Getting Started
Mark double check himself. His black and purple noble clothes were in tatters and he has nothing else on him. Even looking around there was nothing of note besides the skeleton.
'Looks like who ever slain this body also took everything here.'
He even patted the walls and underneath anything to find any secret room. Nothing.
Next thing he knew he had to do was explore the castle and take an inventory of what he had.
But first he wanted to test his skills.
He stood before the skeleton and took up the role of a vampire.
"Arise my minion!" He said in a commanding voice before laughing to himself.
Red mist started to pour out of his hand and completely enveloped the skeleton before him. He couldn't see the skeleton inside the mist but could hear it. He could hear the clattering of bones as it started to shift to a standing position. The mist started to shrink. Going from a blob of mist about the size of a person it shrank to become an outline of a humanoid figure. The mist started to dissipate and fade into the bones. As this happened he could see the skeleton standing before him. It's bones were the same shade of red as the mist.
[ Blood Skeleton lv 1]
He could read what type of monster it was and some of its skills. The skeleton had some of the same skills as him; Undead Fortitude, Night Sight and Natural Fear. He could clearly tell it was much weaker then him but also didn't have the sunlight weakness.
'So it seems like I can have my skeleton do work during the day since I need to sleep. Interesting.'
The Blood Skeleton stood still watching his master. It was waiting for orders.
"Hm? Oh let me test something" Mark said while looking at his Skeleton.
"Can you do a flip?"
The skeleton immediately crouched down, jumped doing a standing back flip.
"Amazing! Now play dead!"
The skeleton followed its masters orders and crumbled to the ground. If someone was walking by they would think it was a weird pile of red bones.
Mark spent the next half hour making the Skeleton do tricks. He felt kinda bad that he was treating this skeleton like a pet, but it followed its orders like one.
'Maybe I should get a skeletal dog next. Could be good.'
Mark looked back at his skeleton.
"Since you are my first skeleton you'll be my right hand man…skeleman? Whatever. I need a good name for you. I might need to change names as well. Mark doesn't sound like a vampire name. I'll think of something. Let's explore the castle first."
The Skeleton followed right behind Mark as he lead the way. The two walked down the stairs of the tower. Mark took into account how damaged the entire castle was. Thinking of how long it'll take to repair and even how to do it. He wasn't a masonry.
Making their way down the stairs they reached a large dining room. Mark assumed the old owner would host banquets here. Although the room was ruined and the table was gone he liked the look of the room.
The two spent the next few hours searching the castle. Mark counted that the interior of the castle had 8 bed rooms, 3 bathrooms, an armory, a vault for treasure, that was unfortunately empty, and a dungeon.
He started to think what he was missing that he needed to turn this castle into a new town. He planned to turn the dungeon into a prison. Going over the armory and vault he found nothing. No weapons or gold. He knows he needs a farm, forge and stores just to get started. And then he would also need people, monsters and mortals alike, to run those. Hopefully him being a vampire won't put too many people off.
Mark had mixed emotions about the dungeon. It still had skeletons inside that he would raise but didn't like the implication of the owner torturing humans. Thankfully the locks that held the skeletons trapped against the wall were broken. He quickly raised 3 more skeletons and reached his maxed amount.
"Rise my Skelemon!"
The same red mist flowed out his hand and enveloped the 3 skeletons. All three were covered in the mist and their bones started to clank as they stood up. Again Mark couldn't see what was happening but assumed the mist brought them back to an unlife situation. As the smoke shrank dissipated the bones didn't absorb the mist this time. Once the miss completely vanished the 3 new skeletons were all vibrant white.
[ Skeleton Lv 1]
He could read that these skeletons weren't like his first one. Clearly something was different about the bones of his first creation. Examining the Blood Skeleton and the 3 new ones they all had the same skills except that his Blood Skeleton had higher Str and Dex then these 3 by at least five points.
"Huh. That's weird. I wonder what skeleton Mr. Red was before?"
As he looked around he counted a total of 14 other skeletons piled around the dungeon.
"I'll save those for later."
As he was walking around counting he could feel a breeze blow over him. He started to look around. 'There shouldn't be a breeze down here. This is the lowest part of the castle. Unless there is a hidden door!' Mark started to push random things, even ordering his skeletons too also, trying to find a hidden door.
After a handful of minutes the Blood Skeleton pushed in a stone and a section of the wall started to slide. The secret door slide out of the way revealing a hidden stair case underneath
"Great job Red!" He said with a pat on the back.
The Blood Skeleton seemed proud of its self.
Mark walked down the stairs with the skeletons following behind. Even though they had no weapons or armor Mark felt comfortable at least having numbers with him.
They made their way down the spiraling staircase to a new room. On the walls seemed to be green fire in glass that were still lit. Lamps, Mark thought. Maybe with magic. Inside it seemed to be a laboratory of sorts. Tables with magical equipment, beakers and other tools he remembers from science class in college.
'Was the old owner using science and magic to create things?'
Bookshelves filled with books covered in dust. There seemed to be caged with nothing left in their. What caught Marks eye the most was at the end of the room was an alter. It was over 6ft tall stone pedestal with a crescent moon shape metal device a top facing upwards. Runes were carved along the metal device. Floating between each point was an ornate golden skull. It had emeralds filling the eye sockets, ruby teeth and diamonds forming a crown around the skull.
As Mark and the Skeleton stepped closer the alter started to rumble and the skull started to move. Light started to shine through the gemstone eyes. It's jaw opened slightly and a male voice started to speak.
"Who dares distribute the great Lord Karik!"
His voice sounds old and noble at the same time. Mark was not only confused by the voice but by what was talking?
"Speak!" The voice demanded. "Speak before me or I shall smite you down!"
Mark held his breath as he noticed the skull didn't make him out. It only knew someone was there. He waited a few moments and watched.
"I know you are there! Speak!"
Once again Mark didn't say anything and waited. He wasn't sure if the skull could harm him and wanted to find out what the skull could do.
More minutes passed without anything happened.
"Who ever is there come out. I shall not harm you."
Another 30 minutes past as Mark just watched. The skull seemed to turn itself trying to look around the room. Trying to find him, or someone.
"Please come out" the skull was sounding desperate. "I don't care if you are a rat."
Hearing this Mark could tell the skull couldn't do anything, but was quite lonely.
"Hello?" Mark called out while showing himself.
"I knew someone was there!" The Skull went back to its noble voice. "How dare you skulk in the shadows and not answer Lord Karik when spoken to!"
"I'm sorry? Have no idea who you are."
"WHAT?!"
If the skull had flesh Mark could tell that it's eyes would be popping out.
"How do you not know I, Lord Karik! The most powerful necromancer!"
Mark kept walking closer to Lord Karik. Once he got within 10ft if it the he stopped talking about how great he is.
"I can finally see you! Wait-!"
Lord Karik seemed speechless.
"You look exactly like me! How is that possible?!"