“Where’s Mannfred?”

“Where’s Konrad?”

“I hear they’re dead!”

“Both of them?”

“Yes!”

“And where’s Gustavus?”

“This is all nonsense!”

“What about Vlad?”

“I hear Vlad’s sold us out to the Undying King?”

“No???”

“It’s what I hear.”

“Got any proof for that?”

“Mannfred can’t die!”

“He is and he isn’t coming back!”

“The rest of his army came back yet he hasn’t. He’s gone!”

“Impossible!”

“What about Templehof? Are we under attack or what?””

The gathering halls of Castle Drakenhof teamed with debate and disagreements as the various counts and countesses of Sylvania tried to make sense of their recent failings, talking over each other constantly. The vampires’ fortunes had certainly changed since the last time the Von Carsteins gathered around Mannfred’s dining table. It all started that same day when Vlad angrily blamed Mannfred for stealing his wife’s chalice, the last piece of Isabella he had left after her tragic demise to the Dark Elves, which led to him storming off taking almost half of Sylvania’s greatest soldiers including 60% of the Drakenhof Templars and most of the Knights of the Red Death with him on his quest South to find Isabella, ending with him becoming involved in Nagash’s schemes.

Then there was that disastrous siege of Karaz-a-Karak timed between the Dwarf-Elf peace talks which backfired so badly that Mannfred’s skull now laid on Belegar’s fireplace mantelpiece while Markos was destroyed by Dwarf reinforcements despite successfully slaying Queen Helgar Longplaits and Jerek was turned back to a living human. Meanwhile Nyklaus had always distanced himself from the family so no surprise should be felt there.

Of course these barely touch on the really embarrassing cases: Anark von Carstein ambushed and killed by Halflings (before the initial gathering could even take place), Konrad von Carstein slain by a retired Witch Hunter and Gustavus von Carstein missing in action for so long now that he is believed to be either dead, captured, deserting or simply so stupid that he couldn’t find his way back home from the frontier. Either way there’s no way he would ever be crowned master of Castle Drakenhof. As for the chaos beast that appeared beneath Castle Templehof and has wreaked havoc there ever since…well, how could anyone have predicted that?

And so the vampires in this re-purposed dining hall squabbled between themselves as Elize von Carstein, possibly the last surviving member of the Von Carstein lineage, sat on Mannfred’s throne and desperately tried to get a word in edge-ways as the counts and countesses spread doubts and fears between themselves, though ironically none of them dared speculate that every single one of these failures had transpired in such short time. They yelled and yelled, questioning and demanding answers, some even threatening others if they trespassed on their lands, until finally, a single vampire sat in the corner of the room fiddling with a skull in his hands stood up and shouted “Silence!”

The room turned quiet as all redirected their gaze back to the red-headed vampire on her hated relative’s throne.

Elize: “Thank you Crowfiend. Now could everyone just calm down. Please! Such a commotion, such distressing noise. Kindly remember that this is Drakenhof. This is our dining hall and you are all here as my guests. Now I have made a decision. And my decision is, ‘no’. I shall not be telling you of the war footing or any of my brother’s whereabouts today. I have heard your screeching, and I have no desire to delude any of you into thinking that such behaviour will be rewarded with answers or privileges. Come back in a week or two and perhaps I shall tell you then.”

The crowd grumbled for a moment and began to disperse when a voice piped up from the crowd. “She’s just stalling. It is she who really screeches empty phrases.”

Elize: “How dare you? Who said that?”

The crowd dispersed a little more revealing Comtesse Charlotta Jacoba of the Vale of Darkness, a known rival to Elize’s authority in court who happily flaunted her beauty to ever greater prestige. For while Elize had lost an eye, needed a metal brace around her jawline to keep it from falling appart and had recently begun wearing a wig, the Comtesse still had both eyes, no obvious physical imperfections and merely adopted a special dye to colour her hair as opposed to needing to replace it. Next to Charlotta stood her beau, the blue-veined winged vampire from Vanhaldenschlosse, Vyktros von Kreiger.

Elize: “Will you take that statement back?”

Charlotta: “No, I don’t think I will. After all, what do I have to fear?”

Elize: “How dare you? Do you realise who I am?”

Charlotta: “Of course I do. You’re Elize, the last of the Von Carsteins! Which means nobody will come to save you.”

Elize: “Preposterous!”

Charlotta: “Is it really? Well then why aren’t I being reprimanded? And why is it that my companion here can smell you’re lying? I think it’s time for a shake up around here. Don’t you all?”

