It may not be much and you may not entirely be satisfied with it, but this is your home for now and if you’re ever going to leave it, it’s going to be on your own terms, it won’t be due to getting run off.

You calm down a bit and gather your thoughts.

“Okay, if these are also Joachimites that we’re also dealing with, they’re also going to have holy men and possibly even a little magic. We can’t really afford to just wait for them to come to us, because I’ve run into these fanatics back in Holgard and they will absolutely kill every villagers if they think it’s Joachim’s will.”
“I don’t know much about the human gods, and nothing about Joachim, but from what I heard, I don’t doubt it.” Kayla says.
“Well generally the Joachimites are supposed to be pacifists, but occasionally you get a very militant sect and they can make a follower of Karn look like pussies by comparison. In any case, this could work in our favor. If they’re torturing the hell out of the villagers, those same villagers are probably looking for their undead savior. Meaning me. Now I could go at night, but I’d like to keep up the illusion of walking around in the day. So I want you to take about twenty ghouls including Stinky and go wipe out any hunters or Joachimites at Ulig for starters. I also want you to encourage the villagers to start resisting the fanatics a lot better than they have been doing obviously.”

Kayla doesn’t look confident in your orders.

“Um…”
“Problem?” you ask.
“While the ghouls leave me be and some of them will even listen to me if I say the orders come from you, but you’re asking me to herd twenty of them into battle. I just don’t think they’re going to listen to me like that.”
“Just say I’m giving the order or hell, bring Stinky and I’ll tell her and she can relay the rest…”
“It’s uh, not that sir. I…um…the ghouls don’t like me. Never have. I think they believe I shouldn’t be so close to you when none of them get to be. I mean if it wasn’t for you, I’m fairly certain they’d attack me.”
“Of course they would, but I’m here, so they won’t.”
“That still doesn’t mean they’re going to be totally obedient to me. Even when I’m in your form they don’t like it. I believe they find my scent offensive.”
“Wait, they’re offended by YOUR smell? I don’t think I’ve ever detected any sort of scent from you. It’s as bland as your near featureless appearance.”
“Maybe that’s problem. I’d probably have more success if I smelled more like you.”
“So what are you getting at exactly? You saying you need to rub up against me or something?”
“Well I was suggesting something a little more than that. If we could be physically intimate, I believe I could adequately copy your scent and commanding presence…”

You’ve practically got an army of religious fanatic vampire killers beating down your door and Kayla wants your dick. You’d laugh if this situation wasn’t so serious…actually you laugh anyway.

“Are you seriously telling me you want to have sex with me right now?” you say.
“I know it seems like a weird time given all that’s going on, but it really would help with the task you’ve assigned to me.” Kayla responds.
“I don’t see...fuck it. If it’s going to help, let’s get to it. However, you’re going to have to change first. I mean maybe you’re a beauty right now to other doppys, but you’re just not doing it for me in your natural form.”
“Understandable. Um, is there any particular form you would like?”
“I dunno, surprise me? Wait, on second thought, don’t surprise me.”
“I think I know of a form that will please you. I’ve heard you describe her enough to me that I think I can copy her.”
“Wait, who are you…oh.”

And before your eyes, you see Kayla transform into the image of Isabella, well ALMOST the image of her. She’s not a perfect match since she’s only working by your description and one major thing that’s standing out is the eyes. Her eyes are still those blank white orbs.

“Well? Does this work?” Kayla asks a bit hopefully.
“I suppose it’ll have to, because we don’t have time for you to get it perfect. Well let’s get this done. Now is there anything I should know about? I mean you aren’t going to start transforming into a gray blob or something in the middle of this are you?”
“Not unless you want me too sir.”
“Good and no I don’t. Okay, come over here.”

Kayla comes over to you and the first thing she does is kiss you on the lips and puts her arms around you. It’s weird, for multiple reasons. Least of which is because you’re embracing something that looks like “Isabella” but obviously isn’t her. While you appreciate the attempt at illusion, those white orb eyes are destroying it.

“Hold on, stop.” You say.
“Did I do something wrong?” Kayla asks.
“Not as such, but…you’re going to have to turn around and bend over for this.”
“Oh, okay.”

During the act, Kayla takes every opportunity to insist that you rub her body and press up against her as much as possible as she wants to get your full “essence.” While she said she wasn’t going to turn into a gray blob during this, she starts having a very “squishy” feeling to you. It’s almost like her body is partially melding on to yours.

She tells you to hold her tighter and goes on about how good this all feels to her. You’re a little reluctant to do so since it isn’t like Kayla’s a vampire and you could easily break her if you used all your strength, but then again, you partially feel like you’re fucking water. And that of course makes you concerned that she’s going to envelope you or something.

None of that happens though, and after an “interesting” time with Kayla, you feel even weirder about it all and there’s a sticky gray coating on most of your body.

“Ew.” You quietly say to yourself.
“That was wonderful! I’ve never known someone so intimately like that! I could really feel all your power! It was all so intoxicating! Mmmm.” Kayla says and continues to rub up against you and putting your arms around her body.

She’s in complete ecstasy and while you’re not surprised due to your magnificent sexual prowess, there’s shit that needs to be done.

“Look, you think you can take lead the ghouls now?” you say and start separating yourself from her. (Which isn’t easy since you seem to be literally sticking to her)
“Yes, I think it should be easier now.”
“Good, get going. I want this done.”
“Very well sir.”

Kayla looks a little disappointed that you’re already shoving her out the door, but you had no plans on making this a permanent “thing” anyway. It’s going to be a little weird now though.

However, you don’t want low morale so…

“Kayla, just remember if it starts looking bad, make a strategic retreat. I can always make more ghouls, but I can’t replace you.”
“Why thank you sir! And I will, but hopefully it won’t come to that.” Kayla responds with a smile before transforming into you and leaving.

Well, now things are going to be even weirder, but you’ll worry about that later.

All you can do now is wait and hope that the attack is successful.

As it gets dark, you start to grow impatient and begin to suspect the worst, but Kayla returns. Not many ghouls follow her, but she’s back. She knows how much you hate interacting with “yourself” so she transforms back into her natural form.

“You’re back, I was just about to go to Ulig myself. I trust it was a success?” You say.
“It was, though as you can see, there were many casualties. Most of the ghouls I took with me died, including Stinky. A lot of the villagers were also massacred as well, but I believe they are more determined to fight against the fanatics after my speech to them.” Kayla says.
“Okay, it’s the start. I’m going to head to Yilbov. It’s the next closest village to us and hopefully they don’t know what’s gone on in Ulig yet, but I trust you let nobody escape.”
“No, none of them fled in the first place. They fought to the death.”
“Good. That’s exactly what I’m going to give them.”
“Wait, don’t you want anyone to go with you?”
“No, I’m going to do this myself and stealthy because they’re probably going to be even more alert for trouble. Better if I go alone rather than having ghouls tipping my hand. It’s been awhile since I’ve done it this way, so it’ll be fun for me.”
“As you wish sir. Just be careful. The hunters and Joachimites we encountered were well prepared. Silver shot, silver weapons, even bombs.”
“Not surprised but…”

Just as you’re about to complete your sentence, you see a ghoul running towards you. It’s Lurky. He looks severely wounded.

“Master! Master!” he shouts.
“Lurky? Thought you might be dead. What the hell happened to you?” You answer.
“I almost was! Caught and tortured! There are many many hunters and those crazy worshippers in the forest! A large camp!”
“How many?”
“Lots! Well…none now.”
“Wait, you telling me that YOU killed them all?”
“No! I didn’t even kill one! Had help! Someone like you!”
“Someone like me? Wait…another vampire?”

Before you even put the pieces together, a familiar figure arrives and gets all the ghouls attention in town. It isn’t due to her naked body though, it’s because this is a woman of great power and dominance.

“Sir…is that…” Kayla asks.
“Yes, that’s her and if she’s here, it can’t be good.”

Isabella has arrived and judging by the look of distain on her face, she’s not in the best of moods.

She throws several ghouls out of her way and tells them to back off. They comply, but the fact they’re all in awe of her and ignoring you completely is telling of how much power she’s currently displaying. Even Kayla looks a bit entranced by her.

Isabella approaches you and you just stand there like prey.

Fortunately she just slaps the hell out of you. You take it since you don’t have much choice and nobody is rushing to help you either.

You rub your face and address Isabella.

“Hello Isabella, you’re looking as lovely as …”
“Don’t fucking flatter me, I know how good I look! Ugh…this place…its crawling with ghouls. I don’t know how you can stand the filth or the smell. I feel dirty just standing here. I understand you need humans to kick around, but I thought I taught you better than to associate with ghouls. Have you REALLY looked at the company you’re keeping?”
“Yes, I’m well aware Isabella.”
“Are you? Because I think if you thought about it, you’d realize that hanging around with humans, ghouls, and…shit…I don’t even know what you’re supposed to be.” Isabella says temporary distracted by Kayla.
“I’m a doppelganger. Heard much about you. Pleasure to meet you at last.” Kayla says with a little bow.

Isabella turns back to you.

“Well, at least you have someone around here with a little class I guess.”
“Isabella, what are you even doing here? I thought you never wanted to see me again.” You ask.
“And I would have been glad to oblige. However, your actions here had consequences. Severe ones. Did you really think that you could just conquer a bunch of villages and it NOT cause any attention? My home is ruined thanks to you.”
“Wait, what?”
“I suppose its more fool me for not paying more attention to your actions, I just didn’t expect you to stir up a fucking crusade. The large group of Joachimites and hunters marched through Dert and burned the entire village. The poor dumb bastards never even knew there was a vampire living nearby.”
“They destroyed Dert?”
“Yes, and by the time I found out about it, the crusade had already moved on towards your area. I might have known sooner, but I had already stocked up on villagers previously and had food for a while. In any case, my reliable food source was destroyed and I went to hunt the assholes who did it. Eventually I caught up with them and found your minion getting tortured. After killing most of them with only one or two managing to get away, I turned my attention to him. Of course your loyal minion told me everything that he didn’t tell his captors for obvious reasons, however I sort of suspected you were the cause of all this anyway. I warned you and you didn’t listen. You never listen…”

And you feel like you’re in the crypt again…

Still, as usual she’s sort of right. Doesn’t mean you like it though.

