cekimser

[cekimser]

"Is it really that uncommon?" That didn't bode well. Kerem hadn't actually met any other vampires save for the one who made him. He wanted to believe that one was an outlier. That vampires weren't inherently murderous or savage or evil. Though at the offer of something synthetic, he instinctively made a face. "Like....the blood version of tofurky?" Ignoring that tofu was edible to anyone and he was pretty sure if there was a way to negate the requirement for blood, someone would've found it by now. He followed Silas's gaze, eyes narrowing instinctively. It was suddenly difficult to push away the fae's heartbeat to focus on anything else-a terrible time to fixate on how easy it would be to murder someone.

Silas recognised the creature but didn't wish to panic the mortals. He could be wrong. And it wasn't really his concern. He glanced at Kerem, raising a brow at the vampire. "I have never met a vampire who could control themselves out of sheer... will." he hadn't met many vampires. But he had read a lot of stories. "I would not offer you to feed directly from me. I do wish to see tomorrow morning." He chuckled. "but perhaps i could... do something. Something synthetic perhaps made from my blood. I would need time of course... alchemy is never a perfect art." He glanced towards the woods, thinking for a moment he had heard a snap of a branch.

[cekimser]

"Right." The word was a skeptical drawl. Kerem hadn't considered that there were things out there undiscovered. It disconcerted him. Maybe he'd need to try to hunt it down himself, for his own peace of mind. Most beings could be killed by blood loss and if it was something like Silas, perhaps it was edible to vampires. He grimaced at the word. Bloodlust sounded so crude. So animalistic. Like he was some sort of wild animal ready to slaughter the entire town at a moments notice. Only sometimes did Kerem feel that was a genuine risk. "It's...nicer." His tone was tense. "I'd prefer not to kill you, Silas. I couldn't guarantee I wouldn't if we were to...go that route."

It would be a lie if Silas said he didn't suspect the vampires were behind all of this. But it was clear that Kerem wanted nothing to do with the situation. "A creature. But the magic from it was...different. More like my magic." Silas was beginning to face the reality that something could have followed them through the fade. But he didn't share that thought with the vampire, just yet.

Silas paused a moment. "Because of your bloodlust?" He asked curiously. He hoped to understand his new business partner better. "They say our kind smell better to yours... our blood feeds you differently. Perhaps there is something i could do for you."

[cekimser]

"Heard, yes." Paid any attention to it, no. Kerem was too busy trying to figure out his next meal to care about the problems of wolves. Until it started affecting him, he found it difficult to expend energy on. His head tilted, eyes narrowing as Silas went on. "What kind of something different?"

That was concerning. Though he knew killing humans wasn't all that difficult. They died so easily, so stupidly. He'd seen men die of everything from blood loss to just not waking up in the morning. "No, honestly, I don't. It's safer for everyone for me to not...mingle too much." He smiled then, genuinely. "I assure you, I am more than capable of taking care of myself. Unless you're offering something to help that. I've heard fae are very good at deals."

For some reason, Silas had faith in the vampire. Despite his initial opinion for the species, they had proved resourceful. And they had survived for so long out here... perhaps there was something more to them that he was missing.

"You have heard about the missing wolves?" he asked, his eyes serious. "I saw something in the woods... something... different." True, he had never been to earth before. But he had a vague understanding of the supernatural world. He was far from stupid. "It attacked a human. I must protect my home and my wards... I do not think it was a werewolf but... who can really be sure?" he sighed. "I would suggest you keep from yourself." Kerem was far too valuable to Silas for him to let him just die. "Have you heard any rumours? You must meet a lot of our kind."

[cekimser]

It wasn't too difficult to gather the requested material. More annoying than anything else, but his playing human could only go so far in a town full of people who were not. It was bundled carefully in brown paper, tied in twine rather nicely. Kerem was almost tempted to toss it at the fae and leave. But he was curious and he'd always wondered if the rumors of fae bargains, trades and favor were true. Maybe he could get something out of this that wasn't just money. "Yeah." Kerem unceremoniously dropped the package into Silas's hand. "Now tell me what the hell you need wolfsbane for."

