This is the seventh part of my playthrough of Tim Hutchings’ Thousand Year Old Vampire. To see my overview of the game, click HERE, and to see the cast of characters and the origin of Nathaniel Morrison, vampire, click HERE. Click the tags to see all of the posts pertaining to this game.
THE JOURNAL OF NATHANIEL MORRISON, ADVISOR TO THE ESTATE OF THE LATE DUKE RUTHERFORD
January 29, 15xx
Curse Joseph Hatch, and may his soul burn for an eternity.
While I worked at maintaining my relationships with the Rutherford Estate, Mr. Hatch worked behind the scenes to end me. Weeks ago, he had departed for Canterbury, Hatch, along with a small entourage of those who had seen me for what I am, sought an audience with the Archbishop.
I know not what he said that convinced the Archbishop to side with him, but when Hatch returned, he brought with him a coterie of clerics trained in exorcisms, witch-hunting, and demonologie.
I was immediately summoned to Fousbury Manor by Lady Fousbury. I admit, I was hopeful that the summons was for personal matters, but I was greeted by armed priests. At first, I thought that my dear Sarah had betrayed me, and I felt the bloodlust rise within me. Luckily, reason won over, and I calmed myself and assessed the situation. I would have to act quickly if I were to survive this encounter.
“See!” Hatch said, pointing at me. “His eyes, they betray him! He is a demon!”
Of the six priests that stood at his side, only two of them seemed to see what he saw, and they began praying. The other four looked on, confused.
“My lady,” I said to Sarah, “I obvious what is happening. Mr. Hatch is hoping, by slandering me, he can implicate you in some sort of scandal. He has had his eyes on your land ever since your brother died.”
“Silence!” Hatch shouted. “It is plain to everyone here that you are a devil, and your words are poison! Priests, dispose of him!”
Sarah stood between the approaching priests and me. “You will do no such thing! I don’t know why you have decided that Nathaniel is some sort of monster, but I will have no more of it.”
One of the priests spoke up. “Lady Fousburry, the charges that have been brought against Mr. Morrison are very grave. I’m afraid we must take him back to Canterbury for trial.”
“You will do no such thing!” Sarah demanded.
“I’m afraid,” the priest said, “You have no authority in this matter.”
“But–“
I stopped her. “It is OK. These accusations are false, and the truth will come to bear. Do not jeopardize your place here.”
Just then, another priest, who had not been in the room before this, entered. “If the accusations are false, then why do you have this?” He produced my copy of the Libro Mortui sunt Nomina.
This man had invaded my sanctum, and had stolen my grimoire. He did not know it yet, but he was a dead man. “A curiosity, nothing more.” I replied. “I can’t even read the damn thing.”
“I doubt that. Come along.” The priest grabbed my arm and led me out the door.
As we left, I looked back at Sarah, and I dare say I saw a tear in her eye. I did not know if this was because she worried for my safety, or if she finally believed that I was a monster. The bloodlust rose up again.
Outside, hidden from my view when I arrived, there was a horse-drawn carriage, with steel bars on the windows. A prison transport. The priests led me into it and locked the door behind me. With that, they made for Canterbury.
I will spare you the details of my escape an hour later. Just know that mere steel bars cannot hold me, and that later, when the clerics were found, it was assumed by authorities that they were mauled by a pack of wild animals. Unfortunately, I did not find my grimoire on their persons.
Of course, later that night, I also paid a visit to Mr. Hatch. It did not end well for him, either.
With the death of my enemies, I know now that I must remain in my tower, and I must dissuade any others from visiting. I shall use what magicks I can muster without my grimoire and make this a cursed place that others fear to visit. This may mean that I have become a squatter, a trespasser in my own home, as I can no longer take part in court matters. I have become the monster that others think that I am.
I only hope that Lady Fousburry will allow me this distance, and keep my tower officially unoccupied.
Chapter seven postmortem.
Mechanical considerations and my updated character sheet appear on the next page.