Wow, that´s an interesting way to become a vampie. Almost brought the cutscne from Vtm:B to mind

mALX: Yikes! Sorry! Her story's supposed to be inspired from Dark Shadows, but I guess that part is more Anne Rice.

Thanks for all comments, they keep me going! Sarah's next episode's gonna be even more intense than the last one; and it's a good thing I did not mash it all into last week's tale, it definitely woulda been too much to take in at once.

My daughter's at a friend's house tonight, so I'm going to do a rare Friday night write-up. And I need to see what Kahreem's up to. His agent called me and related that he missed an episode in September, so he needs to make up for this, if he's to keep his contractual obligations as a Renee Gade t00n, ha ha.



11:33 pm, Rain's Hand 18, 3rd Era 434

Days Passed: 235
Days Jailed: 69

Bounty: 1750
Fame: 0
Infamy: 33

Horses Stolen: 18 (I thought this number would be higher than 18, considering he's been extant for 235 days. This shows that he tends to keep the horse he's got, for as long as he can. 235 / 18 = a new horse every 13.8 days. That's not very long, but he tries! Lol.



"It's all over lawbreaker, your spree is at an end," says the guard everyone in town knew as "Ailette." Ailette smiled, knowing his dull night was about to get much brighter.

Winter had been cold, and it'd been months since any wild teenagers had gone dancing in the streets. Ailette (and other guards) had had to break such matters up quickly, they had had never thought they'd see anything worse than what happened here in Cheydinhal. Then summer ended, and a man (a Redguard) had suddenly become the hot topic for all of them.

"Your spree as at an end. I'll take any stolen goods you have. The next move--is yours. Pay your--"

"No."

"--fine, or I haul you away."

"You can forget taking my money. No way, sir. But here, I will make things easy for you. Take me to jail, please."

The tension in Ailette the guard's body suddenly went slack. It was OVER. The Redguard, who'd been rumored to use a virtual catalogue of false names and disguises, who'd been rumored to be single-handedly advancing the Thieves Guild, yet who'd only been caught for petty crimes like horse theft, had just given up the chase. Turned himself in. Would not be trying to flee on Ailette's watch.

"Hope you rot, criminal scum."

"The thing is, though, that I won't. In fact you'll be seeing me out on the streets in maybe a week ... week and a half? And guess what? You'll have to then eat all these words you're throwing at me now. What do you think of that?"

But Ailette the guard has nothing more to say. Like all guards, he was now sworn to uphold the law, and the law stated that if an outlaw wanted to be submitted to jail, the guard would now have to take him or her there. And this 'criminal scum' had clearly given up, just like that. There'd be no bloodshed or Redguard-chasing tonight.




2:11 pm, Second Seed 6
18 days later, and he's free to go. Incarceration in Cheydinhal hadn't been as cozy as he'd remembered in the past. His cell was run-down for one thing, a cracked stool in one corner, and a bed with thin sheets in another. He'd spent most of his time a-lay on this bed, except when he was eating some jail-meat between his fingers.

But today is a new day. The weather outside is sunny, and absolutely ... breath-taking. Kahreem leaves the guard's barracks, removing the crummy clothes he'd been assigned, tossing these on the ground, right in front of the barrack doors. This leaves him in a green, middle-class person's shirt, sackled pants, and a pair of leather boots. 18 nights ago, he'd been careful to store a phial of skooma, his 50+ lockpicks, and the Dark Brotherhood hood & robe he'd taken from Lucien Lachance into a beggar's food sack. Kahreem explained to this beggar that he'd give him plenty of Septims, if he could keep these things in this sack.

"I'm only askin' for a single coin!" this beggar had stated.

"Uh huh. That's what you guys always say, 'a single coin'. I know how you work though. I've given you all so much gold over the past few months, you could start your own guild. Maybe even pay monthly dues to some sort of beggar guildmaster. It's outrageous! Luckily though, I really need somewhere safe to store some things, and you'll get plenty of money after my sentence is over.

"Blessings of Anu upon ye."

