The Mad Slayer

Questor Offer

There's a nightmare stalking the streets of [bookstore's place]. They're calling him the [bookstore's place] Slayer, and so far no one can tell me if he's a man or a beast. One of my finest sages, [contact], is examing the bodies of the victims, but [he/she] has begun getting disturbing letters and frankly fears for [his/her] life. I need someone to investigate [his/her] findings to see if [his/her] fears are justified. Will you help me in this, [your first name]? I will offer you [reward] gold pieces in return for the retirement of the [bookstore's place] Slayer.

Refuse Quest

Not an uncommon response. Then I have little choice, but to call on some of my less-savoury contacts for help -- an option I was hoping to avoid.

Accept Quest

Thank [a god] for that, anyway. The people of [the region] are becoming anxious about the lack of progress in the official investigations. I fear that we will have a mob situation soon, perhaps in [total] days or less. [contact] works out of [bookstore], and I told [him/her] I'd be sending someone there soon. Watch out for yourself, [your first name]. Until this situation is resolved, remember that the [bookstore's place] night has a knife.

Quest Fail

The [bookstore's place] Slayer is still at large. I have no time for chatting, nor should you.

Quest Complete

[the region] is at peace again, [your first name], thanks to you. Here is the [reward] gold I promised -- gladly will I give it for the end of that maniac and your discretion in this matter. [a god] truly blessed us when you came to [the region].

Rumors During Quest

It isn't safe to walk the streets of [bookstore's place] anymore. Not with the [bookstore's place] Slayer.

I hear the Slayer isn't a man at all, but a daedra come to punish us all.

The last victim of the [bookstore's place] Slayer was found scattered in pieces over [bookstore's place].

Some folks are wondering if the Slayer might be a vampire or a werewolf.

Rumors Postfailure

The killings stopped without us needing a mob. Guess the Slayer moved on.

[quest giver]'s just lucky the [bookstore's place] Slayer decided to move on. Panic was setting in.

[quest giver] is still anxious. You'd think the Slayer's absence would relieve [him/her].

The [bookstore's place] Slayer disappeared just as suddenly as he came to [bookstore's place].

Some say the Slayer's still here, waiting for the stars to be right again.

Rumors Postsuccess

I'm still afraid to be out in [bookstore's place] alone, even with the Slayer supposedly dead.

Guess the [bookstore's place] Slayer was just some poor lunatic. Nothing romantic to him at all.

The newest rumor is that the [bookstore's place] Slayer wasn't a vampire, but thought he was.

Questor Postsuccess

I still remember you, [your first name], and the discretion you showed with the [bookstore's place] Slayer.

Questor Postfailure

You failed me in the [bookstore's place] Slayer affair, [your first name]. I don't see any reason to believe you won't fail me again.

Quest Log Entry

Ah, [your first name], my dear [your race], I am very glad you've arrived. You have doubtless been told that I've become a bit of a hermit ever since I began receiving those letters threatening my life if I did not abandon my investigations. Well, now I have an old colleague in town with whose assistance I may be able to solve these murders. I would like you to bring these notes to a [vamp], a [vamp] you will find at [hookerhouse]. If anything should happen to me, I want someone to be able to continue on in the investigations. That will be [vamp] and you, [your first name]. So don't get yourself killed out there.

Message 1011

[contact], Terminate your investigations of the [the region] Slayer's victims if you value your life. You are moving blindly into an inferno. If you continue, you will die before your studies are finished. Consider this a serious warning. A Well-Wisher

Message 1012

Dear [contact], Even if you lock all your doors and extinguish all light from [bookstore], we will know that you are still indulging in your forbidden autopsies. Do not ask for us to demonstrate our power to stop you, for we will act but once. A Well-Wisher

Message 1013

[contact], I would very much like to meet with you about your fascinating mortuary studies of the Slayer victims. As you know, I have done similar investigations and would be happy to share my knowledge and experience with a distinguished colleague. Let me know by courier how it would be most convenient for us to meet. I am staying at [hookerhouse], but perhaps you would rather meet at [bookstore] so I might see the corpses in question. In either case I look forward to receiving your courier and note. Yours in admiration, [vamp]

Message 1014

Autopsy report for [a woman's name]: Throat torn out, apparently with violent force (Slayer a madman? Check into Lobornus' work with criminally insane in Agryn Prison). Death instantaneous, no sign of struggle (Slayer knew victim? Did not appear a threat?) Carotid artery completely severed, loss of blood extensive by time of examination (remember to ask [quest giver] to send over guards who found body for interview). Autopsy report for [a man's name]: Subject shows similar pathology to female victim. Throat torn out violently, bruises on upper arms as if gripped by extremely strong man (Slayer's insanity produces superhuman strength? Note to self: write to Lobornus for research notes from interesting case he reported at last year's Conclave). Bruising indicates some time between attack and death? (Could be unrelated to attack? Check on background of victim).

Message 1015

So, for all the days [contact] has spent with those flyblown cadavers all [he/she] comes up with is this. [a god], with this as a start, [contact] won't get an intimation of the Slayer's identity for weeks yet. Listen, [your first name], if you want to help [quest giver], take this flower over to [widow] in [widowhouse] -- [his/her] brother was [a man's name], one of the Slayer's victims. This may seem like a trivial sentimentality, but it will bring you closer to finding the [bookstore's place] Slayer than any of [contact]'s scientific catalyses. Trust me, [your first name].

