*Lucretia's POV*
I went back to them, to tell them the bath is free. They went and bathed together. Which was fine. I wrote to my fiancé once more. I'd decided not to relay the suspicions that had been brought up. Nor would I tell him a second Acheron lives.
[Dearest Phintias,
I must decline the escort, though I appreciate it very much. Plight has said he would feel more comfortable with bringing me there and checking things out himself. He is an oddly protective person.
His lady is a very affectionate elven woman. She is lovely, and I can see why she's gained such adoration from him. I'm afraid I am not as bright as she, I tend to be quite depressing. She does not mind and is also affectionate towards me, as though I may be a sister.
Currently, what we are doing is escorting a creature to it's home. It calls itself 'Human'. I do not know if they realize it is indeed not a human. It says it is, but I can smell it isn't. It wears a cloak and a hat that alters ones perception of it.
I am not very concerned. I figure, if I must, I shall call on wolves and other such critters to help me should I need aid. Most of the spells I know are defensive. But, I do possess some offensive spells. Perhaps I should have learned more.
Which is fine. Living is learning, is it not? I have grown quite curious of you. I wonder what type of person you are, what you will expect of me? What drives you to obsession? I should think I may enjoy learning of you.
I tend to be quite mischievous in my own ways. My father was all the time scolding me for poor posture, or running throughout the house. I can not promise I will not pester you. Though, I will hope you will not mind that much.
I also hope you will not be bothered by my writing to you. I do not know if you are the sort that appreciates such things. Few do, I have heard. There is another thing I am quite worried over. But I think I would just like it to be some sort of surprise after we have met in person.
I hope I will not be a disappointment for you. I am a gentle person, with no cruelty within. My late Nanny used to say so often, before she passed due to old age. Circe Dupree had said I am an embarrassment to the Acheron family. I wonder if the codger lives still. Last I knew he was in a Drow city. He can stay there.
It is fine, yes? We will get on, or we will not. That is what an engagement is for. To learn each other, right? There is a teleportation circle in the cave town -Hearthstone Town- I'd mentioned it before.. It simply needs to be completed. The magic connected to it is quite strong.
I do not have any place to connect it to, though. With the right glyphs, it could go anywhere, I suspect. I believe I recall the glyph that tethers to this realm. I know the glyphs that move or transport by heart.
No matter. I am sure they will figure something out with it. What else should I tell you about? We do not yet know each other, so that may be difficult to guess at.
Do you know how I look? My skin keeps the warmth of the sun, my eyes are a deep red- somewhere between garnets and wine, and my lengthy straight hair is very nearly platinum blonde. I am willowy, for lack of better explanation.
I'll meet you soon, I am sure. I'll look forward to it. Please, do not be anxious as you said you will be. Since I have not said so, I will now. Thank you so much for your reply. I enjoyed it very much.
With Warmest Regards,
Lucretia Acheron.]
As soon as I finished the letter, I addressed it to Phintias Vanidestine. Then I sent it to him, wondering if I'd written too much or if I should have waited to send it. What was done, was done, though.
I waited patiently for the couple to reappear. When they did I went over with Plight the things that we can do as high noble vampires. Biological offspring, not needing invites to enter homes, being unharmed by running water, enter holy land- Plight said that was still uncomfortable, control lesser undead, summon bats, rats or wolves. He knew about the ability to make vampire spawns, that we can choose to turn someone or not. Our blood can also pass abilities to other noble vampires.
He had plenty of questions that I did my best to fill in the gaps to. I told him more about our families history, albeit being only what I was told. I told him some of the things I've done to keep myself preoccupied at home for so long. He told me some of the things he's experienced in life. A most heart wrenching series of tales until recently, when he met a woman named Sarial.
After these chats, and before dawn, I received a reply letter from Phintias.
[My Dear Lucretia,
It is lovely to hear from you again. I do believe we will get on wonderfully. From your letters you seem to be a charming young woman. I'm sure we will enjoy our long years together.