"Uh huh. What-ever."

True to his word, the beggar had kept Kahreem's things safe, meaning that the Redguard's ultimate disguise (a sleeky Dark Brotherhood hoodlum) had not been compromised. He does not put this outfit on now though. The guards here in Cheydinhal have never seen him wearing this particular disguise; best not to have them notice. In fact, the idea would be that nobody would notice this one.

"The Grey Fox is waiting for you," an elven woman says, as Kahreem passes by a rather posh-looking house.

"Shhhh, by the gods, woman. Not out loud. OH. YOU SAY 'I WOULDN'T KEEP YOUR DOGS LOCKED AND WAITING IF I WERE YOU?' HEY, that's smart."

"No, I said I wouldn't keep HIM waiting if I were you."

Kahreem palms his face. "Oh, you say your DOGS ARE IN THIS HOUSE? GUESS I'll HAVE TO HAVE A LOOK INSIDE, Won't I?"

"No, I said--"

"Ah, fokke. Does Mehrunes Dagon ever have to deal with moments like this? Does he? Fokke!"





4:12 pm
Inside the house it's cozy and warm. A couple dogs seem to rule the place, they walk around aimlessly as the Weet Bandit enters further. The door behind him closes without a word. Before him is the man with the odd grey hood, sitting by a fireplace.

"Have a seat, please."

"Okay."

"Come. We have much to discuss."

"I agree. But first, your hood, can you finally remove it? C'mon, just for a second."

"Further use of Savilla's Stone has revealed that I need another special item to move forward with my plans."

"[SIGH] No hood-removal today. I guess I'll live."

"I need the boots of Springheel Jak."

"... and you want me to steal them? Good. I like when you tell me to steal stuff. Because I keep getting better and better at it. I mean, back when I was a bandit, I thought I was slick just stealing some wine from some other bandit ... HA! .. Look at me now. Look at us now, I should say. I should tell you this story I heard once. It's like there was this guy, alright? and--"

"STOP TALKING!" the Gray Fox suddenly bursts. "Pay attention."

Kahreem doesn't reply. He tries to summon a new face from a different time, one which will cut a more imposing figure.

"Springhill Jak is a famous thief that died some 300 years ago. Legend has it that he was buried with his boots on. Find out where Springheel Jak is buried and bring me back those boots. Will you do this for me? It pays well."

"Oh, I can speak now?"

"Go ahead."

"'Will you do this for me? It pays well', you say. So you're basically asking me if I want more gold, right? What do you think the answer is to that question?"

"Capital!" exclaims the Gray Fox. "The Earl of Imbel is the only descendant of his line that I have been able to locate. His name is Jakben, and he lives somewhere in the Imperial City. There might be a clue in the Earl's house."

"Capital! I'll be on my way then. Imperial City you say? I am on it, boss. Capital!"

"Shadow hide you."

"Capital boss, capital! Hey though, like really, your hood, can I just--"

"You have work to do, get out of here!"

"Right. Guy named Jakben, Imperial City. I am on it. Already done, sir. Capital."

Later Kahreem would

This post has been edited by Renee: Sep 10 2023, 05:03 PM

I Sarah Phimm! She has to live, even if it is ... undead

You have nothing to worry about, my dear. I don't wanna spoil, but Sarah will be more alive than ever.

WOO HOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Capital! Capital!

What a funny story, I chuckled over Karheem's conversation with the Gray Fox. Clever that he hid his DB outfit in the beggar's sack.

Another Kahreem story? Capital!



Maybe he could make use of Sarah, considering Jakben´s... Uhm... condition..

Wow, Kahreem’s a registered RG toon under contract, eh?

“With a single coin I kin start me a beggar’s guild.”

Somehow I knew his post jail disguise would be his silky black DB jammies.

Capital!

Lopov: Just so you know, DON'T hide stuff in a beggar's food bag. They respawn! I only wrote the story that way, in reality, he put all his stuff next to the food bag / bed. And yes, I had to learn this the hard way. UESP was not clear enough about whether beggar bags respawn or not.

mirocu & Acadian: I am glad you two (and others out there) see the humor in Kahreem tales.