@cekimser - CLOSED STARTER

Location: Stonewall Cabin

The Stonewall Cabin, known for its haunted reputation, had been left unoccupied. However, the Fae who arrived was not one to be frightened by ghost stories. He knew there was more beyond the veil than just mere apparitions. As the vampire approached, the Fae adjusted his suit and prepared to engage in a business transaction. The two had previously agreed on their deal, and the soap maker had promised to be discreet in the delivery of his ingredients.

Silas stepped forward, extending his hand to receive the package "Is everything in order?" he asked, "As I mentioned before, I will reveal the wolfsbane's purpose to you once I have it in my possession."

[cekimser]

The poor wolf. So clearly out of his depth Kerem could completely ignore what the other was. "You put it in a bath and it bubbles." He'd never been fond of baths so he'd never tried one. Taking pity, he swept up a basket and made it his goal to see this go better than it was. "The green is more pine if you want something more traditionally masculine." He was proud of that one, a deep shiny color dotted with rosemary and stamped with a tree. "Or our sandalwood." A plain beige bar. "Tell you what, one's on the house. You're-" he didn't quite laugh, but he snorted his amusement "-clearly having a day."

He was definitely not the person to ask. Kerem grimaced in sympathy, dusting colored mica off his hands onto pants. "Uh...yeah, I think so? Our clients seem to be all genders, but we've got plenty of stuff that would appeal to women." The amount of time he spent in the shop had mostly desensitized him to all the scents. It became background noise. "But that-" he points at the clump "-is a bath bomb. Soap is on your right. The rose peony is pretty popular. The pink bars."

[cekimser]

"Not a wolf. Not a human." His eyes narrowed, shoulders straightening. If this was an odd attempt to intimidate him, it wouldn't work. Kerem might not know what the other was, but most beings could die of blood loss. Though that would ruin his record-less important than his safety. He made a note on a scrap piece of paper to start calling around for wolfsbane. "I'll need a name for the order. Or a way to contact you when it comes in." He'd have to check if there was a chance wolfsbane grew wild or if someone else in town would have stock. It could be passed off as a kitschy tourist thing. People loved werewolf themed stuff. "I like to believe I'm good at running under the radar. If I ask, will you tell me what it's for?"

Most peoples heartbeats increased when they were lying. Or nervous. Which one this was, Kerem had no idea. He remained halfway behind the door, leaning on the frame to keep some distance between them. The man smelled oddly sweet-floral. Not human then. One hand held the doorknob tighter. It would have been a strange request even from a human. Odd ingredients could easily be ordered online or through that horticulturist-alchemist whatever. "Yes." His tone was as even as he could keep it. Plenty of people liked raw herbs in their soap. Rosemary was actually a rather common one. However, Kerem would have remembered if he'd ever put wolfsbane in something. It sounded like a plant capable of taking down a werewolf. "We have rosemary." That he knew for sure. "I'm unsure about the other two. Let me...let me look." The door between them shut too loudly, but if he built a reputation for being antisocial all the better for the town. As he suspected. No wolfsbane, though a surprisingly fair amount of elm extract. Two bottles that looked completely untouched. He'd need to figure out a price, he only knew how much a pound of rosemary cost. "Here." Kerem, albeit reluctantly, stepped out to the front desk behind the register. The satchel and bottle were placed on the counter. "If you really want wolfsbane, I'd need to order it."

[cekimser]

"Rude." Kerem didn't look like a vampire-as far as he knew. He remembered seeing the old Fright Night in theatres with his brother when it came out. Real vampires didn't have that many teeth or look that demonic. They looked relatively human. His memories of the one who turned him may have been faint, but the suspicion came from a stranger in civilian clothes rather than seeing a monster. He crossed arms over his chest. Compared to her, he was probably an elder. But there was bound to be someone, many someones, older than him in town who had been doing this for far longer. "I'm Kerem. I work here and I bet I'm not that much older than you." Maybe thirty or so, if she'd just been changed. Kerem dragged a hand over his face. "What, you gonna kill someone?"