As you may know, I am in charge of the library here in Ymir's Town. I can't wait to share these lovely books with someone other than the locals.
I am surprised to hear you do not wish for an escort, but if you trust these companions of yours then that is fine. I will occupy my mind with other things since you do not wish me to be anxious.
I am currently getting your room ready so you may have a private space to relax in, if you so choose. I hope you will like it.
I never know how to end a letter so I will simply end it here.
Sincerely,
Phintias Vanidestine]
I smiled at the response. Tickled and pleased he bothered to reply. I shared the letter with Plight and Sienna. Plight seemed to have reservations about it, but Sienna had a different view.
"That's nice of him. At least he is looking forward to your company." Sienna said.
"Why do you want to meet this man? Why are you going to him?" Plight asked.
"A year or so ago, my family received a marriage request from him. I'd declined it at the time, but a few days ago I changed my mind and accepted the proposal. I was to be sent to stay with him during the engagement." I answered. "So, Phintias is my fiancé."
"Oh." Plight said, "Well that's g-good. From his letters he certainly seems to hope that you will come."
"It's good your fiancé is excited for you to arrive." Sienna agreed.
"Is it? Engagements are typically long.. I've been worried he'll change his mind since I won't benefit him with any sort of alliance." I admitted. "But I am also worried he'll be disgusted with me because of the scars. Vampires are quite vain."
"Well, if he ends up being such a fool, then obviously you can stay with us. I may be speaking out of turn, but I'll say it anyways." Plight insisted.
Sienna nodded, "I don't see anyone who speaks with you having a problem with it. Besides, friends are always welcome. You're Plight's relative, too. Hmm. Should you call each other cousin? Or siblings? I imagine it's up to you both."
"Is that something you'd want to do, Lucretia? If it is, which?" Plight asked.
"If you are willing to claim me, that's more than enough reason for me to call you my brother." I replied, confidently.
"Then, I will call you Sister." Plight said.
I smiled at him and said, "I'm sure you will be a better brother than Colt. You haven't even struck me."
"I am sorry that they died, but I am glad you are away from them. The more I hear about them the more I don't particularly like them." Plight said.
Sienna nodded and said, "People who love you do not hurt you."
"I can not say if they loved me or not. I can only say they raised me." I said. "I didn't like Colt very much, either."
After the sun came up, Human came down. It had breakfast then we all set out again. It took an entire day for us to arrive at this big stone in the middle of the woods. When we arrived, Human opened the 'door'. Which was a smaller bolder before a larger one. It opened wide enough for us to enter.
The problem that arose once we'd gone inside was that Plight and I were tall. Sienna could walk, basically unimpeded in this place, but we had to crouch. Plight hated every confined second. And so did I.
We traveled through the space, checking decorated rooms until we came across a single goblin, which was apparently the issue Human had. He and his people wanted the goblins gone. The goblin, spooled, ran from us.
We followed it down a path, I shapeshifted into a smaller version of myself, well, more like myself as a child. Just to make it easier on my body to be in this cramped space.
"Is that something we can all do, or is that a you thing?" Plight asked.
"I'm not sure. I know I can do it but I haven't seen others do it. Not even after cannibalizing me. But that could also be because I was unwilling to share." I replied.
"Oh.. Ok.. Ok... Might start looking into... what I can do.. Some of these abilities seem.. beneficial." Plight said.
"Can be." I replied. "But I really hate taking on other's appearances. So I just stick to myself."
"It is good to be yourself." Plight said.
We reached where the goblin had ran to. A hobgoblin had come out of one of the rooms and addressed the goblin, demanding to know what it was hollering about. The hobgoblin looked at us, surprised but not alarmed.
":Well shit.:" He said in goblin while looking at us.
":That's rude.:" Sienna retorted in his language.
":You speak my language... :" He replied. ":Should I assume you're all adventurers?:"
":Close enough.:" She said, then she spoke to Human.