It is time for the next Sarah update. As we last saw, she had just become a full vampire, while locked up in some loathsome cave. I wonder what will happen next?



Days Passed: 34
Days Jailed: 6

Creatures Killed: 3
People Killed: 2 (note how low these stats are!)

Hours Slept: 379
Hours Waited: 53

Days as a Vampire: 1

The figure in glinting armor clambered down the hill. Saw the stone structure in the distance, and began to prepare. Said a quick prayer to the gods, stooped down, and crept forward.

<=======}--o

Time, unknown

"It's you. Hi."

"GO AWAY, I don't like you."

"Look at the pallor on you!"

After three days and three nights, meaningless to Sarah because she'd been locked in a cave, it had finally become time to allow Sarah out to meet the others. By now she'd become a full-fledged vampiress, and she'd found herself taking on a mixture of praises and slander from the others.

It had all began several hours after Sarah Phimm had regained her strength. The mortal Sarah had lost all of this, and had fallen some unspecified time ago. Eventually, the immortal Sarah had then risen, standing fully, examining her arms and skin. Reeling through the mind of the former Breton who'd inhabited this mind for the past 21 years. 'Sarah' was surprised to find out she'd retained all her former memories, and many random thoughts and opinions she'd held before her change.

Hours went by. Eventually, Serty had returned. Instead of finding a scared and starving human, she'd found a calm and patiently-staring non-human. Serty had observed Sarah Phimm from a distance for awhile, slightly shocked. Sarah Phimm was standing fully in the cave's bonfire, wearing absolutely nothing at all.

"Hey, what are you doing?! Put your clothes on, we're going to meet the others NOW!"

After seeing what she saw, Serty now had no doubt that Farnacas had made a rather interesting decision by kidnapping the red-haired barmaid. A vampire ... who could fully withstand the wrath of flames! ... Any doubts Serty had had about Farnacas's choice were immediately squashed. Serty and the others would need to rethink many things they'd formerly assumed were fairy-tales.

Sarah got dressed, and then walked up the way Serty had gone. The door at the top of the cave was no longer locked. On the other side of this door, Sarah found herself in some sort of stone chamber, with three separate rooms. The main room contained two coffins, and this room connected the other two, both of which were smaller. One of these smaller rooms had a door which led to an alcove, with a sleeping slab and a flaming wall sconce and a door which could be closed, for whatever privacy could be attained. The third room was not much more than a storage area, with a chest, several candles, and an empty sack up on a ledge.

"There's a gate over there," Serty had begun, "and right now it is locked. You will be able to stay in this set of rooms, or the cave below, until the others begin to trust you."

Sarah did not reply. She seemed a little dazed, a little out of it all.

"So. How do you feel?" Serty asked.

"I... hunger."

"Which is just as we anticipated. Tonight is your lucky night, Sarah Phimm. We have somebody here, just for you."

The man they brought in was some sort of rough guy, a brigand or an outlaw. He had that sort of look. He had come traipsing into their home, probably assuming it was empty of enemies, but full of loot. The FOOL! Instead of gold, he'd found himself overpowered by a couple of initiates who'd been standing guard. Normally, such a man might have been killed on the spot, but instead they'd brought him to Serty, for some sort of final decision.

And Serty's decision? Sarah would go first.

Some of the others had looked angry and jealous, as the tough guy was pushed into Sarah's rooms, and locked in. They'd been angry and jealous, but they had also wanted to watch Sarah take her first victim. The man had some strength, that was for sure. But Sarah found she had also had a new wrath of vitality and quickness, and had easily overpowered the man, just as Serty had overpowered her several days before.

"OH what's the matter, getting tired?" the others had taunted the man.

"Sink your teeth in Sarah, do it now!" Serty had encouraged.

Though Sarah had fumbled a bit as the man struggled, within seconds he was subdued. And Sarah was satiated. The other vampires would not allow Sarah to kill the man outright, though. Instead, now it was him who would be locked down in that cave, passed out from blood-loss. The others would have their turns, as his health regained and fell over the coming hours and days.

