CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of violence and murder (the usual stuff < 3 ) Minor spider warning (there's one in a frame in Kat's home), slight mentions of transphobia, some mentions of traumatic situations.
It has been five years since the events of Act 2. Things have actually been something close to pleasant in Henford since Samuel Annorin was revealed for all that he had done over the years, losing favour even with his elite clients both in the country and overseas. Trouble is, with things having been so comparatively comfortable, perhaps some folk have let their guards down...
Children of the Night...
The talk of a vampire in Henford has a lot of people horrified. Witches were one thing, but vampires were another, and far more dangerous at that. Almost everyone was convinced the Bloodmoon wars had made rendered them extinct. Lord Eduardo Volpe has his men and women on the case, though none have ever come close to defeating this vampire...or the other one that people are less knowledgeable about.
Oskar and Violeta's massacre on the witchfinder workforce hadn't gone unnoticed amongst women and amongst witches, and they were making Henford, especially Finchwick safer for witches. As a result of this as well as the Jacoban High Shepherd's disinterest in his original anti-witch tirades, many magic-folk rolled back in, and women weren't afraid to stay out late.
Violeta finally came to truly see how different the modern witches were to the ones that would have thrown the vampires under the horse and carriage long ago. It's not just the witchfinders being culled that has Lord Volpe on edge, however- it's the changing social standings of everyone in the country thanks to all that's happened.
Redistribution
Poorer people were receiving healthcare. They were surviving and becoming healthier now most of them had food and some form of shelter. They were beginning to realise they deserved better. The weak and jobless were surviving as a result of Katlego and Owen's work, as well as the work of the Peteran Monastery.
High Shepherd Julian Jourdain's attempts to bring modern Jacobism back to its Yacothian roots had its success for the most part, but not without a big loss in following...and the higher-ups are still plenty suspicious of he and his young shepherdess, Clementia. He's going to be eighty in a few years, if he lives to see that milestone. At this point, he's lived his life, and he doesn't care if the Great Convincer doesn't approve of him. If the Finchwick cathedral gets shut down, it gets shut down.
Clementia has not seen her for a while, but she sometimes has a little chat with the artist Violeta when she visits for 'inspiration'. In reality, Violeta considers her an interesting character. She tries to give her a little boost of confidence now and again.
Lord Volpe of course knows what happened to Samuel Annorin, and might be the only person who feels mildly sympathetic towards him. The thing is, many of the magical bloodline families survive by appealing to those without magic in their blood and throwing their ancestors, the witches, to the wolves in their place. Even though most people don't know that the special ingredient in Annorin’s remedies is magic, if they did, it'd probably get brushed off provided he doesn't speak out against the witch-hunts...
People like Annorin and Volpe were threatened by the change in social standings going on. Lord Volpe needed to start fighting back now more than ever...or at least hire some under-privileged men who knew no better to do the fighting-back for him.
The Gryphon's Plot...
As for Samuel Annorin, he'd regained the use of his hands and assisted his son with alchemy as best as he could. However, he'd also been working on his own personal project in secret, without his son's knowledge...He'd been planning his revenge ever since that incident when he was brutally attacked by his son's master. But how? How do you defeat a creature with enhanced physical strength, enchanced speed, and enhanced senses? How do you defeat a creature with so many years of experience?
He wrote a letter to an old acquaintance, a rich family with a bloody history known as the Strong bloodline who now lived far away from civilisation. They'd been responsible for plenty of bloodshed among the occults, yet it seemed only the Strongs had a fair amount of knowledge about vampires.
They initially suggested a sword through the heart, but none of the witchfinders could get close enough to Oskar to manage to get a sword through his chest. It seemed he would be impossible to ever kill, and would be a thorn in Annorin's side for eternity. Of course, there was leaving him out in the Sun, but it was too quick. What he'd done to Annorin had taken his whole life away from him slowly, and he was only just regaining it.