The hobgoblin waited without making any aggressive movements while they talked. Sienna relayed to us about how this has been Human's home and they-the goblins- took it over.
"Ok, but what is Human?" I asked, "If we are meant to do something for him, should he not be honest about what he is?"
Human insisted he was human. Plight was watching the others.
I shrugged. ":What is the story of how you and yours came to be here?:" I asked the hobgoblin in his language.
":For that, you should really go talk to our leader.:" He said. ":He is the brains here.:"
":Where can we find him?:" Sienna asked.
He told us how to reach them. Human wasn't happy with us heading out of that room leaving them alive. Sienna spoke to him and he appeared to bicker with himself before heading upstairs with us, the way the hobgoblin had instructed us to go to meet his boss.
It took a few hours, but we eventually emerged onto through a door to the top of the mountain range. Many miles West from where I'd lived. I returned to my normal size and appearance.
I worried bout Sienna having trouble with the cold. She shivered a bit, without us being able to help her much. I used the cantrips Gust and Control Flame to try and keep her warm. Brother seemed relieved with the attempt.
Once we were let into the gates, the goblins didn't resist the order, I became very aware of the alluring charm my people had. All the goblins expressed interest in me in some rowdy manner. For the better part of that, I ignored it. Sienna asked where the leader is, and we were directed to a large, newly constructed, building. A building we passed was on fire, amazingly.
We entered the building the leader was meant to be in, it was made of stone, probably three stories to it. Similar to a mansion. The floor we graced was very much like a large hall that you may expect parties to be hosted in. In the middle of this room was a table where a large and heavily muscled Hobgoblin stood. Sienna mentioned he was as big as 'Dirthin' and Plight agreed.
Approaching the hobgoblin, as his back had been to us, we circled him and the table. Though, it was unnecessary. As soon as I was in his presence his attention was on me. Their being a highly prolific species, they'd also be hyper sexual.
We gave our greetings and explained our purpose behind being there. That we were hired by Human to remove the goblins from their home, though we weren't inclined to do so without hearing their side, as well.
"Thank you for giving me the chance to explain why we are here and why thing went, unfortunately, the way they did." The large hobgoblin said. "We'd never intended to take their home. Think of it as we were more.. forced guests. Unfortunately, they did not accept that and continually threw themselves at us. So we became a little more forceful with our hosts. Unfortunately, by doing so we found that they, well, died rather easily. So we had to.. find a different way. And that turned into the situation you see around you. And as we tried to explain to them, multiple times, we have no intentions of staying there. It is the only path up and down the mountain without requiring days worth of a trip."
"Can confirm, it is terrible time going down these mountains." I say, thinking of my fall. "Why are buildings on fire?"
"Ah. That is a.. heating method gone wrong. I am told it's making good progress, though." He replied.
"So what is Human, then? He says he's a human, but that's a lie, and we've only seen goblinoids." I ask.
"Oh. Well I.. thought he would have explained the situation better than that. The cave you all would have came through belongs to the kobolds. Which is what your friend here is." He said.
I crossed my arms and glared at Human. "Now, was so that hard?" I demanded of it.
"We're sorry." Human said, taking the trench coat off and revealing the three kobolds.
"Does this man lie?" Sienna asked the kobolds.
"Me went to get help." Swaying his hand in front of them, he continued saying, "Me got help. Kobolds was dying and home was gone."
Sienna spoke draconic to the kobolds, probably clarifying their positions. I frowned and asked the hobgoblin, "Did they have a leader?"
"Yes, Grey is his name. He keeps starting revolts but he is a good fellow. They just don't seem to understand that I'm not here to kill them all and take that cave." He said.
"Can you speak their language?" I asked.
"Unfortunately, no but grey speaks common well enough that he should understand me." He looked us all over. "May ask a favor of you all?"
I looked at Plight and Sienna. This wasn't my call. "What is it?" Sienna asked.