“Okay, I get it. So I take it you’re here to help?” you say.
“Help? Well that is an interesting dilemma. If you weren’t involved, I’d probably finish off the rest of these fanatics and hunters myself and be on my way, but considering that you are involved, I’m tempted to just take off and leave you to deal with the rest of the situation. I’ve probably killed enough of them to qualify as revenge and it’s not going to change the fact that I need to find a new place to live since my livestock has all been killed.” Isabella says.
“Can’t you just go to Holgard or prey upon travellers nearby?”
“Yes, I suppose I could, but ugh…that’s not ideal. Then again neither is looking for a new home. In any case, I’m still not convinced on helping you.”

“Um…Miss…Isabella? If I may…” Kayla says.
“Actually under normal circumstances, you may not, however since I’m more willing to listen to a complete stranger right now rather than my ex, you might as well dare to address me. Say what you have to doppelganger.” Isabella remarks.
“I…we…would be most grateful for your help. While you may have eliminated a great camp in the forest, there are still many enemies currently occupying the villages in the nearby area and as you said, one or two from the camp you destroyed got away. I can only imagine they are already on their way to warn their fellows which means they will be more prepared. I think we would be able to handle this situation much easier with your superior skills assuming you wish to help us, oh great mistress of the night.”

Isabella cocks her head to the side listening to Kayla trying to appeal to her sense of vanity.

“Where did you find this one? It’s good at this. It’s respectful without being excessively annoying like a ghoul or quaking in fear like a human, and it almost comes off as sincere. It may even be sincere. However, I’m not actually interested in hearing your minions beg on your behalf. I’d rather hear YOU do it.”
“What for? I mean you either care enough about your revenge or you don’t. I mean I was planning on taking care of this myself before you showed up anyway…”

Kayla suddenly goes over to you.

“Sir, I really think we should take her help. There are an awful lot of hunters still alive and we would probably lose less humans and ghouls with your ex helping us. It will just be better in the long run.”
> You refuse Isabella's help
Considering Isabella has seemingly already wiped out a majority of the fanatics, your task is going to be a lot easier now. She’s already helped enough; you aren’t going to beg her for more help especially if she’s going to be telling you what to do the whole time.

You still like her and all, but there was a reason you didn’t work out.

“Isabella, I appreciate the assistance you have already given, but I think we can all handle it from here.”

Isabella briefly looks insulted, but she quickly hides it. Seems she figured you’d give in.

“I see. Well if that’s how you feel about it, then I shall take my leave. Good luck I suppose. I mean that in general, since even if you do succeed I doubt you’re actually going to learn any sort of lesson from it all. I can imagine that the same thing will happen again five years down the road and I’m certainly not going to be anywhere near here when it does. Guess I’ll see what the Delantium Kingdom is like this time of year. Goodbye.”

Without another word, Isabella takes her leave.

Kayla suggests that you reconsider, but you tell her to remember her position, as it isn’t her call in the first place.

“Very well sir didn’t mean to overstep my boundaries.” She says.
“I’m going Yilbov, I’ll be back as soon as I can.” You say and take your leave as well.

By the time you get to Yilbov, it feels like a very familiar scene. Namely when Green Eye’s men were pillaging Maldito, though minus the rape and double the torture and burning alive.

“FOLLOWERS OF THE EVIL SPAWN MUST BE PURGED! THE WILL OF JOACHIM DEMANDS IT! NOW REPENT AND ACCEPT THE MERCY OF JOACHIM BEFORE THE RIGHTEOUS FIRE CLEANSES YOUR FILTHY SOUL!”

Several villagers are tied to stakes and begging for their lives. Some are saying they were forced to serve you, others claim ignorance, and none of it does any good of course. The fanatics are burning some infidels tonight and that’s that.

Meanwhile there are several hunters patrolling the village in groups of two. You manage to actually take out four of them before alerting everyone to your presence. It was a good try at least.

“IT’S THE VAMPIRE! KILL IT! KILL IT NOW!” the head zealot shouts and quickly burns the rest of the villagers tied to stakes.

Gunfire, crossbow bolts, and silver throwing knives are all fired or hurled in your direction. It’s a bit chaotic with all the villagers running around, but at least some of them are taking hits for you, though perhaps not voluntarily.

You take down several Joachimites, before the head zealot calls forth a beam of light from his hands and aims it at you.

“FEEL JOACHIM’S BURNING LIGHT, DEMON OF THE NIGHT!”

You feel it all right too, and it hurts like hell when it briefly hits your chest. You quickly get a nearby villager to use as a shield, but it doesn’t work, you soon smell flesh burning as the beam burns right through the villager.

You get temporary relief by ducking behind a house. The problem lies with the zealot being on a high platform in an open area and his spell seemingly following you without error. You peek behind the corner and see that he’s still yelling about killing you all the while his victims are screaming and burning close around him.

While you’re pondering your best move to get to him, you get shot in your side by a hunter. His next shot would have been your head had you not been quick enough to dodge. You rush the hunter and break his neck with ease and trying to ignore the pain of the silver now lodged in your body.

“Shit…need to finish this asshole. What this…oh this might work.” You say and find a spherical metal object on the body of the hunter. It’s a firebomb.

You grab it and the body of the hunter and go to face the zealot again.

“YOU CANNOT HIDE BLOOD LEECH! THE LIGHT WILL ALWAYS FIND YOU!” the zealot says as his light beams hit the body of the hunter.

You smell the burn and it won’t be long before it goes through, but you hopefully don’t need that long.

You throw the firebomb at the zealot, which misses, but it didn’t need to hit him and you weren’t aiming at him anyway. You just needed it to hit one of the burning villagers near him.

Before you know it an explosion occurs showering the entire area with wood, flames, and body parts. You continue to use the body as a shield. Last thing you need is a random piece of wood flying into your heart.

After the destruction has died down a bit, the remainder of the Joachimite fanatics clumsily try to bash your head in with silver cudgels. They fail and join the rest of the dead.

And there are certainly a lot of them. This village is in complete ruins. Most of the villagers are dead or hiding, a few though are angry.

“YOU! You brought this upon us all! Even Green Eye was better than this! You’ve been preying upon all of us and it stops today!” someone shouts and then you feel a silver bolt in your back.

“Agh! Fuck! Ungrateful wretches!” you exclaim and turn your attention to the group of peasants that have grabbed hunter weapons to finish you off.

They have about as much success as they did. Your wrath is swift and brutal. After putting down the minor peasant revolt, you address any villagers still around, but hiding.

“If you still wish to live under my protection, you had best find shelter in the nearby village of Ulig. If not, then I suggest you take to the wilderness now, and forget about this place for the rest of your short lives.”

You take your leave of the village and head back home. A little slower than usual due to all the silver in the side of your body. You’re going to have to get Kayla to help fish the stuff out.

When you return Kayla does indeed tend to your wounded body. She’s very attentive and even offers you some of her blood to keep up your strength and help with the healing process since there aren’t any humans around.

You take her up on her offer, since while her blood is horrible tasting, you can’t afford to be a chooser right now. You tell Kayla that tomorrow morning she needs to take ALL the ghouls to one of the villages and wipe out all the enemies there as well.

You rest up for most of the day, hoping that the attack goes successfully and a counter attack doesn’t occur while you’re trying to rest.

Fortunately Kayla returns, unfortunately she’s gotten half of the ghouls killed in the process. The other half is in various conditions ranging from somewhat bruised to missing a few body part.

Kayla also says that most of the village was destroyed and not even by the fanatics. There were too many ghouls for her to control properly and some of them ran amok. By the time she got them all back under control and eliminated the fanatics, most of the villagers were either dead or they fled.

So while you officially won, you lost the village, worse, you lost the humans in it. Kayla is obviously no general, and while yelling at her makes you feel slightly better, it doesn’t really solve anything. You just realize you’re going to have to redouble your efforts at the fourth village.

Later that night you head to Goloki with your ghouls and you have more success, but probably not much more. In fact, it’s a good thing you took your ghouls otherwise you might have been in trouble.

You’re wounded several times and lose a good number of ghouls. You do manage to keep more villagers alive. After drinking a few of them to heal yourself somewhat, you tell the survivors to head to Ulig. You think after all this is over, you’re just going to have your people in one village. It would be a lot easier to rule them that way.

You eventually stagger back to Moldito and once again Kayla tries to tend to you as best she can. She asks if you’re sending her with the remainder of the ghouls to attack the last village in the morning, but given her last two attempts resulted in heavy losses, you tell her, you’ll just take care of it tomorrow night.

After giving a few general commands to her, you go to your room to try to rest. This is taking it out of you more than you thought it would. It really is a good thing Isabella took out the main camp, but you’re starting to wonder if you let your pride get in the way of making things easier.

You quickly dismiss such thoughts and eventually close your eyes to rest.

You don’t know how long you sleep for, but you’re suddenly woken up, by the sounds of battle above you.

“Shit! Don’t tell me they counter attacked…” you say to yourself getting up.

Nobody has come down to your lair yet, not even Kayla or ghouls, so you assume that they’re defending. Must have been sudden if nobody informed you.

Its still daytime, so there’s little you can actually do except wait for someone to come to you. You could go up and try to give orders from the ground floor inside your home, but that’s a dangerous position. A couple of those bombs that the hunters like using so much could blow it up and if not get you completely in the blast, it would destroy the house on top of you and probably expose you to the sun. You’re also not healed completely, so it would be better to just save your strength and wait for them to come to you.

It is frustrating just waiting around though. You start wondering if the traps you set are working, how many hunters you’re going to have to deal with and if Kayla’s dead or not. You chalk up Kayla being dead since she probably would have come to you by now and while she can look like you, she isn’t actually you, and doesn’t have your powers to stand up to the hunters.

Eventually you start to hear the sounds of footsteps coming down the stairs. Multiple ones. This is it.

You wait for the first hunter that turns the corner and put your fist through his chest. However no sooner have you done that when two Joachim zealots blast you with that burning light spell to your face.

