Vance DARKHURST lore
PART I
My story?... I was once but a mortal person just like yourself. Pour yourself a glass of wine, as this is a story as old as time. It's been 741 years since my eyes awoke to the night.My mortal name was Vaniel von Darkhurst. I was a swordsman, a knight well off with lands and servants. I was young, barely 21 and about to have a wife. My beloved who had been a childhood friend of mine was betrothed to me. Her name was Eleanor of the house Indigoletta.She was the daughter of a noble man, who indeed caused trouble for a very powerful vampire called Jericho. Her father sent hunters to burn his nest, however mere mortals underestimated the cunning of the vampire in question as he planned to retaliate in the only way a vampire understands. Blood for blood.My story began on a summer's evening, the night before I was due to marry my beloved. Both me and Eleanor were sitting on a hill, next to a tree we planted when we were but toddlers. It was our special place. It is customary to my people to give your betrothed a gift from the soul. They named it Hestia Pragma. For you to part with something like that, shows great prosperity and an everlasting promise to one another. That evening Eleanor gifted her family necklace to me. A necklace signifying her family, a beautiful silver necklace with a large purple rose at its centre. It almost looks like a vial of lavender. It is supposed to be the crest of her family, and in this case she gave her heart to me.I remember fondly how I held her lovingly,
promising to never let her go and that I’ll love her always…
Vance darkhurst lore
PART II
I had to return the favour myself. A gift from the heart.
I knew she loved purple roses… They are her favourite after all.I had a beautiful flower garden nearby, that I wished to surprise Eleanor with. I had been tending it in secret to surprise her at a later date. I spent a long time perfecting the right blend and compost to make my flowers last for an eternity. Even when gently cut from its roots, it will last for years before they wither. Some may call it magic, I called it passionate.
I asked my beloved to wait for me for just a moment, so I could give her my gift.I left her for a split moment to pick the roses for her, which were only a short distance away.All of a sudden whilst I was tending and plucking the roses from the bed, I heard a loud scream in the distance, so painful and desperate.My heart ached, I knew it was Eleanor. Dropping everything in my tracks I ran towards her, my gift to her still in hand.
Vance darkhurst lore
PART III
When I returned to our tree, I could see a figure cloaked in black clutching onto Eleanor. Her face is so pale, her body light as snow. I could see blood dripping from a wound on her neck endlessly. Tears poured from her eyes as she whimpered softly to help her.
I couldn’t contain my rage, my hatred, the pain of seeing my love like this. “You Bastard!” I shouted as I drew my sword and launched myself straight into the beast. Eleanor fell to the ground lifeless, drawing no breath. The creature moved as quickly as daylight itself, before I had even gotten close, the creature's hand was firmly around my throat. “Weak” is what he whispered softly as I was trying to gasp for air. “She is mine now and there is nothing you can do about it.” I saw a glimpse of its face. Jericho… A vampire. He bit my neck, I can recall the feeling of my life slipping away very vividly. I gazed once more upon the body of Eleanor, I knew full well, I would be with her soon.
The vampire snapped my neck and it all went black…
Vance darkhurst lore
PART IV
I cannot remember how much time had passed, it must’ve been hours. I woke up under the shadow of our tree and gasped for air. I looked around, the sun hurting my eyes, the beast gone, Eleanor gone. Only the blood stains and the roses meant for her scattered on the grass remained. Still feeling weak and confused, I stood up and tried to move beyond the shadow of the tree. As my hand touched the sunlight, it felt like I was being set on fire. I quickly stepped back and noticed my nails were long, my skin white and my hair turned black. Everything in my body hurted, I didn’t know what had happened, what I had become. All I knew was, I needed to find Eleanor.
I screamed for help, but nobody came.I waited underneath our tree for the sun to set, as it became darker the prison of my once beloved tree started to vanish. I walked towards the nearest village closest to my castle, pleading for anyone to help. Still unfamiliar with my body, I realised that the villagers started screaming and fleeing at my sight. They thought I was the beast that had been taking people. No matter what I said or asked for help, they didn’t realise I was a victim, just as they were. They saw me as a monster.Before I knew it, I was surrounded by pitchforks and flames. They took me to a near crypt and chained me up. “Please it wasn’t me! I must find my beloved!” I begged to no avail. They threw me into a coffin and staked my heart. I could see the lid closing in on me and screamed out her name one last time. “ELEANOR!”Much time had passed and most of the emotions I had washed away. My skin was shrivelled up, I felt like a prisoner in my own body as time passed. Rigour mortis had set in and I could not move any longer. The world outside had forgotten that Vampires and other creatures of the night existed.I was forgotten.
Vance darkhurst lore
PART V
After 741 years a curious stranger breaks open the crypt that houses the coffin Vaniel was a prisoner to. The stranger notices something odd about this crypt, there is no name, only a coffin with rusted chains wrapped around it.
The lock is rudimentary and no challenge to open.The stranger opens the lid, dust from years of being sealed gushes out like a wave. As the dust finally cleared, they noticed a man. A frail body. It's shrivelled, a man with long black hair that appears to have kept growing, ragged clothes covered in dried blood and a stake through the chest. A dried up tear coming out of one of the man’s eyes.
Making a mark on his skin.The lid of the coffin reveals to have scratch marks on the inside, he desperately tried to claw his way out as he had been sealed alive...Suddenly a groan comes from the body “Little flower”A shot of the stranger's face looking like Vaniel’s lost love and he has a slight smile and murmurs “Little flower”...The little flower gently strokes Vaniel’s cheek, leaving a small opportunity for Vaniel to take blood from their wrist to revive him.
Vance darkhurst lore
OUTRO
Many moons later Vaniel goes to his special place, the tree planted by him and Eleanor. The place where he died, where she died. Two graves were placed underneath the tree. He leaves a one purple rose on both their graves. The garden he had never withered, his immortal roses as immortal as himself. He might be undead but he clings to the one thing that reminds him of warmth and love: A purple rose.That was the moment Vaniel von Darkhurst died and that is also when I met you, my little flower. The person I trust most of all in this world.Eleanor’s death will not be in vain and I will not let this happen again.
My name is Vance Darkhurst. I will have my revenge.Yawn oh goodness... That whole revenge plot thing that was so last century...
Yes, yes I know darling, quite dramatic, but hey, I do like to tell a story with a bit of flair!
Anyway, that was in the past. Oh, did I get revenge?
Hmm... maybe I will tell you the rest another time.For now, it is time for our story to begin, little flower.