The Organ Collector, also known as the vampire of Gorkil, is a rogue mage. She was once a priest to the God of Writhing Flesh in Vindirholm, but has long since abandoned her God. Now she haunts the grand city of Gorkil. Hunting among its thronging streets. Each of her victims extends her life ever further and replenishes her power and youth. In a city teeming with so many travelers that its walls are filled to bursting, who would ever notice when some go missing? She fled Vindirholm shortly after its Arrival on Eoas. Her motives are a mystery to all but herself, and perhaps her capricious God. She took up in Gorkil not long after her flight. While a never aging human might attract attention, even in the Tarveshti capital, she moves between locations in the city every few decades. The only constant is her insistence on owning a trinket and antiques shop, through which she does her hunting. The Collector’s shop is home to many fine goods for the people of Gorkil. Teapots in the Vindish and Tarveshti styles, bookends, inkpots, and many items. Each item is shaped and painted to resemble an animal. There’s always tea brewing, and cats lounging. The shop is cozy and inviting. A perfect lure for Gorkil’s apex predator. Buyers never learn of their mistake. Each night, their trinkets come alive with the Organ Collector’s magic. They crawl to their new owners and immobilize them with spells woven into their shells. The victim’s organs are harvested while they slumber in this enchanted sleep. Each stolen organ is stored in ensorcelled chambers within the trinkets. Powerful healing spells keep victims living as long as possible until their body is ready to collapse. Only after that, the trinkets kill and steal their remaining organs. They happily trundle home to the Collector, providing her with their bounty. She uses the stolen organs in rituals to extend her life. Each ritual brings her youth and health. But most importantly, it provides her with a portion of magic power. While the Organ Collector’s hunting has been a success for centuries, she became lonely. In a fit of manic inspiration, she forged herself a wife. The Flesh Taker, an artificial being made from organs and meat stolen from the Collector’s victims. The Collector’s craft was brilliant in forging the Taker’s body, yet it was destined to be imperfect. Her wife’s artificial form requires a steady supply of skin to replace areas that rot from her body. Thus, the vampire of Gorkil continues to stalk the city’s streets. Hunting not just for herself, but also for the sake of her wife. The two vampires strike across the city, feeding each other’s needs, and remaining eternally young and powerful in each other’s arms. The city, bustling and thriving, remains horrifically unaware around them.
Author: woerm