Message 1016

[vamp] is the [vamp] I met over at [hookerhouse]. Nice enough, but spooky.

[vamp] is the name of the [vamp] staying over at [hookerhouse].

Message 1017

[vamp] is one of the [a vampire clan], sent to [bookstore's place] to eliminate the mad Slayer.

[vamp] is a [a vampire clan] vampire here to stop the risk to [his/her] security, the Slayer.

Message 1018

Poor [widow] stays at [widowhouse] ever since the Slayer got [his/her] brother.

The [the region] Slayer killed [widow]'s brother, and now [he/she] never leaves [widowhouse].

Message 1019

A red poppy? Oh, you must be my brother's friend, [rippername], yes? I do appreciate the comforting note you sent after his death. He didn't have very many friends, and, to tell the truth, he had never mentioned your name. But I certainly thank you for the lovely flowers and the invitation to visit you at [ripperhouse]. I've always admired that place, and I would like to see the inside of it. What, you're not [rippername]? Oh, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, I haven't been myself since my brother... No, I don't think I have information that might help you find that murdering devil. You know I would help you if I could. But you will find the fiend that killed my brother, won't you?

Message 1020

[the quest date]: I am on the trail of the Slayer of [bookstore's place]. The [the ruler's title] wants the [bookstore's place] Slayer caught in [total] days before the murders inflame the populace to riot. [quest giver] has a scientist who has been examining the bodies of the Slayer's victims and has recently begun getting death threats, apparently from the Slayer. [contact] is the name of this scientist, and [he/she] works out of [bookstore].

Message 1021

[the quest date]: [contact] has sent me to [hookerhouse] to meet with an old colleague named [vamp], who might be able to help with the research.

Message 1022

[the quest date]: I got to [bookstore] too late. Apparently, [contact]'s death threats were very real. Among the letters I found was one from a colleague interested in meeting with [contact], someone named [vamp] staying at [hookerhouse].

Message 1023

[the quest date]: I met with [vamp] who seems less than impressed with [his/her] colleague [contact]'s work on the [the region] Slayer victims. [vamp] told me to bring a red poppy to someone named [widow] whose brother was killed by the Slayer. I have some suspicions, but I won't know for sure until I go to [widowhouse] where [widow] lives.

Message 1024

[the quest date]: The late [contact]'s colleague and murderer are one and the same person. [vamp] is a vampire, but professes not to be the Slayer. If I kill the person [he/she] says is the [the region] Slayer, [rippername] of [ripperhouse], [vamp] has promised me a reward, apparently in addition to the reward I'd get from [quest giver].

Message 1025

[the quest date]: [widow], the [widow] [vamp] sent me to, believed that I was someone named [rippername]. This [rippername] apparently sent [widow] a bouquet of red poppies and invited [him/her] to a place called [ripperhouse]. Sounds like a Slayer trap if there ever was one.

Message 1026

Which letter brought you to me, [your name]? You are probably aware that I wrote them all. After [contact] refused to listen to my polite warnings about investigating matters beyond mortal understanding, I invited [him/her] here as [his/her] friend. I knew [him/her], you see, years ago, before I became a vampire. We met, went back to [bookstore] to see the bodies, and there I slew [him/her]. Quite painlessly. I could tell [he/she] would never have halted his studies. More than that I cannot say, except that the Slayer is a vampire like myself, but mad from the blessing of immortality. [rippername], that's the Slayer's real name and [he/she] lives at [ripperhouse]. If you go there and slay [him/her], I will reward you. If you intend to continue with [contact]'s studies, I will have no choice but to kill you as well. That is my simple offer.

Message 1027

[contact] is quite a learned scientist over in [bookstore], [a direction] of here.

[contact] is a [contact] who works out of [bookstore].

Message 1028

[contact] is dissecting the Slayer's victims and someone doesn't like that.

[contact]'s a scientist at [bookstore], who has been getting threat letters.

Message 1029

The Mad Slayer is no more.

Message 1050

By killing [rippername], you have aided both [the region] and myself. For this, I give you a [reward2]. Perhaps we may meet again one day, [your name]. You have intrigued me in our brief acquaintance. May the night keep you safe. -- Symbols used in the QRC file: -- -- [bookstore's place] occurs 141 times. -- [a direction] occurs 3 times. -- [a woman's name] occurs 2 times. -- [he/she] occurs 117 times. -- [him/her] occurs 8 times. -- [his/her] occurs 9 times. -- [a god] occurs 3 times. -- [a man's name] occurs 3 times. -- [your first name] occurs 11 times. -- [your name] occurs 2 times. -- [the quest date] occurs 6 times. -- [your race] occurs 1 time. -- [the region] occurs 10 times. -- [the ruler's title] occurs 1 time. -- [a vampire clan] occurs 3 times. -- [contact] occurs 2 times. -- [total] occurs 2 times. -- [vamp] occurs 4 times. -- [widow] occurs 1 time. -- [bookstore] occurs 13 times. -- [contact] occurs 21 times. -- [hookerhouse] occurs 7 times. -- [quest giver] occurs 8 times. -- [reward2] occurs 1 time. -- [reward] occurs 2 times. -- [ripperhouse] occurs 4 times. -- [rippername] occurs 8 times. -- [vamp] occurs 14 times. -- [widow] occurs 11 times. -- [widowhouse] occurs 107 times.