Vanamonde von Mekkhan

Vanamonde von Mekkahn is the grandson of Carson von Mekkahn, Seneschal Emeritus of Castle Heterodyne. He is, at least in principle, the current Seneschal, but carefully avoids exercising the responsibilities of the office (or for that matter, any other responsibilities that he can avoid, with one exception), because it has proven convenient for Baron Klaus Wulfenbach to believe that the Mekkahn line has died out. That way Klaus doesn't take too careful a look at the way Mechanicsburg functions, and thus doesn't realize that the satraps that he's set up to "govern" the place have no real power, while the town takes care of itself just as it always has.

Vanamonde projects the image of a particularly idle young fop who spends most of his time hanging out in a coffee shop in town. However, while he's hanging out, he's listening, which is actually quite a commendable trait if you think about it. In this unassuming way he's amassed a considerable body of information regarding the false Heterodyne heir, Zola, and the powers behind her attempt to usurp rulership of the town, or at least of Castle Heterodyne. His grandfather isn't necessarily amused at his projection of worthlessness, but does concede that he's more competent than he appears.

Vanamonde plays a large, if inadvertent, role in getting the people of Mechanicsburg to accept the idea that Agatha may be The Heterodyne. Vanamonde does like his coffee (and, to be sure, probably other beverages as well), but his preferred coffee maker is broken, so he's using a backup. When he reveals this to an impressively wired Agatha, she rebuilds it as only a Spark can -- that is, not only making the thing itself function like no other coffee maker has ever functioned, but wowing all the onlookers with her Sparky charisma. When this mightily enhanced gadget produces its first cup of coffee, Vanamonde plays the role of good Seneschal and tests it before Agatha can have a sip. The result, he decides, is ... perfect.

We'll probably see more of this young man in the future; he does have his redeeming qualities.