Amber’s Friday evening odd encounter(Amber)
Date: 2025-07-25 17:25
(Amber’s Friday evening odd encounter(Amber):Amber)
[Fri Jul 25 2025]
In Den
This room makes for a spacious area for people to play games or simply socialize. A wide, squarish table, low to the ground like a coffee table, dominates the center of the room. Around it are bean bag chairs and other low-sitting pieces of furniture. Close to the western wall, which lacks any windows, is another table that sits higher-up, more like a dining table. This, too, is surrounded by chairs of appropriate height. The floor’s entryway is to the east, while a room lined by large windows is to the south.
It is about 65F(18C) degrees. The mist is heaviest At High and Oakwood/span>/span(Your target and their allies encounter the former thrall of a vampire who has run away from their previous master. Probably at least slightly mind controlled they’re likely confused and struggling with their decision. The characters need to either help them found a new life, or send them back to their owner.
)
As Lillian and Amber lounge in the den, enjoying a lazy afternoon, there is a knock on the front door.
Amber groans, sinking into the furniture, “I’ve been out all day. I am so done with sun. Could you get it?”
Lillian pops up and out of her beanbag chair. “If you insist, you lazy little thing.” She ruffles the top of Amber’s head playfully on the way past her and descends the stairs. She’s in no hurry, but isn’t necessarily slow about her descent either. She doesn’t check out a window before opening the door to peek at whoever is knocking.
“I was out in the noonday sun fighting monsters! For us!” Amber complains when she’s called lazy. She doesn’t bother fixing her hair. It was already a mess.
Outside, there lingers a man. Pale, emaciated, scraggly hair visible despite the black hoodie keeping him mostly concealed.
“H-hey, uh. Can I come in? It’s, uh. It’s really hot out here, and I’m really thirsty,” she whines, pleads.
Lillian’s brows furrow at the sight of the figure outside the door, an expression that only turns into a glare at their request. “What? No. I’m not letting some total rando into our home. If you want water, I can bring it to you while you wait -outside-. And I will do no more than that.”
The man looks devastated by this news, reaching forward to try to prevent the door from being closed on him. His hood falls down, revealing a number of familiar-looking bites on his neck. They seem slow to heal, and at least one might be infected.
“Come on, please. I can’t wait out here. I’ll die from the heat if The Eternal Master doesn’t find me first. Just a little while? Until it gets cooler out?” he pleads, trying to push his way in. There is, at least, no attempt at harm or violence. Just desperate escape from the heat and the ‘Master.’
Lillian scoffs with indignation at his attempt to force his way inside. “Fuck. Okay! Get inside! Whatever!” she says, opening the door only just enough for him to get inside before promptly slamming it shut behind him. “Amber!” she then calls out, a hand to her face to help direct the noise upstairs. “This seems like a you kind of issue!”
The thrall scurries away from the door and any window, pulling his hood back up as if expecting someone here to recognize him. As for Amber, there is no response. It is late in the day, and she may well have lost the fight with daysleep.
“Bless you, Mistress,” he says in a whiny voice, bowing obsequious, “I beg you for some water. I just need a little help to escape The Eternal Master.”
Lillian glares at him, up until he calls her ‘mistress’ and bows. At that point, she starts to smile with delight. “I suppose it’s no trouble to offer you this kindness. Come with me to the kitchen. I’ll get you some water.” And so she starts heading off down the hallway, toward where the dining room and kitchen sit at the back of the first floor.
The man follows with quiet, shuffling steps, looking around every corner and shadow as if expecting something to be there. A hand reaches up to itch at the infected bite on his neck.
“You’ve been so kind, Mistress. Almost as kind as The Eternal Master when he saved me from my old life,” she offers in a weasely tone, “I would hate to trouble you for more, but if I could have a little money? For the bus. When I leave this city, I’ll be free to start over.”
Lillian pours a glass of water from the fridge’s dispenser, but does not add any ice to the glass. Strangers who force themselves inside in desperation don’t get ice with their water. “Before I go that far, I’m going to need you to tell me about who this ‘Eternal Master’ of yours is.” She offers him the glass.
“He is the Lord of the Night. Dark God of Living Blood,” the man seems almost entranced as he speaks, looking off into the distance as if seeing this ‘divine’ being in his minds eye, “My savior and my owner. All are blessed in his presence, especially those who nourish him.”
He seems distracted, as if in reverence, for a few long moments. Then he looks back to Lillian, “I’m not worthy, and he is too kind to banish me as I deserve. So I’m fleeing so I might use the blessings he’s given me and start a new life in his gracious honor. Surely it is what he truly wants for me.”
Lillian studies him critically for a moment or two. Something about her gaze seems skeptical. “Did you not just tell me, at my front door, that you’ll die from the heat if he doesn’t get you first? It sounds like you are running from him and believe he will kill you. Plus your bite wounds look absolutely nasty.”
The man itches at his neck some more, awkwardly admitting, “He would take me home, and his Blessed Kindness would ensure I serve him forever, despite being ill-suited.” The wound opens up again and bleeds some before he pulls his hand away. He looks less sure at Lillian’s words, “I’m- I’m being a good servant, yes? Sparing him from my unworthy service?”
Lillian’s expression remains skeptical. “And what, pray tell, makes your service so unworthy? Hm?”
The man holds his arms out, fingers still bloodied from scratching, and looks down at himself and then to Lillian, “Look at me. I cannot nourish him properly. I can’t carry his burdens. I’m no cook nor tailor. Should he not have the chance to find a more worthy servant?”
Lillian rolls her eyes dramatically. “If he is your master, then he will determine that, no? Has he expressed any displeasure with you? Said anything about you disappointing him? Acted as if you are failing him?”
The man’s eyes widen. He pales, even. He looks horrified at these words. “You’re right. I presumed to know the Master’s desires. I overstepped my bounds. I should return to him at once,” he says, though he gives a questioning look for confirmation to Lillian.
Lillian raises an eyebrow at the man, then looks down at her nails to idly inspect those. “I don’t know. Why is your bite wound infected? What makes you unable to ‘nourish him properly’?”
“I ran without letting the nurse treat it,” he admits, looking down to his bloodied fingers, “And look at me. I am too thin. Not enough blood. No flavor, I’m sure.”
“You are truly a baffling thing,” Lillian says, leaning back against a wall and crossing her arms. “And now you’re waiting for my permission to stay or go, is that it? You don’t exactly seem like a loyal thrall.”
There is confusion in his face. Then, something clicks in his addled mind. He looks angry.
“I’ll show you! I’m loyal! I’m going back! You won’t stop me!” and he’s abandoning the water to head back for the door, though his frail frame gives his fury all the substance of a ghost.
Lillian huffs. “Get back here!” she commands as she reaches into her pocket. She marches off behind him, fisting a few dollars out of that pocket along the way. Assuming she catches him, she shoves the money into his hand. “Fucking take the bus and go. You’re dying. This life isn’t for you. And, like, if a vampire is going to eat you I’d rather that vampire be my girlfriend.”
Once more, the man looks confused. But it doesn’t matter much once Lillian’s eyes do the hard work of convincing. He nods, hesitant, before snatching the money and making a run for it. For such a frail looking guy, he sure can move. But it’s clear he won’t be back again.
Lillian sighs with exasperation, and maybe a small amount of relief, before closing the door and heading back upstairs to rejoin her girlfriend.