<=======}--o

"Hey, look at you!" Serty exclaimed several minutes later. "What a ...scrumptious specimen you are!"

Sarah Phimm said nothing, as the tough man's life-force had coursed through her body.

"Hello to you Sarah Phimm...the NEW Sarah Phimm. My name is Serty Fyd, vampire matriarch at large." Serty took a moment to look at the woman before her. Her hair was still red, but her face and eyes looked haggard. Even so, it was obvious Sarah now possessed a more stolid quality. Not so mousy, as before. "Now that you have fully .... commenced to a full vampire's regard, you are now under my wing, as the expression goes. Which makes things much easier, now that you've turned."

Sarah had nothing to say to any of this. No smile of triumph caused by conquering that mortal, for instance. She merely stood and stared.

"Ooh, you're a quiet one, hmm? A bit overwhelmed? Well, I am going to teach you many things. Firstly, I am going to show you how to not appear so feverishly obvious, how to not be so .. vampiric. If you could see yourself now, you'd know what I mean. Your eyes are red and blood-tinged."

"My eyes? They are red?"

"They are. And your skin has aged decades, as though you had actually died, and come back to life. Not to fret though, it happens to all of us. Your pallor is just lovely to a sort like me, but any human will see you and run for cover! I will show you how to address this, okay?"

"Yes."

Serty led Sarah up the small set of stairs, into the storage room with the chest in it, and she had showed the new vampiress how to conceal her true nature, with a simple bit of magic. After this, Serty had taught Sarah many things: how to become more familiar with negative planes of existence, of which all intelligent undead were well-acquainted. Nocturnal herself could be reached on one of these planes, if the querent was lucky enough.

Serty taught Sarah how to get through those inevitable periods of hunger, when it was too risky to feed from a civilized man or woman. There were plenty of outlaws out there for instance, but if one could not be found, animals could also be fed from. An animal would not provide the ultimate sustenance that a more-intelligent being could, though. And some animals, Serty explained were off-limits. These were the creatures of the night: bats, owls, some cats and some rodents. These were known as 'familiars' in the vampiric community, meaning that they'd be beneficial in many ways. They could alert a feeding vampire to danger, or seek the presence of new victims.

Most of all, Serty tried to teach Sarah how to 'blend in' with normal society, since it was in Farnacas's plan that she'd eventually do so. Though Sarah Phimm had only left this society just a few days earlier, she could possibly go back as a ravenous monster, without proper foresight and training.


Sarah makes an ugly vampire

Thank the Nine, magic can save her appearance.

Sarah shocking Serty



This post has been edited by Renee: Oct 16 2016, 03:10 PM

A beggar ate Khareem's stuff!

The hollow tree stump in the IC Market District is safe storage, unless you are doing the Dark Brotherhood questline.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Oct 16 2016, 12:15 AM

I suspect Sarah will now be tasked by "taking over" some town, maybe even Skingrad? And that's why she has to learn how to blend in normal society.

Well, she definitely changed, not just that she's a vampire but she's also become more silent.

OMG she really is an ugly vamp. She looks like a man dressed in woman's clothes. I'm glad that Serty knows some beautifying magic.

Thank the Nine is right, poor Sarah!!!!

Yah, she was pretty ugly, but check this out: the mod she's got in her game (Vampire Power) actually has an everlasting spell which can be cast to "show her true vampire nature", or hide it. THAT was really unexpected. Before I discovered this feature, I was planning on going into the console and doing a showracemenu or whatever it's called, so she can have her beauty back. Because vampires in lore often get frozen in time, so far as their looks go. They don't get aged and manly-looking (if they're supposed to be female). But the maker of Vampire Power really put a lot of work into it, meaning that I didn't have to mess around in the console at all.

