week 2

[airlockedmods]

[With the sudden pirate takeover and the sudden, tragic deaths of the crew, the second week of the Starfield Penitentiary rehabilitation project is off to a rough start. After Price's call for parlay with the pirate captain, he was not seen for the remainder of Saturday but around 10 pm it is his calm but tense voice that makes the time announcement.

Buckle in, Champions, things are about to get bumpy.]

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday



[ooc: Don't forget to to turn in your AC for week 1 and submit your threads for the Benefactors!]

Comments

[acerolaorion]

[ ...Urk. ]

The present, at the least, is an accurate one. Though I would be bold and declare that this vessel of mine is far more than a minor setback. For the Empress to appear for my past is rather fitting, as well: if you were to see my true form, I have no doubt you would be awestruck by my beauty.

...I dislike the implications, behind that future reading, however. For a vampire who refuses to take a thrall, like me? All you have is yourself.

[tenimuho]

I probably would, but I'm sure you would rather be in your true form right now.

[If she says he'd be awestruck, she must be right about that.]

Why do other vampires take thralls, if I can ask?

[acerolaorion]

Most certainly. Unfortunately, it is just as you...as the Five of Wands indicates. A hassle, a minor setback occurred. And because of that setback, I am currently forced to take on the form you see before you.

[ ... ]

Typically, it's to expand one's influence. To take a thrall is to extend the reach of one's power; a thrall can create another thrall, and so on and so forth, and the head vampire can use those thralls as they see fit. But I see no need for such inane behavior. A thrall is only as strong as the vampire that takes it, and most can't hold a candle to me.

[tenimuho]

I understand your point of view. But... even when you're in your true form, can you be in more than one place at one time?

[He'd believe her if she said 'yes'.]

[acerolaorion]

Such a feat is impossible for any oddity, vampire or otherwise. To take a thrall is something close, but a servant isn't strictly an extension of my will. They're only bound to my whims through my word. You often see cases of thralls turning against their masters, or throwing themselves into the sun...

[tenimuho]

Throwing yourself into the sun sounds unpleasant.

[Seriously, ow.]

But in that case, I can see why some vampires take thralls. Even if you could do anything they could do better and more reliably, you can't be everywhere at once.

[acerolaorion]

If you want something done properly, it should be done yourself. That's my take on it. In my life, I've only taken a single thrall, over four centuries ago.

For most vampires, throwing oneself into the sun is instant death. For one of my caliber, though, even the sun is but a minor setback. I belong to a prestigious bloodline, you see; even should I subject myself to the rays of the sun, my body will regenerate faster than I turn to ash.

...Of course, to be trapped in a constant cycle of burning and regenerating is...as you said, unpleasant. Even if it won't kill me, I'd avoid it, if possible.

[tenimuho]

It's much worse for you, unless you can escape from the sun again. A quick death would be less painful than surviving in constant pain and not really able to do anything about it.

[Please don't do this.]

[acerolaorion]

From there, my options are to seek shelter, or wait until sunset. A thrall I would take would have similar abilities, though. Even an inexperienced servant of mine would probably be able to contend with incredibly powerful vampires and vampire hunters, simply through the power of my regenerative abilities. What would take a normal vampire two days to heal, I could shrug off in two seconds.

For me to extend my reach too far could affect the balance of things, given that. Not that I particularly care much to think about that.

[tenimuho]

...Well, right now it doesn't matter too much. Unless you can take thralls here?

[That's a good thing to be aware of, since he doesn't know the process.]

[acerolaorion]

...Of course I can. If I can still feed, I can still create a thrall, rather easily. All I'd need to do is stop just short of draining a human completely.

It isn't a matter of whether or not I can, though. I don't take thralls.

[tenimuho]

I think most people here would find that reassuring.

[He wouldn't want to be a vampire, personally.]

Speaking of which, are you eating alright?

[acerolaorion]

I can typically go for around a month or so, without consuming a human. At two weeks, I begin to get a bit peckish. But that aside, I don't require typical human food, while I can eat it. It's part of the reason I haven't been to the mess hall very often.

[tenimuho]

Do you have to eat an entire human for that? Or will just having a little blood help tide you over and not make someone your thrall?

[If you think he's going to offer his blood, you are absolutely correct.]

[acerolaorion]

It's all or nothing. The only way I can sate myself completely with my target still alive afterwards is to drink the blood of a vampire.

[tenimuho]

Oh. Then I can't offer my blood, I'm sorry. If it was only a little it would be fine, but I want to live.

[This is probably for the best.]

[acerolaorion]

[ ...She becomes sullen, at that. As if she's lost in a memory. But she speaks up, after letting a silence hang in the air. ]

...Most of us do, I'd wager. I don't blame you for being resilient. The idea of a human willingly offering their blood to a vampire is...

[ ... ]

It's not heard of, very often.

[tenimuho]

I can imagine. But I'm not unfamiliar with large amounts of blood loss, and you can't help what you need to survive. I'd rather be a little dizzy for a bit than have you starve.

[acerolaorion]

I'm sure most other members of your kind would be loathe to do such a thing, considering what that means for your species.

[tenimuho]

That's true. I guess that means I'm weird for my species.

[It does help that he thought he might survive the experience.]

[acerolaorion]

You are. But I don't dislike humans who are unique, even if it would be foolish of you to give your blood to ensure I continue to take the blood of others.

[tenimuho]

It would be foolish, when you put it that way. But it's still what I would do.

[acerolaorion]

...

The most baffling thing about your kind is that you're not the only one who would do such a thing.

[tenimuho]

There's more than one human fool out there. Are vampires always sensible?

[Since vampires would never do such a stupid thing, apparently.]

[acerolaorion]

It's difficult to say. There's really no equivalent situation; there's nothing that trumps a vampire on the food chain, except another vampire. And we're typically not inclined to help our own kind unless there's a sense of loyalty between a thrall and a master, or there's a debt owed.

[ ... ]

As a matter of fact, many vampires turn around and become vampire hunters.