South of the Ashwood a few small islands jut out into Bittersweet Lake. These Sommerich Cays have been home to their namesake family through three generations – the various Ladies Somerrich using their small island estate as a summer getaway traditionally and in more recent years as the family fortunes have dwindled moving the whole family here.

The current Lady Somerrich is holed up on the island estate with a number of bizarre rumours circulating about her – generally along the lines of having been transformed into some sort of undead creature with a stranglehold on the family and family fortunes. Referred to by locals as “the vampire countess” or “the lady lich”, the reality is that while she is indeed quite senior for her station (well over a hundred years old), she is neither undead nor in command of the family anymore.

It is her…