I arrived to this world as a streak of light across a late Spring night's sky sometime before the First Millennium Anno Domini. My body embedding itself underneath the crust of the Earth somewhere in South Western Europe. It was a time of great strife and during a particular large scale battle, the blood of the fallen was sufficient to seep into the Earth and reach my corpse, so consumed with hunger. With the taste of fresh blood washing over my lips for the first time in ages, I felt the sudden rush of strength needed to emerge from my grave of dirt and awoke to the light of a new world.

I wandered for nearly Seven Centuries, relying solely on the kindness of both those who dwelled within the shadows of society and those who resided in the holy light. While I required the sustenance of blood to survive, I did not need to take the lives of innocent to acquire it. There was enough warfare that I would not want as long as I followed the armies that wandered the lands. Following one such large scale battle, I had found an ancient map that detailed that I was in a land referred to as Hesperia Ultima. While I did try to conceal myself from the attention that came from feeding, it was not long before an elite squadron of soldiers would catch me in the middle of feasting, and designate me a monster.

It was not long before I was apprehended, and taken to meet the King and Queen of this land. They believed me an emissary of their God, and so I played the role to their delight while they ensured I would never feel the pangs of hunger ever again. Although they would never find out my true secrets. Their daughter, however, went quite mad after much prying, which she was vehemently warned against. I spent Two Centuries serving that mad bloodline; enriching their coffers, filling their treasuries, overwhelming their enemies, and turning a small Kingdom into an Empire spanning oceans.

Sometime in the Seventeenth Century Anno Domini, I had grown weary of the world around me, and decided to retire myself into the forests and mountains that surrounded me. What could the current Kingdom do other than begrudgingly accept my resignation? No. They decided they would take up arms against me and attempt to restrain me against my will. By this time the vast empire which I had helped establish was now very much in a state of decadence and had acquired substantial debt. Their weak administration and dependence on my interventions to save them had created many enemies for them. But I had no interest in solving this crisis for them, since I had been disillusioned by their ways. And now they had forced my hand as I made my exit from the residence where I had entertained a great number of royalty, now stained with the blood of the people I once stood with as allies.

It was during this time that I established The Manor and invited those individuals who lurked in both shadow and light to join me. The original people who helped me survive this world; I would not forget their kindness.

The Rondo of Blood and Rose Manor was a wonderful time, almost like a dream. A never-ending festival filled with an array of beautiful characters and everlasting friendships. Perhaps one day I shall write about those particular days but it is too much to detail at this moment, as well as too painful. The dream became a nightmare after it was believed to be a haven for monsters. Humans fear the unknown and we were the most unknown to them. A place of such beauty so far removed from society, with none being able to govern the lands around it. Perhaps the local authority had grown impotent and needed something to reignite its fire. And ignite the fire they did, as the angry mob approached and burned everything to the ground. But they failed to see the Basement, which remained intact. It wouldn't have mattered if they had noticed it, however. The Basement would only lead to the next act of our tale.

The Hellfire Club. The place where my companions and myself secured ourselves and enjoyed the second act of our time together. While many perished during the destruction of The Manor, the majority had made it to Hellfire. Others joined the ranks and new familial bonds were formed. There was only one way to arrive at Hellfire and it was through the Basement.

The Basement harbored a secret though. It was a sentient being that shifted and changed depending on who or what traveled through it. A living Labyrinth was the least of the worries unaware travelers had to deal with should they find themselves passing through. A terrible creature known as The Butcher also stalked the hallways and would ensure none would make it to The Hellfire Club. Because of this, those with supernatural abilities were the ones most likely to discover the club. Such was the case for another three centuries. But humans truly are persistent and after many failed expeditions, a fighting force were finally the first to make it through and subdue the horrors of the Basement, as well as understanding how it operated. It would not be long until the rest of the parasites would come and break down the doors to Hellfire. Annihilating all the dwelled inside once again, this time with modern firepower, I used the remainder of my power to take my companions within the confines of the jewel around my neck and banish our enemies into the void of space.

However, this also sent me hurling through the void as well.

And that is where our story was for eons upon eons.
A corpse drifting through the universe.
With an entire other universe around my neck.
I eventually drifted towards a distant light.
And through a mysterious way, found myself returned to the world of the living.

