(( My bad. Actually, previous thread is http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/7702178/ .))

Sheryl, a young streetwalker you recruited to your service with gold and promises, has proven herself quite useful as your agent amongst the living. Though she does not yet know your undead nature, she has not left you even when it became clear that you were far less scrupulous than she had ever expected.

Numerous summoned servitors, each with their own set of abilities, are ready to do whatever you ask of them. Their magical and mundane skills can do what yours cannot, and have proven invaluable in almost all your successes thus far.

Sarai, an older vampire who described herself as an assassin and mercenary, allowed you to use some of her supplies and stay in her concealed crypt in the merchant's district for the first few days you were in the city.

Bryden, a much older vampire who has apparently attempted repeated rebellion against your lord, has secured himself a position as a noble in the city and provided you with some information and contacts.

>>7706077
Your imp isn't back yet, but your spellrat is still with you and should be relatively inconspicuous. You order it and your air spirit to scout the general area and determine if anyone's lurking about spying on you, or if you were followed from the city. With an affirmative squeak- it doesn't seem able to actually speak using its rodent vocal cords, although it's demonstrated its literacy- the rat dashes off, and the spirit departs silently.

>>7706058
With your effects moved in and any followers taken care of, you turn to Sheryl, who is the only one of your group not moving confidently through the darkness- indeed, she seems to cling to her lantern rather uncomfortably. Moving around at night isn't something humans are really suited for, and being out in the wilderness, far away from the city's generally brighter streets, doesn't help. It seems foolish for her to stay in an inn in the city when you will generally want her nearby and could use an inconspicuous guardian during the day. "Sheryl, I would prefer that you live here if possible. I am not available during the day and would appreciate having someone unlikely to attract attention around to handle any matters which come up."

She looks a bit confused. "Not around during the day, Lady? Might I ask...?"

You sigh. Getting into the whole vampire thing is probably a bad idea, although she's likely to figure it out eventually. Still... "I'm sure you have questions for me. You've proved very competent and skilled these last few days, and I want there to be a level of trust between us. You may not be prepared for some of the answers, however."

Sheryl looks hesitant. "I- I see. I can move in if you want, Lady. Is it just me and your..." She glances at the faeling lounging behind you uncertainly, looking a bit concerned that she might insult it. "Your servants, then?"

"Yes." You might eventually want other living humans to serve you, but for now just Sheryl is fine. "Each of the summoned creatures has their own set of skills and personality, but they should be generally helpful to you if you need anything as you are also in my service."

At that she looks somewhat relieved. It's one thing to accept a message from an imp, and another to live with it, you suppose. You've gotten rather used to it. "Then, I don't think I will ask any other questions right now, Lady. If something comes up in the future, I will see you then."

>>7706100 >>7706081
Before retiring, you call upon your sprite, which arrives rapidly. "I am making this my place of residence. Can you see that the grounds are well kept, and perhaps arrange for a hedge or something to stop unwanted guests from merely wandering up?" You consider putting in something more overtly hostile, but quickly conclude that it would be far too conspicuous.

The sprite nods. "It will take time to grow such a thing, Lady, but I will see it done."

"Thank you. Also, could you direct the earth elemental in relocating the cave entrance and making it more obscure, so that others are unlikely to find it?"

The sprite smiles proudly. "That is already done, Lady. Your chosen retreat is quite well concealed."

That's good to hear. The sprite seems to have been quite proactive. You dismiss it and move on to other things. Your air spirit and spellrat return with the news that no one seems to be nearby, so that's one score on which you can relax. You probably haven't been tracked here.

Just before daybreak, your imp returns with the shade and earth spirit in tow.The apprentice shade gives its report in a smooth telepathic murmur. [Lady Sorceress, the earth spirit is not the ideal creature to use for such scouting operations. Its mind is not firmly tied to mortal concepts; it was unable to determine which of the buildings was a residence. After looking at a score of warehouses and businesses, it finally led us to the Evenwell mansion, and we were able to locate the mage's wing. There are numerous wards and traps on individual items and containers, but most of them can be evaded if you are not looking to go after those items. Much of the library is unguarded, as are several of the less powerful magical tools.]

That sounds exceptionally tempting. Still, there is little time to do anything about it tonight. You thank your servants and retire to your coffin with the sun.

***

A new night. You arise to find that Sheryl has done some basic straightening and cleaning of the house during the day, directing the servitors to help her. Actually, everyone appears to be moving in rather neatly- the spellrat appears to have persuaded the sprite and earth spirit to craft it a burrow beneath the hedge that the sprite is planting, the faeling seems to have claimed an upstairs room and relocated several of the smaller bits of furniture there to suit her tastes, and the mimir and shade are discussing the philosophy behind some sort of esoteric magical theory in the basement. The skull is being much more friendly than it ever is to you, you note after a moment listening to them.

Regardless, there are potential tasks ahead. And you're feeling somewhat hungry; perhaps you should go hunting again.

What should you do now?

>>7708902
Right, /this/ time we'll feed upon a deer or something. We're only going for the books, since that would likely not raise any suspicion, whereas some missing magical items, minor though they may be, would.

>>7708969
confirming only going for the books

>>7708902

First, brace ourselves for the inevitable shitstorm that comes down when things are going alright.

Second, have the sprite plant a kitchen garden for Sheryl, and a garden for magical herbs and other ingredients for us.

Third, have the air spirit carry the spell-rat to the library and try and compile a list of magical tomes available, in particular focusing on summoning, we're going to want to be selective about what we grab.

Fourth ask the earth spirit if there are any veins of precious metals or gemstones nearby.

Finally, put on your short sword and head back into town for some hunting.

>>7708969

I seem to recall that feeding on animals would slowly degrade our mental state.

>>7709095
currently, the theory goes that doing it every once in a while will have a negligible effect.

>>7709095
Only if that's all we eat continuously over the course of several weeks. It's like going without blood normally, only this way you at least feel full, even if you're not getting the nutrients you need..

>>7709093
I like this.

Is there still no further word from Bryden? Oh well, but I think it's about time we go collect our gold from Sarai.

Whoops, forgot to take off my trip.
>>7708902
Have the spirits steal as much of the unguarded library and magical tools as possible. Find out if they can steal the warded stuff if they go in together, and if they have suggestions on spirits that could make the theft easier. If they can get at the warded stuff now, they might steal the unguarded stuff, then go for the guarded - books especially. We can lurk outside with a sack. Ask the amount of stuff, and dimensions of the magical tools.

We should steal some unguarded magical items from the Evenwells as well, we can use them for further negotiations and money with the smugglers. Just make sure there's no identifying marks on them which can't be removed.

>>7709204
>>7709206

We should probably go for subtlety here. A few books on summoning, general magic theory and maybe blood/regeneration magic go missing, hopefully we pull it off well enough that no one notices until someone goes and takes an inventory.

The more we steal the more likely we'll be noticed, and the more likely the nobles will dispach someone to retrieve their property. We could probably deal with that, but it'd be a pain in the ass.

>>7709204
>>7709206
No, leave the items be. The library itself is ignored and no one will notice if any of the books go missing, unless we take half of them. If we take any of the magical items however, it would alert the household that there had been a theft.

>>7709253
If we conceal them well enough, noone can find them. Unless, of course, there are magical tracers.

Ask the Mimir if there are methods of detecting magical "traces" - by spirits or otherwise.

>>7709253
Heck, even if the don't know it was us, just the knowledge that there is someone robbing magical items would cause more protection to be put into effect and could have many unforeseen consequences.

>>7709284
Our shade and faeling can detect magic, and the shade's involved in the heist.

>>7709311
SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP.

I knew that.

We have two choices: One, steal every magical object that isn't nailed down and on fire. While carrying a claw hammer and bucket of sand, just incase. Two: Steal what won't be noticed.

Two means we can pull further heists. One means we get a massive score and security will be tightened.

I favor one, obviously. Thoughts?

>>7709349

I agree with this.

Oh, on a completely random note. Maybe we should try learning to fly? I mean several vamps seem to be able to do that. Hell, if the library has a book on vampires it might be worth nabbing that as well.

WHY DON'T WE SUMMON MORE SERVANTS THIS EVENING.

Then do a full force thievery raid.

>>7709402
EXCELLENT OPTION, SIR. As many.. air spirits? As we can, with the shade and the spellrat. They can lift us into the mansion and we can run like crazy as a library flies out the window.

ONLY BOOKS

>>7709388
Flying sounds useful but I bet it would be hard. We should start practicing, or at least learning about it.

As for the burglary, I vote for taking the useful books and perhaps a small unprotected magic item or two. Taking everything seems like a bad idea.

>>7709349
Still gonna advise that we only go for books. Since that's all we need right now.

I'm now imaging Sheryl and our servitors reenacting some demented version of a Disney fairy tale where a princess calls a bunch of woodland critters to help her clean house.

>>7709162
Yes. Plus, I'd like her to give us some informations about the guard.

Ask the name of our servants, at least those who have one. Tell them to use ours if they wish so.

Talk to the shade about our current needs and capacities as a sorceress. Go in town with the air spirit, the imp, the faeling and the shade. The fealing should disguise us as a noble's servant.
Send ahead the air spirit and the imp to take the books and the shade to select them. We need conjuration tomes, and illusion/transmutation ones. When they are ready, approach the mansion, get them to bring the books, and be on your way.

We need to ask the Mimir and Shade about:

Flight spells.
Magical sodomy.
Minor telekinesis - possible?
Methods of ward defeating - do we require spells? Can we identify without the aid of spirits as to what the wards will do, ie: Alarms? Spell response? Physical blockage?
Is there a method of transfiguration into the shade's state, even if it is far in the future? If so, what sort of books are we likely to find it in, and can they help us create a spell formula for it? Because, you know, being able to pass through walls would be fucking useful. Just being able to turn into a ghost would be useful.

>>7709501

I agree with this for the raid, but we may want to do some housekeeping first.

>>7709501
Also: Tracking spells. we need to locate our boyfriend really badly.

If we're taking only the books let's take them all and not just the summoning books. It'd look very suspicious as there are already tales about someone stealing a table, and if the blacksmith ever let the word out then people already know there's a rogue summoner out and about. All it would take to connect some dots and inquire to the local candle shop or silversmith and they'd have our description.

>>7709501
We need them to tell us about magic that plays on our own magical nature in general.

>>7709488
I almost forgot. We need to talk to sarai about the master. We still don't know why he put us there, what he's expecting of us. Why did he make us a bride ? Apparently not for the sex. Is he coming back one day ?
And more importantly, how are we tied to him ? If we leave the town and go burn on some sunny tropical island, does he care ? Has he some special ability which allow him to find us ?

>>7709532
ARGH. I mean "Can we track someone we know REALLY well with only our memories?"

IF that fucker has shacked up with someone, we need to send a HORDE of fire spirits to OBLITERATE HIS SOUL.

>>7709612
Stealing a few books won't be noticed, stealing a library will.

>>7709629
Yeah. Sheryl getting caught would be.. bad. We should start having the air sprite steal them instead.

