A missing person’s case wasn’t something that Raoul wasn’t used to handling but the amount of them that he was hired for all in one concentrated area raised a lot of alarms. He’d been hired by several families in Zeinav City who all reported that their family members had been kidnapped, beaten to within an inch of their life, and even in two cases killed. The dhampir accepted all of them and began his work at once going around taking interviews and finding out everything he could about what was going on. That’s where things got more confusing, the victims he interviewed all reported being assaulted by different things, from Incarnation of Fear, and Chthonian to even giant creatures like a Red Dragon, Ziev’s Sphinx, and Cephaloclops. Some things just didn’t make sense, creatures like the Cephaloclops and Incarnation of Fear usually didn’t travel out to these parts and colossal beasts like the Red Dragon or Sphinx would’ve left this village in complete ruins. Something was up and Raoul for one, wasn’t liking it.

The creature was getting bolder as time went on the amount of victims increasing each night. He had to figure this thing out as fast as possible, the longer time he spent on the case meant more people would get hurt and he wouldn’t have that happen on his watch. He spent the rest of his day in his inn room going over what possible thing or person could be behind this. There were a few possibilities he narrowed it down to, a homicidal space domain master, some sort of stealthy beastmaster, or a third much more reasonable answer, the fae.

With the recent string of fae-caused accidents from the various patches of fae realm leaks to Charon, they have been running amuck. He didn’t have any solid evidence of them being responsible so as night came he left his inn and set out to get to work. The locals reported that usually, the creature struck innocent people at night who were simply walking around. It had gotten to the point where there was an emergency curfew in the city and the streets looked empty. So Raoul begins walking around just waiting for the creature to pop up trying to find itself easy prey on an evening stroll. Well too bad for them because Raoul was a detective with fangs ready to dig into whatever evil came lurking.

SPOILER: Click to show

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Quest Name: Fear comes Alive
Participants: Exactly Two
Location: Any city or town
Post Requirements: 7 posts per person, 200 words per post
Reward: +1 Renown, 1 Mystical Archive Ticket, +2 Rare Crafting Material
Description: A powerful, malicious Fae has moved into the area around a major city, village, or social hub and has been tormenting locals. Reports of kidnappings, assaults, and even murders have been reported by those who live in the area - they claim that the creature is getting braver and braver, inching closer to civilization. These creatures are powerful, dangerous, and are popping up outside of most populated areas. What makes these creatures truly terrifying is their ability to shapeshift, taking on forms of some of Charon's most feared beings. The Fae’s use of these creatures abilities and ability to strike fear in those who see it has made it difficult to deter. Locals are getting worried and are asking the Crown for help in quelling them. Adventurers are being asked to locate the Fae and dispose of it quickly.
Special Requirements: The Fae monstrosity has the ability to instantly shift into a new form, gaining the abilities and features of the mimicked creature. It can, at will, assume the form of any of the listed creatures below, able to shift isolated regions of its body or completely transform. The creature will attempt to transform multiple times throughout the quest.

Can shift between:
- Incarnation of Fear
- Cephaloclops
- Chthonian
- Red Dragon
- Ziev's Sphinx

Since leaving King’s Valley, Das has met some really amazing people. Through them, he found encouragement and wisdom, evidence that this path forward he chose is the right one. Of course, he is still cautious. While he has gained some strength in his short time away from his homeland, he still finds himself in over his head. A gaggle of wasps very nearly took him out, but suring up his armor helped.

Still, there’s something refreshing about the heat of Zeinav. It feels comfortable, like this is a place he was meant to be. And even this is just a stepping stone in his journey north to see what remains of Mount Drakolt. What puzzles Das, however, is that people in the city seem less keen on strangers, and many have cleared the streets at even the slightest sign of sunset. Shouldn’t any large city have a nightlife? Where is everyone?

That’s about when he spots a figure skulking around, alone, in the evening. “Hey, you!” Das calls in a deep, commanding voice, his figure an imposing silhouette in the darkened streets. After a pause, he finally asks in a much lighter tone, “Where is everyone?”

Raoul’s senses immediately go into danger mode when he hears a voice break in the silent night calling for him, “This could be the nighttime hunter making it's move”, he thinks to himself hearing the deep commanding tone.

The dhampir would reach into his pockets pulling out two explosive ornaments and begin walking towards the figure calling for him with high levels of suspicion at the situation. His heart began beating faster and faster as he left the shadows, settling his eyes on the figure in front of him. A tough and strong-looking fellblood appears in front of him covered in red plate armor. Certainly, a strange look for the shapeshifter to dawn so his suspicion lowers a bit.

“Haven’t you heard?”, he questions cautiously, “This whole city’s on strict curfew all people are supposed to be locked inside due to the dangerous shapeshifting criminal that’s walking the streets killing and hurting folks at night. I’m here investigating the fiend on behalf of the city to return peace and comfort to everyone”.

