"So," Lambert began as he looked at Geralt, riding alongside him on their horses through the forest road to Velen. "Are you finally going to spill the beans about your latest adventure?"
"All right," Geralt replied, slowing down his horse. Eskel, who was riding on Geralt's other side, followed suit, both of them now turning their full attention to their friend with great interest.
"Shortly after I killed Imlerith," Geralt started, "I took a special contract from a noble. Little did I know that what I thought was just another simple job would turn into an adventure beyond my wildest dreams."
"Well, you know the saying 'Little Things Make Big Things Happen" Lambert interjected sarcastically.
Ignoring Lambert's remark, Geralt continued, "My source wasn't the noble thought,it was a.. merchant connected to him. In fact. I had already crossed paths with that merchant back in White Orchard while I was searching for Yennefer."
"Really?" Lambert asked, genuinely surprised.
"Really," Geralt confirmed before resuming his story. "Anyway, I accepted the contract from the noble, a man named Olgierd von Everec."
"The von Everecs?" Eskel interrupted. "I've heard of them, but I don't know much about their noble house. Weren't they connected to Redania?"
"Yes," Geralt confirmed, a hint of annoyance in his tone. "Now, if I may continue without further interruptions."
"Right," Eskel said, apologetic.
"As I was saying, I went to Olgierd's mansion, which is now nothing but ashes. There, I had a conversation with the man himself. From the moment we met, I could tell Olgierd was not your typical fool noble. He had a certain charm and sophistication about him, and he led a group of informal followers who worshipped the ground he walked on. But there was something different about him,something that I would learn later on, but he was still educated, loved art, and adhered to a unique noble code. After some negotiation, I agreed to take on the task of killing the 'Monster in the Sewers' in Oxenfurt. I completed the job, but to my surprise, the monster turned out to be a man."
"A curse?" Lambert inquired
"That's right," Geralt confirmed. "It was a curse, and not just any man. It was a prince from Ofier. As soon as I sliced open the gut of the creature, it transformed back into a man. Unfortunately, I was greatly wounded in the process and ended up getting captured by the Ofieris. And that's when I met my 'source' again.
Lambert and Eskel, being seasoned Witchers, were not particularly fazed by Geralt's tales of killing monsters and getting captured. After all, danger and risks were all part of their way of life.
''Out of nowhere, he appeared, literally and offered me a way out, but it came at a price. Seeing no other choice, I reluctantly accepted. He instructed me to meet him at the crossroads, where he marked my face and conjured a storm,'' the speaker recounted.
The mention of being branded and conjuring a storm immediately captured the attention of both Witchers. Even Lambert, known for his nonchalant demeanor, seemed to take the matter seriously.
''And so I managed to escape, meeting him as planned at the crossroads. That's when he revealed himself as a merchant called 'Master Mirror.' He spoke of Olgierd's debt to him and asked me to make him pay,'' the speaker continued.
''So your source is a sorcerer who wants you to collect debts?'' Eskel asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice.
''He wasn't just a sorcerer, or at least, not like any I've encountered before. He was something more, something much more powerful,'' clarified Geralt.
''What exactly was he, then?'' Lambert questioned, grabbing another bottle of vodka from his saddle and taking a swig.
''He was some kind of demon from another dimension, capable of granting people's wishes, and in turn, collecting their souls. He could also control the time,'' Geralt explained with a serious tone, devoid of sarcasm.
Lambert sputtered, coughing from surprise, while Eskel blinked in disbelief, causing them all to halt their horses.
''What?'' Eskel finally managed to ask, still trying to process the astonishing revelation.
''Exactly,'' Geralt replied, nodding. ''This is the main reason why I kept this adventure to myself and refrained from telling anyone else. I knew that no one would believe me, well, maybe some would, but at the time, I had other pressing concerns on my mind.''
