Life was hard for the people of Northern Ustalav, particularly in Virlych. The land was still a haunted wasteland since the last battle with the Whispering Tyrant... but someone had to take responsibility for the remaining people.
Niko Heidler had been a Hellknight of the Order of the Wall for almost 50 years. He knew he was no longer as effective as he once was and only occasionally took on a mission...perhaps leading a group of young initiates on a raid. It was on one such raid that his life changed. It seemed a simple mission. Rumors of a small village that was experiencing disappearance of citizens. Not at an alarming rate but often enough to eliminate happenstance. Investigation led Niko to lead his band of 12 young Hellknights to an abandoned keep high in the hills above the village.
The small group was nearly decimated when the foe turned out to be a Vampire who had moved into the area a few years earlier. After a pitched battle Niko and his small band were able to stake Theron and dispense of his minions, but not without loss. Fully half of the band of Hellknights had been slain by the Vampire.
The missing locals were located near where Theron made his last stand, and it seemed he had drained them all to death in an last ditch effort to extend his life. As the remaining Hellknights prepared to build a Pyre to burn the corpses of both the villagers, and the deceased Hellknights to prevent their rising he noticed that one of them still lived. A pale haired young woman who was obviously very near childbearing. Though severely injured himself, Niko bundled the pregnant woman on his warhorse rode through the night to a temple of The Dawn Flower he was aware of. So began the saga of Lucian Voducal.
The young woman survived though her mind was shattered, and she was content to spend her days in the garden weaving plants and flowers into decorative wreaths and bundles. She was able to nurse young Lucien but that was the extent of her motherhood duties, so the young man was raised by the church of Saranrae. As for Niko he had to have his leg removed due to the extent of his injuries and was content to settle down near the temple to live out his days. He made sure to visit young Lucien weekly, and often took him for rides through the surrounding countryside teaching him much about order, and the duties of the Hellknights to protect Law and order. He was concerned that the young man might have the aversion to daylight that many halfblooded vampires suffered from, but the young man seemed to have been spared this curse.
Lucian was made aware of his heritage from a young age, and turned to the blessings of the Dawnflower as refuge from his troubled ancestor. He knew he was different, so took extra care to follow the tenants. A few weeks after his 19th birthday one of the priesteses came to him at night and hustled him to Niko's cabin. The man was nearing the end, and wanted to see Lucian one more time before passing on. He gifted Lucien his worn Lucerne Hammer, but he had turned in his armor when he left the Order of the wall. By morning the man... his savior...his mentor... and his friend had passed on.
