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LaRPS : Legacies Role Play System » [IC] Character Chronicles
Novels of Damien Gray
(5 posts)-
They call him Damien Gray, an enigmatic Gothic horror novelist whose books have developed a small but loyal cult following. Listed below are the six novels he has published as of 1891 and those who follow his work are anxiously awaiting his next masterpiece. But who is this mysterious writer. Likely, the name Damien Gray is a pseudonym. For all you know, that cloaked gentleman you see walking down the streets of London could be the author whose tales have chilled the hearts of many avid readers...
Marriage to the Ankou
The Contract
Howl of the Black Dog
Lady in Gray
The Withering
The Bloodline -
"Marriage to the Ankou"
(Summary)The ankou is Death. Legend says that the ankou rides a black carriage pulled by two headless horses. He is a walking skeleton with a head that can spin around on its shoulders, allowing it to see in all directions for seeking out souls to collect. It carries a scythe with which to harvest those souls."
Our story begins in a small farming village some miles north of here - a little place called Hollow's Night. An ominous duke oversaw this village. His name was Archibald and everyone feared because of his ghastly appearance and black hooded cloak. Archibald was a cruel lord, who often sent his henchmen to terrorize the farmers for their rent, charging them more than what was owed. Worst still, he would take virginal maidens from the farms to marry. He married six times - and each bride disappeared after only a week of marriage - never to be seen again.
One day, the duke chose a seventh bride, a young woman named Margarette, who was originally meant to marry a kind farm boy by the name of Cornelius. However, her father jumped at the opportunity to wed his daughter a rich husband - despite who the groom was or his reputation. Margarette despaired and prayed for salvation - which came on the day before her wedding. On that day, a noblewoman in white came to the village. She was breathtaking and the duke fell madly in love with her. Forgetting all about Margarette, he pursued this countess and soon earned her hand in marriage - for she did not know of the fates that befell his previous brides.
On the night of their wedding, Archibald took his new bride to his castle, and sat with her before the fire. He ran his lanky skeletal hands over her skin, leaned in to kiss her. The bride kissed him on the lips and his closed his eyes, reaching around for a blade hidden under his cushion. As he took hold of the handle, he opened his eyes - and screamed. What he kissed was no longer a bride but a spectral skeleton, its head turning around on its neck like a wheel. It stood and held aloft a scythe, much larger than the duke's pitiful dagger. The duke's bride, having taken her true form, brought down her blade!
The next morning, the duke was found dead in his bedroom, seemingly of a heart attack. In his cellars were found the six bodies of his previous brides. And no one ever found the remains of his seventh bride.
(Stay Tuned for the summary of Damien Gray's "The Contract.")
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"The Contract"
(Summary)In a humble farming village, a stranger dressed in black sought refuge from a terrible storm. He came upon the home of the farmer Ivan, who charitably welcomed the stranger and brought him out of the freezing rain. Ivan was a good man who the fates had not been kind to, for Ivan’s wife lay dying that night of Scarlet Fever.
The dark clad stranger approached Ivan and revealed a vial of ominous black fluid that he claimed could cure Ivan's wife. Ivan asked for the serum but the man in black would not give it for free. Ivan demanded to know the stranger’s price and the black clad individual pushed his hood away to reveal eyes alight with hellish flame. "Think not of prices, Ivan. I will not collect until the day of your death."
Ivan knew then that he dealt not with a man but with a devil, who bartered the life of Ivan’s wife for Ivan's soul. Ivan refused and demanded that the stranger leave in the name of God. As he said this, Evangeline stumbled from the bedroom and offered up her own soul in exchange for the serum. Ivan protested but Evangeline glared at her husband, denouncing him for valuing his soul over her life.
Ivan looked coldly at his wife. "I love you, Evangeline," he whispered, "but we must not trust this creature. His contract calls for a soul in exchange for your continued life - but what sort of life? The dealers of Hell always twist the gifts they grant, never giving one what they truly want. That small bit of life you'll receive will be insignificant in comparison to the eternity you will burn in the company of Lucifer."
But Evangeline would not listen. She snatched the vial the stranger offered and drunk the cure. The moment she did, the creature vanished.
Evangeline felt the serum rush through her body and laughed as her strength returned. The fever melted away and she ridiculed Ivan. “He has given what he promised,” she declared.
Ivan’s expression contorted with horror and he pointed at his wife. Evangeline did not understand his behavior until she looked down at her hand. The skin had turned green, decomposing before her eyes. She watched as her flesh congealed within a matter of seconds, the skin peeling from her oozing muscles. She screamed in horror and fled from the house, disappearing into the night.
Evangeline received her desire. She lived a longer life then what was meant for her, surviving 100 years in the wilderness. All reviled her for the putrid condition of her undying body. And when that century of life ended, she was whisked off to the fires of Hell.
Because of his wisdom, Ivan was spared. He eventually found a love that was true, and grew to be a happy grandfather. Upon his death, his soul was taken to its rightful place in the arms of God.
(Stay Tuned for the summary of Damien Gray's "Howl of the Black Dog.")
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"Howl of the Black Dog"
(Summary)The Black Dog is nightly apparition, appearing to travelers as an enormous canine nearly the size of a horse with shaggy coal black fur and glowing red eyes. Often found at the crossroads, anyone who sees the black dog said is said to die soon after.
