The Village of Obadh

In the honor driven society of Diarmid, clearly not everyone was suited to their standards. In fact, enough existed that an entire village was made of such individuals.

If a citizen of Diarmid was deemed dishonorable or treacherous, provided their offenses were not enough to warrant execution, they were cast out of Diarmid. From there they had to choice of either wandering the wastelands without water and dying before reaching civilization or forsake any right to honor and living in Obadh where they would live but meagerly and be forgotten by their goddess. Most chose the latter.

This barely-functioning society was formerly a Diarmidian colony that was left for ruin after the temple they were attempting to build collapsed and killed one of their emperors. Seeing this as a sign that the Watcher did not intend for them to settle elsewhere besides their spiritual home and to not travel for other purposes than conquest, the colony was left abandoned and disgraced, as well as stricken from history.

But when an exile from Diarmid found it again, he found there was a small supply of water there that would be sufficient to lasting him and possibly a few others many years, provided they rationed most grievously. This discovery convinced him that the religion of Diarmid was a false one as he found water by himself without any divine intervention which the Way of the Watcher claimed was the only way to live out in the wastelands.

This original exile, named Rethor, was originally in charge of the Diarmidian armory but was cast out upon discovery that not only was he selling their weapons to foreign nations illegally.

A prodigy with numbers and mathematics, he estimated that at maximum 17 men and woman could exist at Obadh at a time and use the water sparingly to ensure it lasted for years to come. To ensure the longevity of the village if a new person is to join their society they must kill one of the existing members to maintain the status quo. 

Rethor, now an ancient man, acts as the de facto leader of the colony. The society is an assortment of either cowards or traitorous men. Some try their best to continue to worship the Watcher and follow their old Diarmidian customs, others have forsaken their old goddess completely. Whatever beliefs they had, they had no choice but to cooperate with each other or face oblivion by the unforgiving wasteland...

Having been reading into the Diarmidian history, suspecting that Polidus is plotting something sinister against her, she eventually discovered this village, knowing that she can gather even more information from ex-Diarmidian people.  In this situation, knowledge will add to her already vast amount of power.

She walks in, her hood covering her face.  She gives off royalty by just how tall and high she walks.

It wasn't long until the new presence turned heads. The people all wore rags and were nearly skeletal with malnourishment.

One in particular came up to her, "YOU THERE! NEWCOMER!" He yelled out to her, shaking weakly as he pulled his very crude dagger out.

Bara doesn't flinch or bat an eye at all.  She's mindful of the knife, but in this human's weak state, he's not much of a threat to her.  "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Everyone who pays this way must pay the toll! Food or water! Whatever you have!" He demanded with more force than he clearly possessed.

Bara stays silent for a long time.  "Where is your leader?  I have things to discuss and if things go well, food will be abundant to you..."

"Rethor? What are you? Some Diarmidian hound out to kill him?"

Bara takes her hood off her head, showing her pale, porcelain-like, flawless skin, and her red and black eyes.  "I'm from a far different land that of Diarmid, human.  I'm actually here to negotiate something... Something that I'll only talk to your leader with."

The man took a step back in fright, dropping his dagger, "I'll..I'll take you right to him. Just... don't kill me..."

She nods her head, "I'd appreciate that very much."

He takes through the ragged and horribly mangled village. Suffering and dry lips were everywhere. A few citizens attempted to reconstruct buildings that had been destroyed by decay to better their lives, but with their frailty it was quite the burden.

Most eyes were tuned on her, as though fearing she'd strike one of them down.

"They think you'll try to take their place..' Her escort explained.

"That worry is pointless.  I'm not here to stay."

"Tell them that. Every time someone new comes they get antsy that this day is their last."

He takes her to the ruins of a temple, made of obsidian and granite. The outline of the crippled building painted the image of a grand structure that would never be realized. Inside the building was a statue of a woman, or rather a decapitated woman. No attempt was made to care for the statue or any of the religious artifacts in the room. 

Then a brown robed man stepped out to her, pulling down his hood to reveal an ancient man, with a raspy voice that sounded like he was an inch away from death's door. "Newcomer... why do you come to this town of death and disgrace?"

She bows her head in respect, "I am Bara, Empress of Anawarudo.  I have a proposition for you that I believe will benefit you and your people greatly..."

