What are you supposed to do when confronted with the fact that you can no longer trust the best of your heroes. What can you do when some of the most important figures heading a war are so thoroughly compromised that there’s just no way you can trust their judgement. What can actually be done when the nobility itself isnt even human anymore.

I am terrified of what the future holds. A man with the authority to speak with the emperors voice is under the compulsion of a vampire who is dumb enough to admit what it is? What even is going on. How could it get worse? Oh wait. The Eparch actions speak to being under the same control, and we already know that one of the fire mages is under its spell as well. Realistically at this point the entirety of the Grym is completely compromised by whatever malevolent spirit is running around in the corpse of the Lady Dressler.
How in the absolute fuck did it come to this?

It had actually been a pretty spectacular night. My first foray into archeology had been a massive success. Just in time we discover a weapon capable of hurting a witch, who this deep into the cycle of the aulfander is nearly impossible to wound? Then we go and disrupt a meeting of heretics and Alu himself retreats, wounded by the weapon we found? A major success against these heretics was won, and we returned to the tavern to celebrate our success with drinks and stories and boasts.

We had known about the accusation of Dressler being a vampire. Quill had told us as much while skirting an obvious compulsion. The markgraff had been told and ordered us to investigate. quietly. Determine the truth and report back. As someone interested in the path of combating and resolving malefic this right up my alley. By pure happenstance 2 different rogalian experts on vampirism had come to the city. A basic test of silver was proposed to expose the truth. It had even been suggested at court but shot down. *by the eparch*

So that night, reveling in our victory, when the Lady Dressler appeared, and took an offered seat directly to my right at the head of the table, It seemed like moment was perfect. The very stars aligned to make it possible even. Our own miners had freshly mined silver in its purest form. An easy space to make a quick plan presented itself as the Lady engaged with Sir Sven to her right. They seemed engaged in compelling conversation and I saw my moment to motion the newly branded Sigi to my side. A quick command. Silver carefully brushed on the ladys skin, made to look purely accidental as a slightly inebriated njord navigated the crowded space behind the seated noble lady. I watched a minute later as the plan happened perfectly. A small space, an accidental bump. The *fraction* of a second that her mask dropped as i saw the faintest smoke rise from the creatures skin. Ill give the monster credit, for It quickly regained its composure. I laughed at some inane joke Sir Logain on my left was making at the time. I dont know if we sold it as entirely accidental, but I have to say that in the following moments, everything felt organic enough that it could have been just an accidental brush, and that no one had seen it.

At this point I have to say, I was feeling damn proud of myself. Task after task had been successfully completed this forum, and this was just another job done well. I went back to joking with my friends. Drinking and talking of our success in the field that night, our goals for the future. We had already invited the leader of the caravans to dine with us the next forum, and I figured why not make it a party. Put the Lady further at ease and make us seem friendly enough before what I assumed would be an eventual violent confrontation somewhere in the future. I was so caught up in my success I failed to hear what had happened only two seats to my left. As I invited the lady to dine with us the following forum disaster struck. Or more properly, Sigi.

Apparently the newly branded man had been busy having a quite conversation with Sir Logain, our new archibald provided vampire specialist. These two apparently decided what better time to try to *KILL* a vampire was when it was surrounded by everyone drinking and eating and relaxing. Even I was caught completely unprepared. I dont even recall seeing Sigi get behind her again. I just saw his fist and a flash of silver and then everything went absolutely sideways.

The vampire obviously on edge from the earlier brush easily intercepted Sigi’s attempted sneak attack.
Before anyone else could act the eparch had placed Lady Dressler under her protection and rushed her from the tavern.
They hid the vampire in the grym cabin. At this point I had moved to engage. Backup would be coming. If we could keep her from escaping the hunter would be able to have a shot still. The eparch angerly blocked my way admonishing me for wanting to kill the monster. Then ordered me on a fools errand to find the inquisitor. As if he would have cared about something that has nothing to do with heresy.

The situation ended up as a standoff. Lady Dressler talking to Sir Logain surrounded by half the damn forum. Explaining how she is somehow a good vampire and not responsible for the spawn. Anyone with knowledge of the creatures has rolled their eyes when I repeated that line to them.

I go over the sequence of events in my head, replaying it, trying to gather the most important details for a record. I have no doubt my actions tonight will come into question with both The Lady Vindicta and Mother Amelia. The situation is a terrible one. The knowledge is out and the rumors are already starting. Its going to be imperative to regain control of the narrative before it spins out of control. I have some ideas there but am in no way as expert of the ways of rumors.

Im terrified of what the future holds. If you had asked me before this had happened I was optimistic of the future. But now, not knowing who to trust, im terrified.