Blood of Dawnwalker: My Power-Hungry Vampire Got a Wholesome Ending

Playing The Blood of Dawnwalker as a ruthless, power-hungry vampire led to a surprisingly wholesome finale in Greifberg Castle, as one RPG Club player discovers.

Ever gone full power-hungry vampire in an RPG, only to stumble into an ending that made you feel... warm inside? That's exactly what happened to me in The Blood of Dawnwalker.

It's been four weeks since RPG Club entered Vale Sangora. In that time I've killed one bear, overthrown three vampires, accidentally consigned a fourth to hell, and eaten more vermin than any man should have to endure. All for the greater good, of course. This week, we marched into Greifberg Castle to save our family and dethrone the valley's undead ruler.

My quest log gave me 30 days to save Coen's family, and I committed to making him the strongest vampire possible — even if it meant eating rats. Playing on Duelist difficulty gutted Coen's stamina, so perfect blocks became essential since they don't cost stamina. Landing those last-second parries now comes naturally, and with Coen's supernatural powers, Brencis' mortal soldiers no longer pose a threat.

Lacra, the vampire ally from part two, promised one more shot at power. We met at her hideout and waded into another gloomy swamp, where will-o'-the-wisps led us to an ancient crypt. Cutting down ghosts and zombies paid off with a mandrake — a flower of condensed vampiric energy, sourced from a body now overgrown with corrupting red tendrils. It's clear Coen's powers and the dark sorcery of Vale Sangora come from the same hellish realm we left Isbrand in, and drawing on it leads to madness. But the sanctity of Coen's soul comes second to RPG Club rules, so down the hatch it went.

Drunk on the mandrake's power, Coen and Lacra spent the night having weird vampire sex — claws through flesh, drinking blood, the works — and by morning I had two new abilities. The mandrake grants a perk that revives Coen from death once per night, and the final vampiric power in my perk tree — mesmerizing enemies — was unlocked.

Back in Svartrau, rebel leader Crake returned from his sulk and took the cursed tome off my hands. He announced it was time to storm Castle Greifberg, but I secretly decided to overthrow Brencis with Lacra instead. Crake's plan to restore the valley's bleak status quo seemed flat-out dumb. Problem was, I'd hit maximum notoriety with Brencis, who lowered Svartrau's gates and sealed me inside. Morning meant no shadowstepping over the walls, so I carved through his men in a gothic Dynasty Warriors moment until nightfall, then flitted over as a wolf and galloped to Lacra.

Proceeding with Lacra locked us into an ending, warned a pop-up — no hidden passage from Father Florin, no rebel help. Fine by me. Sneaking into Castle Greifberg via underground ruins, we found corpses suspended in the air, their innards drawn toward a vast orb of swirling blood. Brencis wasn't there, nor was Coen's family, and Lacra destroyed an ancient font that misfired the ritual's power through the castle. Our goal was the throne room, but the ritual's energies made getting there a nightmare.

What do you think — would you go full power-hungry vampire or play it noble? Will you be picking this up?