Entry 1Experiment log - barrels of funGoal of experiment: To create an infectious form of vampirism
Subject: Human named Kado seeking immortality and power
Humans have been flocking to my kingdom and inevitably some have megalomaniacal dreams of greatness or at the very least immortality. For polite and kind hearted souls I am kind enough to deny their request, but Kado certainly gave me no sense of this trait. The woman didn't claim to desire power, but she was too young to even fear death by old age, and she had that gleam in her eyes. Further research into her background lead me to a case of a young woman who had kidnapped and murdered two human children in a hamlet in the northern continent. The description matched Kado.
Thus we set off to a shrine. She demanded to know why, as she was no gods-fearing woman, but I told her to simply trust.
The god Imi spoke, but not to me, as she rolled the die. "He said, 'Make no needless sacrifices' What do you think that means?" she asked me
Nothing....nothing. Just roll again I urged her!
A warning came to her this time. I told her to ignore it, and she was a god-hating woman, so she did.
I felt the change in the atmosphere: A powerful feeling like lightning striking that left my fur standing on end and a chill running up my spine.
Kado stood stock still and perfectly straight.
Her skin turned gray and her muscles were drawn taut and defined. Veins stood out and the popping of bone and muscle could be heard as she grew in physical power.
She began to laugh maniacally as she looked up to the sky with her fangs bared. I remained seated on the ground at the hilltop above her.
"Finally, finally, finally! I'm so strong! I feel like I could shatter a man's spine with my bare hands!" she twirled around laughing
I wouldn't be terribly surprised if you could, I told her.
Now, there's a matter of payment. You will serve me and my experiments until I am done with you.She glared at me with eyes full of hate and arrogance, but she smiled viciously. "'Make no needles sacrifices', right wolf-king? No, I think I am gonna go my own way now and if you don't want to be the first to taste my new power then you should go your way!"
I sighed deeply, closed my journal and set it to the ground. In a moment I had crossed the gap between us and delivered a fist to her abdomen that sent her flying back. She nearly retched in response, but quickly began swiping, swinging and kicking out at the wolf. Her speed was fast enough to slay regular mortals, but it was still half as fast as the several century old wolf-king.
Again and again he punched her as blood splattered against the ground, and eventually formed puddles of it.
The vampire could not tire, but she could not land a single blow either. Fear set in as she lashed out, but was dodged only to have another fist launch into her face.
Blood was gushing from her face as the wolf began throwing fist after fist into her chest. The vampire collapsed onto the ground vomiting blood that was filling her lungs "Mercy, Mercy! Please!"
The wolf man walked away back up the hill and grabbed the simple wooden barrel he had been sitting next to. He began to fill it with her blood
The rest should be able to be mixed with water without it becoming too diluted I said more to myself than her
Kado was still coughing up blood "I think I'm dying." she shared
I doubt that. You actually don't need your lungs to survive as a vampire, thus collapsing them was a reliable way to extract this from youI kneeled down to where her face was looking at me,
I need you to understand something. That message from Imi about making no needless sacrifices was for me, not you. Your sacrifice is very much needed right now, you don't have a choice in the matter, and I won't many any needless sacrifices of you. She looked at me in terror, but it just made me wonder if that was what the faces of the children she killed had looked like, and how many more she would have gone after if I let her go.
Experiment Log - Adoring FansGoal: Create a reliable coven of vampire-necromancers for research in the underground facility
Subjects: A small coven had unintentionally formed around me. Several humans, all seeking immortality and knowledge, had reached out to ask me to be their master and patron. Like the start of a new necromancers tower, but I have no interest in world domination or sycophants
"Come on guys...wait up!" the larger human called.
Maloy, Kado the vampire, and this new coven had been traipsing through snowy lands to the museum for many days.
The coven was not physically gifted and seemed more like social outcasts looking for their come-uppance. Kado kept to herself although she glared with disdain at the other humans. She knew better than to do so at me.
Cresting the hill to the Museum I noted that, yet again, someone had dumped every single book out onto the ground outside of the castle. I sighed and drank some wine I had in a waterskin.
Let's start looking for that book, I said.
It took some hours, but we finally found it dangerously close to a fire someone had left. I instructed my "students" to read it and they fought each other over who would be first. I sat down by the fire while they sorted it out. Kado glared from a distance at them.
Eventually, each of the students had their turn and learned the secrets of life and death. They laughed and cheered at the knowledge they attained and many probably had naive dreams of what eternity would look like for them.
Once they were all done congratulating each other and joined me by the fire I popped the top off of the barrel we brought. They laughed and cheered more as they anticipated a wine filled night of revelry, until the smell reached their noses: Blood.
They were confused, but I explained:
This blood came from a willing vampire and should, hopefully be contagious. If you drink you will become vampires and not only immortal, but no longer needing to breathe air and with supernaturally strong and fast bodies.The band cheered themselves even more and scrambled for turns to drink, yet unlike Kado's experience at the shrine, nothing happened to these humans other than coughing on the repellent substance.
hmmm...that's unfortunate, I said,
fret not. I have a back up plan. Kado carry to the barrel. We're leaving.The larger human from earlier whined "But it's late! Shouldn't we sleep"
I see you aren't paying attention. Your bodies no longer tire. You all can walk all day and night without stopping and you won't tire at all.the humans looked gleeful as they realized and looked at themselves.
We set off shortly after and returned to the shrine of Imi to the far north.
Kado sulked on the other side of the hill as I took up my previous perch and set the humans to task seeking Imi's will.
Each one was cursed to vampirism, one after the next. Not only had the gods removed my curse of being a werefox, but they had also seen fit to bless my endeavors consistently now it seemed.