Raoul would then demand in a serious tone, “You know, you do seem quite suspicious here so I do recommend explaining yourself to me. Quickly, before I start assuming your the dangerous shapeshifter I'm looking for here, my friend”.

Das’s eyebrows arch high in alarm upon hearing that the city is on a curfew because of a dangerous creature. Suddenly, the silence of the city makes a whole lot more sense. “I was wondering why it was so quiet around here,” he says, hands on his hips and looking around again, completely unaware of the threat that Raoul potentially poses to him. It’s almost like he doesn’t realize the other man is suspicious of him at all. “I’d heard Zeinav City was a place for busybodies. Finding it so silent made me think something weird was going on.”

Looking at Raoul, he finally realizes that the other man is taking this about as seriously as someone should be taking this. “Oh, I’m not a shapeshifter. You think I’d have this gut if I were?” Knocking his knuckles against the metal covering his belly, he lets out a laugh. “Anyway, if there’s a monster on the loose, let’s find it and take it out. Want some help? The name’s Kar’Das’Dun, but you can call me Das.”

Little does Das realize, ever since he entered the city all by his lonesome, the very creature they speak of has been stalking him from the shadows. What he’s considered an odd itch in his brain is actually the work of the creature taking on a Chthonian form and attempting to make him a puppet of mind control.

“Yeah, everyone nearby was supposed to be inside and alerted to the curfew but I guess considering you must be some sort of traveler or adventurer type it makes some sense you’d be out of the loop”, Raoul would rationalize still cautious of the strange man.

“Zeinav usually is filled with movement but for tonight everyone is being safe and staying indoors. This place has been hit with a series of murders, assaults, and kidnappings from some sort of mysterious evil fiend. I’m sure you can understand why I’m taking this so seriously as you should too”, his eyes narrow as the man seems to get his message of suspicion.

The dhampir nods his head, “You do raise a fair point with that you don’t seem to be the malicious type, however”, he pauses, “That might be exactly what this shapeshifter’s game is. To lure me into a false sense of security by turning into such an unassuming fellow and backstabbing when the moment’s right”, he then shakes his head.

“No, I’m being far too paranoid about this. If you were the shapeshifter you probably would have attacked me and killed me already", he lets go of the explosive ornament in his hand deciding to be logical about this. 

Raoul holds his hand out offering a friendly handshake, “Nice to meet you, Das, my name’s Raoul, Raoul O. Ardelean. I’m a traveling dhampir detective who’s trying to get this shapeshifter case under control. I'd gladly take your help”.

Raoul’s explanation of the goings-on in the city makes a lot of sense to Das. Of course, no one would be out if a serial murder-monster is on the loose. “I’m not trying to be malicious,” Das says, holding his hands up in a non-threatening way. “Just traveling and looking for my place in life. Backstabbing isn’t really my kind of fighting anyway. It’s not honorable.”

Seeing Raoul relax, Das’s own posture relaxes, and he smiles, stepping forward to take Raoul’s hand, ignoring the tickling sensation at the back of his neck. Just a bug, probably. “Good to meet you, Raoul,” he says. Then his grip shifts to be tighter, and Das leans forward into Raoul’s face. A wiley grin spreads across the Fellblood’s cheeks, and his once-black iris takes on a purple hue.

His voice shifts, becoming an ethereal amalgam of his voice and something otherworldly and sinister. “I’ve never gotten a taste of Dhampir before. I bet you’ll be delicious, and if not, then I’ll use your meatsuit for my own purposes.” Das’s tongue runs across his teeth like a surly monster ready for a meal. “Make this easy for me, morsel.”

The dhampir would chuckle letting his guard completely down at this point, “Alright alright I don’t suspect you of being the monster anymore, you honestly remind me a lot of my sworn brother, Javal. He’s also a fellblood as well as the justice and honorable type, I think we’ll get along just great”.

He shakes the man’s hand firmly smiling as he says, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Das and I hope we work well together”.

Raoul gets slightly uncomfortable as the man tightens his grip not thinking anything of perhaps the man is socially unaware. It isn’t until the fellow’s face concerts into a malicious grin and his eyes change color that he begins to get creeped out. The voice that follows sends chills down his spine as it proclaims Das’s body as his puppet and hunger for Raoul. Acting quickly the dhampir snaps his fingers and a small ring of flames (1) appears at his waist hoping to use that as a deterrent Raoul kicks the man in the chest and jumps back trying to place some distance between them.

“Goddamit just as I let my guard down you decide to strike a foul fiend, let go of that man’s body at once. Your cruel machinations disgust me and I won’t let you get away with this”, he looks into Das’s eyes and yells, “Das if you're in there please just fight, don’t let this monster beat you. I’m sorry friend but I’m going to have to restrain you for a bit until you resist the monster’s control”, Raoul then sucks up air and spits out a sticky heavy web of spider silk (2) aiming to trap the possessed fellblood under it.