The man gave a laugh that sounded so dry that dust would erupt from his lungs, "An outsider would aid the village of sins? I'll be forgiven if I am apprehensive..."

"It comes at a price... A very decent price for you, actually."  She goes on to explain, "You give me all the information about Diarmid's military and weapons and inside as you can and I'll provide this land with upgraded shelter and plenty of food and water."

Rethor stared into the vampire's eyes, as though he were searching into her soul. "And why? I know you care not for our people. What is your anger with the village of deluded followers of a false goddess?"

"The High Priest of that land and I had a bad run-in... He bears ill-will against me and I believe he's plotting war against my land.  I need as much information as I can get about their strategies and the way they think."

He stayed quiet as he stumbled his way back to his seat, and shakingly lowered himself into it, "You're truly serious about this." He noted with a hint of surprise.

"I can tell you much. But I wish to know you are sincere. It is easy to take advantage of us." Rethor knew there was no pride to be had about this land, he had no illusions about that. "Bring us some of the promised goods and then I will tell you what I know..."

"Might I have a name to call the potential savior of our villager? Mine I imagine you know." His age clearly had slowed his memory.

"My name is Bara, and I rule over the land of Andawarudo." She bows graciously.  "I suspected as much, so I had some of my servants follow close behind me.  

Bring the food and water in now.  She speaks telepathically.

More vampires walk in to the land, under strict orders not to feed on any of these humans.  Though with how frail they all are, they don't seem to enticing anyway.  They all have large crates and baskets of food and water, starting to distribute it.

An elated cry came from the people as they all scurried over to their new providers.

One young boy no more than 8 came up to Rethor with a goblet of water. But Rethor held his hand up, "Save it for yourself child. Your time is long, mine is short. It would do you better."  The boy smiled thankfully at his elder and ran off.

Rethor turned his attentions back onto Bara. "It is fortuitous that you come to me when you did. I was not lying to that boy. My time is in fact short." He coughed a harsh, horrid cough. Blood even came out of his mouth.

A 23 year old man in scavenged dirty armor ran to the man's side, "Father..." He wiped his forehead with a cloth, concern evident on his face. 

Rethor raised his hands once more weakly. "Slánaitheoir, that is futile. It seems my time has come." The young boy hesitantly stepped back, honoring his father's wishes. 

"But I will make good of my promise. Here is what I know."

The ancient man was fighting for his very life to speak his words, but to strike out at the heart of his foes was worth all the toil in the world.

"The Diarmidian military is the most powerful among the realms. Were it not for the vast wastelands that surround it, all realms might be speaking Diarmidian by now. Face them in a head to head confrontation and you will surely lose."

"They have many weapons at their disposals and are constantly making more. There is no such thing as a poor blacksmith in Diarmid. Most of them working around the Emperor's castle, as a way to ensure that all around the Emperor's are equipped to fight on the off chance they get invaded."

"This however is a common mistake with anyone who's tried to invade it. Attacking the castle is sui.." He hacked up more blood but continued, "Suicide. What you really want to do is send a small force to attack the castle, and while they are getting slaughtered send the bulk of your force to capture the Well of the Watcher. That well is paramount to their survival. Hold it hostage and you have the village at your beck and call whilst losing the minimal amount of soldiers...."

"Furthermore this will break their spirit. And that is important to fighting Diarmidians. They are as fiery as the volcanoes they live near. However kill their vigor and they will become submissive."

"Is there anything else you wish to know?"

She smiles, very happy with this information.  "Thank you very much..."  She thinks if there's anything else she wants to know.  "Did you ever know the High Priest Polidus?  What would his greatest weakness be?"

"High Priest? is that what the boy has risen to?"

"I did know him once but he was a very different man." He coughed horribly, falling out of his seat. His son rushed to his fathers side. More blood was gushing out of his mouth and he gestured for Bara to come down to him.

She kneels down to his level, "Did he have any sort of lover? Or family?"  While she asks, she contemplates something that would be interesting... Is he the kind of man that would be interested into becoming a vampire?  His time is short right now, so it would have to be quick.

"First tell me... Have you heard of a race called vampires?"

"No... His family is dead... I don't..." He hacked up a lung once again, "no, why?"