The humans felt similarly empowered as Kado had and eager to test their strength against the world
Now, for the big reveal, "students".They froze and looked up at me with fear and Kado smirked at them even as she hated me.
A year ago a wagon was sent by the Realm of Silver to relieve a blight stricken village and bring much needed supplies, as famine had devastated the town as well. I paused and the humans began to look at me wide-eyed
The wagon never arrived. No one ever heard of it again actually, and the villagers that did not starve to death died at the hands of thralls when they began to try and scavenge in destroyed settlements. A regular tragic story in this day and age, but I just so happened to get a copy of the cargo manifest from the merchant's guild liaison of the Realm of Silver.One human began to speak, but I raised my paw to signal silence
Well, you humans came to my city seeking patronage and not only that, but you paid your way into nice lodgings and an audience with me by selling a number of goods and a wagon. Same supplies as the cargo manifestThe larger human tried to speak "Milord, please, let us explain. We just found-"
Silence! Let the teacher speak, yes? Now, I know you gentle humans are not those same people who were supposed to deliver that wagon. I know that you also aren't bandits that killed them and stole it. No, no you are just innocent villagers who found a wagon and used it to start your dreams in the big city, yes? Don't answer. I know. Still, the evidence is enough that the Realm of Silver would see you hanged. Thus in my kindness I already burned the cargo manifest copy and records of your sales have been expunged. It's like you never came to the city, amazing, yes? In exchange for this you are going to come to my facility where your tutelage will continue as well as ground breaking research, but you will not be allowed to leave until your apprenticeship is complete. Understood? You may say yes now.The humans looked bewildered, but each one nodded their head yes and seemed to be waiting for the next order.
An elephant, a traveler, and a broken heartI had returned to Ringboot wand after appointing
commander Onul we were interrupted by an angel
"Excuse me, lord! Urgent report an elephant that has been infected by the blight has wandered into the outskirts of the city!"
"A what?!" Maloy replied "Casualties?"
"Sir, no civilians were out there other than three unattended goblin infants"
"What?!" The wolf man thought he might pass out
Onul walked over and put on the skull helmet and said "Well, I guess we should go and deal with that then"
The problem was a bit more than it seemed though and I did not mention it to Onul. Since I had returned to the city the
abomination had honed in on my location and was sprinting at top speeds from the slums to my home. It was entirely dog-like in its obedience and gentle nature, but its power was so devastating and if it initiated combat it would not be able to stop. It would destroy half of the city before all was said and done thus the elephant had to be killed in record time.
I sprinted at top speed with Bral's old steel sword in hand. The elephant had already killed two. An infant had its skull crushed into mush and a dead dwarf lay nearby on the outskirts of the city. It seemed the angel had been incorrect about no other civilians being around, but this was likely a traveler, so the angel might not have seen him originally.
Angel, elf, and wolf battled a supernaturally powerful and mad elephant in the fields. Maloy could hear the abomination's foot steps as it neared. The moment it saw its master under attack everyone other than Maloy would likely die. He needed to hurry, defeat the elephant and lock the abomination back up underground.
The elephant batted the Warrior of Udir away and charged toward her just in time. It was obscured by a massive tree and so the abomination did not see the elephant.
Maloy ran in and stabbed with all his might as the sword cleaved the elephant's skull asunder!
The abomination crashed into the area immediately after looking slavishly toward its master for orders.
It had been well over a century since I had felt such intense relief although Onul and the angel looked at the abomination with trepidation.
I walked over and resurrected the goblin infant. It would never know the pleasures and passions of life again, but the child could still serve its purpose. There was also the question of whether intelligent undead could become adults if brought back as children so that would be interesting.
I also walked over and raised the dwarf traveler. He looked at me with such hatred for one intense moment that I thought we would fight, but he told me he had seen the halls of his ancestors and had found peace. He was glad to have a second chance at life, shook my hand and introduced himself: Rith Searpapers
Later that evening I sat in my study and considered the next steps in my various experiments, but was interrupted by a sound outside.
Someone was creeping around my windows!I have ever been a wolf of caution, thus being one of the handful of necromancers to survive this long, and so I rang a bell in the next room that would set an alarm and for guards to rush to my home.
I turned around to see Rith Searpapers just in time for his fist to plunge into my unarmored chest. He grabbed my heart with his hand, a terrifying feeling to be sure, and tore it out before my eyes before crushing it.
I fell to the ground coughing, spurting and desperately trying to crawl towards the dwarf. For what reason, I did not know, but instinct had taken me over completely.
"By order of his majesty, King Domas Menfigure, you are sentenced to death for treason, necromancy, and conspiracy against the crown." Rith spit on my dying frame "And cursing me to be an abomination like you."
The guards showed up moments later weapons ready to slay Rith where he stood, but the dwarf held a scroll.
It truly did have the seal of the King of the Walled Dye and on it the writ of execution. The guards were bewildered, terrified and conflicted. They were angels and their lord was on the ground dying, but here stood the orders of
his lord! Rith barked orders at the angels "Take this traitor's body and impale him on a spike at the border of the city! Let all see and know that no one is above the law!"
The guards sheathed their weapons, still in fear, "We'll need to confirm the authenticity with the commander"
"That's fine. One of you take me to him and the others go and deal with this trash"
Before Rith made to follow the angel escort he used his boot to turn my head where I could see him, although I was half lost to the madness of death
"Know that I will make sure every bird, beast and insect has devoured every inch of your corpse so there's nothing to bring back. Enjoy hell" He spit again and left.
And I died.
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Topic: Museum III, adventure succession game (DF 0.47.05) (Read 516844 times)