>>7708969
The most immediate matter should be dealt with first, you decide- time to go hunting. Rhiannon warned you against hunting animals exclusively, but you would really like to avoid killing any more humans at the moment if you can avoid it. You leave your home and bound through the darkness of the wilderness, letting the breeze flow over your pale skin and the scents and sounds of the forest reach your unnaturally keen nose and ears. The pulse of thousands of tiny heartbeats calls to you, and it doesn't take long to locate a potential bit of prey- the forest is full of them. Their lives are yours to reach out and snuff. You leap like lightning and grab squirrels from the trees, snatch up a fox from the brush, yank an unsuspecting owl from the air, and fall upon a raccoon powerless before your strength. You leave a trail of small, bloodless corpses behind you, each providing you with a taste of joy and the satisfaction that nothing which walks the night can best you- no petty natural thing stands a chance before your might and grace.

It is several hours before your hunt winds down and you return home, flush with victory. Well, you imagine that you would have been flush when you were alive and felt like this; you're as pallid as ever.

>>7709093
Several minor matters come to mind. You call your sprite and discuss briefly with it the possibility of cultivating herbs, both for esoteric magical purposes should you learn any alchemy and more mundane ones like cooking and poison. It assures you that creating such a garden would be trivial and that it will handle it.

You ask the earth spirit if there are any veins of gems or precious metals in the area; it explains awkwardly that it doesn't know, but can look. You dispatch it to do so.

>>7709204 >>7709253 >>7709146
With that accomplished, you gather your servants for a trip into town. The imp, shade, rat, faeling, and air spirit all accompany you over the city wall and conceal themselves- or each other, in some cases- as you drop by Sarai's, where you find a note addressed to you and a bag containing fifty-one gold coins.
<I haven't bothered to keep track of where you're living these days and figure you'll stop by eventually, so here's the pay for the imp. Cheerful little one, isn't she? If this works out, we might want to talk about further business and some risks you might not be aware of.
-S>

That sounds vaguely ominous, but you decide it can't be that urgent based on Sarai's tone and depart confidently for the Evenwell mansion, fifty coins richer.

The mansion is in the rich section of town, so you're stuck staying off the streets due to your rather working-class appearance. Fortunately, moving through grounds in the dark and hopping walls is easy for you now, and even somewhat entertaining. Eventually the imp tells you that you've arrived.

>>7709612
You do realize it's likely that there are dozens if not hundreds of books, right? The only way we're going to be able to go about this unnoticed is if we only take maybe a dozen books.

And heaven forbid we take some of the warded stuff. There will be serious investigations. And then they hear about some girl who had this table brought up from a storehouse, raised a ruckus at the silversmith, and went back. And say, didn't they leave that storehouse just a couple of days ago? Left town? Well, there aren't that many places around the city they could stop at with their cart as loaded as it was...

And that's how they could find us. Just take a few books and leave.

The mansion in question is much like those around it, large and opulent, clearly meant as much to display wealth as to provide a pleasant environment for the occupants. The grounds are large and poorly lit, although you do notice several young men and women conversing cheerfully in the gardens around glasses of wine. Some of the windows have light spilling forth, but the imp points to several darkened ones. "In there, Mistress," it hisses. "What's the plan?"

You consider for a moment. You obviously can't enter the house, though your spirits can; you'd like to take as much of the wealth within the library as possible, but that's simply not practical at the moment. Worse, it might raise alarms, prompting the noble family to try and locate their lost property; a few divinations could lead to a great deal of trouble.

"All of you, go. Avoid triggering any alarms, and bring me books on summoning, general magical theory- particularly for those just learning the craft- and anything else which in your judgment I would find exceptionally useful. Do not take more than ten items total." Your servitors move out, and you watch them open a window and enter the mansion.

It takes them a long time to return. Had they been human agents you would have grown nervous, but through your binding you can feel that they are in no difficulty. Eventually, they come back burdened with six tomes almost as large as they, a small silver ring, and a black pearl on a chain.

You can probably transport a few more books and items, should you tell your servants to take more, but the more you take the greater the odds of detection. What should you do?

>>7709612

Silversmith never saw our face, neither has any candle maker. The only people who know who and what we are who aren't vampires themselves are the smugglers. Sheryl might be at risk, but that's kind of what we're paying her for.

Besides, silversmith thinks there's some horrible lurking creature who'll murder his child if pissed off (which isn't quite true I hope) and isn't likely to talk.

Plus, again, the point of this is that these books aren't being used, and no one is likely to notice they're missing. If they can't pin down the time of the theft it becomes much harder to put the pieces together.

>>7709700
We got what we came for. Let's GTFO.

>>7709703
We have to take care of Sheryl.

Ask if they saw any other bits of paraphernalia in there of the magical variety. Ask what the bits and pieces they stole are. A complete list.

They should also steal some gold coins, gems or something from the general area of the library so that it's something like a standard robbery. Maybe leave some false evidence - direct the air sprite to find a sleeping guard. Have it or the imp steal a tiny thing from him that looks distinctive and place it inside. It might throw off suspicion - someone paid him to steal books and jewelry and some gold, or he just took it all himself to see what he could get.

>>7709700
Ask them about the pearl and the ring. We don't want to take anything that might be noticed.
Let's go with what we've got. Anyway, we'll be able to come if it really isn't noticed.

Let's be on the side of caution for now. We've taken a considerable amount already, more then enough to keep us occupied for the coming nights. We can always come back and take more.

>>7709700

We rolled the dice. We won. Let's cash out now while we're ahead.

First head back to our house, and take stock of what we've got.

Second, send a note to Sarai. "I would very much appreciate discussing things with you."

>>7709775
No. Nothing shoould be noticed. We are not short on money, and gems and metals can be found by the earth elemental.

Take our loot back to our new house, and then sort through it a bit; find out exactly what we've gotten our hands on. I think what we've stolen may largely determine our next action.

>>7709800
this

>>7709805
Fine. But we are down to 150gold, and we have to stop buying candles - Sheryl is too valuable to be noticed. We can steal them and leave coins in their place via the spirit. If she gets arrested, she might well just sell us out - she isn't that loyal yet.

Hmmm!
Tomes on the creation of Elementals?!

>>7709805
That's if he finds any veins. Even if he does I imagine the process of harvesting those in significant quantities will require several elemental. As it stands we have a fair amount of cash rolling around, but you can never have enough.

I'd say we have enough now.
We can always come back for a glorious thievery blast later.

>>7709844
>Might get arrested for buying completely normal candles.

I'm intrigued as to the train of thought that led to that conclusion.

>>7709890
Agreed. We send it in to steal any easily found money.
>>7709870
This, this, a thousand times this. Full blown elementals? A wood, earth, water, fire, air and metal elemental at our command? Need!

>>7709908
A woman constantly buys large quantities of candles when there is a rogue summoner in town. She's especially picky about the variety and type.

>>7709908

It is just one more possible item to be added to other strange occurrences and observations that may lead to a sorcerous conclusion.

>>7709926
Except that no one knows that there's a summoner in town, it's not constantly, I'm assuming she's smart enough not to buy them constantly from the same place, they're not in any way distinctive, she recently bought us enough to last at least a week, she's not at all picky about type or variety...

The list goes on. Oh, and let's add that there have been several robberies going on. I think a former prostitute buys some candle will go unnoticed.

Get back to our house.

Ask the name of the servants who have one, offer them to use ours.

Send the rat to scout out the criminal organisations, starting with sheryl's pimp. She should give him a few informations.

Talk to the shade about the books we have. We still need some Alter self spell soon, and we have to develop that longer binding spell and the greater circle.

Pay attention to sarai's imp, we'll visit her when she's back to her place.

Ask sheryl to go buy cushions and draperies, and some furniture for the house, and give her some money. Tell her that she is not to go in the basement. Ask the earth elemental to make a tunnel going from there to the nearest sewer.

>>7709976
One more bit of evidence, and they might bring in mages to work out how the books left - postcognition, or magical resonance. Which will reveal spirits.

Hey, let's stop by a bank on the way home and steal enough gold to buy drinks for the entire town!

>>7709976
>Implying unseen forces have not noticed her.

>>7709926
We're in a medieval setting. Everyone buys candles, and a lot of them. They're not associated with magic.

>>7710045
Yes but when this same person is also seen carting around a large stone table to a silversmith's shop things get a bit more suspicious.

>>7709993
By the way, we also need a map of the sewers. I guess the earth elemental and the imp can manage that.

>>7710086

And buying an out-of-the-way house.

It's a cumulative effect.

>>7710086
Even smugglers need candles. Whatever suspicion we raised with that table, and even if sheryl has been identified precisely by the same person back there and in a candle shop, they won't be raised more from buying candles.

>>7710142
They will when she walks out of town to a house recently purchased that a former whore could not possibly afford, by a mysterious invisible woman.

>>7710107
You're assuming she's been stalked constantly for all this time.
But there's no link between the people who saw her at those different occasions.

>>7710183

There doesn't need to be a link.
Just an interested private investigator, and time.

>>7710175
No one knows what she's been doing before, and the broker already saw us as a perfectly normal looking woman.

>>7709747 >>7709775 >>7709780
>>7709792 >>7709800 >>7709805
You pause at the pearl and ring. The idea here was to take things which would go unnoticed; what were these? Would they be missed? You lift the two items and hold them toward your servitors. "What are these?"

The faeling speaks first. "The pearl is an aid to mental focus; it should function as long as it's touching the skin. A minor item, but a highly useful one for someone with your abilities, Lady."

[Indeed. The ring is equally minor, but also useful; it can serve as a lasing device for magical energies, should you cast spells through it.] The rat squeaks at the shade, and it adds a further comment. [As my furred colleague observes, amplifae such as that are common enough that it is likely the mage living there possessed several; we saw a more powerful one behind a rather nasty magical trap.]

That was comforting. Neither of the items they'd taken were likely to be critical or iconic- the sort of thing that the noble family would go chasing down if they weren't located easily. Secure in that knowledge, you decide not to press your luck and order your servitors to depart, crossing through darkened gardens until you can cross the city wall once more.

>>7710229
No, we looked FUCKING WEIRD. Just with LIVELY BLUE EYES and terrible vision.

Back at your home, you investigate your new arcane texts. Two are on general principles of magic, one clearly meant for apprentices and one more advanced. The next two are on the topic of summoning, although a quick glance through one it shows that it was written by someone who disapproved of the practice and will be of more theoretical than practical use. The second might be better, but it is a relatively introductory tome as well. The fifth is a discussion of the principles of elemental animation, which the imp boasts he recalled you had been studying. Finally, the last tome is a lengthy book on the nature and practices of various undead creatures- the section on vampires, you find, is quite extensive, though written from a decidedly hostile perspective to your current eyes.

With a cursory look-over completed, you write out and send a note to Sarai, informing her that you would be glad to meet her whenever convenient and requesting that she set a time. Hopefully she'll be able to tell you more about her vaguely referenced threat.

>>7709993
You awaken Sheryl, who had fallen asleep during your absence, and instruct her to purchase such things as are necessary to bring the house up to a reasonable standard over the next few days- cushions, draperies, furniture, and so forth. You also ask her to explain the nature of the underworld in the city to your spellrat, and although she clearly feels awkward speaking to a rodent she quickly outlines the structure of things as she had to you previously. You order the rat to spend some time learning a bit about where to find the various underworld figures, and it nods sagely in acknowledgment.