"What?" He blinked at her in careful confusion. She must be new if she was stupid enough to be so straight forward. Holloway seemed safe, for now, but he'd seen what could happen if the tide turned. Kerem frowned, half ready to shut the door in her face. Kick her out for being crazy or one of those 'fanatics' who believed in things they shouldn't. But there was no heartbeat. She may not have been telling the truth, but she was like him. He sputtered in the doorway, uneasy and unsure of how one was supposed to proceed when something like this happened. Did he lie? Or test her to see if she already knew the answer? "Does it look like a-a vampire could fit between the shelves?" His tone was aghast, sarcastic. "Why in the world would you be looking for one-or need help from them?" That was ridiculous, dangerous even for another vampire.

[cekimser]

He was definitely not the person to ask. Kerem grimaced in sympathy, dusting colored mica off his hands onto pants. "Uh...yeah, I think so? Our clients seem to be all genders, but we've got plenty of stuff that would appeal to women." The amount of time he spent in the shop had mostly desensitized him to all the scents. It became background noise. "But that-" he points at the clump "-is a bath bomb. Soap is on your right. The rose peony is pretty popular. The pink bars."

There was something methodically soothing to measuring, cutting, dipping. A repetition that kept his hands and mind focused on the task at hand. He couldn't allow thoughts to wander lest he mess up a recipe. Supplies were precious, not to be wasted. In the back of the shop, Kerem could pretend for a moment that this was normal. Scents of bergamot and lavender drowned out any humans nearby. For the most part. The pounding in his head, the tightening of his chest and occasional sway of balance said he'd gone too long without hunting. It wouldn't kill him, but it was rather unpleasant and made functioning difficult. His head cocked at the little bell on the front door going off. No Nonscents was supposed to have someone at the front the entire time. Had they gone on break and he just hadn't noticed? Kerem stripped off gloves, hauling himself off the chair hoping whoever it was would just leave. True part of his income came from people buying soap and candles, but he didn't care much about that. With a long sigh, he stuck his head out the door separating product area from back room. "Can I help you? If anything is out of stock, you'll need to give us another few days or so. It takes a month to cure."

[cekimser]

Last few centuries-he had to do the math on that. Closer to the 1700s then most likely. Kerem pulled out a few other candles, busying himself checking the labels and sniffing them before he either put them back or on the counter for the other's judgement. Three seemed fitting. Some that were supposed to match the smell of Holloway's oldest buildings, others that smelled of rain and lavender and purple skies. "Here. See what you think about these." She sounded like a perfectly normal person. Maybe she was, but in that case what the hell was a vampire doing hanging around making friends with humans. "I ah...just moved not too long ago." A year to concoct his story and he still hadn't got it down. "I don't like big cities and it's a pain in the ass to get another citizenship somewhere else. It's nice here. Quiet. What about you, what brought you here?" He should've been shooing the guy along, curiosity was dangerous, but he'd never actually gotten to talk to someone like him before.

This guest was dead and it immediately put Kerem on edge. Some instinctive part of him bristled at the perceived threat. He was in no state to fight another vampire, let alone one who was likely far more experienced than him. His gaze narrowed slightly. Best to help him and get him out immediately then. "I may have some. Do you know what historical periods she's interested in?" As casually as he could, he stepped out to browse the shelves, always at a bit of an angle to keep an eye on the other. "We have some from the 1600s of Holloway. A bit spicy, some old books, hay and smoke." A remnant of the burnings. "If she'd like something more recent, I may need to start from scratch."

[cekimser]

"What?" He blinked at her in careful confusion. She must be new if she was stupid enough to be so straight forward. Holloway seemed safe, for now, but he'd seen what could happen if the tide turned. Kerem frowned, half ready to shut the door in her face. Kick her out for being crazy or one of those 'fanatics' who believed in things they shouldn't. But there was no heartbeat. She may not have been telling the truth, but she was like him. He sputtered in the doorway, uneasy and unsure of how one was supposed to proceed when something like this happened. Did he lie? Or test her to see if she already knew the answer? "Does it look like a-a vampire could fit between the shelves?" His tone was aghast, sarcastic. "Why in the world would you be looking for one-or need help from them?" That was ridiculous, dangerous even for another vampire.