"Could you tell them that attacking us is doing more harm than good for their people? If they would just help us we would be out of their scales a lot faster." He said.
"What do you need of them?" I asked, while Sienna relayed that information in draconic.
"If they would help us carry our supplies rather than hinder us every other day... then that is all we truly need." He said.
"What supplies?" I asked, nosy.
"Wood, stone. Things that one needs to craft a town." He answered.
"If the glyphs for the locations are known I could make teleportation circles." I said, thinking aloud.
"I'm afraid I don't know much about magic to say one way or the other on that." He said.
"What was your name?" I asked, "Mine was Lucretia."
"I am Hobsnar. Leader of this particular band." He answered.
"Excellent. I will not have to refer to you by your race now." I replied.
"Yes, I suppose names do make it easier when addressing each other." Hobsnar said.
I nodded and smiled at him, before turning to Sienna and Plight. "Is there a way to end this peacefully?" I asked them.
"Without talking to the Kobold leader, I can't answer that." Plight said.
Jokingly with a bright grin, I flexed my arm while turning to the large Hobsnar, I fiercely said, "I am strong, I can help!"
"The clan can always use strong females." He nodded.
I laughed lightly, and said, "Do you want me to help stabilize the burning houses?"
"Yes, that would be good." He answered.
I nodded and said, "Brother, I'll help out there, I don't know draconic."
Plight nodded and Sienna asked where Grey is, he told them where to find it, as I went out to help with the fires. I charmed them pretty well. They showed me the runes they were using and I began helping them fix the mistakes. Sienna and Plight passed me on their way to speak to Grey.
By the time they came back I'd gotten my hands burned badly by an accident one of the goblins had created. I was nursing them in some snow when they passed, heading back to Hobsnar with Grey.
Plight stopped next to me, having seen me crouched in snow with my hands buried. "Are you alright?" He asked.
"I got burnt. It really hurts." I told him. "I am vulnerable to flame...."
"I'm sorry there is nothing I can do to relieve the pain." Plight said.
Sienna said, "Let me see your hands."
I complied, tearing up as the heat of the burns kicked back up. She sang a short song, and the burns recovered completely. She'd used Life Transference to heal me for as much as it hurt her. I stared at her in a mix of horror and relief as the pain had stopped.
"Sienna, that was brilliant." He said, healing Sienna.
She said, "I couldn't leave your sister injured."
"Thank you, Sienna, but try and not use a spell like that." I told her.
"It's alright. Did you do what you could?" Sienna asked.
I nodded and said "Mostly. The glyphs were easy, but also easy to mess up."
With that, we headed together to Hobsnar, who was about to head to bed. Sienna negotiated between the two and discussed what Grey wanted in depth. She reiterated Hobsnar's views to him in return.
What it turned into was the three kobolds who'd brought us would keep the peace with their people and keep things moving for the goblins, in exchange the goblins would protect the kobolds from some Underdark things that their home connected to. Sienna mentioned they should talk to Sarial about this town.
"Thank you, for your efforts. You all are welcome back any time." Hobsnar said.
"Thank you, likely we shall take you up on that." Sienna said.
Remembering Plight had mentioned it, I tugged his arm and said, "Get the kobold to sign quest complete."
Reminded, he did so. We then headed down the way we came. I shapeshifted once more to make the travel simple. After a few hours, we emerged once more. Sienna and I were hopeless on directions, so it was a good thing Plight knew where to go. Sienna summoned a warhorse to take us back faster.
Our riding order was Sienna, Plight, then me. For two full hours into the night we went on our way with no problems. Then something slammed into us, shredding Sienna's horse to death, leaving Sienna severely injured, and Plight looking worse for wear. The large creature lumbered over us, screaming its disdain. The assailant was a troll. No, worse, a dire troll, with two more trolls.