Despite being half blind and your face on fire, you kill one of them and a hunter that stabs you in chest (But fortunately missing your heart), but then you hear the other zealot shout some prayer of some kind and you suddenly feel a great sense of terror. Something you haven’t felt since you were human.

Part of you feels the desire to run, while another part of you feels the desire to just quake in fear and freeze.

“YOU CANNOT RESIST THE WILL OF JOACHIM! FEAR HIS BURNING STARE AND DIE UNHOLY CREATURE!”

This is soon followed up by multiple gunshots to your body and head. Silver burns through your body and you fall to the ground. You have truly never felt so helpless.

You roll over and attempt to crawl away, but someone hacks at one of your legs and practically severs it. Your cry out in agony.

“Chop the vile thing’s head off and be done with it!” someone shouts.
“Hey look behind us.” Someone else says.
“Tilderman? I thought you were dead…wait what’re you doing?” another voice asks.

You then hear the sound of a metal clank on the floor. Several people shouting “SHIT!” and then a deafening blast.

The blast probably would have killed you outright had it not been shielded by the hunters closer to it. As it stands you’ve only lost part of your legs (One of which was partially severed anyway) part of your back it literally on fire and you’ve got burns on most of your body.

You have just enough strength to roll over a couple times to put the flames out, but you don’t know how you’re going to heal from this. Miraculously your hearing isn’t completely gone and the muffled ringing goes away pretty quickly.

Charred body parts are all over the corridor and the smell of burned flesh and blood is filling the air along with smoke and powder.

You hear a single set of footsteps approaching, and you certainly hope it isn’t another hunter, because you’re not in much condition to fight right now.

You then see a figure step through the smoke and by the way they’re dressed and armed with a repeating crossbow, they do indeed look like a hunter, however you see the eyes which are those familiar blank white orbs.

“Kayla?” you ask.
“It is I.” she answers.
“Thank the gods…except for that asshole Joachim.”
“I wouldn’t thank them yet sir.”

Kayla points the crossbow at you.

“Wha…are you serious?!” you say.
“Very serious sir. Your usefulness to me is at an end and I’ll never have a better opportunity to kill you. Without any more ghouls around, now I don’t have to worry about them either. The number of villagers is at a manageable number and I’m sure they’ll be even more pliable now, especially without their ruler eating any more of them. In a few more years, who knows? Maybe I’ll go try to find that Isabella and rekindle our relationship. She seemed much more powerful than you anyway.”

With those last words, you see Kayla transform into you and then fires multiple silver bolts into your heart.

As your body seizes up and goes into a paralysis, Kayla takes a saber and finishes you off with a chop to your neck.


Year 34

Maldito; the village of ghouls and your ruling capital.

Though you aren’t exactly sure now if what you’re ruling is worth all that much.

Green Eye was terrorizing the villages in the area long before you showed up and was still terrorizing them for you when you arrived. It wasn’t hard to intimidate them into submission.

If you killing their former tormenter wasn’t enough to do it, then you being a vampire certain was. Kayla posing as “you” in the daytime, was just overkill.

Maldito was eventually ghoulified completely, so if a village steps out of line, you’ve got an “army” to threaten them with. Though once again, it’s overkill considering you could wipe out every one of the villages yourself. The ghouls are just if you need something done in the daytime instead.

Ghouls really are the most loathsome creatures you’ve ever had to be around. Everything about them disgusts you. Their habits, their sycophantic behavior, their smell, everything. They’re lower than humans and you’re surrounded by them, but at least their loyalty is certain and they watch during the day.

This is what “ruling” does to you, makes you paranoid. Even with as scared as you have the rest of the villages, you still believe that one of them is going to get brave enough to actually do something about it.

Maybe to some degree you’re even hoping one will just to break up the monotony.

Still it’s all yours and you don’t answer to anyone. You aren’t sure if these are really the “best times” though. Something is missing. You spend a lot of time trying to remember the “good old days” but really when were those?

Certainly wasn’t when you were enslaved by Ral, though you suppose your brief time with Lisa was the exception. You still wonder what happened to her, hopefully she’s doing better than you, if she’s still alive.

Wasn’t when you had to spend time as a magically altered freak either. Once again, your only bright spot with that was Heather trying to help you. You’ve been thinking about your brief reunion with her in some of these moments of introspection and you still don’t feel bad about it, but you do think that she probably didn’t deserve it. Just bad timing.

When you were with Isabella? Well there were a lot of good times you’ll admit, but if things were truly that good, you wouldn’t have left. You can only imagine if Isabella saw you now, she’d probably just be shaking her head at you. She’d probably even be right to do so. She always did know better, but then you were meant to be free and that’s always been your problem.

Even now, ruling all these worthless peasants, you still feel like a prisoner. You haven’t really been free since your days as a petty thief with your sister.

Now THOSE were the good old days. You wish you could go back to those times if only for a little while.

As you sit in your own underground lair (Now properly built) you sense someone living approaching. It’s Kayla. You still don’t know her real name, but dops don’t really have them anyway so you just continue calling her by a dead tavern keeper’s wife. She doesn’t even use that form anymore and just stays in her “natural” one when around Moldito. She only uses human forms (or yours) outside the village.

You’re still a little mystified of her exact intentions. She’s been with you for a couple years now and hasn’t shown any sign of leaving or betrayal. You can’t imagine that she’s entirely happy with her lot. She’s not a ghoul and she isn’t a fearful ignorant human either. You’re in charge and YOU’RE not entirely happy, so why would she be?

She has said in the past that she’s happy serving you, but really have a hard time believing that. You’re a tyrannical dick. Unless, she’s in love with you, but that would be weird. You actually have been actively not using any sort of suggestive powers on her just to see how she acts. Besides, she’s never given that indication though again, maybe you’re just bad at reading the signs of a doppelganger.

“Um, am I disturbing you sir?” Kayla asks.
“Not really, just living up to the stereotype of the brooding vampire I suppose. What’s going on?” you respond.
“Uh, dunno how to tell you this, so I might as well come out and say it, but I was doing my usual routine in one of the villages and apparently they’ve caught the attention of hunters.”
“Hunters?”
“Yes, apparently a group of them were investigating the village of Ulig recently. Now I don’t know if anyone said anything outright, but due to all of their suspicious behavior they might have inadvertently told the hunters something anyway. Many of the villagers I overheard seemed to be worried that they did that accidently.”
“Well how many of these hunters were there and where are they?”
“They’re currently in Sibogri, but they may be coming here soon. I dunno exactly how many there are, but apparently a sizable group. Ten maybe? Maybe more. I feel like this really can’t be a coincidence and someone must have told someone about all this.”
“Well obviously, if there are that many. I don’t even think there were that many when they were in Holgard and that was a huge city. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is so many due to them hearing rumors of a day walking vampire.”
“Apologies sir.”
“What’re you apologizing for?”
“The daytime thing I know was mainly my idea and I was just apologizing to you for bringing this upon you.”
“Are you kidding? This is probably the most excitement I’ve had in awhile. Besides, I imagine that hunters would have come around here eventually.”
“So you’re not mad or concerned about all this?”
“Not really, it’s actually a motivator.”
“Oh? Well what were you planning on doing then?”

Well that is the question isn’t it?

The obvious thing to do would be to fight, but given how you’ve been feeling lately, you could probably very well just leave. Where would you go? You have no idea, but it’s an option.

In the meantime…

“Kayla. Why are you still here?” you suddenly ask.
“I’ll leave sir. Apologies.” Kayla responds.
“No, not that! I mean why are you still here?”
“Is…this a test?”
“No! Look, what I’m asking and there is no right or wrong answer here, is why are you still here? I mean are you in love with me or something similar?”
“Um…well…not exactly…it’s complicated. Can we talk about something else?”
“Besides the hunter thing, this day is becoming the most interesting one in years. I should have asked this question years ago. What’s so complicated? You either are or you aren’t.”

Kayla is silent for a moment due to the awkward spot you’ve put her in. You can see her trying to come up with an answer and after some thought…

“Nope, it’s still not simple, but I can try to explain if that will please you.” Kayla answers.
“Well better than nothing I guess. Go ahead.” You answer.
“As a doppelganger, we do tend towards those with power. Eventually we tend to imprint upon them unless someone better comes along. I suppose that explains why I was with Green Eye for so long. However, I was also planning to kill him eventually and take his place. That’s sort of what we do.”
“So…you’re basically admitting to me, that you were planning on killing me all along.”
“Well…it’s complicated.”
“So you’ve said. Look, you just admitted that you were planning to kill me. I think it would be in your best interest to explain in more detail.”
“I honestly haven’t really been planning to kill you though. I mean I assumed I would at some point, but considering I’m already impersonating you most of the time and reaping some of power thrill directly when I’m doing it, the feeling isn’t as strong. Muted in fact.”
“And that’s it?”
“There’s also the fact that you created a bunch of ghouls that I wouldn’t be able to control since they know I’m not really you. Not to mention I don’t think I’d be able to kill you, so I’m sort of stuck and now it’s gotten to the point where I’m comfortable in my position and don’t really feel a desire to leave. I mean I could, but I’d probably feel really lost for a while as I tried to find a suitable role equal in status to this one and that’s not the greatest feeling for a doppelganger.”

Well more enlightenment on the race of doppelgangers, but you notice she didn’t entirely answer the original question. Doesn’t matter you suppose, you’re going to do what you want anyway, but there is one more important question.

“So you’re saying that if I fight these hunters, you aren’t going to suddenly switch sides again?” you ask.
“Not likely sir. Hunter types tend to be nomadic and have no real hierarchy. Also they are constantly seeking out vampires and the like to kill. I already know enough about vampires that I don’t want to be hunting them on a regular basis. I’m with you sir.” Kayla responds.

Well, that’s something you guess.