With all that done, you have a bit less than half the night left to you. What will you do?

>>7710205
Private investigators want to be paid to investigate, and they do need links to advance.

>>7710142

I don't think anyone is arguing that it's solely the damn candles that are suspicious. People are arguing that with this theft of primarily summoning books compounded with the other rumors and crimes that have sprung up could very well lead someone to the conclusion that a sorcerer specialized in summoning has just arrived in town. In this town mages are pretty strictly held by people in power, that means that if someone does decide that there's a summoner they can and probably will tell a higher up who will either seek to bind us to their service or destroy us. So if want to keep operating alone then we need to either lay low or mask this crime.

Look at it this way. Which is more noticeable: a person buying an unusually large number of candles, or someone breaking in and stealing candles? Possible leaving coins as payment, I believe someone said.

Now if I were investigating, I'd reckon that someone would break in and pay because they didn't want anyone to know that they were buying candles. Now who has been buying lots of candles lately...

You see? Doing it that way just makes us more suspect.

>>7710270
Send our the shade to look for sources of magic within the city - tools, for example. Books. Whatever. It likely knows what to look for. Send the air spirit out to steal the materials we need for a greater circle unobserved. Check with the earth elemental - has it found anything? Have the imp guard Sheryl, and see if she is being followed. If so, try to ID who is following her.

Settle down and start studying the tome of elemental animation.

>>7710270
research vampires; the propagation of such particularly. What powers does our lord have over us? Is there any way to "de-vampire" a vampire short of killing it?

>>7710270
Check the slabs of the cave. I want to put the coffin under one.

>>7710307
Not if we send the fae. Fae do bizarre things. Or we could have it clean the store and take candles in exchange. That's the sort of things brownies do.

Fuck it, let's summon a brownie. Have it clean the store and take candles. Ask Sheryl if there is anything she needs or requires. And when we're done, read that tome of elemental animation.

>>7710307
Who the fuck is arguing we start stealing candles, the argument is we should start being more careful. We're leaving little breadcrumbs everywhere and if we leave too many more a very obvious conclusion can and will be drawn.

>>7710270

Hostile is good for the vampire text. Hopefully it will take extra special care detailing vampire weaknesses.
The elemental animation text appears to be the most useful, the others seem to contain information in which we should already be versed.

Clarification: By 'lasing,' you mean the process of population inversion and stimulated emission?
(Is it simply a resonance cavity, or does it have capacitive/battery functions?)

>>7710270

Closely read the section on Vampires, in particular look for weaknesses and abilities we haven't used.

Give the academic summoning book to the Mimir and the Shade, with an air spirit to turn the pages and make corrections. Have them look it over and confirm it's accuracy.

Once we're done with the book on Vampires, read up on elementals. If we can create a couple of earth elementals we just might be able to solve our cashflow worries.

>>7710270
Has the earth spirit found any veins of valuable metals or pockets of gems?

>>7710270
The shade should go do the same as the rat, but with the organization of the legitimate side of the town. The town's guard, the mayor... Locate important figures, take notes on the magical protections on them or on the buildings, and while he's at it, gather informations about the eventual investigations on our deeds.

>>7710404
Speaking of minerals what are the required ones for the creation of the greater circle?

IDEA!
We should also research Ward creation and destruction at some point.

Elemental animation studying should be a pretty high priority, though.
Being able to perform it on the fly would be a useful offensive magic.

>>7710375
A brownie would be nice, but UM said there's no fey in urban environments. It would only draw unwanted attention.

>>7710463
IIRC, lots of jewels, gems, and a gold inlay.

For now, read up on vampires. Hopefully we can learn something about our weaknesses and ability to fly, etc.

Second on the list is the introductory summoning book, to back up our current knowledge and maybe help work on that year-long binding spell. The more advanced one may be of help, but I suspect it will be more useful once we can complete our greater summoning circle.

Third is to find out how to animate elementals, that could be extremely useful.

All of this is assuming that we're not disturbed by a message from somebody.

>>7710554
..brownies ARE urban fae, but fair enough. Anyway: Study tome of elemental animation. Keep the mimir nearby to offer critique and knowledge on the book.

Send our the shade to look for sources of magic within the city - tools, for example. Books. Whatever. It likely knows what to look for. Send the air spirit out to steal the materials we need for a greater circle unobserved. Check with the earth elemental - has it found anything? Have the imp guard Sheryl, and see if she is being followed. If so, try to ID who is following her.

I think we should start round out our magical abilities. Learn some spells that would be useful in emergency situations. Learn some spells to better cover our tracks and hide our actions. Learn some spells that would be particularly useful to us as a vampire.

Lets do some work on making a gelatinous cube. That would be handy for disposing of bodies.

>>7710270
I'm beginning to feel worried about something. Do I know my name ?

>>7710617
We already did this, no ?

>>7710656

We need to gather the somewhat esoteric and largely unnamed resources.

>>7710639
oh hey good point

>>7710675
Actually, racoon skull, some feathers, bones, gelatin and a ritual was most of it. It was all listed in an earlier thread.

>>7710757
Ask the sprite to collect several sets of those.

>>7710388
The amplifae has no battery functions; it can only alter and focus magical energies, not store them.

As for things in which you should be versed, your education has been spotty to the point that most mages would call you a pretender to the title. You could definitely benefit from time spent studying the background knowledge contained in all the texts you've acquired.

>>7710330 >>7710391
Before setting into study, you ensure that your summoned creatures have tasks to keep them occupied. You give the more useful tome on summoning to the mimir and shade, telling them to look through it and find any inaccuracies or points on which they might have suggestions. You detail the faeling to help them.

You then send the air spirit out to try and locate stores of the materials you'll need for your greater circle- gems and precious metals, primarily, since you don't know how it would even be able to identify many of the other objects. They're quite specific- heartwood taken from a living tree during a full moon, the finger bone of a child born deaf, and similar things which strike you as full of eldritch purpose that you don't really understand. You don't hold much hope that it will be able to find anything, but perhaps you'll get lucky.

You call up the earth spirit next. It takes but a moment to determine that it has had no success thus far and send it back to its task.

The sprite you ask to gather the necessary materials to create a gelatinous cube, recalling your very first creation with some small measure of fondness. It sets off to do so.

Finally, you tell your imp to guard Sheryl as she carries out her tasks, and assist her as necessary. She's the only human servant you have, and leaving her without any backup or help strikes you as wrong.

With all that done, you settle into the study of the tome discussing basic elemental animation, comfortably relaxed as you expand your arcane knowledge by just a bit. The murmur of voices from your servants discussing arcana across the room is soothing, and the rest of the night passes quickly.

***

Another night. You have a reply from Sarai asking you to meet her an hour or so before dawn at her crypt if you wish to discuss matters, but aside from that your night is free.

What will you do?

>>7710841

An hour before dawn?
Well now I believe I sense a trap.

We should send our Imp to contact her Imp and request a report on her activities.

>>7710841
visit sarai and study, obviously.

>>7710841

Work on the long term summoning spell. From the sound of Sarai's note, and Sheryl's suspicions, events may move quickly on us, and we don't want to screw those smugglers over, even inadvertently.

Check if we can make it back from Sarai's crypt to our house in time if we only have an hour before dawn. What's our margin of error there?

If we can comfortably make it back we should go. Otherwise send a note saying that we regretfully cannot make the meeting, can we meet at the beginning of tomorrow night.

>>7710817

Hmmm. So it makes our spells more accurate or does it provide a higher intensity beam in a smaller radius?
Or does it allow us to trade time for power (charging/resonating time for a more powerful bolt?)

What would happen if we used it for summoning as opposed to sorcerous bolt?

>>7710904
A trap indeed.
We *did* annoy one of Sarai's friends.
Perhaps the Madame hired Sarai to kill us.

>>7710841
Ask the imp if it could see the shade if the shade was trying to conceal itself - she has one of our imps. OR, better still - ask the imp we have bound for her, by mental command, if she's plotting against us. Continue our study and our tasks from last night, check in with the various spirits to see if they found anything during the day. Alter the air spirit's orders - if it finds the PRECURSOR to an item for the greater circle, like the appropriate tree (How long till the moon is full?), a deaf child, etc. Have it check into local legends of deaf children that were killed - we can have it loot the graves. Better than chopping the hand off a living kid.

Meet Sarai if she is not going to plot against us.

>>7710841
We need a sturdy door for the basement, if the one is not enough. We need a magical way to lock it. Can the earth elemental rework the stone around ? I'd like to make a sliding or rolling stone door behind the wooden one, heavy enough so that no human could move it.

>>7710966
>>7710944

Perhaps it is best to send the Shade to visit her Imp and request information, instead of our Imp.
Less chance of being spotted. Perhaps more cleverness.

>>7710817
I wonder if that ring that helps one concentrate would be the kind of magical assistance to allow us to stop feeding before killing the victim...

>>7710998
Voting to send the shade.

>>7710964
Unlikely. We paid in time and left the place. Plus, sarai works for a underworld boss.
Hm. Were you talking about that boss ? If so, I don't remember that she had any grudge with us.

We should give Sheryl a bit of gold to buy something for herself. Keeping her happy is goal #1 right now.

It may be fun to summon a strongly bound Cherubim before the meeting.
Strongly bound, it should have its attitude altered enough to be very helpful.
With light-based magic available then, we could be quite the threat for Sarai, if she shows up herself.

>>7710998
The point was that the imp could see the imp, but we don't know if the imp can see the shade. Let's send the shade to request the information, though, and spend the entire night in study while the spirits carry out last nights orders.

Any free spirits, like the faeling, should go out looking for smugglers caches and valuables in the woods. The wood sprite should go to Rhiannon, asking if she has a message for her brother, and that you'd be interested in "renting" some of her books for sums of gold. SPend the rest of the night reading.

Somebody archive this please, I have to go. =\

>>7711042
How long before we have to pay her for this week?

Why did we get all paranoid just a while ago ? We always met sarai moments before dawn. She just have other things to do with her nights.

A meeting an hour before dawn with a vampire more powerful then us, in her own home, sounds too risky until we know more.

Of course, Sarai probably knows that her imp is ultimately our thrall. I doubt she would let it in on anything she doesn't want us to know.

I say we ask to meet with her early tomorrow night.

>>7710841
Have the earth elemental report, do this >>7710989, and tell us if he can make a tunnel to the sewers under the house.

>>7711106

We're paranoid because we're reasonably sure someone's out to get us. Even if it isn't a trap, we need to make sure that we can safely meet her and still have time to discuss things.

Takes us a while to get back home. We won't be able to stay long, and may have to hide in the city.

>>7711106

Well, her friend wasn't happy with us for one.
Also, she must know we live outside the city proper now, an hour is cutting it a bit close.

>>7711062
actually, ask if she'd be interested in a message for her brother, and if yes say the cost would be renting some books, if she doesn't then instead try to rent them for gold.

>>7711106
Yea, besides we are sorta under the protection of the vampire lord. Byrn hates him but I don't think Sarai wants to piss him off.

I would be more worried that we are drawing too much attention, or pissed off someone(s) that we don't know about. I don't think we should have anything to worry about from Sarai.