There was something methodically soothing to measuring, cutting, dipping. A repetition that kept his hands and mind focused on the task at hand. He couldn't allow thoughts to wander lest he mess up a recipe. Supplies were precious, not to be wasted. In the back of the shop, Kerem could pretend for a moment that this was normal. Scents of bergamot and lavender drowned out any humans nearby. For the most part. The pounding in his head, the tightening of his chest and occasional sway of balance said he'd gone too long without hunting. It wouldn't kill him, but it was rather unpleasant and made functioning difficult. His head cocked at the little bell on the front door going off. No Nonscents was supposed to have someone at the front the entire time. Had they gone on break and he just hadn't noticed? Kerem stripped off gloves, hauling himself off the chair hoping whoever it was would just leave. True part of his income came from people buying soap and candles, but he didn't care much about that. With a long sigh, he stuck his head out the door separating product area from back room. "Can I help you? If anything is out of stock, you'll need to give us another few days or so. It takes a month to cure."

[cekimser]

This guest was dead and it immediately put Kerem on edge. Some instinctive part of him bristled at the perceived threat. He was in no state to fight another vampire, let alone one who was likely far more experienced than him. His gaze narrowed slightly. Best to help him and get him out immediately then. "I may have some. Do you know what historical periods she's interested in?" As casually as he could, he stepped out to browse the shelves, always at a bit of an angle to keep an eye on the other. "We have some from the 1600s of Holloway. A bit spicy, some old books, hay and smoke." A remnant of the burnings. "If she'd like something more recent, I may need to start from scratch."

There was something methodically soothing to measuring, cutting, dipping. A repetition that kept his hands and mind focused on the task at hand. He couldn't allow thoughts to wander lest he mess up a recipe. Supplies were precious, not to be wasted. In the back of the shop, Kerem could pretend for a moment that this was normal. Scents of bergamot and lavender drowned out any humans nearby. For the most part. The pounding in his head, the tightening of his chest and occasional sway of balance said he'd gone too long without hunting. It wouldn't kill him, but it was rather unpleasant and made functioning difficult. His head cocked at the little bell on the front door going off. No Nonscents was supposed to have someone at the front the entire time. Had they gone on break and he just hadn't noticed? Kerem stripped off gloves, hauling himself off the chair hoping whoever it was would just leave. True part of his income came from people buying soap and candles, but he didn't care much about that. With a long sigh, he stuck his head out the door separating product area from back room. "Can I help you? If anything is out of stock, you'll need to give us another few days or so. It takes a month to cure."

[cekimser]

Most peoples heartbeats increased when they were lying. Or nervous. Which one this was, Kerem had no idea. He remained halfway behind the door, leaning on the frame to keep some distance between them. The man smelled oddly sweet-floral. Not human then. One hand held the doorknob tighter. It would have been a strange request even from a human. Odd ingredients could easily be ordered online or through that horticulturist-alchemist whatever. "Yes." His tone was as even as he could keep it. Plenty of people liked raw herbs in their soap. Rosemary was actually a rather common one. However, Kerem would have remembered if he'd ever put wolfsbane in something. It sounded like a plant capable of taking down a werewolf. "We have rosemary." That he knew for sure. "I'm unsure about the other two. Let me...let me look." The door between them shut too loudly, but if he built a reputation for being antisocial all the better for the town. As he suspected. No wolfsbane, though a surprisingly fair amount of elm extract. Two bottles that looked completely untouched. He'd need to figure out a price, he only knew how much a pound of rosemary cost. "Here." Kerem, albeit reluctantly, stepped out to the front desk behind the register. The satchel and bottle were placed on the counter. "If you really want wolfsbane, I'd need to order it."