“We’re going to fight.” You say.
“Never expected anything different sir. So how are we going to go about this?” Kayla asks.
“We need to gather a bit more information. If they aren’t staying in the villages themselves, then that means they must be making camp in the forest. Maybe send Stinky…no wait not her. Send Lurky, to scout the nearby forest area. He tends to be quieter and smells less pungent than most of the other ghouls. I want you to keep doing your usual routine of blending in at the other villages. Try to gather as much information as possible. As for me, I’m going to start building up the defenses on this place. Probably should have done it years ago.”
“You think you have time to build a wall?”
“No, but I once was a rogue and I knew how to set traps. Didn’t do it often, but I knew how. If the hunters storm this place, it isn’t just ghouls and me; they’re going to have to deal with. The only thing I’ll need to worry about are the ghouls accidently setting them off, but I think I can probably make them understand where they can go and where they can’t. Let the rest of them know though, that I’m going to address them all as soon as it goes dark, so they all better be around.”

Kayla nods and goes to carry out your orders. Meanwhile you work on a few things until it’s dark so you can address your ghouls.

You address what’s going on to your ghouls who of course all listen intently. They’re actually eager to go fight right now, but you tell them there will be time for that soon. You tell them to start digging holes and placing sharpened sticks, spikes and then camouflaging them.

Not all the houses are used in the village anymore since the ghouls seem to all like just staying outside and only really enter the bigger village hall if the sun especially bothers them. You deicide to trap some of these abandoned homes since you imagine the hunters will be meticulous enough to search every home.

You spend the next few days doing this and then eventually you get a report from Kayla who has some interesting news.

“Wait, so they’re torturing people?” you say.
“Yeah and they apparently got people doing this in several villages. They aren’t letting anyone go either.” Kayla says.
“How many of these assholes are there?”
“I still don’t have an exact number, but it’s looking like more than ten. Maybe fifty and I don’t think this is just hunters, the Church of Joachim is getting mentioned a lot, along with terms like purging and cleansing.”
“Shit, this is a fucking crusade. How the hell did we not see something this large coming?”
“Well we are a bit isolated even compared to the other villages, but I apologize sir, I probably should have noticed something sooner.”
“It’s done now. Lurky hasn’t even come back yet, so who knows if he’s still alive. This is starting to look like more trouble than it’s worth. What the hell am I really fight for anyway?”

Kayla doesn’t respond, she just shifts a bit nervously at your rise in temper.

You think about your options, and just flat out leaving seems like a perfectly valid one.
> You leave
You know when something looks like a losing battle. This is mostly on you anyway, you let yourself get too much attention with your actions and now you’ve got an army of fanatics on your ass.

You let your pride get in the way and thought you knew better; well this is what happens. You’re starting to think Isabella was right. You could kick yourself for fucking up your relationship with her now; then again her being right doesn’t mean she wasn’t being domineering.

In any case, you can’t go home again and you probably should just move forward anyway. Maybe you need to go some place new entirely, like the Delantium Kingdom or something.

Without another word, you go gather what little personal belongings you still regard as important.

“What are you doing?” Kayla asks.
“I’m leaving. Not going to stick around for this. Not worth it and I’m sick of the headache anyway.” You answer.
“But sir! You can’t just leave all this!”
“Sure I can, watch me.”
“But…”
“What, do you want to run this place? Be my guest, you can pretend you’re me, like you’ve been doing.”
“But that won’t be the same and…(sigh) okay fine sir. I can see the wisdom in this. I’ll just get ready to go too.”
“No, you’re not coming.”
“What?”
“You heard me, you’re not coming and neither are the ghouls. Going it alone again for awhile.”
“But what am I supposed to do?!”
“I don’t care, do whatever you like. You’re released from my servitude, in fact I said you could leave on your own many times before, so you were always free to leave. Ugh, still gotta wait for night fall.”

As you prepare for a long wait, Kayla begins pacing a bit and then starts trying to convince you to fight, but it’s not working and the more she’s trying to convince you the less patient you get with her.

“Kayla, your voice is beginning to anger me. I told you to leave.” You say.
“I just really believe that you can win against these interlopers. Then after you win, your reputation will be so fearsome, nobody will ever attempt to invade you again.” Kayla says.
“I seriously doubt that.”
“You won’t know unless you fight sir. I mean you didn’t get all this by just standing back.”
“And you seem a little too eager for me to try. Why is that exactly? And don’t tell me how much you believe I can win, because it’s more than that. You seem to just not want me to leave your side given that you were also willing to leave.”

Kayla gets a bit quiet and then sputters a bit before gathering her thoughts.

“Um…well…okay you got me sir. I’m in love with you and I should have just outright admitted it before. I was just embarrassed because…well I know you would never have such feelings for me like that. Apologies sir, I will leave.”

Kayla turns to leave.

“Hold on wait. Come back over here. Can’t believe I’m saying this, but maybe I’ve been lying to myself.” You say.
“Sir?” Kayla asks.
“Maybe I do have some feelings for you as well Kayla. I just didn’t want to admit it due to everything.”
“You mean me being a doppelganger?”
“Well part of that I suppose, but more because none of my past relationships have ever worked out well. Maybe I’ve let that cause the distance between us as a master and servant, but perhaps we should attempt to become more.”
“Oh sir! Do you really mean it?!”
“Yes. Whatever I ultimately decide to do, we’re going to do it together from now on. Now come to me my love, I want us to finally embrace intimately.”

Kayla rushes excitedly to you and puts her arms around you. You look deep into her blank white eyes.

“Do you want me to turn into a more pleasing form sir?”
“No, I want to do this to you in your natural form.”

Kayla’s normally featureless face displays a wide smile, which might be a little unnerving if you weren’t who you are. She’s very happy. Good. She was a loyal servant for a long time so she earned a happy last moment.

You then twist Kayla’s head around and tear it off completely. You then toss the head aside as gray goo leaks out of the body.

Obviously she was up to something and leaving her alive might have just caused problems for you in the long run. Better to play it cautiously, especially with all the attention you’ve attracted. Last thing you need is someone pretending to be you and you don’t have direct control over it.

You continue to wait in silence until darkness falls and that’s when you take your leave. You don’t even bother giving your ghouls any last orders or anything like that. You just run off as quickly as possible in the night.

You still have a distance to travel and you don’t really know how you’ll fair in the Delantium Kingdom, but it can’t be too much worse than what you’ve already been through. You have a lot more time to learn from your mistakes as well.

Your days as a common rogue might be long over, but your life as a vampire is just beginning.


You’re not so much trusting the dop, so much as you’re going to take a chance that it fears you enough that it’s being honest. Since if it IS telling the truth and willing to work for you, he would come in pretty handy.

Still, you’re going to be careful as you can about this.

“Okay, first of all, are you absolutely SURE this plan is going convince Green Eye to meet with me?” you ask.
“Yes, I am. If he thinks something is wrong, but fixable he’ll more often than not take a personal approach to it even if it might risk his life, just like when he first spoke with you. If I know him, he’ll probably want to appease you so he can give himself more time to re-think a new strategy of how to deal with you if he believes you can walk around in the day time.” The dop says.

You can’t really tell due to its nearly featureless expression, but it sounds confident in its words. You suppose that will have to do.

“Alright then, we’ll try the plan.” You say.
“Y…you will? Oh thank the gods! I swear I will be loyal to you!” the dop exclaims.
“We’ll see, but first I need to prepare you a bit.” You say and move towards it.
“Prepare?”
“Yeah, just relax a bit, don’t move and… brace yourself!”

You suddenly lunge on the dop who is taken by surprise by your speed. You bite the dop in the arm and drink a little of its blood. It actually tastes pretty terrible and you nearly spit it out.

In the meantime the dop is making a horrible screaming noise and doesn’t stop until you smack it upside the head.

“Stop that, it’s annoying.” You say and release it.
“Y…you bit me!” the dop says rubbing its arm.
“Sure did. Call it an extra precaution in case you get the bright idea to try to betray me. I can always sense where you are now. So if any of this goes south, I’m going to know where to find YOU immediately.”

The doppelganger might have those empty white orbs for eyes, but you can still see the fear in them. Honestly, while you will be able to sense it if it’s close by, you aren’t going to be able to instantly track it from anywhere. Still, it doesn’t know that.

“I wasn’t going to betray you.” The dop whines.
“Well, now I know you won’t. Now you stay here, I’m going to go get one of the villagers so you can blend in again. I’ll drain them and you can walk out like nothing happened. The body can be disposed of later.” you answer.
“Wait which one?”
“What difference does it make? I dunno the tavern keeper’s wife I guess. Might as well considering I already killed her husband. Plus it’s an easy enough task even for you and you’ll hear all the village gossip at lot easier, not that it matters I suppose.”
“Mm, okay. I don’t have to worry about you suddenly picking on me to bite now and I prefer female forms anyway, it’s always easier when the gender matches.”

You pause for a moment.

“Wait…you’re female?” you ask.
“Well we doppelgangers are pretty flexible about it all for obvious reasons, but yes, I personally identify as female. Can’t you tell?” she says.
“Um, no not really. I mean you’re just a smooth gray nearly featureless being. It’s not like I can see tits or anything. I mean…I can’t even see a hole down there…or anywhere for that matter; then again I haven’t really been exploring. I guess if you were a guy it would have been more obvious I suppose.”
“Oh you solids with your constant exposed reproductive organs. We doppelgangers transcend such concerns since we only display them when necessary such as for sex or expelling waste. Until that time they remain hidden and protected.”
“Okay, well however works…don’t really want to know, but if that’s the case how the fuck was I supposed to be able to tell that you’re female or not?”
“By my eyes of course! Those of my kind that identify as female tend to change our eye color to white while those that identify as males tend to change them to black.”
“What color are they normally?”
“Oh gray.”
“Great. Very illuminating. Next time I run into one of you doppys, I’ll try to remember all that.”
“Erm, could you please not call me a doppy? It is considered offensive to my…”

You glare at the doppelganger as your patience wears thin.

“Um…nevermind. Just happy to serve and being included, sir.” She says submissively.

You leave the house and find that a minor crowd has gathered from a safe distance. They’re probably wondering what exactly happened, time to make up a story.

“Is that…thing gone m’lord?” someone asks.
“Yes, of course it is. Didn’t you hear its death scream? I interrogated it first though. Apparently those bandits I thought I took care of have regrouped and will be trying to attack again. However, we know the truth now and can prepare. I’m going to track them down and finish them off for good, however I’m still going to bless some of you and when I do, you will be charged with helping the defense of this village. I trust you all will be up for the challenge should it come to that.” You say.
“Of course m’lord! We all will!”
“Then we will start tomorrow night, for now though I wish to spend time with you. The rest of you go home and worry no longer about any of this.” You say and point to the tavern owner’s wife. She goes over to you immediately.