That story was supposed to be longer than it was, but a lot of things went wrong behind the scenes, and I had a mental breakdown at like 2 in the morning. I was trying not to freak, while re-writing a bunch of stuff! Anyways, I was too tired to edit last night's story, so I'm doing so now. It'll be better after I'm done, for those who want to read it over.

This post has been edited by Renee: Oct 16 2016, 02:56 PM

I used a vampire mod that let you hide your vampire features too. In fact, you could change into a large bird, a vapor, or a wolf with it; you could feed standing up; hypnotize NPC's; make them your thralls; and start your own clan of followers of people you 'turn' into vampires.

So the fireproof Sarah is now enrolled in the Vampire Training Academy! Very clever to magically make her appearance more normal. Since they passed around and 'gang-drank' that bandit dude, it seems like they tend to keep human cattle around for feeding - at least sometimes.

I'm looking forward to learning more about the implications of Sarah's affinity to fire combined with vampirism. I'm sure that's what drew Farnacas' attention to her.

mALX: I think we've got the same mod then. Vampire overhauls, basically.

Acadian: Yeah, I've got a few really good plots coming up in her game, all regulated by quests and scripts. I just need to playtest stuff more thoroughly.

... It all began when Serty first walked up to Sarah (Hey, put your clothes on!) only instead of saying "put your clothes on, she said NPC HAS NO GREETING. As soon as I saw that I knew I was in trouble, because I didn't know what the heck that could be. Turns out, it has something to do with bringing a Shivering Isles NPC into Cyrodiil. Apparently, I must have edited a SI NPC, and even though this NPC had all-new information (new ID, new name, etc.) this is what caused it all.

So long story longer, I had to completely scrap everything I wrote, to write an entirely new, edited NPC who was definitely from the base game. So I did this (this stuff eats lots of time, as you can imagine), and the GREETING worked as normal, but then I was getting CTD after CTD.

Anyways, it all worked out, sort of. The next Sarah chapter will definitely be okay--I playtested it last night. I think Kahreem is taking another break this weekend because I really want to get the next chapter up.

The figure in glinting armor grimaced while nearing the old building. A lone dog had been guarding the place, but it was weak, and instinctively had known that it could not possibly be any sort of threat. As the dog scooted away, it had turned back and looked, and gave a grimace of its own.

It was harder to tell who had the more predatory facial expression: the dog, or the figure in glinting armor.

<=======}--o

Tirdas, Frostfall 2
An unknown amount of time passes. It feels like at least a day or two to Sarah. As this time passes, and with not much to do, she begins to feel impatient and curious.

"Where am I?" she asks Serty, as both women woke from yet another stretch of sleep. "Can you at least confer our location?"

"I can't tell you yet where you are." Serty answers. "You're new at this, okay? And we must learn to trust you. The gate to this room is still locked, and you have not proven to the others that you're trustworthy. Not to worry though. You will be allowed to pass through the gate soon. But first, you must SHOW US that you're committed to being one of us."

Sarah's sense of eagerness begins to dim at these words, but she says nothing. As a mortal, she'd never been the sort who shutters herself up in some house or room all day; she'd always had the desire to get outside. At least once per day. And she feels gratitude that she has retained this desire for the outdoors, in her new stage of life. Or unlife, as it were.

"It will be okay, my dear," Serty tries to console. "Now, I have a few things to tell you, very important things."

"Such as?"

"Farnacas is still at your manor-home, Sarah. He's been doing lots of reading, and told us that you were quite the journal-keeper in your former life."

"Farnacas ... looked through my diaries?"

"He did. Oh, don't be so distraught ... they're full of trivial thoughts, and the concerns of a mere novice, in comparison to the life you are to lead from now on. But not to worry, Sarah. Though you are no longer mortal, me and Sir Collins thought it might of help to you, if you would still like to do some mortal things."

Sarah nodded. "Mortal things."

"I have brought you a book," says Serty. "A quill and some ink, that you may still keep your daily thoughts to yourself. Go ahead, take these. We think they will help"

"Thank you." She strives to remember what it was like, writing her thoughts day after day, back in Solitude, and back in Skingrad. Though she has plenty of memories of this particular activity, the feeling of it all is no longer there. Sarah does take the items offered by Serty. She does so partially out of curiosity, but also, she thinks that Serty is probably right. Because being locked in her cell leaves Miss Phimm with not much to do. Truth is, even vampires can get bored.