That was, until, they'd shared the knowledge they had of a potential cure for vampirism. It required a lot of ingredients that were native to Nebelstadt, and so he'd paid them to send him supplies. It'd taken him almost four years, but Annorin believed he had created a potential cure for vampirism. It wasn't likely that it'd kill him outright. The Strongs admitted they weren't too sure what it'd actually do, whether he'd turn to dust given all his years, whether he'd simply resume from exactly where he left off, or what.
The hard part, was how he'd get it to him. Annorin had devised an eventual plan to try and kidnap someone he loved- the easiest target would be his own biological son, Eli. Then it would be a case of having his captor drink the cure, so it'd enter the bloodstream. Oskar may have been clever, but he was also predictable- no doubt he'd go after Eli and drain the blood of whoever would try to harm his adopted child...
The cunningwoman's new home
Owen had kept to his word, and had Katlego's new cunningwoman hut rebuilt in the same site where it was destroyed. Her work is going well, and Owen helps to fund her supplies and her business. He sends clients with minor illnesses or needs to Kat, since he mainly deals with more long-term or more serious medical issues that can't be sorted with herbal remedies alone. Given how things have settled for the time being, Kat doesn't find herself doing divination cards as much these days, not unless someone wants to know if their beloved loves them back.
Owen has been working hard to right the wrongs of his father. Many don't trust him or think he has an ulterior motive, but many recognise what he is trying to do and are glad of it. He's also trying to devise a sort of free healthcare scheme for the very poor in Henford that will be viable for the long-term, but it's taking some work trying to figure it all out.
The Cunningwoman's Premonition
Though not so much nowadays, Kat's divination cards are usually a popular service, as Kat's insight into the cards is uncanny for most of her customers. Trouble is, sometimes she can feel the same way when she's doing them for her own curiosity.
Even Nia let out a concerned hoot at the spread Kat got...She hadn't any particular question in mind, but clearly the mysterious forces of the universe were trying to make her aware of something. Something dark was on the horizon...but what could it be? For a moment, Kat wondered if maybe it could be Annorin coming back for her...or maybe that she and that monstrous vampire Oskar Nivelheim would cross paths again. Ellie tries to console her and tell her that sometimes even the universe can misguide people, but Kat knows just how untrue that is.
Oskar and Eli
Business is going great for both Oskar and Eli, and Eli has never been happier now he's finished his apprenticeship and can finally start living his own life...whatever life you can get when you work most hours of the day. What a mood.
Oskar has spent a lot of time fighting off witchfinders, but now he has a steady guilt-free supply of blood he's been a lot calmer and hasn't had to deal with the 'counting bats' situation as often. He's confident that no witchfinder could ever stop him, so it's not anything he worries about. He's not spoken at all to Katlego since their clash, but of course is still incredibly close with Violeta. Their distance didn't last very long.
Oskar is now much more public about his more feminine presentations. Many of the less-stuck-up townsfolk of Finchwick found it interesting, even Shepherd Julian and Father Morgan. In both Peteran and Jacoban history, it was considered a special blessing by the Watcher to be gender-nonconforming (though nobles like to pretend this was made-up history), and there were plenty of gender-nonconforming priests many years ago, and especially Eyes of Jacob.
In the eyes of a Peteran or Jacoban, such a person has insight and knowledge beyond any cis man or woman; their shared experiences across and beyond the binary was thought to bring a unique perspective sought out by men and women alike. Oskar didn't fancy being some kind of religious oracle, however, and avoided Shepherd Julian wherever possible before he could question him endlessly on the meaning of life.
He and Dinah are still close. Dinah's feelings for Oskar only grew over that time, though he found himself closely bonded to her also, just not in the same fashion that she was to him. She'd come to understand his ways, as he had done with her. Oskar had always felt a bit alienated for not feeling romantic or sexual feelings for others, but of course, Oskar often beat himself up over this, but Dinah insisted there was no issue. They were both comfortable with the way the other did or didn't feel about the other. What mattered was the closeness of their bond.
She hasn't gotten around to it yet, but Dinah loves that Oskar embraces both his masculine and feminine sides, and she wants to take him out somewhere to buy him a nice dress and do his make-up for him. He eventually got used to doing it himself without a reflection, though he still prefers letting Violeta do it.