"A demon from another dimension?" Lambert exclaimed in disbelief
"I assure you, Lambert, I'm dead serious," Geralt replied, his gaze fixed on the fire dancing within Lambert's eyes. "His name was Master Mirror or Gaunter O'dimm, and he wielded powers far beyond those of any ordinary sorcerer. He granted wishes, but always with a dark twist, like a cursed gift that eventually led to the destruction of the wisher's soul."
''Well'' Lambert began ''I heard from Keira summoning weird creatures such as 'demons' was possible, it was called Goetia or something I think, but it was forbidden just like necromancy...''
Eskel listened intently, his expression a mix of skepticism and intrigue ''I have never heard of 'demons' who were sentient and could stop time though...'' He mused, them looked at Geralt ''How could such a thing be possible? Perhaps it was just a very advanced illusion?"
''It definitely wasn't illusion'' Geralt said with confidence "I don't know how, but I saw it with my own eyes," Geralt stated firmly. ''Mirror casually stopped the time and killed a poor bastard with a spoon"
"This was the another reason why I never told anyone about this, I never wanted to involve you two or anyone else in this mess," Geralt continued, ''Master Mirror wanted me to exact revenge on him, to make him pay for his transgressions."
"And what did Olgierd do to end up with such a debt?" Eskel asked
"Olgierd made a pact with Master Mirror," Geralt explained. "He wished for immortality, but little did he know the price he would have to pay. Master Mirror took away Olgierd's ability to feel, to love, to have any emotions at all. Olgierd became an empty shell, forever bound to walk this world without the joys and sorrows of a living being."
''That's what happens when you make a pact with a literal demon I suppose'' Lambert mused.
"Indeed it is, but Olgierd really had no choice at the matter during that time" Geralt agreed somberly, and then continued his tale "As I said Master Mirror tasked me with completing Olgierd's three impossible wishes, and that is a completely another tale, but we get to that later time. To make it short I managed to complete his wishes after that, Mirror told us to meet in a place with a moon diagram on it, In their pact Olgierd agreed to give Mirror his soul if he were to complete his wishes and standing together on the moon, Thus Master Mirror sought to trick Olgierd and claim his soul and add it to his collection."
"What did you do then?" Lambert asked, now fully engaged in the dark tale.
"I had a choice to make then" Geralt replied. "I could fulfill Master Mirror's wish and doom Olgierd to a fate worse than death, or I could find another way to break the pact."
"And what did you choose?" Eskel inquired, eager to know the outcome.
Geralt's gaze intensified, the fire reflecting in his eyes. "I chose to find another way," he said firmly. "I faced Master Mirror once more, and I outwitted him. I 'convinced' him to release Olgierd and me from the pact."
"Damn," Lambert said in an impressed tone. "And here I thought you couldn't be any more badass. You literally outwitted a demon in his own game, a demon who can supposedly stop time."
''In fact'' Geralt said as he took his steel sword from his back and showed it to Witchers in detail ''This is Iris, Olgierd have given it to me as a reward'' Witchers looked at it, it was indeed a good sword, not to mention magical, as their medallions started to shake once Geralt unsheathed it.
"That is a nice sword but I'm still not convinced about the time stopping," Eskel interjected apologetically. "It was probably a very advanced illusion."
"Agreed," Lambert nodded. "Sorry Geralt, I believe your story, but time stopping? That's a bit too far-fetched. I think this 'Master Mirror' guy just managed to trick you. Especially since you are getting older and spoiled, he managed to do it"
Geralt rolled his eyes and sheated his sword "Sure, don't believe me, but shortly after our talk with Bram, he did it again, he managed to talk to me, while you two were frozen in time and that's how I learned about information on our new friend."
Lambert and Eskel exchanged unsure glances. They had never witnessed Geralt talking with anyone else . If this Mirror truly conversed with Geralt after their talk with Bram, how did he do it without them noticing?
"Okay, let's say we believe he can stop time," Lambert said, sounding disturbed by the idea of manipulating time. "What did he tell you about this Konahrik?"