Elize: “Save it. You wish to make a competition of these things, Comtesse Charlotta Jacoba, I challenge thee to a duel.”

“Brave. Of course I nominate my dear friend Vyktros as my sparring partner.” Charlotta stated through a pursed smile.

…
…
…

“Likewise I wish to request the aid of my trusted consort, Erikan Crowfiend.” Elize responded as she invited her ally to fight by her side.
However, Crowfiend didn’t stand up. He didn’t come to her side. Perhaps he’d lost faith in her dynasty’s cause, perhaps this was some personal vendetta over her never properly reciprocating the devotion he’d shown to her in the past. Either way the outcome was the same. She would be fighting this battle on her own.

• Laugh React: Charlotta initiated the encounter, hoping to weaken the von Carstein countess with a soulblight spell only to outwitted by Elize who managed to cast the a mystifying miasma before she could complete her spell.

Confounding fog descended from the ceiling and blinded Charlotta momentarily, allowing Elize to focus on the winged baron unimpeded. Vyktros took flight, charging straight toward Elize with the lower, pointier end of his staff showing. However, instead of impaling the countess Vyktros was instead surprised to find that he flew straight through her and crashed into the throne behind her as her visage vanished into a puff of smoke, a deception laid on by her mastery of the shadowy arts.

Vyktros stumbled onto his feet and searched his surroundings, slowly backing away toward the wall behind him to prevent ambushes. However, this was exactly what ended up happening as Elize emerged from the mirror which hung from that wall and stabbed him through the back with her otherwise ceremonial blade before severing his head from his shoulders, you can never be too sure with the undead after all.

With Vyktros dealt with Elize approached Charlotta, lifting her miasma spell to reveal the head of the Comtesse’s confidant being held in her hands by his hair. It was then that Charlotta Jacoba realised her catty attitude may have gone a little too far this time and so she decided to flee the castle back to her Vale where Elize would be unlikely to follow after her seeking retribution. Elize returned to her throne and proceeded to keep on governing as if nothing had happened. Crowfiend had curiously vanished in the meantime as well.
….

• Angry React: Both baronesses cast spells at each other but Jacoba’s soulblight managed to be conjured first. Elize stumbled back, her will dampened, as Vyktros flew toward her and plunged the pointy end of his staff through her body, knocking her back enough to pin her in place against her own throne.

Having been demobilised, Charlotta and Vyktros stepped toward her hand-in-hand and proceeded to simultaneously plunge their fangs into Elize’s neck before inviting other nobles from the room to join in with their supper. The Vampires sucked her dry, the Necrarchs robbed her attire of any magically enchanted items on her person while the Lahmians literally tore bits of fabric from her gown to go with their own ensembles and the strigoi ate her flesh when everyone else was done. The last reigning Von Carstein had perished for good. From now on Sylvania would be ruled over by autonomous barons governing their own castles as opposed to seeking tribute and authority from a single vampiric family.
….
….
….
Elize invited Erikan Crowfiend to fight by her side and he agreed to do so. He stood up and came to her side, armed with his trusted sword and shield combo and took his position.

• Sad React: Vyktros flew toward Erikan Crowfiend, descending upon him and instantly casting his shield aside with the bulbous top of his staff before twirling his staff round to impale Erikan with the other end. Erikan managed to roll out of the way of the staff-tip and lunged toward Vyktros with his blade only for Vyktros to tackle him at the waist, lift him up and chuck him through the room’s window. Erikan smashed into the glass, the shards cutting his hide and even making an incision to his throat, something which would have been lethal to him were he mortal. Still Vyktros showed no mercy as he flew outside and lifted Crowfiend over his shoulder to fly off once more. The two flew for some time, Crowfiend trying to wrestle free though he realised he could fall to his disintegration if he weren’t careful. Finally, Vyktros flew him over the castle’s nearest lake and dropped the von Carstein loyalist in, realising that his armour would weigh him down far too much to swim out. He wouldn’t die of course, not from drowning at least, but he would have no means of escaping to the surface regardless of this fact.