>>7711156

I don't think we're under his protection at all. Case in point: Andy

I think we should summon a cherubim and a fire sprite. Send them after the Shade - then, when Sarai is asleep, we burn her out. Have them steal everything they can manage from her home.

>>7711142
Her friend is not her friend, and was just trying to get more money out of us, and she got it.
An hour is lot of time for someone with extraordinary speed.
>>7711132
Someone's out to get us ? Do we have any hint of that ? I don't remember any, and certainly none indicating sarai as the one.
>>7711122
Why would sarai try to kill us ? Why would she need a trap ?

>>7711247

A bit too harsh unprovoked.
She's also the kind of person who keeps valuables hidden and spread out.

The cherubim could be useful... if the binding is strong enough to overcome its dislike of vampires.

>>7711247
If it's done during daylight, she cannot escape, at all.

>>7711254

I'm just worried about the timing.

Well we know we've nearly started a gang war. And there've been hints we're attracting the wrong sort of attention. I do think we should meet with Sarai though, if we're sure we can get back in time.

Send the shade, do whatever the others have ordered with the spirits. Keep studying.

>>7711240
He was displeased that we killed her. He only allowed it because her way of unlife was some sort of experiment to him, and violent death was its necessary conclusion.

Bryden and sarai are not particularily aggressive people.

>>7711247
Horrible out of character idea.

>>7711318
>Implying there is an 'in-character' mode on /tg/ quests.

>>7711247
What the fuck ? Are you trying to troll ?

>>7711335
Oh fuck. Pretty please, leave the thread ?

>>7711342
>>7711318
Samefag.

>>7711318


what? we killed fucking 30 people in a WEEK.

>>7711417
>>7711335
>>7711247
samefag

>>7711417
>>7711335
>>7711247

Don't attempt to hide your samefaggin by accusing others of samefaggin.

>>7711247


oh yeah, keep summoning cherubs. Sooner or later a solar or aasimar will come looking for you.

PELOR DOES NOT LIKE VAMPIRES MESSING WITH CHERUBS NO SIR

>>7711478
I don't know about the others idsagreeing with you, but I'm by myself. Suddenly, becuase you don't like an idea, it's horrible and OOC people have to leave the thread. Which is a teheme popping up over and over again in these threads.

OH SURPRISE.

>>7711506
lol troll you mad

thats exactly what you did there

sad sad little troll

>>7711478
>>7711476
>Implying the master of implications would samefag such a blatantly foolish suggestion.
>Implying that the master of implications wouldn't use Mr. "Stay-in-character" for his own sexual pleasure.

>>7711540
>penis

I summon katana imps

gay dracula?

>>7710944
It makes spells more precise and less taxing to cast when used normally. You can use amplifae to accomplish many other useful things, but that will require additional practice using it. Without a tutor, you'll have to learn through experimentation.

>>7711042
Before doing much else, you pay Sheryl for the week. She seems to have had almost forgotten that you'd promised her such a high fee; unusual, considering how easily she was swayed by money initially. You find yourself idly wondering what's motivating her now.

>>7710989
Struck by an idea, you call your earth elemental and instruct it to pause its search for now and spend some time reinforcing the basement access, setting up a stone door heavy enough that no human would be able to move it. You tell it to smooth and reinforce the walls and ceiling as well, and over the course of the night it proceeds to make the stone flow into patterns very like you'd envisioned.

>>7711025 >>7710998
Slightly concerned by the timing of Sarai's requested meeting, even though with your vampiric speed you can probably make the distance back home in half an hour or so, you order your shade to go meet with Sarai's imp and receive a report on what she's been up to. The shade isn't invisible, but then the imp's invisibility isn't flawless and a faint incorporeal blur is unlikely to be noticed. It flies off.

You spend the bulk of the night in study, setting aside the text on elemental animation for now and attempting to work on the design of a long-duration binding spell. The work is slow, but with at least one text for reference as well as the mimir you make some progress.

Check and see if the tome on vampires has any mention of how they grow stronger, both mentally and physically.

>>7711581
He'll suck you dry!

Perhaps three hours before dawn, your shade returns with news. Sarai's imp informed it that she's been extremely busy; between the pair of them they've killed a dozen people over the last few days at the behest of Sarai's crime boss, Blue Yesh. It seems that the vampiress assassin is the best that her boss has available, and with the mounting tensions in the underworld she's been greasing a lot of axles with the blood of those standing in the way. It has no evidence that she has been plotting anything against you, however.

With that in mind, you set off with enough time that you should make the meeting well in advance, and arrive at Sarai's crypt before she does. When she gets there, it's with a grin. "Hello again. Looks like you've been as busy as I have, eh?"

You smile back. "I've certainly had a lot to do. Your note made me a bit nervous, though."

The assassin shrugs. "Didn't mean to panic you, if I did. It's just that I thought you should know that what you're up to at the moment, the summoning bit, has gotten people in a spot of trouble in the past around here. The last mage to get the bright idea to sell some hellhounds to one of the bosses for security died rather messily after a couple guards got mauled during a raid and the king sent his university types after the summoner."

That doesn't sound particularly good. "It's illegal?"

"Well, no. Not technically, at any rate, but there's legal and there's 'going to get you killed'. The two are often quite different. Just... don't get too high-profile with the critters, okay? If Bryden or I want a couple helpers, that's one thing; cutting a deal with someone for extensive use of magical help is something else. Even something innocent, like transporting goods, can put you on the wrong side of vested interests."

You frown. Is this really all Sarai wanted to talk to you about? "Okay. Thanks for the advice, I guess."

"Glad to give it. Best of luck." You leave with more than enough time to get home before dawn breaks, wondering if you'd missed something.

***

Another night. They seem to be passing quickly now, but you're feeling hungry again. What should you do?

>>7711620
No more selling things to people. We'll help the smugglers, and that's it. Ask Sarai quickly to compile a list of our weaknesses, offer to pay - send the shade to pick it up. Run home real quick.

>>7711620
Well, time to feed I guess. Damn, it's time to go for a human.

> I suppose that I should be glad there's no more exceptionally poorly written pornography.

just like gayracula, the horrible porn omake kind of grows on you.

Time to eat, forest critters don't seem to keep us fed for long but it's an easy and inconspicuous alternative to killing and dumping bums.

> The last mage to get the bright idea to sell some hellhounds to one of the bosses for security died rather messily after a couple guards got mauled during a raid and the king sent his university types after the summoner.

Oooooh I sense a SIDE QUEST

>>7711620

It sounds like Sarai was warning us about the smugglers. We should not go beyond what we've already promised then.

We may need to drink a human, since obviously animal blood doesn't work for more than a night or two.

Then get back and keep working on the elemental and on the long term binding spell.

>>7711620
I did miss something, I wanted to ask her about our lord.

We can be hungry for a while. We'll feed next time.
Send the earth elemental back to his prospecting.

Sarai makes a valid point. The smugglers might get noticed for their magical allies. Send the imp or the shade to check with their air elementals.

>>7711620
Check the progress of our spirits. Did we send the wood sprite to Rhiannon? Has the fae, earth elemental or air sprite found anything? What about the shade?

Continue dividing our time between elemental animation and the long term binding,

Ask sarai if you can help her kill someone. Split the blood 50-50

>>7711620

We missed talking about further business, clearly!

We need to feed for real tonight. We have our new focusing gem, lets see if it lets us feed without killing.

>>7711723
Oh, the woodland sprite should search for an appropriate tree to take the heartwood from when it returns from Rhiannon. At the full moon, it can return to extract it.

>>7711620
Fuuuuuuuuuuuu.

Okay, have your imp go check on the silversmith and then report back. When he gets back assign him to Sheryl again and make sure he keeps track of her movements. Chat with her and ask her about her feelings in serving you.

Send our air spirit to observe the smuggler's spirits and order them to stop if they are about to use them to do something that would obviously trace back to magical summons or you.

Study your texts, I once again advise reading about what makes vampires mentally and physically stronger from the tome on undead.

Work on your binding spell some more. When we finish it and re-bind for the smugglers we need to add on that they should ignore any orders that might get them revealed and kill the smugglers if it looks like they are going to be interrogated.

>>7711656
Enquire in the same message about the lord, as in >>7709629

Next time we see the smugglers say that you forgot to mention that they should be discrete in their use of the air elementals, as that does tend to draw a lot of attention.

>>7711767
Oh, also go feeding. Trawl for rapists, and have the Earth spirit make a stone cell in the basement that is soundproof and impossible for a human to move the door on.

In a few nights we can have a bloodbank.

Why would it be so hard to send an air spirit home with a message to your family or boyfriend? DO WE NOT LOVE MOM AND DAD AND OUR SISTERS ANYMORE?

> Trawl for rapists

When you look like Winry, all you need to do is visit any board on 4chan. We'll be swimming in blood.

>>7711830
Except maybe for /y/.

>>7711819
We don't want our boyfriend to find us, and what will we tell our father? "Oh hi dad, I'm just an undead monster now. How are you?"

No, we must not contact them. It can only lead to pain for us and them. Even if we play everything perfectly, the Lord loves breaking us mentally and emotionally.

>>7711819
Thats complicated. Right now it might be better letting them think we are dead then inferring that we have become a horrible monster.

>>7711819

"Hi Mom, I know you think I'm dead, and well, I kinda am, but I'm the kind of dead that walks around murdering and summoning demonic minions. How's dad? Kisses..."

Probably best they don't know really.

>>7711819
Because no matter how many times I ask, UM never does anything about it. Even talking to the mimir about "can we track our boytoy with magic" is nixed.

>>7711819
We're kind of busy becoming vamp mage Cinderella for stuff like that.

>>7711853
Because NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO.

It's stupid at best and suicidal at worst. He will kill us, we know that already.

>>7711805
We can stay hungry for the night. And we don't have the time to investigate on rapists, we can only entice someone into attempting it. But in any case, I'd prefer to go after dying people than would-be criminals.

>>7711868

> He will kill us, we know that already.

no, that's what our self-loathing self thinks. the boyfriend is some sort of epic fighter dude, he's known throughout the country, surely he would know someone who can help cure us, or at least he can help free us from the Lord.

if it wasnt' for the boyfriend, why do we even exist? Let's just walk out into the sunlight, at least the killing and self-hate stops?

>>7711905
We don't have to investigate. We just walk through the slums looking vulnerable and they come to us, just like before.

>>7711908
Because we do want to live... unlive.

And because we might be able to do something about our situation if we gain enough power.

>>7711919


not after the rumours of the psycho slasher lady , reports of a strange woman doing weird things..

>>7711908
We live on because dying is even worse. If your only purpose in life is someone else then THAT is when you should kill yourself. Not for being as we are now.

>>7711620
Have the rat report about his first findings, then go back
Send the shade to check on the smugglers and talk to their elementals, then on the city's guard.

>>7711936
Then we find a gangbanger, there is a war on the move and they won't be missed. Jesus, it's not hard to find targets. We just go find one.

>>7711919
Then they're not rapists, unless we let them.

>>7711971
Why should we ? I say, we endure hunger for the night.

> If your only purpose in life is someone else t

we started like that..
we're not a big damn heroine, we're just a simple girl with high CHA and maybe INT

>>7712006
Would you rather suck Sheryl dry in a hunger frenzy?

