Hob

**Hob** is the owner of a diner in the city of Xiros. Though his name is actually Geoffrey, he goes by Hob as a nod to the popular appreciation of Hobgoblins in Qethosian culture.

## Description

### Appearance

Hob is a middle aged human with tanned skin and black hair. His hair is cut short and he has a thick beard, with the sides of both greying significantly. While he is working, he wears a black apron over a white shirt with a dark blueish grey yoke. He also normally has a dishcloth hanging from his shoulder.

### Personality

Hob is a pleasant man who is well known and well liked. He makes an effort to engage with and get to know his customers, which likely endeared him to the XDF in the first place. He clearly cares a lot about Dash and other new officers, liking to see them do well and enjoy the job while they can. In addition, Hob is generous to his patrons, giving Dash a free meal as a means of celebrating his first successful case.

However, Hob doesn't necessary get on well with everybody, with Logan Horn being a notable example. He expresses a fair bit of concern for Dash working under him and declines to say hi to Logan, asking Dash to do so instead. Despite this, he is cordial to the disgruntled detective and takes his silence and rudeness on the chin.

## History

### Background

Hob was born under the name Geoffrey and spent much of his life in Qethos. At some point in his life, Geoffrey became enamored with Hobgoblin culture and stories. When he opened his own diner in Xiros, he named it Hob's Diner as a homage to the Hobgoblin people. Since then, people began referring to him as Hob, and the name stuck.

Hob's Diner became a popular establishment in Xiros, particularly with its protectors, the XDF. He even established a "prot special" coffee, which is run through the grounded beans twice to double its intensity. Through this relationship with the XDF, became familiar with several of their officers, including Logan Horn who he is not terribly fond of.

## Phase 3 Story

### Another Day in the Diner

Hob was running the diner as per usual when he was approached by the young and enthusiastic prot Dash Whiskers. Hob inquired about his tutelage under Logan with poorly hidden concern. He relaxed when Dash reaffirmed that he was going well. During his order of pie and coffee, Hob asked if Dash would rather something else, to which Dash explained he was celebrating. Curious, Hob asked about it, to which Dash explained he and Logan had apprehended a Raccling who had been hacking Shard Tech across the city. Lowly as the job may sound, this was a special moment for Dash as it was his first successful job on the force. Hob smiled warmly upon hearing this, delighted by Dash's enthusiasm as he had seen too many prots become jaded over the years.

Producing the pie and coffee, Hob informed Dash it was on the house. When Dash protested, Hob simply said it was a celebration. Very grateful, Dash accepted the order and thanked Hob. Hob then told Dash to take it easy and to say hi to Logan for him, knowing full well Logan wouldn't care. Not long after Dash left, Logan came to the counter to return his coffee pot. Hob gave a nod, knowing the elf wouldn't care for conversation. When he asked if Logan needed anything else, the detective simply turned and walked out. In response, Hob simply continued with his work, being well used to this treatment.

## Powers and Abilities

* **Diner Owner**: Hob runs a successful diner business in Xiros, which is very popular with the XDF. He also possesses the cooking and brewing skills needed as part of a diner's staff.
* **Hobgoblin Aficionado**: Hob is well acquainted with the many stories of Hobgoblins. His fondness for them is the reason behind the name of his business and subsequently his own nickname.

## Etymology

"Hob" is supposedly short for "hobgoblin", a race of tall red-skinned goblinoids that inhabit Io. It may also be a pun, as hobs may refer to a type of projection, shelf or grate for holding food or utensils at the back or side of a hearth to keep them warm, or to a cooktop or hotplate, both of which are used in food preparation.

Geoffrey, Hob's real name, is a common male name that comes from the Anglo-Norman form of a Germanic compound meaning "God's Peace". The diminutive version of the name is Geoff. The name has also been further Anglicized to Jeffery.

## Trivia

* Hob is the first NPC to be introduced in Phase 3 of the World of Io series, also called the Ioverse.