Back in Castle Drakenhof, Charlotta and Elize were engaged in their spellcasts though Charlotta was at an advantage, having summoned icy tendrils of Shyish to wrap round Elize’s arms and prevent her from properly gesturing her Ulgu spells. As such, Charlotta was able to advance with ease, casting purple energy which oozed from Elize’s eyes, ears, nose and mouth to form a suffocating mass that flowed over her and robbed her of all her senses. Finally, Charlotta strolled over to Elize and used her spellblade to pierce the Von Carstein countess’ dead heart, killing her for the final time. The barons of Sylvania rejoiced and went about as they pleased, trashing Castle Drakenhof’s armouries and many luxuries for themselves. The dissolution of Sylvania would surely follow once the barons ceased their fun and began squabbling again.
….

• Love React: Vyktros charged forward in an effort to stab Crowfiend with his staff while the two countesses proceeded with their magical duel. Crowfiend took the brunt of Vyktros’ assault with his shield before using his blade to disarm Vyktros of his staff. However, despite being disarmed Vyktros wasn’t done for yet as he grabbed Crowfiend by the waist and lifted him into the air. Vyktros soared across the high ceiling of the room, darting between gargoyles in an effort to knock Crowfiend off yet Erikan held onto Vyktros’ hide, having dropped his own shield during takeoff, and struggled to get a clear stab in on the winged baron.

As this was happening Charlotta and Elize were busy trading spells, each one being dispelled or deflected by the other and so Charlotta tried a different tact, using her skill in the lore of Shyish to summon spirits to her aid. The ghosts came to her side and flew toward Elize, soon knocking her down as their blazes narrowly missed her form. However, just as the ghosts were about to kill her Elize cast her final spell. A shadowy pendulum appeared above and descended from the ceiling, dropping far too quickly for Charlotta to react as its scythe end came down and pierced her belly. Charlotta’s spirits vanished, returning to the realm from whence they’d manifested soon to be joined by their mistress’ soul.

Elize stood to attention and cast an enfeebling spell on Vyktros who was still flying around the room, thereby finally allowing Erikan to climb up onto the winged vampire’s back. He shoved his blade through the shoulder-blades which controlled the wings, enabling him to steer Vyktros’ wings using that blade which he promptly used to direct Vyktros into flying straight into the axe held by one of the hall’s statues before jumping off just as they were to make contact. Vyktros collided into the stationary axe, its blade slicing through his skull.

With the day won Elize returned to her throne, Erikan sitting by her side as he summoned a collection of crypt ghouls to devour what remained of Vyktros and Charlotta. The Von Carstein legacy remained in-tact.
….

• Wow React: The two couples were about to clash when suddenly a voice echoed down the hall commanding them to cease their squabbling. They looked to the crowd which parted, revealing that the order had come from Walach Harkon, acting commander of the Blood Dragons, the world’s foremost elite order of Blood Knights and relative to the infamous pirate Luthor Harkon.

Walach Harkon: “ Is this what has become of our nation? If so I say we hand ourselves over to the mortals and be done with it already since our rulers behave no better than mortal offsprings. Pull yourselves together or be cast down I say!”

Elize turned to Walach, her eye bloodshot with a tired expression as she attempted to remind him that this was her home and nobody had the right to speak down to her here.However, Walach took none of that as he suggested that “Perhaps it is time your family’s hold over this place came to an end then. Elize von Carstein, I am hereby commandeering this castle for Blood Dragon use and instilling martial law on its surrounding territories. All of you here, return to your homes and await further instruction.”
The guests in the chamber assumed he was joking for a moment but their entertainment soon soured when an entire regiment of blood knights marched their way into the hall to escort them away.

“What about me. Where am I to go without my home?” Elize asked.

“I propose a quartering.” Charlotta suggested but Walach had another idea as he suggested that as thanks for their previous centuries of service to the realm, Elize and Erikan would be relocated snd permitted to take up an indefinite stay at the Red Abbey where Elize had stayed when she was still training.

“But that’s banishment!” she cried.

“Call it what you will. It is as much mercy as you will be offered here.” Walach responded while his men were escorting Charlotta and Vyktros from the hall.

“What about the traitor?”Charlotta squawked as she was being forced to leave.

“Vlad’s recent decisions are indeed questionable and warrant investigation. To this end I intend to wake my master from his slumber so that he can pursue him while I maintain order here. With Abhorash on his trail, there is no way Vlad will remain at liberty for too long…”

And so Elize was forced to retire to the Red Abbey with Erikan by her side, marking the end of the Von Carstein dynasty’s reign over Castle Drakenhof and all Sylvania by extension. Vlad’s mission to free his beloved’s soul had truly cost him and his family their legacy. But as their time came to a close, a new force would take their place, the rise of the Blood Dragons!