There was something methodically soothing to measuring, cutting, dipping. A repetition that kept his hands and mind focused on the task at hand. He couldn't allow thoughts to wander lest he mess up a recipe. Supplies were precious, not to be wasted. In the back of the shop, Kerem could pretend for a moment that this was normal. Scents of bergamot and lavender drowned out any humans nearby. For the most part. The pounding in his head, the tightening of his chest and occasional sway of balance said he'd gone too long without hunting. It wouldn't kill him, but it was rather unpleasant and made functioning difficult. His head cocked at the little bell on the front door going off. No Nonscents was supposed to have someone at the front the entire time. Had they gone on break and he just hadn't noticed? Kerem stripped off gloves, hauling himself off the chair hoping whoever it was would just leave. True part of his income came from people buying soap and candles, but he didn't care much about that. With a long sigh, he stuck his head out the door separating product area from back room. "Can I help you? If anything is out of stock, you'll need to give us another few days or so. It takes a month to cure."

[cekimser]

Character information

Name: Kerem Polat

Label: The abstainer

Age:  55

Gender:  male

Pronouns: he/him

Species:  vampire

Face claim: Tolga Mendi

Character Occupation: soap and candle maker

Neighbourhood of residence: The Manors

Affiliation: N/a

Length of stay in Holloway: 1 year

Character summary: 

Kerem's family were unable to move in time for him to avoid the Turkish draft.  He joined the military at 19. By the age of 25, he was a sergeant, stationed on the front lines.  His commanding officer had taken a disconcerting interest in him, attempting to sway him by promising Kerem a legal out of service before normal.  A roaming vampire caught them one night, killing both, but only deciding to turn Kerem.  He woke alone, alarmed and disoriented and so incredibly thirsty.  It was as if he merely blinked- his entire unit was dead, he covered in blood and bound to be discovered.   Of course many cultures have myths of something like vampires.  Kerem didn't leap to assumptions, but he had no idea what else to think when he could suddenly hear heartbeats and the very blood in veins of those around him.  He barely compelled airport staff to let him on a plane to the states.  A change of clothes was stolen from another he'd killed.  It never seemed like enough.  If he tried to go long without it felt like he was suffocating.  He kept moving, never settling in fear of being found out and still incredibly lost as to what had happened to him.   Holloway was a last resort.  There were supposedly other things there-other vampires that might be able to guide him.  Kerem arrived and avoided them anyway.  He was still afraid, though he didn't entirely know about what.  He's done his best to avoid causing too much harm after so many massacres.  Most of the time, he succeeds, though the affect it has on him is great.

Kerem never had a true job before.  As he didn't need sleep or food he had no need for money.  He wore the clothes of those he'd killed, ducked about in shadow to avoid detection.  For his and everyone else's sake, he needed a job that would keep him away from the public's eye.  No nonscents was perfect.  Kerem picked up the craft quickly and he could work from home or in the back, leaving the customer service part to someone else.  He's easily become one of the best handmade soapers in the state, known more for his brilliant scents and colors than his interaction with the community.

[cekimser]

There was something methodically soothing to measuring, cutting, dipping. A repetition that kept his hands and mind focused on the task at hand. He couldn't allow thoughts to wander lest he mess up a recipe. Supplies were precious, not to be wasted. In the back of the shop, Kerem could pretend for a moment that this was normal. Scents of bergamot and lavender drowned out any humans nearby. For the most part. The pounding in his head, the tightening of his chest and occasional sway of balance said he'd gone too long without hunting. It wouldn't kill him, but it was rather unpleasant and made functioning difficult. His head cocked at the little bell on the front door going off. No Nonscents was supposed to have someone at the front the entire time. Had they gone on break and he just hadn't noticed? Kerem stripped off gloves, hauling himself off the chair hoping whoever it was would just leave. True part of his income came from people buying soap and candles, but he didn't care much about that. With a long sigh, he stuck his head out the door separating product area from back room. "Can I help you? If anything is out of stock, you'll need to give us another few days or so. It takes a month to cure."