Lying in his bed unable to sleep and watching the heavy curtains stir at the window Theogonist Otto Mannfried considered all of the small differences he had observed of late. The air felt thicker somehow the fine food and wine he had grown accustomed to in his piety was tasting off, and the ravens that lived in the Chapel were restless and aggressive.
Assuming that it was just his tired mind seeing patterns where there were none, Otto tried to tell himself that he was being overly vigilant of things that held little consequence and that he should, in fact, be focusing his attention on his work as Head Inquisitor of the Riekwald Forest.
Unfortunately, over the next few days the sensation didn’t go away and instead intensified notwithstanding Otto’s best attempts to ignore it. It instead began to sharpen into an acute feeling of displacement, a persistent pressure in the back of his mind.
Despite his intuition’s insistence that there was some significant disturbance in the normal rhythms of his life it wasn’t until a visiting Sigmarite Seer Sister made a passing comment that be began to pay it any credence. She too had noticed an odd taste to her food and a sinister shiver in the air. Otto had long ago learned not to dismiss the observations of the Sisters and this combined with reports of unexplained phenomena in the surrounding villages was what finally spurred him into action.
A visit to the Wizard’s College in Altdorf was swiftly arranged to consult with the great Gunther Schwarzenhertz. As it happened the visit could not have been better timed as Gunther was preparing his order for an "upcoming struggle" that would test the steel of the Empire, the power of the mages, and the faith of the priests. The final criteria of this supposed struggle made Otto uncomfortable but he made no mention of it to any of his brethren lest they consider him wavering in his devotion.
The Wizards of the Amber Order had heard through the beasts of the forests that a great evil was awakening and calling the allies of dark to his side. The ancient records spoke of a powerful Vampiric evil known as Ithric, His body immune to the holy water, sacred symbols, and silver bullets forged in the Chapels of Sigmar. Otto knew that centuries ago Ithric had been banished from the realm by the most powerful witch hunters of the age. Thereafter, the Light Order had established a silent sentry to guard against Ithric's return. They were charged to wait, to watch, and if necessary cast this abomination from their dimension forever. Reports from the watch spoke of disturbances of Ithric’s known hunting grounds and Gunther pleaded with Otto to join forces with him to seek out the source of the evil and put to rest whatever had awoken. Otto hesitated, asked for time to gather his thoughts and his forces. But really he had to change his breeches.
Upon returning to his chapel, Otto was greeted by his priests who had received a call for help from Marienburg. The rumours had reached the great trading seaport and the merchants were refusing to travel through the Reikwald forest. The call for help spoke of great rewards for all who answered. Otto's cunning mind put the two together. He can join the crusade of Gunther, continue to gain power and influence while expanding his inquisitorial reputation, AND get paid handsomely...not that that was a consideration given his vows of poverty. Tomorrow will have the introduction of the last force, my Vampire Counts.
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