They are rapists because they choose to be. We don't make them try to rape us. Well, not anymore at least....

>>7712026
We didn't start as a literally bloodthirsty monster either. Things change.

I saw we feed. This isn't killing 15 people in a bar to restore our looks, this is a matter of survival. I think we are kinda used to it for now, shouldn't be such a big deal.

>>7712032
Yes we do. We try hard to look like the ideal victim in a neighbourhood where everyone knows how to avoid such attention. Even without pushing them to try with mindcontrol, that's like going around with a sign saying "hey you're allowed to rape me".
Anyway, we're not doing that for justice, but for hunger. I'd rather avoid causing unecessary sufferings, or killing anyone that will be missed, even if it happens to not be a paladin.

We won't go into a frenzy just in one night.

>>7712157

I'll just put down my vote for 'feed, as we've typically done', and hope we don't waltz into this particular ethical and rhetorical minefield.

>>7712157
You can't be serious, we're going to need to feed eventually and animals aren't cutting it. Not feeding will just slow down our studying and bring us closer to frenzy, which could get us caught. If we're fed we can study harder and get the greater circle completed sooner, thus ridding us of our dependency on random lowlifes. Feeding now saves lives later.

>>7712244
it takes MONTHS of feeding on animal blood to dull our mental acuity according to UM. There is simply no need to kill until we notice the negative effects. Given the rumors circulating about a female slasher right now, it seems best to wait a couple weeks before murdering anyone else.

>>7712244
That would be valid if we knew that we'd lose control in hours. But nothing indicates that. The only times we got into a frenzy was because adrienne tore our face off. We should be good for one night.
We can't let the hunger drive us as soon as it appears.

>>7712157
>that's like going around with a sign saying "hey you're allowed to rape me"

This is what rapists actually believe.

I don't care what justifications you try to offer for rape, it's never "Oh lol the bitch was asking for it." Hot as it may be in doujins. Fap fap fap.

>>7712315

I would prefer to prevent such mental damage in the first place.
We are not certain if it is reversible.

We also do not need to kill the people we feed on.
Find a few seedy-looking folks, mentally command them to come with us.
We leave them alive, command them to forget.

>>7712315
Oh you. Don't worry, we'll be The Batman later. For now, just close your eyes and go to your happy place. We'll let you know when to come back.

>>7712340
Now isn't a good time to test our limits. We need to be strong to set up and take care of things here.

>>7712367
Now's the best time. We aren't under any particular pressure for the first time since we became a vampire.

>>7712340
Why not? That's what people do, they just consume slightly less sentient living things.

We need to be well fed and at the top of our game to the the correct summons, and if we can get the earth spirit to shape a cell in the basement we can have a few prisoners to draw blood from.

>>7712359
we haven't been able to stop ourselves yet, even with the imp reminding us. we haven't managed to wipe people's memories yet either. if we want to keep ourselves as nominally moral as possible we should avoid feeding on humans as long as we can.

speaking of "nominally moral", when was the last time we had a real sense of discomfort after killing? we seem to be getting acclimated to it, which is something to avoid at all costs.

>>7712362
Oh god that would be awesome if we started being the batman. Watching for crime on the rooftops, swooping down and sucking their blood (no we can't kill them crap, our parents aren't dead).

>>7712359
We aren't able to command people to forget, or even to stop when drinking.
>>7712353
I'm not a rapist. But there's a difference between actively enticing would-be rapists and actively throwing them off like any other woman in that place.

>>7711677
>the horrible porn omake kind of grows on you.
Grows on you indeed. Like foot fungus.

>>7711762
Deciding that there's no time like the present to get started on your greater circle, you write out a list of the necessary esoteric components and give it to your servants, instructing them to become familiar with it and keep an eye out for anything which might be usable as one of them while they carry out their other tasks. Hopefully you'll be able to start slowing getting everything together.

>>7711767
Struck by a sudden worry, you tell your imp to go check on the silversmith. It's not long before he returns, saying that the silversmith's shop is closed, just as it normally would be at this hour, but shows signs that it was open during the day- it seems like he's acting normally, though a quick check is of limited utility.

>>7711717
You send your air spirit to go check on the smugglers' spirits, although you can tell that they've left port- they feel hundreds of miles away by now. It will likely take all night for it just to reach them.

As long as you're sending off your summons on detached duty, you order your sprite to go to see Rhiannon, inquiring as to if she has any messages she wishes to send and asking if it might be possible to rent some of her library. You don't think that she'll be willing to go for it, considering how protective she was of her texts, but you decide it's worth a shot to ask.

>>7711656
You find yourself thinking about the nature of vampires, and you write out a note to Sarai.
<S-
Thank you for your recent warning. I find myself in need of other advice from one older and more experienced than I; what dangers should I be concerned about? What does the one who sent me here really desire of me? If you can make the time to explain some of these matters to me, I am certain that I could show my appreciation in a matter you would find beneficial.>
Hopefully she'll be willing to help.

>>7712065 >>7712032
>>7712006 >>7711987
With those tasks done, you sit for a while on the roof of your home, staring out into the darkness. You can feel hunger gnawing in your stomach, and know that the only thing to sate it is blood. You cannot use animals, not always; Rhiannon was clear that feeding only on beasts will rot the mind, and you need your mind fresh and clear. You need to feed on a human.

You don't really want to. You frighten yourself sometimes, during those moments when you contemplate everything you've done. Dreams of your family and boyfriend are becoming harder to maintain as you watch yourself slide away from humanity. You can stay hungry... at least a little longer. Until you really need to feed, until the pulse of the heartbeats in your home calls more strongly to you.

>>7712454
A difference? Yeah, the difference is one rapist rapes you, the other doesn't. They both tried, one just got his rocks off. We can be comfortable killing or using scum like that as a feed base because the alternative is either killing ourself (speedily via sunlight or slowly via animal brain death) or killing people who are not rapists.

The heartbeats in your home. All your servitors, so loyal and helpful. Sheryl, too. Are you really going to wait until you turn on them? You can't stomach that. Strangers are one thing, but the people who you're living with- ruling, even- should be as safe as you can make them. You aren't willing to wait. Indeed, you should take other precautions.

You go downstairs, and call your earth spirit, then order it to make several chambers in the cave, sealed with plugs of stone with handles, but too heavy for a human to lift. And air holes.

Then you head to the city. It doesn't matter who you kill, really, but you head for the slums out of habit and act the innocent. The gangs are more heavily armed than you remember, but that hardly matters; three toughs, young enough to be reckless and old enough to be lustful, corner you in an alley. You take a couple knife slashes on your arms, but those vanish in moments as you greedily suck the blood from a slashed neck and bask in the ecstasy. Your tight grip on the black pearl only seems to heighten the sensation, giving you the ability to dwell on it more intently than ever, and you find yourself being drawn in, hardly able to keep from sinking your fangs into flesh.

You drain two of them dry and dispose of the bodies as easily as before. The last you carry, unconscious, to your cave. The earth spirit has to show you the entrance, the vegetation is so overgrown- instead of the cavernous opening you remember, it's a narrow chute hardly wide enough for you to drop through comfortably. The interior has been smoothed, obviously by magical means, and the entire place feels comfortable to you. Secure. The sprite and earth spirit did an excellent job.

More than secure enough for the youth, at any rate. You throw him in the prison that you had the earth spirit construct and drop the seal on it. He won't be getting out, and you'll know where to find someone next time you feel hungry.

Now what?

>>7712461
We need to find a better solution for appearing human. Is there a spell we can learn that will hide our undead-ness? It seems like being able to meet people without immediate suspicion would be beneficial, but effective blindness is a bit too much of a liability, especially since we can't get rid of it if we need our sight back.

>>7712506
Killing people for attempted rape or for nothing in particular seems pretty even for me. I'm not here to judge, i'm here to feed. And causing the less fuss possible doing it - and that means avoiding young people.

>>7712544

Go back home, keep working on the long term summoning spell, see if we can create an earth elemental.

We might want to assign one of our summons to bring food, water, and a bucket to our prisoner, they're no good if they die on us.

We should also see how the Shade and the Mimir got on with that summoning tome.

>>7712527
Study the binding spell. ASk the mimir regarding transient improvements to our form and things around us - like hardening our hands into armour defeating claws, or our clothes into armour. Not to mention flight. Ask it - and the shade, when it returns - if there is a method for transfiguration into teh Shade's phasic state. Passing through walls would be VERY useful.

Study the Elemental Animation tome for the last few hours of the night.

Instruct the earth spirit to make his cell soundproof.

>>7712564
We can use our faeling to illusion us up, probably.

Return and work on our spells. Check the undead tome to see what makes our vampiric abilities stronger. Tell Sheryl to go into town and stock up on food for us and herself. List out things that are filling but cheap and last a long time, like salt beef or hardtack. "Our" food will be for the prisoners.

Also order the Imp to perpetually tail Sheryl unless you assign it another duty. For both her protection and ours.

>>7712544
holy shit we're keeping people in oubliettes now? walk out into the fucking sun tomorrow, this is too far.

You know later on it might be wise to invest in purchasing some foodstuffs to keep as decoration for our home. Should we have any humans visit we'd want to have our place appear as normal as possible and a home without any food inside would strike me as odd.

>>7712797

I'm glad you would rather we killed him.

>>7712797
I think we should let him out. Murder is one thing, prolonged psychological torture is another. Unplug him, smack him in the face, and dump him arse naked infront of a guardhouse.

>>7712818

We're going to kill them anyway aren't we?

>>7712797
Would you rather we have killed him immediately? Is that better for you? A little straight murder fine, but keeping them alive and incarcerated too much?

>>7712797
What? He's just food. If we don't eat him, something else will. Eventually. Worms, maybe.
Heck, worms still get him when we're done. Everybody wins!

>>7712835
>>7712836

We could probably use him as a constant source of food which we can drain without killing.
We can also carve out a rather nice place for him in the cave.
He's just not allowed to leave.

>>7712837
Death is one thing. Leaving someone in a dark hole they can't move around in much, see and basically in sensory deprivation is a whole nother thing.

>>7712836
No, probably use them for a feed base rather than slaughtering people wholesale.

>>7712883

Yeah, prolonged torture is a little too much on the evil scale for us. We probably shouldn't keep anyone there for more than a week or so.

>>7712897
A WEEK? People can go mad in 24 hours from sensory deprivation.

>>7712897
Before killing him? Moralfags are silly.

Why don't we make him like it. Then everyone wins. Especially him-- he gets an effortless life of being taken care of.

>>7712922
This. He pays for a life of safety, food, and comfort with his blood.

>>7712882
Fine, have the earth spirit expand the cell so that he can look and move around and such. A comfortable little rock bed, a stone chamberpot. A few words embossed on the side of the cell: "You are mine. Disobedience is death. Willingness brings rewards."

It seems like everyone who is trying to be practical can't win. If it makes you feel better how about we have the fae conjure up a nice calming illusion for him. Make the guy think he's in candy land for a week or something, then end it.

>>7712564
You started learning enough illusion magic for a disguise spell a while back, but since leaving Rhiannon's castle you've been without the information necessary to complete it.