As the crowd disperses and obeys your command, you head into your home with your victim.

You don’t bother with the foreplay and get straight to the feeding. You’ve done this with her several times already, but this time will be different for her. As usual she puts up no resistance and even as you’re obviously killing her she still whispers “I love you” in your ear and holds you tightly.

You finish her off and drop her body to the floor. Meanwhile the dop was watching the shadows. You look at her and from her body language she cringes a bit.

“Geez… you really are ruthless. I mean I’ve seen you on occasion drink people, but…never quite like that. She said she loved you and you just…look I just want to remind you, I am definitely NOT going to betray you.”
“Glad to hear it, now stop wasting time and take her form or whatever it is you do.”

The dop wastes no time and soon there is a “new” tavern keeper’s wife…actually you find out her name was Kayla. The doppelganger knew her better than you actually did, despite you feeding on her on a regular basis.

After “Kayla” leaves to get more acquainted with her new role, you look around to make sure you can dispose of the real one safely. You aren’t sure why you’re bothering being so secretive since the villagers would probably be fine with a doppelganger if you told them to be fine with it.

However, you do think it’s probably a good idea to slowly introduce such things to them. While they may accept you as a master, they may be less willing to accept some other non-human lurking about as well.

At least not until you make some of them non-human.

The next night you start again with what you originally planned. This time you pick a married couple at random and decide to see how it goes. You give them both some of your blood which causes them to gag a bit and then generally feel “weird.”

The pair of them eventually stagger back home, and you tell Kayla to keep an eye on them both since you won’t be able to observe them during the day.

A couple days and nights pass and you repeat the process with them and just when you’re starting to get frustrated, they start to show a change. The pair of them become more fawning than usual towards you and you don’t even have to do anything. They’re also paler and beginning to move in a less normal fashion. It’s more of a loping gait. Their appetite becomes a lot less normal as well.

You think you’ve finally changed them into ghouls. You’re glad it didn’t take as long as Isabella once suggested it would if you attempted it.

However, you soon discover all her warnings were correct. First off, they ARE very annoying with how much they’re underfoot all the time. Still, they are very obedient and they soon finish digging out the area meant to be your new resting place under the house. It’s crude, but you figure it can be worked on continually. For now though it’s functional enough that you don’t need to sleep in a hole in the ground in the forest nearby.

Keeping them subdued when you’re asleep is another matter however. While you attempt to tell them to stand guard over you, they’re little like children in that they get bored and have short attention spans.

While they haven’t actually attacked anyone yet, they’re acting aggressive enough that it won’t be long. This naturally causes some of the other villagers to be wary and now that’s potentially messing up your relationship with them.

To counter act this, you give a few intimidating speeches, re-hyponotize a few of the key villagers again and have the two ghouls whipped before the mob and scold them for their behavior. The pathetic creatures soon learn that they aren’t going to be chewing on their neighbors anytime soon. Still, it does make other villagers less eager to want to become ghouls now, though you’re sort of wondering if it’s worth it anyway.

While you’re trying to keep a precarious balance of humans and non-humans together through your powers and plain old fear, Kayla reminds you that it will soon be time for her to meet with Green Eye’s people and start part one of that plan. You originally thought you might send one of the ghouls with her, but that would probably just confuse them, or they’ll fuck up the plan and they might even eat Kayla. So she’s going alone. You’re still fairly concerned about this, but this is what you’ve decided on, so that’s what you’re going to do.

You don’t even go to sleep that day; you stay awake mostly pacing in your underground sleeping area. You send Stinky and Fatty (Your new names for your ghouls since you never bothered to learn their real names) to go fetch you a “drink” so you can keep your strength up. You also tell them to keep an eye out for Kayla.

At any moment you fully expect to hear the sounds of an attack above you. You aren’t going to be able to help, so you hope Stinky and Fatty are up to the task.

However, the pair of them eventually come back with Kayla who is back in her human form.

“Here she is master!” Stinky says excitedly.
“Did we do good?” Fatty adds.
“Yeah, now get the hell out of here. Go dig up one of the corpses in the forest and reward yourself or something.”

You hardly need to tell them twice and they both leave you alone.

“Well?” you ask.
“Well, I’m back and it’s done. I made enough trouble that Green Eye will be willing to speak with you tonight. I didn’t really want to be at Green Eye’s any longer than I had to anyway, let alone directly confront him. Fairly certain that gem eye of his sees through disguises. In fact, I highly suggest that you not talk to him and just attack as soon as you see him, lest you fall under his command.” Kayla says.
“You’re joking right? I’m a fucking vampire. I am the one who commands.”
“Yeah, I know you’ve got powers of your own, but it’s that gem eye. It’s magic. How the hell do you think he got that motley bunch to work for him?”
“You seem immune considering you’re selling him out.”
“Well I imagine that might be a combination of being a doppelganger, along with not being in his presence for an extended period of time. Whenever I was though, I felt the urge to serve him. I mean think about it, he managed to convince YOU not to wipe out his group the first time around. How the hell did he do that? I like to think I’ve gotten to know you well enough that you’re not really a man that takes chances on potential future threats so you sparing him and everyone else seems a bit out of character.”
“I spared and took a chance on you.”
“True I suppose, but still…I dunno I’m just saying you probably shouldn’t speak with him just to be safe.”
“Your concern is touching. I’m guessing it’s dark about now, I’ll be heading out with the ghouls then.”
“Okay, well did you need me for anything else then?”
“Not right now and assuming you haven’t set me up, I will remember your actions on this task.”

You take your leave of Kayla to go get your ghouls. You find them quite easily in the forest nearby finishing off a corpse. One of them hits the other and points at you.

“The master is coming! The master is here!” Fatty says excitedly and runs up to you until you smack him down.
“I need the pair of you to accompany me to an important meeting. When we get there though don’t do anything until I say so.”

Fatty and Stinky follow you happily as you make your way to Green Eye’s mine. You feel like you’re walking into a trap the entire time, but at least you’ve got some help. Normally you wouldn’t even be concerned, but you haven’t rested or fed too much so you don’t feel like you’re a full strength either.

Eventually you see the mine and you also see a short figure surrounded by several figures at the entrance. They don’t look like his usual men though. They’re all female and look very cowed for one thing.

“I wasn’t expecting this.” You say.
“Well considering you arrived here in broad daylight demanding your tribute and then saying it wasn’t good enough, I figured I’d offer you a selection. All of these girls are from the nearby villages.” Green Eye says.
“What if I want them all?”
“Well then I guess you’re getting them all, far be it for me to fight a vampire that can walk around in the daytime. Interesting trick. Didn’t know you guys could do that. Almost hard to believe…”
“Well you saw it with your own eye.”
“Actually I didn’t, I got the report second hand from one of my men. Granted I trust him…or rather I trust that he believes what he saw, but let’s just say, I have some questions.”
“I’m not here to answer yours.”
“True, but I’m going to ask anyway, because I strongly think something weird is going on here and I’d rather we talk than it come to violence.”
“Of course you would, because you’d be on the losing end of that deal.”
“Most likely, but are you so sure? I see you’ve brought two friends with you, meaning you’re smart enough to not take this meeting lightly.”
“Choose your next words carefully dwarf.”
“I always do. I have a hunch that we’re both being set up to kill each other. I’m betting you’ve been talking with that treacherous dop haven’t you? I bet that’s even who impersonated you. It’s a liar you know. All of their kind are, and I should have known better than to have one in my community. Our relationship has been cordial and can remain that way. I will even increase the tribute. We don’t have to fight.” Green Eye says.

Something is very weird about all this. Green Eye seems a lot more relaxed than you are right now and with how much he’s talking; it feels almost like he’s stalling you for some purpose. Maybe he’s got his men hiding elsewhere to ambush, but there really isn’t any place to hide nearby.

The fact that he’s pointed out potential treachery of the doppelganger makes you suspicious though. For all you know Green Eye’s telling the truth.
> You listen
You’ll humor this asshole a little longer because despite him keeping calm, you can tell he’s still scared by his heartbeat even from where you are. You’re really not detecting any other signs of life either nearby. It’s just Green Eye and the seven bitches.

“Treacherous is a funny word for you to use, considering YOU’RE the one crafting silver weapons and planning an attack.” You say.
“Okay first of all, I was NEVER planning an attack. I’m not stupid enough to attack you on your own turf even during the day. And as for the weapons, well can you fucking blame me? I mean I got a vampire living right next fucking door. I wouldn’t fancy my chances in a straight up fight, but I NEED to have something that’s going to make me feel safer.” Green Eye explains.
“Okay, so what about sending the dop to spy on me in the first place?”
“That was its idea! It kept swearing to me that it wouldn’t get caught, damn fool I was to believe it. Look, I’ll admit I fucked up on that end, but as I said, I got fucking scared and I’m not ashamed to admit it in front of all these bitches here. You want me to beg? I will. I’d even get on both knees, but that’s a little difficult for me for obvious reasons. Though I’d still struggle with it if that’s what it requires to save this community.”
“That’s pretty humble of you.”
“Why do you think I’m out here by myself? I’m hoping that if you decide to just kill me anyway, you’ll just be satisfied with that and not kill everyone else too. I know they ain’t much and are even less than bandit scum in your eyes, but I’m fucking protective of them and I’d trade my life for my fuck up.”

Sounds sincere and you really weren’t expecting this reaction. You sort of wonder if the dop WAS setting you both up. You wouldn’t put it past her.

You’re still not sure, but if you are going to kill him you don’t want to give him the slight chance of lifting that rifle up quick enough to shoot you.

“Green, drop your weapons, I’m coming over there to inspect your tribute.”
“…okay! Whatever you say.” Green Eye shouts, and drops his rifle, along with several smaller firearms and melee weapons (mostly daggers) on his person.

Seeing that he’s dropped his weapons, you motion to your ghouls to follow you. You get closer and can sense how tense they’re all becoming.

Though you misinterpret that as fear alone.

“Watch your head.” Green Eye says as you’re nearly right in front of his group of girls.