"He said Konahrik is not from this world," Geralt replied. "Mirror claimed that he is very popular with certain entities in his own realm. The longer Konahrik stays in our world, the higher the chance of those entities becoming aware of our world. So, Mirror wants us to help him get rid of Konahrik. Despite my past victory against him, he holds no grudges and genuinely seemed concerned. These 'entities' pose a threat to Mirror but not just because of their power, but because they would be his 'competition' in this world. I assume he's talking about other demons."
They fell silent, with the gravity of the situation sinking in. Both Eskel and Lambert realized that Geralt was dead serious about this.
Without exchanging more words, they continued riding their horses down the road, each lost in their thoughts. Then, Lambert couldn't resist adding with a sarcastic and disbelieving tone
"A demon who is capable of stopping time wants to help us to get rid of a otherworldly demonic kleptomaniac sorcerer to prevent more demonic entities becoming aware of our world...what's next? cheese raining down from the sky?"
There was something peculiar about this man, but Orianna couldn't quite put her finger on it. If she weren't so annoyed by the intrusion, she might have been genuinely curious. After all, who would expect a visitor at this late hour when she was just about to enjoy a sumptuous meal... a delightful feast of blood.
Orianna observed the man as he confidently took a seat across the table from her. His scent was off, not like a typical prey's, and she couldn't detect any trace of blood on him. He must have been using some special concoction to mask his scent. Orianna decided she would have to inquire about it before she and her fellow vampires drained him dry. But perhaps there was another way; they could simply let him leave, confiscating his wealth in the process. Being a bruxa, Orianna had her unique abilities to generate wealth. Why spill unnecessary blood if she could add to her coffers in a much more subtle manner?
"So, Sir Nazeem," Orianna addressed him, mentally shaking her head at the unfortunate name. His parents really must have hated him for naming him like that, she thought "Please do tell us more about yourself. Where are you from?"
Her smile was charmingly deceptive, hiding the true intentions beneath her graceful facade. Orianna's ''Charity'' served as a refuge for those in need and as an orphanage, a facade of charity to the outside world. Drawing attention to their operation was the last thing she desired. It could attract unwanted visitors like witch hunters, and witch hunters would attract witchers, and they were always a nuisance. Orianna would much rather stay in the shadows, continuing her way of life undisturbed. So, understanding more about the man called Sir Nazeem and his background was of utmost importance before deciding their next course of action.
"I'm afraid I'm no one important, my lady," he said with a smile. "I'm but another librarian, just a scholar. As for your other question, well, I suppose you could say I'm from somewhere similar to Skellige."
"Oh?" Orianna was intrigued. She had already guessed that he was from Skellige, but she honestly did not expect him to be educated. He indeed looked Nordic with his blonde hair, beard, and blue eyes. Scholars from the North were very rare. He was also handsome, which was good because Orianna preferred her food looking good. "In that case, why don't you tell us more about your people? Please don't take any offense, but if your empire is similar to Skellige, and they are not known for their knowledge..." She said with some reluctance.
"No offense taken," he replied, his small smile still on his lips. "Yes, like I said, my people have a very similar culture to Skellige, but also very different. I have studied it, and we have one major difference with Skelligens."
"And what might that be?" Sebastian interjected from his seat across the table. He was a higher vampire, and he and Orianna had... similar tastes and had a very good relationship. Of course, Orianna honestly had no feelings for the man; she was merely manipulating him to keep him in her service. After all, he was a very powerful higher vampire, while she was just a bruxa. So far, there hadn't been any problems at all, and he was also... skilled in the bed.
His smile dropped as he looked at them. "Our people, ancient Nords, once actually valued knowledge and were powerful sorcerers, especially in necromancy. In fact, they were the first humans of mankind to master these arts, surpassing even the elves in their wisdom," he revealed.
