The cheerful chime of the bell over the door welcomed Olrik, Annara, and Kaelem as they stepped inside, their spirits high after their shopping trip. The atmosphere inside was warm and inviting, with the lively sound of conversations and the fainter strumming of a bard in the corner providing the patrons with a musical ambience.

Olrik led the way through cozy tables, where people sat in groups, enjoying their afternoons. They made their way to an already occupied table, Rod and Vex were already there having a lively conversation. Rod greeted them with a grin as he caught sight of them, while Vex sat with a more composed demeanor.

“There you lot are!” Rod called out, waving them over. “We were beginning to think you were buying the entire market street!”

“Well we had to turn down a few modeling offers.” Annara replied, plopping down beside Rod with a smirk. “But check out his new fit!”

Kaelem felt both proud and slightly embarrassed to be put on the spot, but he stood and showed off his new attire. “It’s practical,” he insisted, his cheeks flushing again as everyone inspected his robe.

Vex nodded her head slightly in approval. “It suits you. Definitely a step up from the rags.”

Olrik let out a chuckle, tapping the concealed blade staff as he proudly said, “Branor sorted him out with a weapon as well.”

Annara sighed with relief. “Now he doesn’t have to wave his fists at goblins, he can get them with the pointy end instead!”

The party laughed together, the atmosphere was certainly better now that they weren’t worn down from battle and had a chance to recuperate.

“Anyway, enough about that.” Olrik said, his hands landing on the table with a thud. “I’ve taken our next job, so bring yourselves in.”

They huddled around the table, everyone’s attention shifting to Olrik. Kaelem followed everyone else’s queue and leaned in over the table slightly.

Once they had settled, Olrik’s expression became serious. “I’ve accepted our next mission - a vampire nest, west of here in a village called Mornfell.”

“A vampire nest?” Kaelem said in a whisper, unfamiliar with vampires due to his sheltered life in Ashbarrow.

“Nasty creatures.” Rod explained, his tone was grave. “Demonic humans that feed off blood, mostly humans. They’re stupidly strong, usually quite clever and they move in packs.”

Rod looked down as he recalled the party’s last encounter with a vampire. “On the bright side, they hate light and fire. So you and Vex will be their worst nightmare.”

“A girl managed to escape from the village, made her way all the way back to Lordstone. She said they’re holding the villagers in the village crypt, feeding on them like cattle.” Olrik explained, his voice filled with sadness and frustration.

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“That poor child…” Vex said, she folded her arms. “Sounds like a classic case of vampires trying to establish a territory, we’ll need to be careful; if they’re hoarding people, there could be a pureblood leading them.”

Annara chimed in at this point, providing some more context for Kaelem on the situation. “They’re not just mindless monsters. Regular vampires are usually created, Purebloods are born vampires. It’s not uncommon for them to use blood magic, or to be necromancers. The last one we faced… well it nearly ended really badly.”

“We’ll need to stick together,” Rod added, his tone unusually serious. “If they’re that organized, we might end up running into more trouble. We’ll need to try and gather intel before we head into the village.”

Olrik nodded in agreement. “We’ll gather supplies before we set out, just to be safe. Make sure you’ve all got the right gear.”

Kaelem felt a thrill of excitement and apprehension at fighting some new monsters. “Sorry, what do I need to bring?”

“Couple of flasks of holy water, some silver and a potion or two to fortify your mind.” Annara explained. Vampire’s were notorious for their ability to influence people’s minds.

“Don’t bother with garlic, I don’t think they season their food.” Rod added jokingly, wincing as he earned himself an elbow just before the ribs from Annara.

“Then it’s settled,” Olrik declared, his eyes sparkling with determination. “We’ll head out tonight, so get your things ready. We want to get there as soon as possible, so we’ll take a carriage during the night.”

The group toasted in unison, raising their mugs. Kaelem truly felt like a valued member of the party now. Though he wasn’t sure where exactly he’d buy a potion to resist psionic magic.

Once they finished their drinks, the party gathered their gear and headed out onto the streets of Lordstone. The sun had already started to set, casting long shadows from the buildings looming over them.

The group split up to gather the essentials between them. Olrik and Rod headed to get some silver, Annara went to the temple for holy water, and Vex took Kaelem to a quiet part of the city to visit an apothecary.

By the time they had regrouped, the sun had set. So they headed off to the stables, Olrik organized a carriage to take them close to Mornfell during the night.

The road there was eerily quiet, they passed by few travelers and as they got closer to the village there was a noticeable absence of wildlife. The party took turns sleeping in the carriage, also leaving one of them awake to keep guard in case the vampire’s influence had spread further than expected.

Eventually the carriage driver stopped some distance from the village, leaving them at the side of the road as he headed back. There was a stillness to their surroundings, an eerie darkness crept over them as the sun had started to rise in the distance.

“Stay alert,” Vex advised as they moved off of the beaten path, Annara leading them as she scouted ahead ever so slightly. “We don’t know how far their eyes reach.”

Kaelem nodded his head, his heart racing as they walked through the forest. Climbing up a small crested hill, they caught sight of the village nested in a valley below. Its thatched roofs were shrouded by the shade from the valley.

“There it is,” Olrik said, squinting against the rising sun. “That’s where the kid said he came from.”

As they descended toward the village, an unsettling cloud of dread swept over them. Kaelem couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, a strong sense of foreboding settling over him. “What if the townsfolk are in danger right now?” he wondered to himself aloud.

Vex placed a reassuring hand on the top of his arm. “That’s why we’re here, we’ll save everyone we can.”

With determination and a sudden sense of urgency fueling his steps, the group approached the outskirts of the village. The early morning sun casting an eerie glow over the buildings, the streets were abandoned. Kaelem felt a surge of anxiety in his stomach as the reality of the situation hit him.

“Keep your voices low,” Olrik instructed, moving as quietly as he could muster in his heavy plate armor. “We need to be cautious.”

They were on the brink of confrontation, Kaelem could feel his skin prickling. His magic eager to be unleashed, as if it too could feel the anticipation.

They arrived at the edge of the village, the dull flickering glow of the lanterns which illuminated the streets as they looked to be almost out of fuel, as if they hadn’t been replaced in weeks.

“The crypt should be over there.” Rod said, pointing at the small church poking above the buildings. “Remember, don’t let your guard down and watch each other’s backs.”

They headed towards the church, Annara leading from the front as she scouted their surroundings. But everyone was checking each shadowy alley as they moved, not once but at least twice.

At last they were now at the doorstep of the vampire nest, ready to face whatever horrors had plagued the village of Mornfell.