Baron Rupert Summer was not one for superstition and regarded anyone who dallied in such fancies with contempt. One evening, he attended a house party and overheard the hostess recalling the death of one of her sons, who she claimed had seen the black dog only hours before his demise.
“Be wary, my friends,” she said in a low voice. “If you should come across this ebon hellhound, it will drag your very soul to hell!”
Rupert laughed, garnering the attention of the other guests. He ridiculed the hostess for believing in such nonsense and ignored her further warnings.
The celebrations came to an end and Baron Summer made his way home, walking along the deserted countryside road through the fog. As the night wore on, the air became colder, and the moon shone bright and eerie overhead. Its presence summoned the howls of various dogs throughout the area, causing the hair on Rupert’s neck to stand on end.
Up ahead, Rupert saw a dark shape move through the fog. He could discern that it was a creature that walked on all fours and stood at eye-level. It growled audibly and Rupert froze in horror. He began to move backwards slowly, somehow aware that if the creature turned its gaze on him he would be done for. He moved further and further from it, horrified tears streaming down his cheeks.
It looked at him, and Rupert felt a chill pass through his body as the creature’s burning red eyes met his. He spun around and fled, listening to the creature as it gave chase. He could hear its feet padding in the mud as it came closer and closer. Without realizing it, he veered off the road and ran into the woods, winding around trees in the hopes of outmaneuvering the animal. When he felt as if his heart was about to give out, he came to a halt near a tree and hid behind it, straining his ears to listen for the creature’s approach.
No sound. Rupert peered around the tree and saw no sign of the enormous hound. He remained still for several moments, waiting for it to appear but it didn’t. Slowly, he took in a deep breath. As the moments ticked by, he felt his terror subside and chuckled. His chuckles grew into merry laughter, for he had escaped the beast – or so he thought.
The snap of a branch from behind made Rupert turn about. He looked up and let out a blood-curdling scream. Baron Rupert Summer was never seen again.
(Stay Tuned for the summary of Damien Gray's "Lady in Gray.")
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"Lady in Gray"
(Summary)A Gray Lady is a mysterious being indeed. Many places claim to have one haunting their hills or castles. They are the ghosts of women who have died for love or loss of love. Our story deals with a Gray Lady by the name of Helena, who swore her heart to a valiant duke named Anthony. Duke Anthony was called from his estate one day but he promised to marry Helena upon his return. However, tragedy struck when Helena mysteriously vanished. The duke returned and mourned her loss, eventually dying himself so that his younger brother Albert could take his place as duke.
A century passed and the lands fell into the possession of a duke named Edward, the great grandson of Duke Albert. Edward was a cold and heartless man, feared by his subjects and the servants of his castle. He was brutally violent to the women who tended the castle, leaving them bruised and terrified.
One night, while the duke was having dinner alone in his chambers, he saw an eerie glow out on his balcony. Going out to see, he saw a pale woman in a ragged gray dress standing near the railing, her back to him and most of her features hidden by cascading silver hair. Edward hurried back inside to get a candle so he could see the woman better but just as he came back out onto the terrace, the woman plummeted off the balcony. Screaming, Edward rushed to the railing and searched for her. His balcony overlooked the sea, waves hitting the craggy rocks below. It was too dark for him to see anything. Calling his servants, he had a search conducted but no sign of the woman could be found.
The next night, Edward awoke to the sound of someone crying out on his terrace. Slowly, he rose from his bed and walked out to the balcony. In the same spot as before, Edward again saw the gray clothed woman, her weeping echoing throughout the night. In terror, Edward rushed back to his bedroom and hid under the covers.
Edward continued to see the ghostly woman during the following nights but he was too frightened to approach the entity. Fearing that the servants would believe him to be touched in the head, he kept the encounters secret, wallowing in his anxiety alone. As the days turned to weeks and weeks turned into months, the duke became very ill with worry, growing thinner, paler, and weaker.
One night, Edward shivered in his bed fearfully, the weeping again calling from the terrace. The duke finally garnered enough nerve to address the creature and discover what it wanted. He pulled his robe about him and made his way out to the balcony, where the woman stood facing the seas. “Why are you here?” Edward whimpered.
“Waiting,” she said tearfully. “Always waiting.”
“Waiting for what?”
“My Anthony. He went away and promised to return, but he didn’t come back in time.”
Edward began to soften towards the apparition and took a few steps closer. “In time for what?”
“To stop Albert…” she trailed off, her weeping subsiding as her voice turned solemn.
Anthony? Albert? These were the names of Edward’s great uncle and grandfather. “Who are you?”
The woman stepped away from the balcony. Edward tried to see her face but her hair continued to hide her features.
“Helena…” she whispered.
Edward gasped. Helena was the name of the woman who was supposed to marry Anthony – Helena, who disappeared before Anthony’s return – Helena, for whom Anthony died of grief. “Helena, what happened to you?”
“I fell,” she said, slowly turning towards Edward.
“Fell? From this balcony?”
“Albert, you hated my Anthony. That’s why you did this to me.” Helena lifted her gaze, hair slowly falling from her face.
As Edward watched the hair fall away from the entity’s countenance, his face turned ash white and he let out a blood-curdling scream.
Duke Edward’s body was discovered the next day, broken on the rocks below his balcony. It was said that Helena could finally rest in peace, having satiated her wrath on her murderer’s descendant.
(Stay Tuned for the summary of Damien Gray's "The Withering.”)
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