Who then all pull out flintlocks and catching you off guard at this close range they can’t miss you even as nervous as most of them are.

Silver shot burns through your chest, head and a couple other places on your person. It doesn’t exactly kill you, but you’re dropped immediately.

Stinky and Fatty waste no time in attacking the ladies that have fired upon you, unfortunately they weren’t really the threat anymore.

Green Eye ignores the ghouls tearing up the women and instead picks up his rifle and aims it right at your head as you attempt to get back up.

Part of your skull and brains go flying and you drop back to the ground. Still not dead, but with severe brain injury even as a vampire you’re bewildered and paralyzed in your current condition.

You begin gibbering to yourself about something that happened a long time ago. It’s actually when you were a child, but you don’t even know what you’re talking about, all your memories are a jumbled mess along with your thought process.

“I didn’t steal the cookies!” you shout and then start laughing.

This exclamation is the last thing you ever say before another powerful blast takes nearly the rest of your head off. Your sight goes dark.

With practically just a lower half of your jaw still moving and the rest of your body just twitching, you neck is severed with an axe.


You might as well start making ghouls if you’re going to be using this place as your new home now. You’ll feel safer if with absolutely loyal day guards around anyway.

You call everyone to the village square the following night. It’s a little surprising for everyone, but of course they don’t want to disobey you.

“Okay, I’ve gathered you all here because it’s come up many times that some of you desire the same gift I have. This makes sense since you would indeed be better in every way and you would also be closer to your god. However, none of you are yet worthy of such a thing. In fact some of you never will be! Yet, I am a merciful master and as such I will bestow a minor bit of my power so that you may get a taste of it. Who knows, maybe in time you will impress me to the point that I will eventually complete your transformation.”

At this point your words are met with signs of hope and excitement. You expected that, so that’s one less thing to worry about. You’re still wondering which people exactly to choose and how many. You probably want to pick the key members in the community though, so you figure you might as well give Vic what he’s always wanted first.

“Okay Vic, come on over here and we’ll get started.” You say and cut your arm to drain some of your blood in a cup.

“Um, me m’lord?” Vic asks.
“Yeah you! Who the hell else’s name is Vic in this village? Now come on.”
“Uh, that’s okay I don’t think I’m quite worthy yet. I believe that there are many others here deserving of your gift more.”
“You’re joking right? You’ve been begging me to turn you since I took control of this place. You’re just nervous, come on.”
“No, I really realize now that I shouldn’t have annoyed with my petty request as I did. I thank you for your generous offer, but perhaps one of the many lovely young women that…”
“Vic, stop being a bitch and get over here!” you say raising your voice.

At this point the crowd is getting agitated with Vic’s stalling and begin pushing him forward, telling him that he’s a “chosen one” and he should be embracing this moment.

Vic slowly moves towards your position and then suddenly his eyes roll in the back of his head and he wobbles a bit before falling over.

“Oh for fuck’s sake…” you say shaking your head.

One of the other villagers goes over to help Vic, but after some inspection…

“He’s dead m’lord!” the village “doctor” exclaims.
“He’s fucking dead?!” you say.
“Heart attack it seems. I believe all the excitement of being a benefactor of your glory was too much for him.”
“Maybe…”

Something about this doesn’t seem right.

“Kick his body. In fact I want several of you to stomp on it.” You say.
“M’lord?” someone asks.
“You heard me.”

Not wishing to anger you, several of the villagers comply. Vic’s body just absorbs the kicks and doesn’t move.

“Okay, I guess he’s really dead, set his body on fire, no need to waste anymore time burying it. Actually never mind, there’s a torch right here, I’ll do it.”

You take a nearby torch and go over to Vic’s body. As you slowly lower the flaming piece of wood closer to Vic’s body, you watch his eyes.

You watch…

Then just as you touch Vic’s body with the actual flame, his eyes open and his entire form changes into a thin smooth gray skinned creature. Its face isn’t anything like you’ve seen before, having only slits for a nose, a simple line like mouth and its eyes are just white orbs.

“SHIT!” it shouts in different voice than before and immediately rolls away and attempts to scramble for safety.

While the villagers are confused and scared by all this, you of course keep your cool and easily catch this creature and drag it into the empty house you reside at in the village to interrogate it.

“Okay, what the hell are you?” you demand.
“Please! I’m a doppelganger and I’m only doing my job!” it pleads pathetically.
“By job, you mean spying and infiltration! I only know ONE person that rules over a ragtag group of multi-racial misfits that might have the balls to do such a thing. How long have you been working for Green Eye?”

The doppelganger wastes no time in selling out Green Eye. It says it’s been with Green Eye for quite some time, but only was infiltrating Maldito shortly after you threatened Green Eye. It says it was originally masquerading as the head carpenter, but soon changed into Vic (and in both cases obviously secretly killed) when it realized you were serious about making the village your permanent home. It of course has been in contact with Green Eye off and on the whole time.

“So what the hell is Green Eye exactly planning?”
“Well originally he just wanted to keep a check on you, but when you made Maldito your permanent home, he got more concerned. I think he’s planning on attacking you directly and most likely destroying the village.”
“Because that worked out so well last time. So what then has he hired hunters or something? Should have known he wasn’t going to be above doing that.”
“No, actually he’s been crafting silver weapons for everyone. Mostly daggers, but I know for a fact he’s been focusing on silver shot for the few firearms we have.”
“Where’s he getting all this silver from?”
“The mine I guess. Green Eye said it used to be a silver mine before it ran out.”
“Well apparently it didn’t completely run dry if he’s got enough to scrap weapons together. Gotta hand it to Green Eye, though. He’s been busy and I underestimated his fear of me. Smart of him to not tell me that it used to be a silver mine too. I didn’t even think of that.”
“So…what are you going to do?”
“Kill my enemy of course, might as well start with you. Wonder what doppelganger tastes like…” you say and prepare to bite.
“No! Wait! Please! I could help even more! If you attack now, you’d never get Green Eye. He’s got a whole system of hidden tunnels, traps and shit. You might wipe out everyone under his leadership, but I doubt if you’d find him. He knows those mines like nobody else.”
“Oh, I’m sure I’d find him eventually.”
“Well, maybe, but as I said, he’s probably trapped the entire place too and considering he’s been preparing for you, some of those might even be dangerous to you. Let me go back and…”
“You think I’m stupid? You sold out Green Eye so quick and you were supposed to be on his side. How quick would you sell me out?”
“But this is different, I can see you’re the more powerful force in this instance and I always side with the winning team. It’s what my kind does. Green Eye doesn’t know that you know that you know anything. In fact I can probably get him to meet with you. You’re supposed to pick up your new tribute soon aren’t you?”
“Yeah, so?”
“Well let ME go and pick it up. Except I wouldn’t go as me, I’ll go as YOU.”
“Wait, you’re going to copy me?”
“Yes. And I’m going to arrive at Green Eye’s place during the day to do it. I will pretend that I’m such a powerful and old vampire that I have the capacity to walk around in the daytime! This will throw them all off so much that they’ll scramble to appease you quickly. When they drag out the girl, I will then claim it isn’t good enough and that I will be back at night to renegotiate the deal with Green Eye personally. He’ll be concerned enough that he’ll meet with you, probably seeing if you have any other weaknesses, since thinking you can walk around in the daytime is going to cause him to discard his original plans. Of course it’ll actually be you who’ll meet him at night, at which point you’ll easily be able to over power him and whoever else is with him. Trust me, it’ll work!”

An intriguing plan you suppose, you just aren’t convinced though.

“Sounds like a shit plan, and I still don’t trust you. I don’t think you can convincingly copy me anyway.” You say.
“The hell you say! I’ll have you know that I am one the most skilled of my kind! I can easily copy you, right down to your quirky mannerisms. Especially since I’ve been observing you for awhile now.” The doppelganger says a little insulted.
“Is that so? Well prove it, and maybe I’ll make a decision based on how good your performance is.”

You let the doppelganger go and it has prepared itself to display its powers to you. It takes a bit longer to transform into looking like you than when it transformed back to its real form.

The first thing you realize is you haven’t seen yourself in years. The dop looks like you, or at least what you looked like before you became a vampire, then again you haven’t aged since then so that’s presumably what you still look like.

The dop then begins to talk like you and act like you. It’s very arrogant, condescending and just an all around dick.

Which means it’s copying you exactly.

“See? I can pull this off! Just give me a chance and hey, when Green Eye is dead, I could help you in other ways as well!” the dop exclaims as it transforms back.

It certainly is an eager creature. You just aren’t sure if you can trust it. And if you can’t trust it, then why take chances?
> You kill it
Trusting a duplicitous creature that can mimic you perfectly? Yeah that’s a great idea and won’t at all turn around and bite you in the ass later on!

You’re not taking chances, the dop dies and then Green Eye and the rest of his crew after, you don’t care how many tunnels he’s got in that mine of his, he is not going to hide from you.

First things first though.

You approach the dop without another word and bit it on the neck. It makes a horrible wailing noise and no sooner have you drunk some of its blood that you immediately stop because it tastes completely fucking horrible.

“Ugh! Shit! I’ve tasted greenskins better than you!” you say spitting out most of the gray stuff.

The dop attempts to get away after your temporary distraction, but it’s a futile endeavor, you catch it and ignore its last pleas for mercy before breaking its neck. You aren’t actually sure if that’s going to kill it, so you decapitate it just to be sure.

You leave the house and find that a minor crowd has gathered from a safe distance. They’re probably wondering what exactly happened, time to make up a story.

“Is that…thing gone m’lord?” someone asks.
“Yes, of course it is. Didn’t you hear its death scream? I interrogated it first though. Apparently those bandits I thought I took care of have regrouped and will be trying to attack again. However, we know the truth now and can prepare. I’m going to track them down and finish them off for good, however I’m still going to bless some of you and when I do, you will be charged with helping the defense of this village. I trust you all will be up for the challenge should it come to that.” You say.
“Of course m’lord! We all will!”
“Then we will start tomorrow, for now though I wish to spend time alone.”