"Now, would you like to feed off my wrist?" Serty offers. "Sure, you can do this. The ruffian in our cave has just about bled out, I'm afraid."

Sarah shakes her head no at this request. Even though it had been hours (maybe over a day) since she had fed off the captured man, she can still feel his life-force within her. "I think ... it is best that I not. And that I shall take to my room, then."

"Very well. Call if you change your mind," Serty says. "I won't be far."

Sarah smiles briefly, or tries to.

"Hey, you smiled! Mmm. Such a lovely smile you have, my dear."

Sarah does not answer, instead she turns toward her room. Though she seems to have smiled in response to Serty's gift, in reality Sarah realizes that things are about to change. Something radical is about to happen, within the next hour or so.

<=======}--o

Sarah retires to the room with the sleeping slab in it, and sits down. A wall sconce with a fire crackles in this room at all times, just like the magical bonfire she'd had in the cave they'd held her in. Although her sense of sight seems to have been altered as a non-mortal, it is still nice to have a roasting fire nearby, she discovers. Sarah can remember this much about her former life--sitting by a good hearth, or even a batch of candles, had always pleased her as she wrote.

As she makes a few practice scratches onto the paper, she notices the ink she's been given is a dark reddish color, and it doesn't take much imagination to figure out what this 'ink' actually is. She readies her new quill, and thinks about what she will put down for her first journal entry. She remembers that back when she was still Breton, she often rushed her writings. She wrote eloquently and with great flair, but she'd been somewhat sloppy while doing so. As a non-Breton though, one of the first changes she makes is to write much more slowly. She has all the time in the world to do so, after all.



"SARAH!" Serty was suddenly at the door. "Come quickly! I need your help!"

Sarah puts down her quill, and says nothing.

"Someone is here, about to invade this place, just like before. OH, it's so exciting! Can you feel it? I certainly can. I want you to witness this!"

Sarah does not reply. Merely stares.

"Quiet again? Well, it's probably nothing. Some nobody, just like that last bit of scum, the one you so-gladly feasted upon. Some lowlife who thinks he has found an old, empty fort, full of gold and treasure. Ha! He'll soon know his fate. Are you sure you don't want to come with me? I'll open the gate for you. You can come to the front, if you like."

Sarah continues to stare, her eyes unreadable. Without looking away from Serty, she begins to gather up her new possessions: her book, her quill, her inkwell.

"Thatt's better. Because just in case he's a bit stronger than he looks, it might help if you come. We know you can cast at least some fireballs, Sarah. You'd be helping us greatly. The others .... they'll be pleased!"

But Sarah says and does nothing. She does not rise from her chair.

"Alright. Be that way. I understand. All of this is new to you," says the matriarch. "But you'll learn. Yes you will. I will go ahead to see what the commotion's all about. The minions up front will probably take care of him, just like the last guy, and then we'll all feast on the poor sap together. I'll be back, Sarah."

"No, you will not."

"What?"

"You will not .. be back."

"WHAT?" How dare you! Explain yourself, woman!"

But Sarah does not do so. Would it be a good idea to explain to Serty that within the hour, her life (her unlife....) was about to come to a sudden, violent end?

"You have much to learn, you subordinate! Why ... if it weren't for Farnacas's orders that you stay with us..." Serty does not finish this thought. "You just wait until I get back, you'll get a serious talking-to, young woman!"

<=======}--o

Serty rushes out of Sarah's cell, locking the gate behind her. ...Oooh, that woman! Such temerity!... She locks this gate just in case Sarah changes her mind, and then tries to figure some sort of escape. Serty turns, then runs into the depths of the lair's interior, drawing her daggar, heading toward the lair's entrance area.