At the words "Sorcerer" and "Necromancy," the two vampires quickly looked at him with widened eyes and surprise but skillfully hid it. All species in this world were nothing but insects to the vampires; they could easily kill them and rule the world. Vampires just had no interest in it. Even the witchers would be just an annoyance. But sorcerers... they could be a threat. In fact, they were the only true threat to the vampires. After all, Vilgefortz, the most powerful sorcerer, easily managed to kill Regis. Oh sure, Regis got better thanks to Dettlaff, but it still proved that even higher vampires were not invincible.
"That is..." Orianna began, once more putting on a deceptive smile. "A very intriguing revelation," she said. It was then that her two "maids" revealed themselves, each carrying a tray with glasses of wine. Like Orianna, they were also bruxas, serving as decoys and companionship. Vampires were social creatures, just like humans, after all. The two "maids" appeared as beautiful young brunette women in expensive silk skirts, as Orianna appreciated luxury even for her servants. They smiled as they presented the wine glasses.
"Here you go, sirs and ma'am," one of the maids said, while Orianna smiled at them and sent a secret telepathic message to both of them: Not yet Orianna commanded them. "Thank you," Orianna said to her maids, playing her part. "Please, you two should take a seat as well; you have worked enough for the day."
Her maids understood the unspoken message and took their seats on either side of Orianna. All of their attention was directed towards the man, but strangely, while the four vampires eagerly drank from their wine glasses, he did not touch his. Orianna found it odd, but it wasn't really important at the moment.
"Where were we? Oh yes, please, Mister Nazeem, you were telling us more about yourself. You mentioned that your people were talented in magic, especially in necromancy. But isn't necromancy... forbidden and... evil?" Orianna forced out the last word, as if not really believing it.
"Not at all," he replied with confidence. "You see, there is no such thing as 'forbidden' and 'evil' knowledge. The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance. only through knowledge. We mortalkind can overcome our weaknesses and achieve a perfection that surpasses anything." He then eyed all of them with a glint in his eyes, his tone changing slightly. "Especially other types of lifeforms" he added.
All four vampires looked at him again, feeling that there was definitely something wrong with this man. Sebastian looked distressed, and the other bruxas were not any better. "What do you mean by that, sir?" Orianna asked with a controlled tone, not wanting to break their cover just yet. Perhaps he was talking about something else.
"It's simple, you see, mortalkind has great potential. It was why Lorkhan has created them. They just don't realize it. Or don't know it. They are weak, and it is their greatest strength. Because of this weakness, they will search for different ways to strengthen themselves. Some will turn to magic, like the Altmer mostly prefer. Others will seek power through shouts, like most ancient Nords. And some will turn to technology, like the Dwemer mostly preferred. They will innovate and search for unique ways to overcome their weaknesses. Immortals will never do this, because they don't need it. They are static creatures. They can't grow or increase in power. They have unbounded existences but bounded potentials. They will always underestimate the mortals, not realizing that one day, mortals will surpass them through their knowledge and progress..." The man explained.
The torrent of information left all the vampires dumbfounded, their eyes wide and their minds struggling to comprehend the magnitude of what he had just revealed. They blinked emptily, trying to process the implications of his words, but it was clear that they were no longer in complete control of the situation. Sebastian's demeanor had shifted, and he looked as if he could attack at any moment.
"I suppose you do not understand," the strange man continued with a chuckle. "Not surprising. I don't expect you to understand; you are not mortals, and you can't comprehend them. And that will be your doom. I am the proof of my words. I, too, once was a mortal. I searched for power and knowledge and constantly augmented myself, and now? I am something very different."
"And what are you... sir?" Orianna said in a threatening tone as she and the other three vampires were slowly losing their human forms, revealing their fangs and displaying their true nature.
The man did not seem fazed at all. Instead, he said, "Allow me to demonstrate"
Before they could react, he unleashed a powerful shout, his voice resonating with an otherworldly force.
FUS-RO-DAH!
