Vampire questions

[Deadstar_MRC]

Now that you mention it, why haven't they done it already?

I guess obtaining a 'willing donor' might be a problem...

[swarbieofthehivemind]

Ok, people, I've decided that I'm too lazy to start a new thread to put my fluff in, so here it is.

Blood Kiss

I sat down at one end of the long table, exhausted from the long fight. At the other end, the foul greenskin warlord thumped down into one of my chairs. It was valuable, a prize from my last raid on Ulthuan, and I winced inwardly as I heard its legs groan under the orc’s weight. I saw my retainer, Rakoth, standing in a corner of the tent, wearing, as always, his metal mask that flickered with colour.
I caught his eye and motioned with my head, saying “Bring wine.”
“Very well, my lord,” he answered. He turned around and strode out of the tent. I looked to my companion. “Do you wish to drink with me?” I asked, speaking in a rough dialect of druhir that the beast could understand.
“Well…mosta da time I’d be drinkin’ beer wiv da lads. But seein’ as we’s both important leadas, I’ll try yore fancy wine.” I was disgusted by the creature and the way it managed to butcher even the lowest form of druhir. Then the tent flap opened and I gagged as a wave of cool air blew the orc’s stench towards me.
Rakoth was suddenly standing next to me, bearing a tray with two fine crystal glasses filled with a dark red wine. As he placed a glass in front of me, I noticed the edge of a bloodied bandage on his wrist. I allowed a dark smile to spread across my face. “Oh dear, Rakoth, did you have a run-in with a nasty little human?”
“Very amusing, my lord. I assume you knew I was going to be injured when you sent me and my men up against a regiment of spear-men by ourselves?”
“Of course I did. But you did well, as always.”
I turned to face the orc, raising my glass as I did so. “To our victory,” I said, draining my glass.
“To us bashin’ humies,” replied the creature.
I closed my eyes, savoring the wine’s dry bitterness. Suddenly, a burning pain flared up in my stomach. A yell from across the tent told me the same thing had probably just happened to my erstwhile ally. I forced my eyes open, to see Rakoth kneeling over the fallen orc. For some reason, he had his wrist pressed firmly against the beast’s mouth. I managed to gasp out some words.
“Rakoth,” I said, “You’ve poisoned me!” He stood up, turning towards me as he did so. Suddenly he was right in front of me.
“No,” he whispered into my ear. “Not poison. Blood Kiss.” He pressed his cut wrist against my mouth, and ice spread through my veins as I tasted copper, iron and salt. Then my breathing stopped.
I panicked, trying to draw in more air, when I realised that I could no longer feel my heart beating. And instead of all the sensations that told me I was alive; hunger, the feel of air in my lungs, the pulse of blood through my body, there was only one thing. Thirst.
I stood up and strode towards the entrance of the tent.

* * *

The band of dark elves and orcs were busy celebrating their victory. Each side was wary of the other, and all kept their weapons close at hand. But no matter how cautious, not one of them was prepared when the vampires fell upon them.

So, what do you think? Please tell me. I may expand the background of the character Rakoth, by the way.

[Herald of Huanchi]

At first I thought the 1st person character was a vampire but he was the dark elf

But Im guessing Rakoth was the vampire.

Otherwise the story is pretty cool

[swarbieofthehivemind]

Thanks!
Yeah, Rakoth was the vamp. Dun dun dun, faithful retainer turned creature of the night!!!

[Deadstar_MRC]

I'd like to see a little more of an explanation as to why the Orc and the Elf are working together... and perhaps a little more venom from... the narrator, towards the Orc. You don't actually name your narrator, do you?

Hearing a bit more about Rakoth would be equally good, though!

[CaptainSarathai]

Cool fluff, but I'm agreeing with Deadstar here- more about Rakoth would be cool, and I want to know why you want to include an orc in your army at all. I'd have made your 'beasty big' vampire a Dark Elf who got too infatuated with the idea of a Varghulf's true power.
It's still a good starting place however, if you wanted to flesh it out some more or just leave it as a quick sketch. My VC fluff started as a quick sketch like that, then turned into enough background to write a novel if I so chose.

Skaven becoming vampires? Unlikely. Vampires harvest warp-stone for their magic, and are EXTREME foes of the skaven. They will even team up with the Humans to kill them. So I doubt that any vampire is going to give a skaven the blood kiss. If he did, it would make for a pretty cool idea.

[swarbieofthehivemind]

Very well. I shall add a bit to it to explain why they were working together.

And I'll write a separate piece to explain why Rakoth is the way he is (masked and subservient-acting)

Thanks for the feedback guys!