Indeed, there is some sort of skirmish going on. She sprints left and right, reaching the corridor which runs straight toward the place's entryway, following the noise her vampiric hearing had discerned. As she nears the melee, she sees what she (at first) thinks is a man with a warren of black hair upon his head. The man engages with the initiates who'd been posted as guards.

Can it be him?

At first, Serty assumes the man with dark hair might be Raimond "Raven" Venadeux, returned to Cyrodiil. In his day, Raven had been much feared and hated amongst the undead communities of Cyrodiil, but then he'd vanished. Rumor was that he'd gone north, to Skyrim. All of that had happened back in the Third Era, though. There had been others back in Raven's day too, such as Dyan phor a'Cauz, Lady Saga, and the Grey Wizard himself, but Dyan had retired up in Bruma, Lady Saga (it was rumored) had left for Valenwood, and the Grey Wizard had become the Arcane University's Arch Mage, rarely leaving the Imperial City.

None of these others matched the man Serty was seeing though, not even close. Who is that? And Serty's former assumption, that she would merely be facing some fur-armored neophyte, has been proven completely wrong. For one thing, the man fighting her initiates is winning the fight, very much unlike the tough guy they'd captured earlier that week.

....For another thing, he's not a man at all.

"BLOOD! I NEED YOUR BLOOD!" Serty cries, hoping to startle the intruder.

The man is actually a woman, and she's wearing what appears to be metallic armor, NOT fur. Expensive metallic armor. Her sword is magical, able to cause great bursts of fire each time she scores a blow against one of the minions. For the first time in years, Serty begins to grow worried.

<=======}--o

Within minutes, Serty's life (or unlife..) is over. Thirteen decades of existence extinguished, just like that. She tries her best to fight the woman in glinting armor, but a cheap daggar is no match for a fire-based longsword, which seems as though it's been prepared specifically against Serty's very kind. Serty had also not been practicing her magics with any sort of verve lately; she hadn't had to much, not with a fort-full of others to assist in these matters.

"By the tears and tempers of the Nine, I usurp thee from these unrighteous grounds!"

"Nooo!" Serty cries, and then makes a high-pitched sort of sound, as she begins to lose consciousness.

The dark-haired woman does a sort of pirouette, spinning with her weapon at about mid-height, knocking Serty to the ground. As Serty's life-force diminishes to a mere warble, the last thing she sees is this mortal woman, making some sort of gesture toward her. She makes this gesture, mumbles some sort of incantation, and before she knows it, Serty's darkness is invaded by an extensive wrath of light.

<=======}--o

On the other end of the lair, Sarah Phimm stands suddenly. Her altered hearing picks up the footfalls of an approaching figure. Sarah stands, leaves her room, and walks to the gate which Serty had locked not long ago. Sarah knows her spontaneous prediction has come true: Serty Fyd, her captor and trainer? She exists no more.

Sarah peers into the gloom, straining to see who has chosen to invade this place. After a few moments, a figure does approach. Gets nearer. This figure appears to have some sort of light spell going, or perhaps she's wearing a ring or piece of armor, which provides plenty to see by. The figure comes closer, and stands before the gate, gazing at Sarah Phimm in complete surprise. Sarah sees a woman she's met before, with dark hair, and shiny, magical armor.

"Hey! .... You are ... don't I know you?" the woman asks.

"Why yes! You do know me. I am Sarah. And you ... you not one of them?" She asks this question, already knowing the answer.

"No, I am not one of them. I am not a vampire. Sarah. I know now, who you are! You are the barmaid I met not long ago. From Skingrad? Two Sisters Lodge?"

"Yes, you are correct. I am Sarah, the barmaid from Skingrad. Oh, thank the Nine you are here! Can you help me?" she pleads. "Can you unlock this wretched gate?"

"In a way I can, Sarah. Stand back." The woman can't unlock the gate with an actual key, but she manages to bash it open with her green-colored sword. "Are you hurt?" she asks. "Did they infect you?"

"Infect me? ... I don't know. I do not feel sickness. I do not feel poisoned. Oh, such a dreadful night this has been! .... Can I ask where are we? And who are you? Your name? We have met, but it has been some time."