We were on the ground, having fallen prone during the attack. I threw a Wall of Fire up, and I empowered Brother's healing that he laid on Sienna, as he'd sat up and done. As he did so, the dire troll fell upon him, raking him with it's claws, as he collapsed, unconscious, Sienna used the explosion Ice Knife to cause the dire troll to be blown back out of range and she threw up Leodmund's Tiny Hut for added defense.
With not even a second to spare, Plight suddenly grabbed me, instinctually going after the healthiest thing nearby and sinking his teeth into my neck. I recognized immediately what had happened. The ancestor had taken over. I gritted my teeth, baring with the pain of his bite. Sienna had paled, seeing what was occurring.
The burning thirstful need tightened my throat as he drained me. My fangs extended and against my will, I bit him back. He'd taken to much to quickly for me to hold myself back.
Two greedy gulps, and I was pulled away. His black eyes stared into my face, his expression unreadable. "Of my blood and yet so weak." He commented, throwing me down.
I caught myself, and reached out of the hut and used Enervation on the troll. It took on a necrotic radiance which caused me to begin to heal. "At least I know useful tricks." I retorted.
He walked out of the hut saying, "Tricks are only necessary for the weak." He sneered, getting burned, then began to tear into the trolls.
"You can say that, Ancestor, but is it not YOUR blood that created Plight and I? Sounds like we got it earnestly." I replied.
Sienna reacted, immediately, resummoning Leodmund's Tiny Hut while the ancestor destroyed the dire troll. He whirled then, approaching. He realized she'd thrown up a different Leodmund's, so he could not approach. He smacked the barrier, it held, he then tried to dispell it. I performed counterspell against his dispell.
He stared at me and said, "Fine. I will be back. And I will finish this then. You can't protect him from everything." Then, blood burst from him, and he collapsed.
Sienna looked at me and said, "I think... you may have messed up a bit."
"Yes. Very muchly so. Perhaps, our old home should be investigated so we can learn more about the curse." I replied. Sienna moved closer to me, I moved away. "I'm very hungry. It is best if you do not touch me or get very close at the moment."
"I will make plans to do so, but will you go, too?" Sienna asked.
"Phintias is very old. He may know where to find it, aside from general location. It would be even safer if he knows the glyph for it. I would indeed like to go with you all. If only to help Brother." I said. "I am most sorry, I need to hunt. The urge to feed is most pressing."
"Yes. I'll clean Plight up." Sienna said. She dismissed the hut, and summoned the tower, then picked Brother up and took him inside.
I found a large bear, paralyzed it, and drained it. Feeling a little better, I brought it's body back to her tower. There were many humans in their town that would benefit from the meat. Then I hunted another animal, even though I knew I'd satisfy myself better with a humanoid's blood.
After finding the second animal, a deer, I had half drained it when I heard in my mind, 'At least your blood is strong.' I finished my meal with a grimace. Animal's blood does fine in a pinch, but it wasn't anywhere near as good as a humans blood. I imagine it was about how the ale drinking dwarves felt to be suddenly drinking water.
I wasn't sure if I'd actually heard that voice or not. If I was being honest with myself, being dismissed as weak by the ancestor was a fair bit humiliating. I couldn't even bear such insult from Colt, so how could I from him?
I returned with the dead deer and told Sienna about the bodies, and what I intended for them. She nodded and went to harvest them for the town. Heading to the room she'd spawned for Brother to rest in, I went in to check on him. He was unconscious still.
Not caring how he'd feel on the matter, I opened his mouth, and bit my wrist. Feeding him my blood to quicken his regeneration. I'd fed enough to feed him, again. When his complexion recovered, I let my bite heal up. He appeared to be going through a sort of transformation. I left his side, heading to the kitchen she'd formed.
I waited for her when she'd finished and came back inside. She sat at the table with me. I could tell from her expression she was worrying over Plight. She truly cared for him. This made me quite happy for him. It also made me think of Phintias again. How would our relationship be? We were to be married, after all.