---

1. Flame Hoop
2. Web

Das stumbles back when Raoul kicks him backwards, a horrible and inhuman snarl hissing between his teeth. The flames lick at Das’s cuirass, making the surface hot and uncomfortable.^[1] “So you won’t make it easy,” he says with a resigned sigh. “A shame. Let me at least test this puppet before I consume you both.” As the creature pilots Das to lunge forward, he’s met with a facefull of webbing that covers his body and restrains him. “AGH! ANNOYING PEST!”

Struggling against the webbing does nothing. No, something else needs to be done. “Let’s see what tricks this fool has at his disposal.” Finding that Das’s body doesn’t seem to mind the heat so much. It’s like he has some sort of inherent flame within him. Maybe the entity can make use of it. Flames start to radiate off of Das’s body,^[2] the heat growing in intensity and attempting to burn away the webbing to free him. There’s only a few seconds before it all gets singed away and the burly man is free to attack with his sword.

"I'll make you my snack yet!"

Inside his own mind, Das finds it very strange that he is no longer having a conversation with the man he just met. Was it all a dream? Wait, why can he hear his voice? Something is amiss...

---

1. Cuirass -1 HP
2. Heat Cloak

The dhampir’s face contorts with a cringe as the monster stumbles from his kick, his foul impish cries only serving to make him more irritated.

“There’s no chance of me giving up so you better get ready to give me your best shot here. You will be punished for your crimes and the only thing I’m going to regret is getting this poor innocent bystander hurt in the process”, Raoul calls out as he grabs the Shimmering Scorpion Blade from his pocket and cracks it against the night air.

He knows that the webbing won’t be enough to hold him forever but the distraction only lasts a few moments as the fellblood's inner flame burns away the spider silk from its body freeing it from the trap.

“Oh, are you hungry? Well I’m more than happy to indulge in your request here to have this shuriken sandwich”.

His main worry right now is Das's greatsword so the dhampir would have to get that out of the way first. Quickly thinking Raoul reaches out into his pocket and throws one of the Snowflake Shurikens (1) right at the man’s leg trying to confuse him and throw him off by activating its illusionary image effect. Not letting up the dhampir pulls back his arm and slams the whip (2) against the fellblood’s arm trying to bind the man’s free hand.

---

1. Snowflake Shuriken (1/3)
2. Shimmering Scorpion Blade

The entity controlling Das seems much more situationally aware than the Fellblood himself. With the heat cloak around him having burned the webbing away, possessed Das grips his sword and makes a strike toward Raoul, however, he stumbles in trying to avoid the triple shuriken. The true weapon sticks into his greaves,^[1] and because of the distraction, Raoul manages to snag Das’s arm with his bladed whip.^[2]

“Difficult pest!!” the creature hisses in Das’s voice. This isn’t working out for it at all, and the big red buffoon doesn’t seem like much of a threat, so the entity releases its control on Das.

The Fellblood comes back to his senses and is…very confused, to say the least. “Huh? What’s going on?” His sword is out, his arm is bound, and there’s a snowflake in his boot. Oh no, something must have happened! Did he blackout??

There’s no time to think because where the entity was hiding in the shadows, it reveals itself, this time taking the form of a mighty, strange beast that seems to be a mix of a reptile and bird with a humanoid face. An out of place eye that seems to peer into their very souls looks around wildly from its back, and it lets out a hiss. One might recognize this as Ziev’s Sphinx, an almost mythical creature, especially important to those who practice space magic.

Das doesn’t know what that is. “Oh, I don’t like that one bit.”

---

1. -1/3 Leg HP
2. -1/2 Arms HP

The dhampir chuckles seeing that his trick attack worked as he pulls back on his whip calling out, “Oh I’m going to do a lot more than just be difficult you vile insolent fiend. I’m going to make you rue the day you decide to cause harm and kill those innocent people of the village”.

As it releases its control on Das and he hears the jolly fellblood’s voice come back the dhampir looks around wildly trying to eye where the monster went. He holds onto the whip not taking the chance that this could possibly be a ruse to catch the investigator off guard.

“You were possessed by that monster we’re hunting and now it’s looking to consume both of us as its next victims. Also sorry about your leg I kind of had to defend myself from you while you were possessed”.

However just as he was going to let the monster unleash its next form even more terrifying than Das being possessed, a Ziev Shipnix let out a loud hiss at them.

The dhampir remembers seeing one before back during his Mage’s Guild Initiation with Lycia, “That is Ziev’s Sphinx a monster from the Zeinav Desert we must be on our absolute highest guard here. That creature is no normal monster at all; you should watch out for its powerful limbs”.

Raoul would grit his teeth as he reached into his pockets pulling out two brightly colored festive orbs.

He calls out to Das, “Stand back, fire in the hole”, before tossing both of the explosive ornaments (1) at the monstrous Sphinx.

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1. Explosive Ornaments (2/3)