"I am Joan. Joan of Arkay, they call me. And you are in a place called Fort Carmala, which is one of Cyrodiil's many ancient military forts, built to stronghold men against the Ayleids from long ago. But that is no matter. This place is full of undead, mostly vampires. You do know this?"

"I ... vampires?"

Joan gazes at the red-haired woman before her, unsure for a moment. "Well ... yes, vampires. Did you not know this?"

"I .... I do not .... I cannot remember."

"Well, do not fret. It is no matter, either way. But listen to me: You must get back to safety, at once!"

"Oh, I shall. Thank you, Joan of Arkay!"

"I have managed to rid about half their numbers, and I know this place. I know Carmala. There are still two more likely chambers they could be hiding!"

Sarah does not reply. Instead, she tries to make a facial effect which displays fear. She tries, but is not entirely sure if she's successful at this.

"So listen: Carmala is just south of Chorrol, and Chorrol is where I often frequent. Climb the large hill to the north. As you crest this hill, you will see the walls of Chorrol, not far. There is a chapel up there. And it is very important that you bathe in the blessings of the Nine. You do not look as though you have been bitten Sarah, but it is of the utmost importance that you do as I say."

"Yes. I shall run to Chorrol. Up the hill, and find the chapel. I shall do so."

"I want you to do so NOW. I need to continue to rid this place of undead, for there are surely more to be found, and you are not safe to come with me as of yet. I need for you to walk through this gate, go straight until you cannot anymore. Take a left turn up the stairs, and follow the main corridor to the right. From there, run until you come to a pair of large, wooden doors."

"Yes. I will. Gladly, milady."

"Do not mind the fallen, as I said, several were there to greet me, yet they failed. Had I known you were in here, I would have prepared a small batallion of others to assist."

"I thank thee, Joan of Akay."

"Hmm. Maybe 'tis better if you do not leave Carmala outright."

"No?"

"No. Wait for me at those double wooden doors, yes? As I complete my riddance of the wicked, I shall come to join you at those doors. Then we shall leave this place together. Yes?"

"Yes, milady."

Joan of Arkay turns, unsheathes her sword, and then hurries off into the depths, while Sarah walks calmly through the now-unlocked gate. As she walks, she grins mischievously in the dark, knowing she has no intention of following Joan of Arkay's advice, or orders.




Serty tries to console Sarah

....and gives Sarah her very own book

Quest Update (one of several)

Not too long afterwards, a holy figure enters this place of the undead.

The vamps of Fort Carmala have met their match

Joan of Arkay unsheathes her custom-made sword

The battle begins!

togglelightbright experiment

I banish thee!

Serty joins the melee (she's wearing black robe)

By the powers of the Nine, Joan of Arkay triumphs supreme.

Power of Mara

Joanie comes closer

"Hey, I know you. Can you get me out of here?"

Joan of Arkay, here to rescue miss Sarah Phimm

This post has been edited by Renee: Oct 23 2016, 05:47 AM

* Sorry you are having trouble with your mod!

I have always used Lithians Nature Of The Beast mod as my base vampire mod. It has everything I wanted, but there were a couple other mods that added just a few extra touches; and Lithians is very good about playing well with other mods.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WVGXaLy81s






Your mods and stories are Awesome !!!!








This post has been edited by mALX: Oct 23 2016, 07:34 AM

It's Joan of Arkay to the rescue! Now Sarah Fire-Walker Phimm is free to haunt the land!

It looks like Joan won't be having any children, considering where some of those arrows are sticking!

Power of Mara is a cool purple effect.

Very good story!

I liked it in the beginning how just because Sarah is now a vampire, she's not immediately turned into a bloodthirsty monster.

Serty Fyd got what was coming to her - she won't be missed, certified.

Nice inclusion of Joan into Sarah's story, I did not expect that. I was curious who was the armored figure but I wouldn't guess it was Joan. However, it seems that Joan may soon hunt down another vampire because Sarah is now on the loose...