A wave of blue energy erupted from him, instantly destroying the table and most of the equipment in the room. The force of the shout sent the four vampires hurtling backward, their bodies propelled by the sheer destructive power. They crashed through the walls of the mansion as the shout completely demolished back of the house as well. Vampires landed with great force in the lush green land behind the house. The impact was tremendous, and the ground trembled under their powerful landing. The vampires struggled to regain their footing, shocked and disoriented by the force of the shout. Orianna, Sebastian, and the two bruxas looked up at the man who calmly walked to the front of the demolished side of the house with newfound fear and awe. As the illuison broke and before them stood a golden masked man. A man they heard stories about. Children of the Orphanage vampires were feeding from also have awakened as they screamed in pure fear after the shout.
All the while, Orianna cursed herself inwardly, berating her own complacency and arrogance. How could she have failed to see through his disguise? She had faced sorcerers before, but her hedonistic lifestyle had dulled her senses, and now she was paying the price. But she had no time for self-recrimination at the moment. Despite their shock, the vampires quickly regained their composure and lunged at the man. But he was not going to let them come at him without a fight. With a thunderous roar, he shouted once more:
YOL-TOOR-SHUL!
A massive wave of searing flames engulfed the four vampires, setting their bodies ablaze. Orianna let out a blood-curdling scream as the intense heat consumed her flesh, reducing her once-beautiful clothes to ashes. This was no ordinary fire; it was magical in nature, akin to molten lava. Even Sebastian, a higher vampire renowned for his resistance to fire, was affected by the inferno, desperately attempting to extinguish the flames that licked at his body. The pain was excruciating, unlike anything Orianna had experienced before. After a long time she felt fear and true agony, her immortal existence shattering under the relentless onslaught of the magical flames. Her skin peeled away, revealing the raw, charred flesh beneath. As her flesh desperately tried to regenerate. The torment was unbearable, and for the first time in her long existence, Orianna understood what it was like to suffer and feel true vulnerability. Is this how Regis had felt when Vilgefortz burned him to death?
With terrifying swiftness, the man moved like a specter, summoning bolts of chain lightnings that struck all of them simultaneously, leaving them incapacitated before they could even begin to recover from the scorching flames. But the horrors were far from over. His grotesque and tentacled sword, pulsating with dark energy, sliced through one of Orianna's bruxas, cleaving through her stomach separating her body in two. The sight was nightmarish as the tendrils on the sword intertwined with the lightning and fire, mercilessly teared apart the bruxa's body, causing a grotesque display of gushing wounds and gushing blood, far more than a mere human could withstand. With the first bruxa gruesomely dispatched, the man swiftly turned his attention to the other, who was still writhing in agony from the combined assault of lightning and fire. Aiming His left hand to the Bruxa. He now conjured potent firebolts that seemed to hold the power of the inferno itself. The bruxa's agonizing screams pierced the air, shattering eardrums as she was consumed by the searing flames, reduced to nothing but crimson ash.
Sebastian's rage was palpable, his tattered clothes sticking to his burned skin as he ignored the pain, launching himself at the man with a primal, vampire scream. Their lightning-fast movements blurred before human eyes as they clashed like demons from the depths of hell. Sebastian's claws aimed to strike, but the man deftly blocked each attack. The furious dance continued for a few tense seconds until the man gained the upper hand, unleashing more thunderbolts that sent Sebastian reeling backward. Seeing an opportunity, Orianna struck at the man with her claws, hoping to intervene on behalf of her companion. However, her attack was swiftly blocked. Nevertheless, her attack had potentially saved Sebastian's life, though her triumph was short-lived. The man retaliated, slashing at her with his ethereal, ghastly voice bellowing a shout.
"GAAN!"
Orianna tried to evade, but the shout was even faster this time. A horrifying purple wave of energy struck her, draining her strength and vigor. Her body and the man's glowed with the haunting hue of purple. Feeling her life force being sapped away, she looked upon her own body with terror. Exhaustion engulfed her, and she yearned for nothing more than to surrender to a dreamless sleep.