Considering the money he and Eli are making these days, he donates a share to his daughter, Áine, which she also shares with Róisín, who is now eight years old. He doesn't get time to visit them often considering he's usually busy with work, but he still treasures them both and sends letters and gifts in the post. He also donates a share to the Peteran monastery to aid Father Morgan's charitable work.
They managed to revamp the house and make it a little more fitting for a vampire. Oskar has Eli's woodwork hung proudly above his bed now he's bothered to actually make himself a bedroom instead of sleeping on the sofa.
They expanded their workshop, and everyone in Henford is amazed at Eli's talent, though he gives most of this credit to Oskar for what he taught him. Though there is a pile of mess on that table...Hey, even the best make mistakes.
Eli is now a young man of twenty, and much more confident than he was when we last saw him. As he's grown up, he's become remarkably like his adoptive father both attire-wise and personality-wise, bar Eli's romanticism. When he isn't daydreaming about, or flirting with, the women (sometimes even the men) of Henford, he's hard at work. It's now his job to leave random marks or dents in a corner of a Nilveheim piece of furniture, to carry on the trademark Oskar caused himself as a young child.
Every time Oskar wants to bring up the possibility of Eli moving out, he can't bring himself to do so.
Oskar's room is the one with the dragon head on the wall. Eli's room is the one with the owl above the bed.
You'd be forgiven for forgetting Oskar had a horse- so did I, which is why you never saw it when he came to Henford. The horse that he took back from Henford was the one that Áine rode there that once belonged to Abigail, named Griselda by Oskar. Griselda was often fearful of Oskar no matter how much he tried to bond with her, but Eli spent a lot of time looking after her and she warmed up to him. She's since warmed up to Oskar a little, but Eli is her favourite.
Hmm...Anyone in particular on his mind in the very 'head in the clouds' picture, I wonder?
Reynold's Premonition
Reynold wishes he got to spend more time with Róisín and Áine, but his duty as abbot takes up a lot of his time. He should ask people to volunteer or hire an assistant, but he seems to think that he can do it all himself, which he can't. He's extra busy with charitable work. He gets extra funding from Owen Annorin, as well as a bit here and there from Katlego, who tells him to send anyone who spiritual healing doesn't help her way for some herbal healing. Katlego and Reynold became close during her stay at the monastery, mainly due to Reynold's comparative pacifism to the likes of Oskar and Iris. It was a breath of fresh air to both of them.
Sometimes, life as abbot gets hectic and stressful, but Róisín always knows how to cheer her father up. Her presence alone lights up her parents' lives.
Due to the witch situation improving mainly thanks to Oskar and Violeta's culling of the witchfinders, the refuge had been empty for years, and so Reynold turned it into a sort of miscellaneous space which could be used as a quiet retreat or somewhere to use as a fun space for Peteran children (which I still need to do in-game : P) . Róisín isn't sure if she believes in the Watcher, but Reynold's Peterist beliefs have rubbed off on her and, also just like her mother, she loves helping people. When she is with her father at the monastery, she practices her reading by looking at the many books on the shelves (going careful because so many of them are years old). She also helps with the charitable functions as well. Reynold is trying to teach her to do good for people even when there is little reward, but she sometimes gets a toy or an edible treat.
The wolf still wanders Henford some nights on a full moon. However, there's not much to do given most of the witchfinders are being offed by his vampire friend.
Something that we haven't seen yet, is that the Lunvinchenaîné have an ability they call Lunvinue (luh-von-way), meaning 'moon sight' in their language. Mooncasters can scry in moonlight on any natural body of water, provided it's not too murky.
However, it's easier described as revelation than it is just seeing into the future. It's something that takes a lot of truthful intent and practice to do right, and the person can sometimes gain insight into solving personal problems, or sometimes they may gain very rudimentary insights into what's to come. The reason many don't often do it is because you get the answers you need, not the answers you want...and sometimes it's hard to untangle the revelations and understand them. Some have been driven to madness by them.
The 'image' they get is vague, too vague to describe clearly, and the revelation one gets from doing this can mostly only be boiled down to emotions and rough sensations, with little other context.
