Before we could set off on our misadventures, we were contacted by Jae Kwon, who notified us that while he didn't know the information we needed himself, that he could point us in the direction of someone who could: the entrance to a goblin market would appear next week in Piedmont park. We could enter/leave only while the moon was full (at night, for three nights), had to create a hedge door somewhere in the park, and at the goblin market, were to seek out a goblin named Bobbin.
In the interim, we planned to carry on with our research on Transcendental Ent. Knox did some snooping around, gathering information the old fashioned way, while I fired up my new[ly purchased, but used] laptop and began utilizing the things Jake had shown me (in fear of further pestering by us), trying to find some information online.
Together, we turned up the following:
- The Tickle and Spank (a bondage themed club)
- Crystal Blue (a store that sells newage junk)
- The Last Round (a seedy bar)
- The Chantry (a club)
- The Cathedral (a club in a cathedral)
While this was going on, Tim was assigned to go on a date with Tina to determine whether or not she'd heard of Transcendental Ent. I hear that little adventure was a bit weird. But he returned and told us she didn't really know anything, and he had as of then not really determined what she was.
We decided to venture to the Tickle & Spank first. In preparation, we printed up some business cards for both Tim “Todd Dim, Executive Representative” and Holden “Hank Bolden, Logistical Coordinator”, seemingly both employees of Transcendental Ent.
The plan was that Holden and Tim would go in and attempt to gather the info, while Knox and I waited in the car as backup. Well, not long after they went in, apparently Tim farked things up, and then as Knox and I entered, apparently Holden was busy doing similar.
Three people gave off auras of the supernatural:
- A girl named Amy Bennett, whom Tim had creeped out
- A girl named Annette Jenkins, whom Holden had likewise creeped out, but got a little info out of otherwise
- A guy named Peter Van Der Sloot
Annette informed Holden that Holden, being part of Transcendental Ent, should probably leave right now. She seemed uneasy and tight-lipped about it, telling Holden that in a more helpful way than confrontational. Knox, later, asked her about it, and she asked if he was one of “Valentina's men”. (Holden meanwhile turned into a butchy chick with bad fashion and came back in the club)
I had sat down at the bar near Tim and watched him sorta weirdly hit on Peter, before getting shot down. After finishing with Annette, Knox came over and asked me to essentially separate Peter from his “prey” (the pointy teeth + supernatural aura are good giveaways). I actually managed to not screw it up with my plan of sorta proposing a 4-some. Holden came to join us later, which really, REALLY creeped me out. The girl we were dancing with seemed like she wasn't really quite there at all.
Knox talked to Peter about Transcendental Ent, but he didn't know what it was. Instead, Knox got his information and left. After that, Holden and I managed to unsuspiciously (mostly?) get out of the implied 4-some with Peter. Anyway, the guy drives a Ferrari, is apparently involved in the import/export business. Knox managed to get his business card.
After that, we called up Nehemiah and arranged a meeting with the Darius King guy who had been looking at the wiki. We met Darius at an expensive restaurant down town, and he basically told us that Transcendental Ent was some kind of faction of vampires and that apparently don't interact much with some of the other vampires. Territories, as it were. He gave us the name and number of their contact, one Persephone Halifax.
Knox also established a direct line of communication to Darius so that we no longer had to go through Nehemiah, or other 3rd parties.
Sometime after our meeting with Darius, Knox called up Persephone, but she did not answer, and did not return Knox's call the next few days while we went to manage the Goblin Market.
Misadventures at the goblin market, 1st day:
- I acquired 6 gassy goblin apples (for Nehemiah), 1 goblin zucchini, an “ice” bikini top, receptacles for the things required for the book (see below), a Korean chopping sword w/an ice-opal handle that looks like a back-holstered blueprint case (will pick up day 2).
- Others acquired: leather jacket (Tim), stingray corvette (Knox), book of how to take care of your lawn hydra (Tim), some other book (???), five babies (Tim, to give to Kevin).
What we came looking for: a book called “The Weaknesses of the Snow Fairy”.
Items required for exchange:
- A dying man's regrets
- A tear of a maiden's first broken heart
- A baby's first breath
Items we need to come back with: A red swingline stapler in exchange for a scabbard for my sword. Sword comes with a free sharpening.
Items we have that are valuable as bargaining chips at the goblin market:
- The Huntsman's antler (Svetlana)
- The Huntsman's sword (???)
- 3 types of goblin fruit from the Viet Market (Svetlana)
- Supernatural Spices (Holden)
I need to ponder what other things I may want to acquire from the goblin market within the next two days that would be useful in the future. Goblin markets aren't necessarily so easy to find and convenient to access as this one. I won't know when my next chance will be so best make use of this one in the here-and-now.