Amidst the chaos, Sebastian's rage reached a crescendo. Revealing His true form, a colossal, bat-like creature, was unleashed, shattering his already burnt clothes. His anguished howl echoed through the night as he transformed. For a moment, the man's attention shifted from Orianna to the newfound form of Sebastian, intrigued by the unexpected display.
Sebastian, now as a massive creature of fury, flew toward the man, bellowing with untamed rage. But before he could make contact, the man vanished through a purple portal, teleporting to the opposite side. In an impressive display of telekinesis, the man summoned a blue-glowing staff from his back and unleashed a torrent of powerful blue energy toward Sebastian, crashing him to the ground.
Then, without warning, four more portals opened, unleashing a horde of menacing creatures clad in red-glowing spiked armors and helmets. Their guttural screams filled the air with a menacing aura. Orianna's heart raced, realizing she was trapped, surrounded by these unknown terrors. Fear and desperation took hold as she desperately sought an escape from this nightmarish confrontation.
For as long as I can remember, and let me tell you, Dremora memory is weird, especially when it comes to holding grudges, I've been loyally serving the officers of my clan and, through them, my almighty Lord Molag Bal. But you know, we all have our off-days, and one time I was compelled to serve another.
I was stationed at the Endless Stair, my favorite spot for mocking and tormenting the passing Soul Shriven. Jumping out from behind a claw-pillar, I'd shout, "There you are, weakling!" Ah, it never gets old.
Then, one day, while I was lurking behind a Dark Anchor chain link, ready to terrify out another approaching Soul Shriven by saying classic "No match at all!'' I felt a strange tingling sensation all over. It was like getting hit by a shock spell. Next thing I knew, I was spiraling into an endless black void.
Now, of course, being hurled into an endless black void is a pretty common occurrence for everyone I'm sure, but this time was different. I started to materialize at my destination, and the air was all wrong. "I smell … weakness," I said to myself. But how was I about to be surprised!
The voice of my Conjurer echoed in my head, ordering me to attack, and that's when it hit me—I had been summoned by a mortal. Can you believe it? A mortal had the gall to summon me, a fearsome Dremora warrior! How is that even possible? Nirn was no longer...
No time to think about that now, because when I turned, there he was the Dragonborn himself, with a will as tough as ebony. Yes I recognized him instantly. I had been summoned by the Last Dragonborn to the mortal realm!
I tried to resist, show off my indomitable will, but it was no use of course. Dragonborn's will, combined with some mage binding spell, was just impossible to break. So there I was, shouting "No one escapes!", attacking his enemies like a good little minion.
But these creatures were bizarre. They looked like vampires, but they were no blessed servants of Molag Bal. No! They were living creatures, and I couldn't figure out how the Dragonborn found these freaks.
One of them looked like a vampire lord, but more... beastly. And the female vampire, Oh! she looked utterly pathetic with her tattered clothes and fear-stricken face. I couldn't resist. Seeing such intolerable weakness, I decided to purge her first. Such weakness deserved a punishment!
I dashed towards her, and one of my fellow Dremora had the same idea. "I will feast upon your heart!" both of us screamed at the same time. It was a race to see who could put her out of her misery first. She tried to resist us with her claws, but honestly, she was so tired and wounded that it was like swatting away a skeever.
My fire-enchanted daedric sword sliced through her stomach, and she screamed in agony. I couldn't help but smile. The cry of the weak was so delightful! She tried to jump back and recover, but she was no match for us. I sneered at her, shouting, "You are weak, mortal!" while my fellow Dremora screamed, "You will bleed!" at the same time. It was a real party! This was fun! Still though Dragonborn was still going to my list that was named ''Kill'' .A list that every dremora kept.
I took a quick glance at my back to see how the other two were doing with that bat-like creature. Not because I cared about them, of course. They were busy hacking the creature to bits, and the Dragonborn was hitting it with thunderbolts. Seemed and sounded like they had it under control. With that out of the way, I returned my attention to the pathetic female creature. Let's see how much more fun we can have with her, shall we?
