[@blesses blight] Enter Corbin Eldritch (https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/190187-character-database/ooc - see Corbin Eldritch) [img]https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/full/public/2021/10/28/e4e82425/crimson_vow_sorin.jpg[/img] The battle raged far below in a massive clearing of Eldritch Forest. Dusk had settled upon the land an hour or so prior and a thick blanket of fog had rolled down the slopes of the Rook Range, through the valley and into the woods. It was a ghostly scene painted with crimson shadows, smeared by cloudy ink. The sounds of death echoed off the edge of the clearing and pierced the veil of the low hanging sky. A smile crept over Corbin's pale face as he relished the spectacle. The vampyre basked in the irony of humans slaughtering one another at his doorstep, so close to Eldritch Manor, the home that had once housed several major bloodlines. Eldritch Manor was once full of life and was deeply respected. Now it sat dormant, having slipped through its benevolent standing into legend, and has long since been forgotten. Whispers of its existence still sprouted here and there across the land however, and few had attempted to rediscover the ancient stronghold only to find themselves an early grave. Corbin would never allow his ancestral home to be tainted by the vile ignorance of men, so as much as he enjoyed the sound of them slaughtering themselves, they were too close for comfort. Mighty feathered wings of ebony retracted and the vampyre dived toward the battlefield. Only when he reached the ceiling of the impenetrable fog did he spread them wide once more and glide over the massacre. His golden eyes easily piercing through the thick white blanket, he spotted the makeshift tents that humans used for their highest ranking officers and leaders and dropped through the cloud amidst the battle nearby. Corbin landed gracefully, his wings folding in on themselves and melding into his back, as soldiers gasped with surprise and fear. Enemies became allies as they all turned their attention to the newcomer. Screams erupted as they all began attacking the vampyre, but one by one they fell to Corbin's deadly blade, Greyscale. Corbin lurched Greyscale through one soldier, his body sliding apart moments later as the man watched others meet similar fates. The blade's edges glowing with the absence of light as it fed on the flesh of its prey. Very quickly more than two dozen men were rushing Corbin. His laughs echoed, bouncing from one place to the next as he phased from the material plane into the Abyss, and back in another location, feeding the confused men to his blade. One man pointed and shrieked, "It's the Ghost of Eldritch Forest!" More screams followed, but despite the trembling fear in their voices and their cries, they all fought bravely. And they all died horrifically. The vampyre stalked toward the tent. He could see the heat of the blood pumping through the frightened officer's body as he crouched in a corner awaiting his fate. "What do you want?!" The man cried as Corbin entered. Smiling, the vampyre shrugged nonchalantly as he continued his approach toward the man. He sheathed his blade and leaned down to the man's level to look him in the eye. "What's your interest in these lands?" He asked. Nothing, not a peep. "Very well. Signal the retreat and you may go free." Corbin stood up and backed into the center of the tent awaiting the man to follow as instructed. It took a moment but the man did as he was told. Corbin stepped aside and gestured for him to leave the tent. The man reluctantly accepted the offer and walked past the vampyre, but Corbin grabbed a hold of the man's head and twisted it around so he could see his bulging eyes. He pulled the head from the man's body with ease and held it over his face and drank his fill. Upon searching through the various documents, and studying the maps that were in the officer's possessions, the vampyre learned what he needed. He placed a hand over the blood diamond crest on his chest, invoking the ability of the entity he had trapped within, and the crest became as black as the clear sky on a moonless night. Wings sprouted from his back and he took off into the night. As he flew over the dispersing battlefield he swooped down low taking out as many retreating soldiers as he could on his way out. The major force that had invaded his land had come from a city just a couple hours away by flight, and he intended to deliver the officer's head as a warning, but as he flew over the city a sensation he hadn't felt in a very long time came over him. Could it be? How? All thoughts of the soldiers, the battle, the officer's head and their reasoning for marching toward his ancestral home were no longer important to him as he honed in on the source of the familiar feeling. Corbin let the head go high above the streets of the city, his thoughts focused only on this strange familiar feeling, yet unlike any he had ever felt. There was no way to know for sure but he couldn't ignore it. There was another vampyre somewhere in this city, and he hadn't seen or felt the presence of another of his kind in over a century.... Eventually he found himself on the rooftop of a tavern, the sensation inviting him to investigate, but he was soaked in blood. That is no way to make a first impression so he flew through a window on the third floor of an apartment building across the street for a change of clothes, and to wash up. Corbin looked himself over in the mirror and made his way back to the street when satisfied. The vampyre walked through the entrance of the bustling tavern, alive with conversation and laughter. He immediately recognized the vampyress; the golden eyes were a dead giveaway. She emanated a sort of power and authority, but masked it in a way that confused him. Why would a creature such as themselves do such a thing, he wondered. She was serving drinks from behind the bar, another mind boggling revelation as the consumption of alcohol had no appeal to them. Corbin ignored the disgust he felt for the many patrons of the tavern, feigning comfort and belonging in such an establishment, and casually approached the bar where the other vampyre was working. There was no point in acting as though he weren't bee lining straight for her since he knew she likely felt his presence as well. As he approached her and placed his hands upon the bar she stood behind, he offered her a courteous smile that subtly flashed his fangs and looked her in the eyes. He was conscious enough not to linger too long and make it weird, but it was such a surreal feeling seeing one of his own after so long, especially one so beautiful. "What's the strongest thing you got?" The words felt empty to him for he couldn't care less about his question, or her answer, but he needed to blend in, and hoped she'd understand his dilemma.