It was a moonless night as I traveled through the dense jungle after our ship had come too far to the coast and crashed upon the rocky shore. Amidst the eerie wilderness, it was there that I met him. He was clad in robes darker than obsidian and bore a brooch with an emblem of no nation I was familiar with and have never seen since. He spoke in a tongue that was neither of the locals nor of my kin. Yet I understood him as his voice resonated within my soul. He offered me instruction on gaining forbidden knowledge and all he required in return was a drop of my blood.

The price was paid. I do not know why I accepted, but he soon invited me to walk with him. To my astonishment, the dense jungle would clear with each of his steps as he cautioned to stay close. I followed the man's paces closely as the wilds of the jungle were soon reclaimed when outside of around ten of his steps. We walked, and he imparted upon me a ritual, as per our agreement, and explained in great detail the manner, methods, and materials required in which to invoke his services.

There was a strange calmness about the man as he delicately plucked the leaves from a strange plant. None would believe me unless they were there, but I swear that the faintest of lights seemed to emanate from his face as I could see his piercing features despite the moon drowning in a sea of dark clouds.

My heart began to race as he spoke his instruction that was immediately branded upon my soul.

"Take the leaves of this plant."

He said as he presented me with the leaves he had collected.

"Anoint the leaves with a drop of blood from a willing participant."

He added, while also expressing a word of warning that the blood must come from a willing donor.

"Allow the leaves to dry and then grind them generously."

He continued as he turned and began to walk once more. With all that was occuring, I was nearly caught by the reemerging wilderness and quickly regained my pace with him.

"Find a reflective surface."

I barely heard over the sound of my own heavy breathing keeping step.

"Introduce fire to the ground leaves and allow the smoke to build. In the reflective surface, the smoke will began to take shape into the form of a man."

He paused for a moment as the jungles cleared entirely and I could see we had arrived at the shore of a still lake.

"It will take time for the shape to take a corpereal form. It is during this time that you may ask your questions. No topic is forbidden nor judged, the questions will be answered truthfully." He spoke calmly, as he turned to meet my gaze. I tried to avoid it but something compelled me to look into his eyes.

"Once the form has fully materialized into this realm, he will offer you a mark. To deny this mark is to invite a strange and unusual fate that I cannot express to you in a manner your mind could comprehend without succumbing to madness."

He said, while expressing another word of caution to refrain from asking the shape of the details of such a perverted death should curiosity take hold.

"By accepting the mark, you shall be given clairevoyance of future catastrophes that you may use to warn others, but cannot yourself prevent. You will also be given the ability to perform minor miracles."

At this time, the clouds that had once veiled the moon began to lift and the night once again flaunted the shining pendant that graces our nocturnal sky.

"In exchange, you shall become a source of nourishment. But fear not, for you shall live your entire natural life as destined. However, you shall surrender your vanity as your appearance will forever be aged. On the darkest day on the coldest night of year, five minutes before midnight, I will return to you once again. You shall present me with a ceremonial pipe and we shall chat. Once again, you may ask your questions without restriction and receive only truths. I shall depart at the hour of the witch til the following year, until your soul is fully received."

He said unto me.

"One final word of caution. Once the ritual has begun, it cannot be interrupted. The mark must be received and failure is to brand oneself in a different manner. No matter where you may be in your travels, no matter your defenses, no matter how many times you escape, you will be stalked, abducted, and presented before Judgment. No matter the decision it will always be a price heavier than Death itself can deliver. Thus it shall be The Second Death."

He finally added.

I said nothing and thought about what was occurring as the man knelt to pet an animal that had wandered nearby curiously. While the creature purred happily from the man's attention, it looked at me with disdain. The man rose to his feet as the creature bolted into the jungle, taking my attention with it as it disappeared. When my eyes returned to the man, he was gone. Mere moments later, I could hear the sounds of my brothers searching for me and we were reunited. Although I never spoke to them of my strange encounter.

I leave this tale as testimony of what occured that fateful night for I am soon to commence this ceremony after much deliberation with myself over the consequences. Should something sinister befall me, then let this record forever be a word of warning for any others who may have also been invited at an evening walk on a moonless night.



- Letter found on an unknown explorer's person after a short bout of madness.

Right Ascension 15h 17m 14.4s

Declination +21° 35′ 08″

Distance: 612.8±9.4 Mly

ከፍተኛ ጠቀሜታ ያለው አስማታዊ አሠራር አለ; የአዲስ ኤኦን መነሳሳት። አንድ ቃል ማውጣቱ አስፈላጊ ሆኖ ሲገኝ መላዋ ፕላኔት በደም መታጠብ አለበት።