>>7712634
You wondering if it would be possible to make the cell you're holding the youth in soundproof. You doubt it; he has to get air somehow. Still, you tell your earth spirit to make sure that the path for it is twisty enough that no one will hear him if he screams.

>>7712626 >>7712664 >>7712612
Back at your home, you mention to Sheryl that she should buy some food to stock the house. She nods, and says that she has actually done so already, if you wish to check the kitchens; she's surprised that you hadn't noticed. You wave her off with your thanks.

Inquiring of the shade, mimir, and faeling what if anything they determined about the summoning tome prompts a cascade of comments, many of which you grasp only partially. It takes the better part of an hour to get through their review, which comes down primarily to "it's mostly fine, but some parts are impractical or inefficient". You make a mental note to have one of them with you when you study it, just in case.

>>7712952

so sheryl's in our home in the daytime? and she doesn't notice the prisoners or the coffins? WHAT

Afterward, you make a few inquiries as to learning other forms of magic- hardening your clothes to armor, flying, walking through walls, and the like. A few minutes of conversation prove to you that each sort of spell is a topic for weeks or months of study all on its own, and none can be picked up particularly casually.

You are torn between the elemental animation tome and your binding spell for the remainder of the night's study, but ultimately decide to go with elemental animation. You would like to expand your abilities, after all.

The rest of the night passes quickly.

***

The next evening, a note from Sarai awaits you.
<If you want to talk about life under the big man, I suppose I can answer a few questions. Meet me outside the north gate at midnight, we'll talk.
-S>

>>7712933 >>7712931
>>7712922 >>7712921
In the dimness of the new twilight, you find yourself second-guessing your actions from yesterday. Is what you did to the ganger too cruel? You're not sure. Still, you have several hours... you could go to your cave and do something about it.

What will you do?

>>7712933
Fuck it, we've finally headed off to complete evil anyway. Let's just go kill everything in town and drink the blood, then loot the books. We'll have the earth spirit toss them all in the cell; we can feed them with shit we loot from the town.

>>7712980
She doesn't go dowstairs. We pay her well for that.

>>7712980
Prisoners are in the cave. Coffin and summoning table are in the basement, which has a huge stone door to heavy for mortal hands.

>>7712980
I'm pretty sure our coffin / prison cell is in the basement, where we've told her not to enter.

>>7712985

Well, we could have the earth spirit make his cell a bit more comfortable.
Then we could chat with him about providing blood in exchange for comforts.

>>7712985
Let him out. Clock him on the face first, though, and dump him arse naked in front of a guard house. We need to meet Sarai.

Can we summon a spirit to design spells for us? Something that allows us to use clothing as weapon and armour would be good. A faeling, perhaps, or a water sprite?

>>7712985

Have we made up the gelatinous cube yet? We need a body disposal service at the cave as well.

Let's go see Sarai, mix up a cube, wait a couple days, then drink the poor bastard and feed him to the cube.

We might want to ask if Sarai ever met Adrienne, it might be interesting.

>>7712985
Go to the cave. Have the earth spirit craft a large cell with bars that can be looked out of. Take some pillows and such for comfort and put them in it. Haul the ganger out of the cell and tell him that he serves you now and if he obediently follows your orders he will never have to work another day in his life and will live comfortably. Disobey and he dies in the worst ways he can imagine. Ask him which he chooses, then put him in the cell.

>>7713034
Actually, can we summon a few? Obviously we'd need to make some input. With the mimir supervising..

Keep him in the cell but make it a touch more comfortable. Bribe him for cooperation with the promise that we can make this go away and have the fae stick him in an illusion for a day or two as reward.

>>7713039

we already asked earlier. she's never met andy. I bet they'd have made an awesome BDS couple

>>7712985
Carve rapist into the ganger's forehead and let him go. Deep in the wilderness, but point toward town.

Oh, and take him food. If he acts like a prick to us we leave it just outside the cell where he can see it. We repeat the process until he stops being a pain to work with.

Letting this guy go is a horrible idea.

>>7713094
I agree. He has seen us and what we can do. That's fucking stupid. He is either a dead man walking or destined for bloodbank.

>>7713034

We're not letting him go after he's seen our underground cell. No matter how nondescript it is.

He also saw us defeat his friends alone.

>>7713065
Nah, let him fuck corpsey. That should do it.

Look, he's food. We've killed two of his mates. We're not going to let him go. We feed him for a few days, and then eat him. And don't take prisoners in future unless it's an emergency.

We can't let him go free it's far too risky to our cover and the cover of everyone else in the area, which will likely lose us all of our contacts respect and help, if not get us killed outright. This is too much to risk for the life of a rapist.

>>7713115
It's better to have people to feed on so we don't NEED to kill rather than killing every time we need a bite.

>>7713115

The only way we're going to avoid killing in the future is if we have a bank of people to draw blood from without killing.

Tell our Imp to monitor Sheryl whenever we don't have another task for him. I'm wondering what she does when not running errands for us.

equivalent exchange. a goblet of blood every week. he will be fed and cared for.

I don't know how evil we've become now.. I suppose keeping him imprisoned is not as evil as mass murdering an entire bar, though.

>>7713130

We should use a summon for that. Not a human.

so it seems we're settling down well in this city.

Expect to be taken away by the Lord in a week.

>>7713130
and our ideal here should be a WILLING bank, something could obviously be done at least partly through summons but will probably need some plain old humans in it to.

Just pointing that out, I'm all over keeping the would be rapist locked up whether he wants it or not.

>>7713175


yeah, go on keep summoning. you'll get something unexpected that can kick your ass pretty soon.

been drinking assasin imp blood? expect a few to come for you.

>>7713201

The idea is to use a summon that can be regenerated, and strike a deal with it, a blood for limited freedom on the prime material plane type deal.

>>7713201

Technically, by the magic of the summoning, every one of our summoned servants would willingly offer its blood.

>>7713218
Wouldn't even need a deal. Summons only wish to serve us.

>>7713222

it's not "willingly" more like they can't refuse.

>>7713233
Same thing.

is there some physical indication of how evil we've become? longer fangs, blacker hair, claws for nails, etc?

>>7713167
This.

If the lord takes us again at least we'll have some possessions to take with us now. I mean before we had nothing, now we at least have a summoning circle and basic magic tomes. Though it would still be extremely annoying.

Am I the only one who wants to test our mental abilities out on our prisoner? I mean, what is done is is done. So we might as well get something out of it. Besides, being mean to a rapist is pretty low on the list of the horrible things we've done. Like slaughtering a tavern or threatening a boy in order to get our summoning circle or tricking drunks into attacking us.

talk to the rapist. we're the vampire batman now. if he's useful we feed him. if he's not, we feed ON him.

>>7713297

That's good too. Lets see if we can get our brainwash on.

>>7713250
Tip: 'Evil' does not actually exist.

>>7713297
>>7713330

Concurring with this.
We can try some pleasant brainwashing.
Serving Mistress is pleasure, Mistress's voice is pleasure, etc.

>>7713334
Pro-tip: Neither do vampires

>>7713349


given the shit we usually do (which often ends up in mass murder) this is actually a pleasant thing

>>7713330
Congratulations, our prison is now Room 101.
I'm ok with this.

>>7713349

Drifting towards karmic femdom mind control porn there aren't we?

Let him go. Noone will believe him. Probably think he was stoned out of his mind.

>>7713368


i can write some :)

>>7713370

"Yeah, he was smoking that weird drug that murders two of your friends and makes you disappear for a couple days then start talking about a superhuman vampire chick who imprisoned you in a cave. Happens all the time."

The noone would believe him would be much more convincing if we hadn't already earned the nickname 'slasher chick' by the number of people we killed.

>>7713370
Yeah. Sure. Vampire hunts, anyone? Once word gets out the smugglers will pipe up too. And we will die by the hands of our elder siblings.

I'm agreeing with mental control tests being done on prisoners. MUST GET STRONGER. In strength lies freedom from these base things we are forced to do currently.

>>7713368

If you leave out "karmic," whatever that *really* means.
I'm from /d/; lots of boys just want a strong Mistress to take care of them.

We're supposed to get info on vampire life from Sarai. Go to her.

The fuckwit won't die just yet. someone give him water and food.

>>7712980
Sheryl's in your home in the daytime. The youth you imprisoned is in the cave you have had the sprite and earth spirit alter to suit your purposes, not your home. Your coffin is in the basement of your home, which you have had sealed against entry by anyone lacking unnatural strength, again using your earth spirit. You're reasonably certain that Sheryl is aware that you're up to some sort of unnatural magic in the basement and chooses not to go down there for that reason.

>>7713034
You can't summon something to design spells for you. While many know some magical theory, ultimately their powers are natural to them, at least when talking about lesser beings. Mages can't call on the aether's beings to teach them spells, only to help them develop their own.

>>7713018 >>7713055
>>7713065 >>7713091
You make your way to the cave, bringing your earth spirit and a couple blankets with you. Your keen hearing can hear the sounds of the youth breathing and even his heartbeat. It quickens as you enter the cave. "Hello? Is someone there? Help me!" His voice sounds hoarse. He must have been shouting for a while during the day.

You ignore him for the moment, and order the earth spirit to add some bars to one of the cave's many nooks. It takes a bit of telepathy to get it to understand what you mean, but eventually it begins to make them, the stone flowing out of the wall and down in vertical columns. As you wait the half hour or so the spirit takes to craft the bars, the boy's voice dies down, and you think on his ultimate fate. Are you going to keep him around for a few days, then kill him? Try to take a small amount of blood from him on a frequent basis? Let him go?

You quickly discard the last option; too risky. The second is attractive, but you don't know how you could make it work; your experience with the tavern demonstrated fairly well that it takes six or seven people left alive to provide the blood of one slain.

Regardless, you're not going to leave him locked in a dark cell where he can't move, basically buried alive, until you're done with him. That was an unnecessarily cruel concept. You reach down and haul the slab of stone off him.

Your prisoner blinks in the darkness. He's soiled himself at some point during the day and has been crying- he looks very young, lying there. It's hard to believe he's the same person that was so willing to rape an apparently innocent girl wandering his streets just a day ago. "He-hello? Did someone save me? Thank you!" He grabs blindly at the edge of the pit, then hauls himself out slowly and awkwardly. You'd forgotten how dark this cave is, from a human perspective.

You pull him to his feet and speak. "How are you doing?"

He doesn't seem to recognize your voice, and collapses against you sobbing. "Thank you! Thank you so much! I thought- that was a nightmare!"

The moment is very awkward. You really are planning to eat this boy. You gently guide him to the corner of the cave where your earth spirit has set the bars, then into the makeshift cell before murmuring, "Wait here a moment," and moving to lean the plug of his former prison against the gap in the bars. He'll never be able to shove it over.

Now, what to do with him? He looks so pitiful, standing there shivering in the dark; the only strong thing about him is his wildly beating heart. It would pump his blood luxuriously over your teeth, you know, flowing past your lips like liquid joy. It would be easy.

You shake your head to clear it. No, not that; not yet, at least. "I'm sorry about this, but I'm afraid that you can't leave. You've seen too much, and I have my own purpose for you."

He looks uncomprehending, then terrified. "What? No, no... please let me go home. I just want to go home."

