The Journal of John Chester Ripley
The Adventure Chronicles
47th Month of Grey Skies, 1168 - 6, 13
"I was visited by a Young Half-Orc by the name of Grohl'Ban Xhanari today. He has hired me to investigate what seems like a stalker. He claims he has been followed for the last 2-3 weeks by a shadowy figure who moves too quickly. Immediately, it came to me that this was a more dangerous and pertinent issue which involved us both. So we went to find Mr. Ivellios, as I've hired him before and I believe we need the extra muscle. When we did arrive at his residence, we found him amidst a struggle with a couple bandits. I tried to use the pistol to intimidate them but I haven't been very successful with that. Perhaps, I need work on my charisma. After dispatching the bandits, the others left to the Dirty Croissant, and I left to the flat to research the thing I seemed to be catching glimpses of (Or is it my mind?). I found nothing in my library that fit the description other than vampires, but the thought of encountering a gentleman is grossly off-putting. Grohl'Ban did say he had many enemies. I then made my way back to the Croissant where we are spending the night, but I swear something followed me through those dark, rainy, streets. "
48th Month of Grey Skies, 1168 - 11, 4
"We woke in the early evening, and left the Croissant for lower Brigands' Landing. Isaac and Grohl'Ban mentioned they ran into Nathaniel the Lamenter yesterday, nice man. He told them to visit the Red Shack to meet someone. The Red Shack, I had heard, serves the best fish soup in the Landing, and I can now vouch for that. The shack's eccentricity, I can also vouch for. On a our way through the streets towards the shack, we were attacked by three more bandits. I have never been attacked so many times in sequence; someone must be hunting us. Again, I attempted to intimidate them, but for some reason the pistol just doesn't strike fear into their hearts as I had expected. Grohl'Ban and Isaac's attacks were more brutal than necessary, in my opinion, but there's no room for mercy in the Landing. Though, the swift destruction of our attackers has left us with little to no information on their motives.
The shack was odd to say the least. It's owner, a more odd, ancient and toothless, old man. He dished us three bowls of soup, and asked for our regrets. In return he would give us information. We did so, and as I told him of the boy, and his unfortunate demise, it seemed to please him as a smile crept across his wrinkled face. The older then gave me an interesting bottle. I later found that the bottle was designed for preforming a Blood Beacon; a calling spell derived of dark magic. He did not reveal the nature of our predator, he just smiled knowingly. "Fill the bottle with blood, and pour it in a circle on the ground." The man said. Finishing my bowl of fantastic fish soup, we vacated the strange setting as the incense was hindering our senses. We then located the bodies of the bandits we had dispatched earlier. Filling the bottle with blood by draining one of the men from a newly amputated wrist. It was disturbing work; Isaac took to it a little too quickly. I then researched the bottle at the flat, discovering it's nature but still no direct information on what it would call. Isaac is staying at my flat tonight as he has no true home in the Landing. And rightly so, he's free of any debts; I envy him."
49th Month of Grey Skies, 1168 - 14, 20
"We were attacked by one of the Gentlemen. The blood beacon summons vampires. I should have known. We all nearly died due to my lack of judgment. Grohl'Ban's punches were monumental as I had seen in my visions, and fortunately, Isaac was there. Though, the gentlemen's resilience and strength was undeniable as he kicked my face, causing me to lose consciousness. Although, I was able to stab out the vampire's knee before he dealt me the knockout blow. I don't remember what happens after, until I wake up to an earth shattering punch which ended the monster, delivered by the resident pugilist. The dust cleared and we began celebrating our continued existence, considering a victory drink, when the mercenary, Peter Renfrew, arrived. I know of this brute as Isaac has divulged their past to me in years prior. It is unfriendly to say the least. He claimed he had been hunting vampires for bounties and that we took the recently slain from him. I was still in the fog of semi-consciousness when Renfrew charged Isaac with his massive blade. I was weak, I did my best to repack the pistol which had missed the vampire a few moments earlier, a truly unfortunate embarrassment. Albeit, by the time it was packed, Grohl'Ban and Issac had already injured Renfrew significantly enough that he retreated as quickly as he had arrived. I leaned against the wet alley wall. My most pressing thoughts now being: I need a second pistol. How long until the gentlemen find us again? Is that enough time to prepare a defense strategy or develop some light-based magic? We may very well need to visit the nexus, though I very much dread the thought of running into Doyle while committing such an arcane act."
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