You spend the rest of the night wondering if you should just go ahead and attack tomorrow night or wait around to turn some of the villagers into ghouls so you have help. As much as you hate to waste time to let them get better equipped, you decide if the mines are as trapped and treacherous as the dop claimed they were, it probably would be to go in with help, if only to use as fodder.

The next night you start again with what you originally planned. This time you pick a married couple at random and decide to see how it goes. You give them both some of your blood which causes them to gag a bit and then generally feel “weird.”

The pair of them stagger back home. You then repeat this process with five more villagers before you need to stop as it’s a drain on your own strength.

A couple days and nights pass and you repeat the process with all of them and just when you’re starting to get frustrated, they start to show a change. The seven of them become more fawning than usual towards you and you don’t even have to do anything. They’re also paler and beginning to move in a less normal fashion. It’s more of a loping gait. Their appetite becomes a lot less normal as well.

You think you’ve finally changed them into ghouls. You’re glad it didn’t take as long as Isabella once suggested it would if you attempted it.

However, you soon discover all her warnings were correct. First off, they ARE very annoying with how much they’re underfoot all the time. Still, they are very obedient and they soon finish digging out the area meant to be your new resting place under the house. It’s crude, but you figure it can be worked on continually. For now though it’s functional enough that you don’t need to sleep in a hole in the ground in the forest nearby.

Keeping them subdued when you’re asleep is another matter however. While you attempt to tell them to stand guard over you, they’re little like children in that they get bored and have short attention spans.

While they haven’t actually attacked anyone yet, they’re acting aggressive enough that it won’t be long. This naturally causes some of the other villagers to be wary and now that’s potentially messing up your relationship with them.

To counter act this, you give a few intimidating speeches, re-hyponotize a few of the key villagers again and have a few of the more aggressive ghouls whipped before the mob and scold them for their behavior. The pathetic creatures soon learn that they aren’t going to be chewing on their neighbors anytime soon. Still, it does make other villagers less eager to want to become ghouls now, though you’re sort of wondering if it’s worth it since it’s taking your strength to upkeep all the ghouls which is in turn taking more of a toll on your villagers anyway.

While you’re trying to keep a precarious balance of humans and non-humans together through your powers and plain old fear, you also keep in mind that it will soon be time to meet up with Green Eye and his crew. You just hope you’ll have the element of surprise to a point where it won’t matter how many silver weapons they have.

When the night finally comes, you head to Green Eye’s mine with your ghouls who happily follow.

When you arrive, the lone hobgoblin guard stands there at the entrance with the child tribute. You can already sense the rise in the savage’s heartbeat when he sees you arrive with your ghouls. The child of course is already scared.

“Um…we have your tribute as usual.” The hobgoblin says.
“Yeah, about that. Don’t really need the kids anymore. There’s been a change in recent developments.” You respond.
“Oh?”
“Yeah, in fact I’ve decided to make the whole tribute process simpler by getting rid of you all”

It doesn’t take long for the hobgoblin to process what you mean exactly. His eyes widen and he turns to run, but you catch him before he gets anywhere and break his neck.

You turn to address your ghouls who are already in the process of advancing. The boy who is tribute is frozen in fear.

“Hold on, wait…ah damn it! Fatty! Fuck, I was going to tell you lot to leave the boy alone so he could tell the tale to his village of how I saved him from the bandit scum. Never mind now I guess.”

You smack your ghouls around to get them to stop feeding on the boy and the hobgoblin so you can get the rest of this task finished.

You once again enter the mine and once again you come to the large open area where most of Green Eye’s people are gathered. No sign of Green Eye, but in the meantime, you’ll be wiping out the rest of his people.

Doesn’t take long for your ghouls to start howling and leaping into battle with abandon. You don’t bother reining them in. Green Eye’s people are for the most part unprepared, but there is some resistance. With the silver weapons, they probably would do a lot better than last time against you, but since you brought a bunch of ghouls, they do about as well as last time.

The battle in the main cavern is quick and bloody, several of your ghouls go chasing people down in various tunnels. The rest of them start feasting on the dead already in the immediate area.

While you hear sounds of fighting and screaming coming from various tunnels, you still have not seen Green Eye; it would appear your hunt for him is going to begin right now.

Since you’ve already been warned about the place being trapped, you figure it probably would be a good thing if you took some of your ghouls directly with you. Of course it might be a good idea to leave most of them here to guard this area just in case Green Eye tries to escape this way when you’re looking for him.

You decide you can probably afford to take two and leave the remaining two here. The other three that went running off will probably wander back here eventually.

You then give your orders and you pick the tunnel that you remember seeing Green Eye walk from the last time you were here.

You cautiously walk around even keeping the ghouls slightly back, since while they are expendable, you don’t want to just lose them unless you have to. So far though, and you aren’t coming across anything out of the ordinary. This is good in that there aren’t any dangers that have been nearly killing you, but bad in that you haven’t uncovered any secret passage ways or rooms that Green Eye might be hiding in.

Eventually you stop hearing any noise of combat. Either your ghouls killed everyone or you’re getting far enough a way from you original location.

Later, you’ve already gone down several dead ends and while you’re not lost, you are getting frustrated since there doesn’t seem to be any clue of where Green Eye is. You start to curse yourself in that it might have been a good idea to try to leave one of his people alive to point you in the right direction. Even leaving the dop alive and dragging it with you, would have helped.

You start to get paranoid that maybe Green Eye has doubled back somehow and managed to escape so you start heading back to the large cavern near the entrance.

The problem is you do it so fast that you aren’t as cautious this time, and while you passed through several tunnels that weren’t trapped, you don’t take into consideration that Green Eye didn’t sneak around and trap them after you already passed through.

Even then, you might have been quick enough or had the danger sense to avoid something amiss, but your ghouls are another matter.

No sooner have you heard the “Spong!” noise that you quickly look to where you need to take cover.

A huge rumble occurs in front of you and before your eyes you see both of your ghouls gets crushed by a cave in by an explosion. You are actually blown back a bit and quickly scramble up when you also see that this isn’t just a cave in, but a cascading effect.

You have no choice but to run back deeper into the mines, though you’re so busy trying to get away, you end up taking a tunnel you haven’t explored.

You run down the unexplored tunnel trying to avoid getting buried and hoping you outrun it or find an exit of some sort.

You find an exit, but it’s down.

Once again, not paying attention, you fall down a pit. You attempt to grab on to the sides of the smooth wall, but you only succeed in ripping your fingernails off in the process and it disappears eventually anyway as you fall into a larger underground cavern and slam hard into the rocky ground below. Your yells of pain echo throughout the cavern.

You’ve most definitely broken several bones in your legs. You’ll regenerate, but it’s going to be slow, especially without any fresh blood around, unless there are some rats around.

As you start to look for something like that, you feel more rumbling. At first you think it’s ceiling collapsing on you here, but then you realize the sound is coming from below.

This silver mine closing down wasn’t due to it running dry, it was more because there was an infestation of giant insect things in the lower parts of it, which you have now discovered.

The chittering becomes louder and eventually several many legged, many eyed things burst forth from the ground.

You fight about as best as you can in your situation, but you’re weak, crippled and overwhelmed.

You die screaming in the darkness as you are devoured.


Year 31

You finish drinking your fill of the girl and release her though she still clings to you tightly like you’re her entire world despite the fact that she’s already married to some young man in this village.. As usual you have left this one alive since the less outright deaths the better. Besides, the more you feed on these peasants and don’t kill them, the more they seem to be enamored with you. The fools believe your “mercy” is some sort of blessing.

“Is there anything else you require of me, m’lord?” she asks in a mild daze.
“Actually now that you mention it, yeah. Now that I’m done sucking on you, I’ll give you the honor of sucking on me. You know what to do.” You say.

The girl nods and slowly lowers herself before you.

Now THIS is what being a vampire is all about, or at least what it should be. Lording it over the lessers and reaping the benefits. Not hiding on the outskirts of civilization.

Ever since this arrangement you’ve actually been enjoying yourself again. Even more than when you used to go hunting in Holgard, which you haven’t been going to at all anymore.

As for Isabella, she spends all her time in her precious garden and you’re starting to wonder if she even cares what you do anymore as long as it doesn’t involve messing with Dert or calling attention to your home. The only time she has asked you a question is she started wondering where you were getting all the children from since she was concerned you might be “over farming” Dert, but she seemed satisfied with your answer. She’s benefiting so why should she care?

The girl finishes servicing you and then you send her home in a better status for her husband than before.

Tiring of your own time here tonight, you prepare to leave and exit the “home” that you use when visiting.

Before you leave however, you’re met by Vic. Usually he knows better than to crowd you like this so it makes you a little wary.

“That’s close enough! Encroach on my personal space any further and it’ll be the last! Now what is it that you feel the need to waste my time with?”
“Well I was just wondering, since I’ve been so loyal to you lord and helpful in in convincing the others to stay loyal…I was just wondering if there would ever come a time that you might bless me with the same gift that you have. Not that I would be nearly as powerful as you of course m’lord. I live to serve after all.”

This again…

Vic has brought this up before, and this topic has come up with more than a few of the ladies you’ve been dining on.

You of course always give the same answer, that it isn’t a “gift” that can be given so lightly and will only ever go to the worthy. Telling them that you can’t make them vampires because you’re not old enough to do it yet, wouldn’t actually make you look like the “all powerful” dark lord that you’ve set yourself up as.

Still, as far as you know you ARE able to make them into ghouls. Isabella explained all this to you in your first weeks as a vampire. She always said making a ghoul wasn’t worth it since they are some of the most pathetic creatures she’s ever had the displeasure of knowing. She made one once and killed it soon after because she found its habits too disgusting and its fawning far too annoying.

Of course Isabella’s personality is a little different than yours. You would probably be fine with more fawning. In fact absolute loyalty might be a plus. As for disgusting habits, well you wouldn’t have to live with them on a regular basis and so what if they eat a few bugs?

However, it still isn’t something you’re going to just do right away and would need to think on. After all, you turn one person or multiple people into a ghoul or ghouls, how are they going to act towards the rest of the normal people? Not like you can watch them constantly.

“I’ll think about it, now get out of my way!” you say and knock Vic aside.

You head home pondering the possible ramifications of taking that extra step.