You start to shake your head before realizing that he can't see it. "The chamber was a mistake, needlessly cruel; I can see that. Still, the cell you're in now is the best I can do at the moment. Unless you agree to serve me and not leave on your own, you'll have to stay there."

"I will! I won't go, just let me out!" He blindly gropes forward, trying to move, only to smack his hand against one of the pillars. That draws forth a yelp of pain, and then he starts crying.

You really don't want to deal with this. It was much easier when he was unconscious and not talking to you. You throw a blanket into the cell and turn to go, his begging cries echoing from the cave behind you. It's a large place, though, and by the time you get through the vegetation concealing the entrance even you can't hear him that well.

You leave and spend some time working on your binding spell before setting off to meet with Sarai at the north gate. She is lounging against the wall a short distance out of the guards' torchlight, and you stroll up to meet her.

"Hello. Thank you for agreeing to help me."

"No problem. I'm due for a day off, anyway. Let's run." She gives you a wave and dashes off northward- moving quickly. You barely manage to catch her words, said casually as she moves at speeds no human could match. "So what do you want to know?"

What will you do?

>>7713397
>>7713399
We don't have that nickname, they just thought ti was a bloke. And people do weirder things on PCP.

>>7713435
We're monsters. We should let the kid go. Just make sure he goes back to the box if we ever get irritated.

And, of course, we gain another servant.

>>7713435

Some questions:

"You met Rhiannon, did you ever meet Adrienne?"

"How closely does the master seem to monitor things? He gave hints that he was able to look through other vampires, and see what they saw..."

"What was it like for you when you first became a Vampire?"

>>7713466
We let that kid go and he will bolt like a rabbit. He will also say just about anything to get out. As for being monsters, I guess, that is technically what a vampire is.

>>7713494
Killing is one thing, this prolonged torture is another.

>>7713435
Ask her about the previously mentioned dangers we need to watch out for, how long she has been a vampire, why she thinks the Lord made her one, why she thinks the lord made us one, what his objectives might be, and if she knows anything about him. Mannerisims, habits, how he became powerful enough to mentally dominate without even trying to and move far faster than any of the other vampires. Also ask WHAT MAKES VAMPIRES STRONGER?

We've had people ask that particular part several times now, I personally suggested the undead tome, someone else suggested the mimir and shade, others suggested Sarai. Could we please just get some information on if it's bloodsucking, age, what?

>>7713505
What's the damn point? We no longer care about family or boyfriend, and we torture people who can't fight back for what basically amounts to fun, despite trying to dress it up.

>>7713513
Don't ask that idiocy. She'll just lie to us.

>>7713516
We have not once tortured anyone for fun. Everything we have done thus far was for survival. Stop trying to make it out as worse than it was. It's bad enough when we are being honest about it, you don't need to hyperbole it up into some crime against the universe.

>>7713527
Even if she lies we can research it and find out if she lied. We desperately need to know more about our condition here, and asking another vampire that has been around longer can't hurt.

>>7713530
Yes, because we really need to keep a kid in a box to survive. Just because we're too fucking weak to work on the willpower to feed without killing, or poach a method like slitting a vein with a knife for a goblet of blood, or buying it from a poor person.

Also ask how the Imp is doing. Does she find it useful?

> WHAT MAKES VAMPIRES STRONGER?

VAMPIRES ARE STRONG, BUT STEEL IS STRONGER!

>>7713545
Our research has gone so well so far. Fuck that. There's no point. Just find out the temporary political stuff and leave it.

Ask her about Bryden, Rhiannon, the Master, an overarchpolitical society of vampires.

And nothing else.

Ask her about body disposal. She's an assassin, she could probably give us some pointers.

>>7713549
Are you stupid? Let's walk through these options:
>Feed without killing
Yeah, I'm sure those vampire bite marks will go unnoticed.
>poach a method like slitting a vein with a knife for a goblet of blood
That is exactly what we are doing, we are just keeping the people we do it to locked up.
>buying it from a poor person
Oh yeah, that won't start up any rumors. Not at all. Rich pale lady buys blood from poor people every few nights, nothing to see here folks!

> or poach a method like slitting a vein with a knife for a goblet of blood,

so yeah, I've been saying this for quite a while, but just like the idea of trying to get help from our boyfriend and his party, THE GM DOESN'T LISTEN

GET ON THE VAMPIRE EXPRESS
CHOO
CHOO

>>7713598

Mos people in this thread do not want to contact the ex-bf yet. He's Mr. Cleave and Smite.

As for draining someone into a goblet and sipping? Yeah, we've certainly had time for that.

>>7713585
We will soon have that covered with our cubes.

>>7713598
We tried that actually. At the bar. It's where we learned that it takes 6-7 people drained like that to equivocate draining a person normally. And I think we all remember how that bar plan turned out...

In a moment of weakness, you find your hand caressing her cheek.

"Kiss me," you mutter softly. To vampire ears, you may as well be shouting it.

As you feel her lips brush against yours, you finally allow yourself to close your eyes. It feels. so. GOOD. to kiss. Someone. Anyone.

>>7713598
Boyfriend will kill us, then (maybe) have us raised.
We'll lose a level, putting us back near the start of Girlfriend Quest. So unless you like cucumber-and-cum sandwiches, try to enjoy the vampire express.

>>7713649
Nah, this time we'd just talk to him and be sensible about things instead of going with some half-baked plan.

>>7713628


We kind of screwed up at the bar and in blind panic we went BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GODDESS

This time we do it properly. Servants to cut, collect blood and deliver it to us. Not as good as killing but every bit helps.

>>7713649
Vampires die forever, we no longer have a soul according to UM.

>>7713649
honestly if we could figure out a way to ensure a raise dead I'd be all for a temporary suicide, we haven't made much progress anyway and this vampire thing is kind of a bummer

>>7713665
Servants cost money and talk. Prisoners who are justifiably incarcerated for being fucking rapists and possibly murderers don't.

>>7713649


i'm sure UM can run Girlfriend Quest quite well, thank you.

>>7713682
I hate you so much. Every time you post you make me hate you more. Go back to moralfagquest or something. The entire beauty of this story is that the heroine is a good girl at the start who is forced into this world that she has to do brutal and even sometimes evil things in to survive. Will she still be good after she gets back on her feet? Find out next thread, same vampire time, same vampire forum!

Going back to girlfriendquest would be the most boring thing I could imagine.

>>7713733
u mad

>>7713733

you totally MISSED the irony that when this was still Girlfriend Quest, she was seeking power to become an EVIL sorceress and threaten the land? What about that ranger we killed when we made the gelatinous cube huh? Not so innocent now, are we?

>>7713821
>Implying that he's mad.

>>7713859
ya bro

>>7713476
You start out with the most pressing questions on your mind- those about your master. You've been wondering, these past days, if he's planning to drop in on you and tell you to move again. "How closely does the master seem to monitor things? He gave hints that he was able to look through other vampires, and see what they saw..."

Sarai laughs. "Hints, did he? I don't know about seeing through others' eyes, but he's always well informed. Not perfectly, but he gets the general gist of things; I'm not sure how. I've never really cared, to be honest; he hasn't bothered me in years. Just drops in for a few days or gives me a task every once in a while."

That leads rather obviously into questions about her past, you think. "What was it like for you when you first became a Vampire?"

She's quiet for a while. "You know, I can't really remember that well. It was bad. I didn't adjust well. But that was a long time ago, now... sixty, seventy years. Eventually, I figured out the secret to vampire life."

This you have to hear. "Secret?" Did Sarai know something?

"Just let yourself go. Don't think a lot. I don't mean be stupid or not to think things through- just not to dwell on things. If something feels good, do it. If you don't like something, leave it or destroy it. And if a memory causes you pain, forget it." She eyes you meaningfully. "Rhiannon filled me in a little on you, you know. Don't cling to the past; I've seen a lot of people end that way. A lot of girls, walking into the sun when they can't achieve their dream of coming back to play a game that already ended."

>>7713879
>Implying that anyone would consider you a brother.

Her words hurt. You spend a lot of time dwelling on the past- it is always painful, but letting it go feels like losing. If you stop thinking about it, will you end up like Sarai- cheerfully dashing through your unlife for decades on end, killing people one minute and laughing about it the next? "I... how do vampires get stronger, Sarai?" A topic shift seems like the easiest way to dodge this matter. "The master moves faster than I can even see, and Rhiannon jolted me and Adrienne around like puppets."

"Age, mostly," she says. "I've heard people argue that it has to do with the amount of blood you drink, but I don't buy it. Rhiannon's on something like a pint a week, last I saw; not even enough to even make one of her people pass out. She's no weakling. Practice helps, too; eventually everyone gets all the powers you'll read about in texts on us, but only the ones you push will ever go anywhere. But push everything, and they all only go a short way; I've seen it happen. I'm not sure why."


That seems strange to you, but you suppose that as long as she keeps answering questions you'll keep asking. Back to the most important matter- the master. "Why did the master make you? Or me? What is he trying to do?"

"As far as I can tell, he's very old, terminally bored, and has decided to keep himself entertained with us. His brides. Gave up on the idea of male scions around a century back, apparently; thinks they're boring, even if three of them are still around." Sarai starts running backwards, and moves directly in front of you. It's a bit disconcerting that she can do so while maintaining a speed you can hardly keep up with and not tripping. "Of course, for this to hold together, he must keep very good track of us all somehow- and he has a few dozen, at the moment, spread out over the whole world. Did you know that he never sleeps? Turns to mist and races around the map ahead of the sun. I tried that once, but couldn't fly fast enough over the ocean. I almost died. Saving my life was the only time the master's done something for me. Said I shouldn't die before I'd managed to become pure, whatever that means."

She pauses a moment, and you can't think of much to say. Fortunately, it's not long before she continues. "He also runs wars against the other vampire lords running around. As far as I know, there are six of them that he considers rough equals. Bryden mentioned, when you met him, that we kill other vampires? Ultimately that's part of that. They're all playing some giant game of go, and anyone they want gets to be pieces... if we start bothering each other, anyway. As far as the master's concerned, it's mostly every bride's choice to do whatever she wants; he wants to watch us change."

You start to ask your next question, but she interrupts. "That's enough for now, I think. Enough about me; how are you doing? It's been a while since you came to Itonia, now; let's hear of your death and times."

What do you do?

>>7713922
Why not tell her our story? Seems fun.

Also, the Vampire Lord doesn't sound like such a bad guy now.
Just wants to watch his brides evolve.

>>7713922
Tell her about everything except the smugglers learning of our nature and the library heist.
Invite her to our cave for a snack.

>>7713922

"I'm doing great. Fully healed, got my looks back, nice little house, nice little garden, human retainer for daytime jobs, monsters for servants." Laugh a little too loudly. "I've got a kid imprisoned. I may have sparked off a gang war. I definitely slaughtered a bar full of people when I got too cute with one of my plans. But it's all just so easy now."

>>7714005

House, not cave.
Or. Why don't we go out to eat?

We're very a very private person.

>>7714025

I decline your offer of psychotic derailment.

>>7714032
But we keep our snacks in the cave.

>>7714042
We could summon some Pixie-Snacks for her.

((>>7713990
I as a GM am looking more for something like >>7714025. A player description of current views on past events which I can use as a measurement of the character's mental state.))

