Shadows of Bankor

Despite all the morning excitement, there was still more to do. After all, a crackdown in one place might very well be accompanied by a crackdown in another. And with the rumors that had been flying around, time might be of the essence.

The speeder ride was a short one, but long enough for Petrus to finish his kaf. He stepped out of the vehicle, swinging his arms, stretching his legs. Glancing around, he let his hood fall back, squinting into the morning sun.

"Jaklu, huh? First time here. Seems like a nice place." He glanced at the others, smiling in apparent good cheer.

Mahon smiled and said, "Best little fishing town on Bankor... probably the only one."

"It smells weird here... is that the trees?" Liua quipped.

Xanna nodded at Petrus and took a deep breath of fresh air. "Trees, grass, the ocean. It is nature Liua. If you say the smells are boring I will be calling you a liar." She smiled briefly, but her heart was beating faster now that they were here.

"Hard to believe Jaklu is so close but I have never made the trip until now." Her yellow eyes met Mahon's. "So, where should we start?"

"There is a market in town, probably best place to hear gossip and see people," Mahon gestured.

"Maybe get some cramberries."

OOC: Streetwise check at Average with a setback if they want to ask around.

"That sounds like a plan. And fresh cramberries? What is not to like?"

Xanna and friends set out into town, where they quickly found the market and started chatting with the local folks. They heard a few things and got a line on some choice crams.

Ask, and sometimes you receive.

Day 1. MM. Jaklu. Asking around. Average Streetwise with setback. Boost from assist.: 1eP+2eA+1eB+2eD+1eS 1 success

Team Road Trip gets directed to a great cram berry stand manned by a girl, pantoran by the looks of it. She just finished up with a customer as they approach and said, “Hey can I interest you in some of the best cram berries in the sector?”

She couldn’t be more than fifteen, a blaster pistol holstered on her hip and a smile ready to sell you produce.

Meanwhile Liua worked on a cig, but seemed interested in the fruit.

"Sure can." Petrus smiled. "Can we get..." A pause, counting, "-five people's worth of cram berries?" Another pause as he considered Brother Sloan. "Actually, better make that six."

He seemed casually cheerful, and more than happy to let someone else take the lead on the actual information gathering.

A warm smile settled on Xanna's face, lighting it up. "I have not seen another Pantoran for a long time. My name is Xanna Teevou." She placed a hand over her heart and then gestured to the Team. "This is our first trip to Jaklu. What should we see, where should we go?"

"You're looking at the best thing to see, eat our famous cram berries, it'll put oak in your rod and make you very alluring to the men and it just tastes so good," she said to Team Road Trip. She fills the order for Petrus and added, "Can I interest you in some nerf, freshly butchered this morning! Mostly cruelty free, besides the whole dying part but locally sourced!"

"I guess after buying from me maybe see the hot springs, I guess."

Petrus Karath wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 25, 2020 3:51 am

"Sure can." Petrus smiled. "Can we get..." A pause, counting, "-five people's worth of cram berries?" Another pause as he considered Brother Sloan. "Actually, better make that six."

He seemed casually cheerful, and more than happy to let someone else take the lead on the actual information gathering.

Sloan was very grateful that Medium-Sized-Man was looking out for him, and he hadn't had this particular type of berry before.

However they were on a mission...a mission from the force. "Excuse my frankness Merchant, but we're looking for someone." He spoke softly, yet couldn't shake that growly voice of his.

"A farmer, with a pantoran child." He continued, reaching his arm up to scratch at his head.

"Don't even know what a pan-toran is, but there are lots of farmers around here," she said sweetly. "People out here don't bother people, did they sell you bad fruit?"


"You're a pantoran," she said taking another drag.

The pantoran girl nodded and said, "Oh."

"Well that's good to know, so why are you looking for someone with a child that looks like a pan-toran," the young fruit seller replied.

Mahon tries to make a subtle gesture that this is the person he saw... it's not as subtle as he thinks.

Xanna's inner monologue was not worthy of a Kaesan, although she thought Aerly might have agreed and then lectured her. She calmly reached up to brush at a few stands of hair, perhaps the speeder ride had set them free?

"I see. Well as Liua says you are Pantoran, as am I. Our species has a long rich history and comes from the Tundra world Pantoria. But we can talk about that another time if you would like?"

She tried one of the berries, it was the best she had ever tasted. "Delicious." Her voice softened to ensure she could not be heard at any nearby stalls. "Now, it is extremely important that I... that we... find this farmer. He may be in danger. We need to meet him and warm him. Do you think you could help us?"

OOC: Charm check at Average with a setback due to her suspicion but gain a boost die for buying her fruit.

Xanna could be quite persuasive when she wanted to be, and her friends seemed nice, even the giant lizard! Plus they had bought all that fruit.

There was a familiar tingle at the base of her spine as she spoke to the girl. Maybe the Force was with them?

Day 1. MM. Jaklu. Charming a fellow Blue. Average Charm with setback. Boost from assist. Boost from fruit. Destiny upgrade, why not?: 1eP+2eA+2eB+2eD+1eS 1 success, 1 threat, 1 Triumph

Best results!

Someone notices Team Road Trip speaking with the girl, little did they know this would have consequences later.

OOC: Threat used, what do you want to use the Triumph for?

"Oh, and where are my manners? I am Xanna Teevou. These are my friends: Liua, Petrus, Sloan, and Mahon." There was a touch of dark in with the light but she had not felt either for a while. It probably all balanced out, right?

OOC: We can go with the book's suggestion, she becomes a recurring ally.

"I'm the cool one," Liua added dryly.


The pantoran youth said, “Veras, well I am not sure how I can help but maybe you can speak to my papa, he always said to try and be helpful to people that need it. He’s back at the farm, though, but he probably knows who you are looking for or where to put you in the right direction. Why is the farmer in danger?”

She seems concerned though not yet connecting the dots that she might who you are looking for.

Dapper Dog wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 25, 2020 2:05 pm

"I'm the cool one," Liua added dryly.


The pantoran youth said, “Veras, well I am not sure how I can help but maybe you can speak to my papa, he always said to try and be helpful to people that need it. He’s back at the farm, though, but he probably knows who you are looking for or where to put you in the right direction. Why is the farmer in danger?”

She seems concerned though not yet connecting the dots that she might who you are looking for.

"You certainly are Liua." He nodded staunchly in agreement, palmed a fist-full of berries and began devouring them.

"The farmer is not the one in danger Young Vendor. It's quite the contrary ; We're hoping that the farmer's wisdom may keep others protected in increasingly dangerous times."

"You must really like cram berries but I am not sure how that will protect people except from going hungry," she said with confusion.

Rather than try to correct the now confused picture she decided to roll with it. She gently placed a hand on Veras' arm and said: "In any case, I think it would be good to speak with your father. He sounds like a kind, helpful, and peaceful man. Do you think he would speak with us today?"

Removing her hand she looked at Team Road Trip. "Shall we save the further questions for a more private location? Also I think I will buy some vegetables and perhaps take up that offer of fresh nerf steak. It will make for a nice treat at the kitchen."

The girl smiles brightly at her sale.

Screen wipe and Team Road Trip is now pulled up outside a farm stead. They followed Veras and she said, "He's probably out near the cram berry fields."

She led the way and sure enough...

They find the farmer at work.

The cramberry fields. Calm, peaceful, serene. As they neared the farmer she slowed, eyes carefully studying his posture and bearing. The way he moved.

All of her calm and poise deserted her for a moment and she had to pause to catch her breath. Could it be? One hand lifted up to her face and she gently chewed at her lower lip. She felt rooted to the spot, but it wasn't fear, it was hope...

"..."