THE ADVENTURES OF THE HAMMERWOMAN ESMIN IRKAGOSPO:
Esmin woke up at dawn, and said her goodbyes to the few dwarves that were up. She then walked out the door into the snowstorm that had arrived overnight. After a scramble to get back inside and get the warmer clothing on, she and Cadem strode out into the snow.
She arrived at the town in a matter of hours, and the snow was still coming down. There was a thick forest in between the hillock and the town, and the snow didn't help matters, so she had made much less distance in that time than she normally would, but the town was so near it wasn't worth waiting out the storm or finding a shortcut. Using the directions the dwarves gave her, she found a path, nearly impossible to find in all the snow, and followed it to a large building constructed of a blue stone, which she knew from the dwarves to be "kimberlite". She didn't see a door, though, so she walked around the corner to find it. To her surprise, the mead hall was incredibly small! It was long and thin, and inside, many soldiers trained and chatted. It seemed a bit cramped, but much better than the storm, so she walked in.
A hooked-nose man in fine dress and toga seemed to be the lord, so she walked past a short swordsman and a muscular axeman to speak to him. "Greetings. My name is Esmin Galecrowded," she said. "Ah, hello. I'm Posa Pleatedconfused," he replied, silently letting her know that etiquette was not of the highest concern. She told him about her exploits, showing the gruesome skull, then informing him of the vampire in his town. "The world is safer for villagers when night creatures no longer stalk the darkness," she said. "The creature is Lastret Worktick the vampire. This bloodsucking fiend has killed one hundred eleven in his lust for murder!" "It is terrifying," the lord said, and continued, "I would be greatly pleased if you could find him and kill him. Search first in a cottage to the southeast." She set off to find the vampire and bring justice to the villagers.
As she walked, the snow turned to slush, and the falling snow to rain. The plants and grass became visible, and she once again admired the beauty of nature. Not that she wouldn't grab an apple or two from a tree if she was hungry, or kill an animal for its bones, but she did like walking through the outdoors. Soon the path led her to the village that was terrorized by the bloodthirsty (literally, hehehe) vampire.
She burst through the door of the first cottage she saw, demanding to know if Lastret was there. Cadem ran around to the back door to make sure nobody left. "N-no," said a villager, "but try to the west. And thank you," she added, "nobody's worked up the nerve to kill him."
The next cottage to the west, she was a little more polite, and chatted with the planter inside about plants (which he said was life, and not really far off), before asking him if he knew where Lastret was. "To the west," he said. "I'm Rakel, by the way. And can I come? I'm longing for excitement." "Okay," Esmin said, "but watch your back. Here," she suddenly said, tossing him her spare weapon, an iron morningstar. "It's not the best, but it looks scary. You can guard the back door while Cadem and I take on the vampire." He seemed quite pleased to have a weapon of his own, and the trio set off to find the scoundrel vampire.
This carried on for a few cottages. Each person wanted to chat with Esmin, and they kept saying "west" or "northeast". Finally, she asked someone where Lastret was, and they whispered. "We're in Romanedclasped, so he must be around here somewhere." The code! The lord had let her know that was code for "he's in here." She asked each person their name, until...
She looked at a short villager in the corner of the room. He hadn't been talking much. "Say, what's your name?" she asked, subtly gesturing to her companions to block the doors. "Lastret Inanpuc," he said amicably. "Praise coasts." The god that cursed him! He was the god of coasts! I know this must be him..., she thought. "So how long have you been a vampire?
Lastret paused for a moment, then snarled, "Fool! I've defeated many fearsome opponents, much more so than you! You think you can stop me?" "Yes," she said, stepping closer.
"I'll give you a deal, how about that?" he said slowly. "You - step away. Get your companions to stop blocking the door. And I won't kill everyone in this room. Good deal, huh?" She walked even closer. "No," she said, and drew her weapons. "I hate you," he said, spitting at her. As childish as he was, he was very dangerous, so her companions closed in on him. And she swung.
He jumped away. Suddenly, a farmer slashed Cadem in the right leg with her silver carving knife. "You fool! They're all under my control! You'll be hung as the vampire, and I'll continue to feed on them. So bring it on, "hero". How long will you fight?" She gritted her teeth and swung again.
The farmer stabbed Cadem in the brain, killing him, as the vampire ran away. As Esmin ran for the vampire, the same farmer knocked her down, and stood over her. it was the same one that told me he was here, she thought. but... Suddenly, she saw the farmer's eyes. They were red. Oh, no... she thought, as the farmer plunged his knife into her brain.
WTF just happened? I can RP and BS it all I want, but that is a very bad bug. Is it because I technically started hostilities? Is there any workaround?
Vampire cults exist in game since 34.01 and will defend their vampires, yes those exist.