>>7714068

"I had a boyfriend, once upon a time, a very cleave-and-smite sort of adventurer. He took his work particularly seriously, which unfortunately lead him to ignore me. I resolved to change that situation, tripped, fell, and became a vampire bride rather on accident. Following that turn of events, I figured sorcery would be my best bet to get out of the daily rape and torture."

"doing great. spending my free time studying"

>>7714039

I wasn't going for psychotic derailment. More a sense of "Is this really what everything I've done is for? I killed thirty people for this parody of domesticity I'm living in now?"

>>7714144


a girl's got to eat though. how does rhiannon get by on so little? one pint a week?!

> "As far as I can tell, he's very old, terminally bored,

ONCE MY BOYFRIEND FINDS YOU , HE'LL END YOUR BOREDOM ONCE AND FOR ALL

>>7714129

"As for my time in the city, I've mainly been getting myself situated. Finding food sources, money sources, and a residence. All proceeding well at this time. I was grievously injured before coming here, as you know, and so regrettably had to employ a bit of BOLDness to recover. Thank you again for your assistance."

Tell her of our making and that Rhiannon helped us not walk into the sun for the first few nights. Tell her how we were tortured and ultimately turned the tables, then were spirited off. Fill her in on how we were desperate for blood to heal ourselves early and the clock was ticking, and that we're trying to find ways to not draw too much attention and still get blood these days. Mention we are trying to study our magic but lack appropriate things, and ask what Bryden might want for help in getting them (we best know...) and that we might have accidently sparked a gang war. Thank her for the advice on Diana, and ask her how much she benefited from us going there with a wink and a smile, and tell her if we can help her out we would be glad to, but unfortunatley we're just some weak little thing right now. Nice little house set up, ect. the whole deal.

Do not mention the cave. Do not mention the smugglers. Do not mention how far along we are in magic.

>>7714164
Well, from what we saw she didn't really DO that much. Maybe the more you do the more blood you need?

> I tried that once, but couldn't fly fast enough over the ocean. I almost died.

Fun fact. Vampires don't need to breathe. Go underwater, deep enough where sunlight doesn't penetrate, sleep, wake up, swim to the other side of the ocean

>>7714164

She's pure sex.
She consumes sex.

>>7714257

Running water.

Oh, also tell her we appreciate housing us. Lord or no, she made us feel at least a little less terrible about ourselves and we appreciate it.

She's really not so bad a girl, we just don't ever want to get her angry.

>>7714190
>>7714129
Voting these, clever writing.

>>7714264

That's andy. And Andy gets her rocks off flaying us :(

I'm doing well. I've bought a lovely house, and my research is coming along nicely. *start to ramble on about your theories, and accidently let slip something about replacing humans in your diet with pixies, continue to ramble on, hoping she didn't notice*

>>7714307
NO, RHIANNON!

>>7714271

we swam in the ocean before, remember ?
not comfortable but didn't kill us.

>>7714352

Don't you sometimes wonder how a ten minute swim compares to a twelve hour deep dive in an ocean's crushing swirling pressure?

>>7714352

We got a the equivalent of a bad sunburn from a quick swim. 8 hours might be a little more lethal.

where does sarai get HER blood? no way she takes just a pint a week.

>>7714402
>Engorged penises.

>>7713922
"Honestly, my past is gone now. It was an existence based around someone else, just waiting for them to make something happen in my life

That lasted until I decided to make myself into something beyond another woman waiting at home for a man to return, and then leave again. I took up sorcery, with what little knowledge was available to me, and set out to become... it was never clear. Some kind of witch out of a children's story. I didn't get far, it was only a short time before I crossed paths with our lord, and that's where my plans ended.

He brought me to a castle, where I learned how to kill to survive. I killed humans first, to recover from my encounters with one of his brides, Adrienne, who tortured me for her enjoyment (and his). Later I killed her after it was too much to bear.

And now... it's all kind of pointless, isn't it? Tied up in loose service to a master so powerful we'll never be free? There's only so many lives I'm willing to trade for the opportunity to amuse him, after all."

>>7714372

WELL DO YOU?!

I dont' trust her. I tell her very little.

Well, we started off pretty badly but we are getting back on our feet. It was pretty desperate and touch and go for a while there before I got a house and my stuff set up and I had to do some... pretty bad things. I still regret that, but I had to do them to stay alive. These days I suppose I'm still working in that direction, but at least now there is a little less desperation and a little more time for thinking about things and even doing things I enjoy like research. Overall I... well, I might not enjoy this life yet, but at least it isn't the torture I was experiencing at that bitch's hands when I first got turned. I rather enjoy playing games with the world through my servants and a mortal proxy I have... but for now, it's still mostly desperation shot through with some enjoyment when things finally go right or I pull off some particularly fun deception.

if we ever forsake mortality and start enjoying being a leech with tits, we can consider it GAME OVER and BAD END

>>7714638
>Implying that you never stop masturbating to Terry Goodkind.

Is this thread already archieved?

"tell me to forget? How can you even think those things? Don't you miss your man's warm embrace? Don't you feel the excitement when he knocks on the door? Lying in bed, talking about nothing and everything... that's what life is all about!"

>>7714025 >>7714129 >>7714190 >>7714466
>>7714157 >>7714232 >>7714285
It takes a long moment of silence before you put together a response. Your death and times; funny. Your story begins when you were still alive, after all. "I had a boyfriend once, a very cleave-and-smite sort of adventurer. He took his work particularly seriously, which unfortunately lead him to ignore me. I resolved to change that situation, tripped, fell, and became a vampire bride rather on accident." The details seem unimportant. Your vampirism really did seem to come out of nowhere. "Following that turn of events, I figured sorcery would be my best bet to get out of the daily rape and torture. Rhiannon helped; eventually I killed Adrienne with some help from my imp. I was hurt badly, you know... and then I got dropped off here, and I find out that I've got a week to get a house somewhere. Thanks for the week, by the way."

You stop talking for a bit, thinking about things. "How am I doing? I'm doing great. Fully healed, got my looks back, nice little house, nice little garden, human retainer for daytime jobs, monsters for servants." You laugh. It all seems so absurd. Desperate actions spreading ripples of death and chaos through the city and still not getting you everything you need. "I've got a kid imprisoned. I may have sparked off a gang war. I definitely slaughtered a bar full of people when I got too cute with one of my plans. But it's all just so easy now."

Easy. In some ways it is- nothing really stops you when you start moving, you're too strong, too fast, too powerful. In others, it's hard. You haven't cried in a while, but you can still mentally stop and gaze in horror at the sick parody of a domestic life that you've forged in blood. But somehow, putting that into words for Sarai doesn't seem possible.

>>7714717
>Implying vampires can't have loving relationships.

You slow to a stop. It takes her a minute to come back to you, but you wait for her to arrive before finishing. "And now... it's all kind of pointless, isn't it? Tied up in loose service to a master so powerful we'll never be free? There's only so many lives I'm willing to trade for the opportunity to amuse him."

You turn and start walking back towards the city, slowly. Sarai doesn't follow, but her words chase you on the wind. "Oh, honey, you don't have to hurt like this; just let go." She's probably trying to offer you hope, but the salvation she offers sounds like flat despair to your ears.

Without vampiric speed, it takes a long time to walk home. You promise yourself that if the sun catches you outside, you'll let it take you... but there's still an hour before dawn when you reach your coffin. Far too much time to sit and think before sleeping the sleep of the dead once again.

***

((And that's it for the night.))

>>7714727

We've only known two kinds of relationships:

1. Our Vampire Lord who just like our boyfriend, ignores us unless we have something he wants (Wish scroll, pussy, whatever)
2. That stabby bitch Andy.

>>7714638

Or we could consider it FIRST ACT OVER and COURTAIN OPENS FOR ACT II

next session?

>>7714736

SO MUCH EMO.

Thanks for running the game UM. Please let us know when you expect to be able to do this again. I always look forward to it.

Thanks, UM!

>>7714736
>>7714784
I'm becoming concerned that the psychosis-suggesting posts are going to lead to "oops, take me Sun!" instead of badassery.

> Your vampirism really did seem to come out of nowhere

Not really. For one thing, you started attracting attention by carelessly and publicly reading about vampire lore and Sorcery 101 in a PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Second, your boyfriend's latest quest... involved vampires.

>>7714804

knowing UM, we can do that much faster by having our heroine rape and molest instead of killing and eating.

>>7714832

It's also entirely possible that if we spend too much time on rumination and past-fixation, it'll happen--exactly like a -real- case of depression.

>>7714849


but if we don't we'll end up accepting this curse. it's bad enough we're referring to our one true love IN THE PAST TENSE

>>7714777 >>7714789
Next session start will be next week, Monday or Tuesday 1200-1500.

>>7714784
The nameless protagonist will not be composing songs regarding her misery anytime soon.

>>7714808
From the player's perspective, it was an obvious and predictable plot twist. Less so for the girl who met a vampire in an alley; she started out pretty innocent.

>>7714804
And from the world's objective morality, it will be GOOD END.


You may now all commence random questions, trolling, and bad pornography as per usual. Or not, as you will. We're on page eight of autosage, so it won't last that long either way.

>>7714873

Not a curse. Simply a different way of living, fantasy-jargon aside.
Sarai's advice is exactly the advice given to patients with major depressive disorder; get some fresh air, a change of scenery, and let go of the past.
Live for today, and tomorrow, and what makes you and those you care for happy.

>>7714890

innocent my ass. she planned to kill that ranger in the forest just for a thrill. HOW DO YOU LIKE IT NOW

>>7714890

Well, it would seem that the only moral code in this universe that dislikes vampires intrinsically is the one set arbitrarily by a pantheon of deities.

Unless you want to go full Terry Goodkind and say that the universe itself declares you BAD and you can't win.
Should you do that, you will burst into flames, however.

>>7714929
I didn't mean "innocent" as in "not willing to do evil", but rather as in "naive". She's also the same girl who ran out in front of men with swords to try and save her pet gelatinous cube; that shows a remarkable optimism, a sense that things will turn out well. That sort of mindset doesn't lend itself to anticipating that the villains of the world will come looking for you.

>>7714939
The gods are the ones who manage the alignment spectrum in this setting, yes. When a paladin says that something is evil, he's referencing his god's opinion to determine that. Likewise for good. Arcane magic doesn't get alignment-based effects.

>>7714993

Well then, that makes the world's morality subjective. The alignment spectrum is based on deity opinions.

Which is excellent, because it opens up far more plot options than a set-in-stone system.

>>7715058
Quite; I basically meant "objective morality" (with quotes) in >>7714890. People who live in the world take its supposed objectivity seriously, though. Daring to suggest that it's a divine con is the domain of soon-to-be-dead heretics and arcane casters of sufficient power that they could say pretty much anything and everyone would nod and agree. Also the occasional undead or other "always evil" being.

Regardless, it doesn't really matter; the effects on a setting are essentially the same if alignment is objective or subjective but run by a single unreachable group, since the "objective" alignment setting is also run by a single group which just happens to be the GM.

Obligatory

> She's also the same girl who ran out in front of men with swords to try and save her pet gelatinous cube;

Who happen to be her bf's adventuring party and would therefore know her.

page 10 and no bad porn. I am disappoint.