In the winter snow, Reynold scries on the River Glimmer in the dead of the early morning, wondering if there's anything he needs to be particularly vigilant about- but he isn't prepared for what he gets from it...
He gets a feeling of utter despair, a freezing sense of depression within him for a moment, mixed with rage, and lastly, a sensation as if he is dying. It lasts for about thirty seconds before he averts his eyes from the ripples in the water's surface, unable to bear it any longer.
He can't make any sense of it. Did this mean he had to do something to prevent somebody's death? That he himself would become despaired and vengeful like almost everyone else in Henford? Or was this a warning about someone else? Either way, he had to be on his guard, and ready to defend his people no matter what. He didn't like thinking about the eventual fact that everyone would find out the truth about him eventually, but maybe that's what the information meant- that he couldn't hide himself from everyone forever...but that didn't explain the sensation that his life was being drained from him. That night, Reynold didn't sleep well at all.
Gone Fishing
It's a particularly harsh winter this year, and winter is rough for the Reyes family given the fish are feeding less and, as such, biting less. The fish they do have, they can't sell when they have to feed themselves too. They keep them as well-preserved as they can. Not many people visit them since they can't for the life of them stand the stench of fish that the Reyes family have seemingly grown nose-blind to.
Gideon hasn't been doing much since there's hardly any work going around, save for the one thing he quit doing many years ago, so he reads novels to pass the time. He worries during the winter about staying afloat, especially now the money he made as a witchfinder has ran out...but hopefully business will be booming again come Spring.
The boys, Josiah (left) and Daniel (right) are now nineteen years old. Josiah is more quiet and introverted, Daniel is more extroverted and the louder of the two. He's usually too busy working to make friends and do anything, but you'll occasionally see him blowing his Simoleons down the inn and then telling his father he was out looking for work.
Josiah and Daniel spend a lot of time together. He's trying to get his brother to get out more, maybe get to know some girls while they're at it (sometimes they like the shy guys, right?). All Josiah wants to do is stay in his room and sleep whilst work has dried up. Daniel is generally a friendly face in the inn and will talk to anyone; the Reyes family are quite known around Finchwick since they're always at the markets in town, but Daniel's been surprised lately.
One of the people he talks to a lot, and has struck up something of a friendship with, is actually one of the sons of Samuel Annorin, Elijah. He's nothing at all like his father and has been estranged from him for years now. Maybe some of the rich folk weren't too bad...but neither he or Josiah have told Gideon about being friendly with one of the Annorins.
Violeta
The winter is a deterrent for some. For others, it's a source of perfect inspiration.
Violeta's still hard at work with her art and classes, and has done an exhibition or two. Her most popular paintings are her wolves and her landscapes. She'd like to paint a nicer picture of Oskar one day, since the one in her studio was off the top of her head and she considers it ‘rushed’…and although she's seen his face constantly for so many years she could probably paint him with her eyes closed, she'd want it to be completely accurate. Trouble is, Oskar can't remain still for long enough for her to do it properly.
And of course, we have Áine, who at one point was the main character...And is still meant to be...Honest... who adores her little rose, Róisín. She does all she can to make her feel safe in a world where she is not welcome, though people across Henford and beyond are doing everything in their power to change that. Sometimes, she has hard questions she has to answer, and it always pains her to try and think of a way to explain it all to an eight-year-old. Áine hopes she does not learn the way Áine did when she was her daughter's age...She hopes she never sees anyone burn on the stake.
However, Áine is much more feisty, and does not care if she needs to fight back to get what she wants, so that's what she teaches her daughter. Do no harm, take no shit...but is there a chance that what Reynold and Áine believe is right to teach her might be different? Is Róisín going to grow up conflicted between two different viewpoints? And how will she cope as a young child with learning more about her own blood?
In fact, does her own father even have enough knowledge to teach her as such? It's not like his own father taught him much...There is so much more to the moon-shackled than what Reynold could find in the one book in the Peteran library on them. But where can he find out more about his own heritage? Is he truly the last of them?