's eye out for the thoughts of his new 'brother'.

 The man smiled again and bowed as Davin stepped back, "As you wish, we could certainly find something to occupy the rest of our night as well. Good evening to you."

 As Davin walked away the man kept his eyes on Davin warily, then as he turned his attention towards Ms.Blankenship the man began to move forward on the train leading his companion away. Once eye contact was broken Davin found it much harder to home in on the man's mind. He seemed to have a superior ability to influence.

 Closer to the rear of the train Davin found Ms.Blankenship's room was locked, and when he knocked, he heard a voice, but again he did not register the mind within as if it was purposely obfuscated. "Yes?"

First the automata, then the 'brother', now this. Davin's eyes narrow slightly and then he takes a deep calming breath, "Is Ms. Blankenship present? It is Davin Mandic to see her." Since the man was going to be a problem Davin turned his mental attention to his companion. He also absently stepped slightly to the side of the door.

 The man's companion seemed to be traveling forwards on the train addled as she was, easy to read even at a distance. She was young but certainly a vampire herself. They were very uncouth thoughts but she was drunk on alcoholic blood and hungered for more, but she wasn't a killer yet.

  You feel a mental giant nearby, perhaps in this room. A powerful entity at least. Its thoughts brush near to your own and you can feel it with a bit of a start, you couldn't breach its thoughts if you tried. The feminine and somewhat motherly voice interrupt Davin's scanning, "She is resting currently, Mr.Mandic, I'll tell her you stopped by when she awakens."

Davin narrowed his eyes further. Ms. Blankenship had not mentioned a traveling companion and whatever was on the other side of the door was almost certainly not human. "Indeed. Then please tell her that, what interrupted our first meal together has happened again and we need to speak at her earliest convenience. I will be in either my cabin or the dining car when she has amoment." Even his endurance had limits. Davin keeps an eye and mind out for the vampires, while making his way to his room. The younger lady's mind was easier to read and it was best to gain a gauge of their plans from her then him.

 As he journeys to his room his mind sweeps for the younger vampire, she thinks frequently of the male vampire and Davin homes in on that sentiment. The pair started much further East, getting onto the train in Krasnoyarsk, they've been traveling this way ever since. Five months of it. Prior to that, she remembers her caravan was attacked by vampires. These pair were the only survivors of their caravan. The maurading vampires disappeared with the rest of their friends. She knew he was from the realm of Night, but he was not a vampire when he left, a commoner fleeing the realm in the wake of something he called "The Catastrophe".

 They are much further up in from Davin's room, but soon even her thoughts began to quiet into a hazy dream as dawn approaches. Weary as he is, Davin feels the day's exertion working its magic on his eyelids. The vampires would be resting soon, he reasoned, gone with the appearance of light.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:47, Thu 30 Sept 2021.

Davin waits until first light and then retreats to his own room to sleep for a just two or three hours and hope that Ms. Blankenship and her new found duenna would be ready to receive him by then.

6:30am, Nov.11th, 1908

 Davin finds the embrace of sleep to be calming and reassuring, a blanket of comfort that stretched out over him like the cloak of night...

<Fade to Black>

(OOC: Davin has used a lot of power so he's likely feeling clearly exhausted. Roll me a 1d6 to determine how long you sleep for.)

Davin settles down into his bed, slumping slightly. He takes out the small container of ashes and places it on the small table in his room and leans back into the bed. His arms are throbbing and a slight headache is coming on. Taking off his glasses he rubs his black and silver eyes. Squinting at the slowly growing light he kicks off his boots and stretches his toes as he swings his feet up into the bed. Loosening his jacket and tie, he folds his glasses and places them beside the ashes and slumps completely into the bed. His eyes slide closed and he dreamt.

His dreams were of his great aunt and of her great city-temple-foundry and her teachings about metal and time. They were if not peaceful dreams they were at least restful - far more so then dreams of his grandmother.

OOC: Davin rolled a 3.

 In the morning, Davin feels a burst of energy. Something on a cosmic scale was happening nearby. All of his senses told him so but his mundane ones. It was alarming the way Nic's light spectacle had been alarming, fundamental powers being manipulated and passed around, as the origin of the Light of Day, and the Radiant Moon of Night. The feeling seemed fairly obvious now that he'd made the connection.

 It appeared the Train had made it nearly all the way to St.Petersburg, and he could feel several familiar minds on the train now as well, including the Agent Phoenix. The pleasing Ms.Blankenship also seemed to be active along with her new cosmic cohort, but joined now with several other quiet minds, more than animals but less than an adult perhaps, children maybe?

 Regardless there is a rap at the door, a well-spoken Englishmen asked from outside, "Breakfast will be serving this car in the hour, care to take it in the dining car or here sir?"

Davin stretched his arms still sore as he jolted awake. Blinking his eyes he turned them to the window of his room thoughtfully. "The dining car please. I will be out in just a few minutes. Thank you." Rising he changes his clothes as quickly as possible giving one glance to the bottle of ashes he exits the room. His mind brushes lightly against Phoenix and Ms. Blankenship to see where they were located. He is rather hesitant to touch the mind of her new companion. Still, he last saw her in rather...trying circumstances. So, assuming she was up and about he moved that way.