But much to my frustation, she turned to invisible "Hiding will not save you now!" my other comrade said as I nodded, a gesture that I learned from mortals, it was simple but effective
But then that tingling sensation returned, I knew my time in this realm was coming to an end. The conjuration that had brought me here was starting to weaken, and I desperately tried to take aim at the vampire-thing's last known location. But just as I swung my weapon, the plane twisted and turned around me, and suddenly, I was engulfed in the suffocating darkness of the endless black void once more. My heart sank and I felt geniune sadness as I realized that my chance to strike down my enemy had slipped through my grasp, and I was left to face the uncertainty of the void.
Ah, the joys of being a Dremora. Summoned to who-knows-where by the Dragonborn himself and then back to the endless black void. Seriously, it's like a never-ending rollercoaster ride.
And there I was, lying in a pool of turquoise slime, greeted by the smug face of my superior, Kynereeve. Oh, how he loved to see me squirm. "Caught slacking, were you?" he sneered. "Well, well, well, Vuttiala... looks like you'll be getting more, my lad!"
"Kynreeve!" I protested, jumping to my feet, "I was conjured! Summoned to a different planet or something! It wasn't even Nirn, I swear!"
But did he believe me? Of course not. Or rather he did not cared. He just grinned wider, enjoying every second of my misery. "Oh, a likely story," he taunted. "That's an extra shift of scathing for telling such a pathetic lie. Now, march!" And he whacked me with his truncheon for good measure. "Left, right, left, right, left, right …."
That damned grin. Kynereeve or not, his name was definitely going on my "Kill" list. But, at least it's a long list. Plenty of options to choose from when I finally get the chance.
Still, I couldn't shake the intrigue of that strange place I was summoned from. Maybe it's time to look for a Dremora conjurer and see if I could go there again. I still had link there... Nor that planet had no aedric protection and barriers. While at it I could learn some magic, I never cared for magic, what is the point of ranged attacks when you could slice my enemies to pieces with my awesome daedric sword in a glorious melee fight? but maybe I'll find more ways to scare the living daylights out of those pesky mortals even more creatively. Slicing them to pieces is fun, sure, but variety is the spice of life, no?
But of course my superior needs to suffer ''an accident'' first..."
The bizarre occurrences unfolding in Crookback Bog had not gone unnoticed in the more civilized regions, such as Oxenfurt and Novigrad. Rumors and fear spread like wildfire among the people, who were already on edge due to the increasing number of monsters plaguing the lands after the Conjunction of Spheres. But now, something even more sinister was unfolding in the bog, and the people were rightfully panicked. Word of the strange events reached the ears of the witch hunters, and they wasted no time organizing themselves for an expedition to Crookback Bog. They had already been preparing to deal with the malevolent crone who was said to be the cause of these unsettling occurrences, but now, they had to hasten their plans.
Meanwhile A priest of the Eternal Fire made a speech In Novigrad street.
"Brothers and sisters!" he bellowed, his arms outstretched "We told you this day would come, didn't we? And now, Demons everywhere! Look at Crookbag bog!, very air itself around the area is poisoned and gods knows what dwells withing in it now!
''The gods are punishing us for our tolerance and peace!" he preached, with his robe flapping in the wind like a victorious Gwent player. "We tolerated heretics, non-humans, and even mutant Witchers! Shame on us for chasing Earthly pleasures instead of praying all day! And magic? We should've burned it all when we had the change!"
"Rejoice!" he cried, raising his voice like a dragon preparing to breathe fire. "You can repent and join Eternal Fire in heaven! Still have sins? Repent and confess! And how do you prove your love to the gods? Through the DONATIONS of course my siblings! We- I mean GODS then will be convinced by your sincerity if you sacrifice your earthly possesions! So gather around! Head to the nearest church and DONATE now! Only fifty florens and afterlife and heaven awaits! Prove your LOVE and SINCERITY to the GODS!