When you finally do get home, you find that your night hasn’t gotten less complicated.

“Have fun with your human whores?” Isabella asks.
“Thought you’d be in your garden. That’s where you like to spend all your time isn’t it?” you say, not even answering her question.
“True, but perhaps I’ve been sticking my head in the flowers for far too long and ignoring the situation that’s going on.”
“What situation?”
“The situation where you’ve apparently dominated an entire village to your will. Maybe even more.”
“No, just the one. What difference does it make? I’m not attracting any attention and I’ve been bringing children home to you on monthly basis.”
“Yes, which is why I haven’t said anything, however I’ve been noticing a change in your behavior with me.”
“You have? Surprised, considering all the time you spend in your garden.”
“Okay, if you’re bitching about us not spending enough time together, all you had to do is say something and I would have obliged. Since when have I not helped you out in any way I can? It’s why you’re here in the first place.”
“And THAT right there is the problem!”
“What?”
“You treating me like a second class citizen around here!”
“Are you kidding me? I gave you fucking complete freedom!”
“You know that doesn’t matter. Not really in the scheme of things. You’re more powerful than me. You always will be and you will always see me as your lesser. Sometimes it feels like you scold me as if I was some child.”
“Well when you act like one at times, that’s what happens. And if I really saw you as my lesser, I wouldn’t have even bothered with you in the first place. I saw something special in you, but obviously I was mistaken. Besides all that, don’t give me that I never let you have fun business because it’s not even true in the first place. If anything I’ve been TOO permissive. You’re on a fucking power trip right now and while I get it because you feel like you’re getting the attention you feel you deserve, I’m telling you right now that if you continue like this, it’s going end badly.”
“I don’t understand WHY you’re giving me shit for this. You do the same thing with Dert, you’re just less hands on.”
“Exactly. I’m not rolling around in the pigpen with the pork chops! You’re in there, not only rolling around with them, you’re also fucking the pigs. AND don’t even tell me that you don’t do that, because you stink of humans most nights when you come back. Though I’m not so much mad about that bit as I am severely disappointed.”
“So what are you saying exactly?”
‘What I’m saying is YOU are heading down a path that I’ve seen play out several times with others I was close to in the past. Not really willing to go through it again.”
“So, what then? You’re going to forbid me to do this then?”
“No, actually I’m not. You’re a free willed vampire, go play with your mortals and lord it over them. That seems to be what is making you happy. What I am saying however is if you insist on doing this though, you’ll be doing it elsewhere because I’m not going to sit by and watch the inevitable, let alone get caught up in it. Obviously you feel stifled here, so maybe you need to go do this anyway.”

Well that’s done it for you. You’re not going to get threatened by an ultimatum. You and Isabella haven’t been getting along for a while now anyway. If she’s giving you the option for a clean break now, you probably should take it while you can.

“I’ll be gone tomorrow night. I trust that will be okay.” You answer.
“Fine by me. You can sleep elsewhere in the crypt though, because you certainly won’t be sleeping in my bed.” Isabella says.
“Yeah, probably for the best.”
“Well then, it was fun while lasted and I hope you succeed in whatever it is that you’re trying to achieve. Goodbye.”

And with those cold last words, Isabella turns and leaves you.

While maybe you sort of knew this was coming for some time, there is a part of you that’s going to miss Isabella. She did do so much for you, but ultimately you needed your freedom the most.

And now you have it.

The next night, you leave the crypt with what little belongings you still have attachment to as quick as you can. You don’t bump into Isabella; you assume she’s in her garden as usual.

You make your way to Maldito, where you are met with the usual praise and submissive behavior.

“Vic, get all your best builders and tradespeople together, I want a meeting with them.” You order.
“Um, okay m’lord.” Vic answers.

You meet with them to let them know that you’re going to be around a lot more often, so you want a proper home, rather than the simple empty one room house they just let you use when you are here.

Your news is met with an overjoyed reaction for the most part, though you get the impression some are just reacting more out of fear of defying you. In any case, you aren’t asking for much in the short term. Just a small underground area underneath the house you stay at.

“Oh! So like a root cellar!” one of them beams.
“Yeah…just like a root cellar.” You answer rolling your eyes a bit.

In any case it’s a simple enough task for them that you figure they won’t take long in doing it. In the meantime, you have the unpleasant task of digging a hole in the forest and sleeping there. The first night is a real wake up call of how much better it was sleeping in a nice soft bed next to Isabella, but you need to get over that.

A month passes and it’s still not finished mainly because one of the more skilled carpenters had a heart attack on the job. You’re pissed about this inconvenience, but it is what it is. In the meantime, when you make your usual meeting with Green Eye’s community, you tell the guard at the entrance that you won’t require a child every month anymore. Instead, they can just bring a girl like Green Eye originally suggested.

By the middle of the second month it’s still not finished. You have no idea what the hell is holding these idiots up. Vic says something about the structural integrity is shaky and there being a danger over everything caving in. You’re getting irritated to the point that you almost lash out and kill one of them, but then you realize you need these fools right now.

So you kill the tavern owner instead. Not like serving drinks is a job that requires special skills that you need. Besides, his wife can take over and she’s more compliant to you anyway.

You start wondering if this would go faster if you made them ghouls. The main problem that you can see is that they’re all weak humans that aren’t even in the best of shape in the first place and require sleep and regular food. If you made them ghouls they’d work for you tirelessly night and day. (They’d be able to see in the dark as well) And they could eat…well anything really.

There isn’t really much stopping you now, since you now ARE here constantly to monitor their behavior.

Though there is a real desire to still not do it too, since you’d essentially be “rewarding” them all for shit work so far. If you were going to do it, you’d rather do for those that deserve it at least.
> You leave them human
You’re not rewarding these people any more than you have to. These mortals are just going to have to work harder.

The rest of the month passes and fortunately they seem to be making better progress with the project, should be done by next month at least.

Before that happens you go over to Green Eye’s mine to pick up your tribute. There’s a single hobgoblin guard at the entrance with a girl looking down the entire time.

“Here’s the new tribute. Green Eye says he hopes she is suitable and assures you that she has not been touched by anyone here.” The hobgoblin remarks.

You look at the peasant girl who is obviously frightened out of her mind, but too terrified to run or do anything.

“Look at me.” You command and lift her chin up so she looks into your eyes. You say a few commanding words to her and soon she loses all will of her own. She then walks away from Green Eye and holds you tightly.

“Shit, wish I had that ability. It would make a whole of things much easier with the missus.” The hobgoblin remarks.
“Tell Green Eye, the tribute was suitable.” You say and then leave with your tribute to head back home.

The third month rolls around and at last your humans have finished your home. You inspect it and find nothing out of place. It looks like it was reinforced with several pillars and they even tried their best to make it look “homey.”

“Do you like it m’lord? We tried to make sure that everything would be comfortable for you and later we can expand on it if you wish.” Vic asks in his usual toadying manner.
“Yeah it’s fine, and get back! You are entirely too fucking close!” you shout, slapping him.

Honestly it’s a far cry from Isabella’s crypt, but it’s better than sleeping in a dug out hole in the ground in the forest. You’re in a mildly jovial mood so you decide to celebrate by spending the night in it not doing much of anything except feeding on and fucking a couple of the village girls. There are no objections obviously.

Night passes into day and while you’re fast asleep, you’re suddenly awakened by the noise above you. At first you think it’s just the villagers being noisy, but by the sounds of yelling and screaming, something else is going on.

“Shit...” you say to yourself already knowing what might be going on.

Since you drank one of the girls dry last night, you tell the remaining living one to go take a quick peek at what’s going on. She does so and as soon as she pops her head up from the trapdoor, a gun blast is heard and her body drops from the top of the ladder and on the floor in front of you. Most of her face is blown off.

“Yubin, you bleedin’ idjit! Ya supposed ta shoot da pale man! Quick! Reload! Reload!” you hear an orc shout.

Those backstabbing…they are going to rue this day…

You quickly make your way up the ladder and find yourself facing several of Green Eye’s boys.

“Shit! Daggers!” the closest orc shouts.

You make quick work of the orc shouting orders and then the one immediately next to him. Several of the humans and halfbreeds attempt to stab you next, and the last one of them just manages to sink his blade into your shoulder before you break his neck.

The pain is more than you expected it to be. It doesn’t just feel like a sharp pain, but more like a hot burning sensation all throughout your shoulder and top part of your arm.

You pull it out and see why. The blade is silver.

“Sonof…Argh!” you utter when you feel a blast of gunshot in your back from Yubin who was busily reloading his musket just outside the doorway to the house. The silver in the shot is enough to drop you.

“He’s not dead yet! Shoot him! Shoot him again!” you hear Vic shout.
“I can’t! I’m outta da stuff! I’m gettin’ outta here!” Yubin’s remarks and then runs off.
“Shit. HEY! Get Big Tooth over here, we need his help! It’s the man who killed his brother anyway!”

You can’t believe Vic is working with Green Eye’s bandits. When did this happen? Was this always the case? Was it the long con? Did he have some secret meeting recently?

In any case it doesn’t matter. Vic and several of the bandits have already returned to the house. One of the bandits, Big Tooth is an ogre. Vic orders him to drag your ass out of the house while the others attempt to help. Normally, you’d be strong enough to resist, but you’re partially paralyzed from the silver shot lodged in your spine and it isn’t healing anytime soon.

Big Tooth drags you by both legs and while you struggle, even taking down one of the bandits along the way; it doesn’t take long before Big Tooth’s strength (which is also enhanced due to his anger that you killed his brother last year) manages to get you to the doorway and that’s when you start feel the burn of the sun.

You snarl and try to hang on to anything so as to not get dragged all the way out, but the other bandits start hacking at your hands with their silver daggers causing you to eventually lose your grip after losing several fingers.

Big Tooth gives one more pull and you are at last fully exposed to the sun. You roll around screaming in agony as your skin begins to burn.

All around you the village isn’t doing too much better, what with some of it being in flames and all. Green Eye’s men are finally finishing the job you prevented them from doing last year.

Your last thoughts are of how Isabella was right about this not ending well, just before Big Tooth stomps your burning skull into nothing but bloody brains and bone fragments.