The Takings

Although this timeline doesn’t directly affect the course of the adventure, the PCs might learn dates and official causes of death for these people associated with Creston Grange.

1659

In his first (and somewhat experimental) use of the ritual, William Wickersfield takes the body of his young wife, Amelia. He returns his own body to his bed, where it’s assumed he died in his sleep.

1659–1666 (7 years)

William despises living as a young woman, but the very reasons he hates it (relatively little physical and social power) make it difficult to arrange the next taking.

1666

In a fraught night, Amelia/William takes the body of Reignold Farfew, a cousin of William. Reignold had been invited to Creston Grange for this purpose (unwittingly, of course). Prior to the event, Amelia/William forged a will by William naming Reignold his heir should Amelia die before marrying. Amelia’s corpse “falls” down the stairs to create a plausible cause of death. The forgery is suspected, and the cause of death investigated, but ultimately Reignold/William is determined to be innocent.

1666–1672

Reignold/William enjoys the fruits of his labor, but becomes restless.

1672

Reignold/William takes the body of George Brandlesford, his nephew. Following the same pattern, he names this person in his will, arranges for George to visit, and conducts the taking during that stay. Reignold’s body is “drowned” in the mere. This third taking in thirteen years spawns the legend of the vampire and arouses, briefly, the suspicion of the authorities. Although there’s an eerie similarity to the death of Amelia (an inheritor arrives, and the estate holder dies in a freak accident), the principals are different so there’s no legal basis for serious investigation.

1672–1713 (41 years)

George/William remains in this body for an extended period, avoiding drawing negative attention by conducting the ritual too often. He courts and weds Mary Ashfeld, then murders her after she bears a son, John.

1713

George/William takes the body of his son. John is suspicious and doesn’t go down without a fight. William is injured in the process and forced to make a last-minute change in plans for the disposal of George’s body. He originally intended to let George “die” in his sleep, but instead places him in bed and sets fire to the bedroom. The fire is extinguished before spreading to the rest of the house.

1713–1757 (44 years)

John/William earns a reputation as an exceptionally cruel landlord, increasing the already substantial animosity of the Wivelscombe villagers. John/William marries Sophia Blakely, but she bears him only three daughters. She dies of consumption in 1729, saving him the trouble of murdering her. He considers a second marriage but abandons that plan when his eldest daughter, Margaret (now married and living in Somerset) has a son, Meriwether Lackford, whom he immediately designates as his heir.

1757

Following the same model again, John/William invites his young nephew Meriwether Lackford to the manor and takes him. John “dies” in his sleep.

1757–1766 (9 years)

Meriwether/William becomes chronically ill within a few years, complicating the normal methods for creating or establishing an heir to be taken.

1766

When his health suffers a sudden and dangerous downturn, Meriwether/William targets the only person of stature to whom he has easy access: the local vicar, Thomas Arleigh. Meriwether “dies” in a chair by the parlor fire.

1766–1768 (2 years)

Thomas/William has no claim on Creston Grange, which is inherited by John Wickersfield’s second daughter, Elizabeth Sebrey. Furthermore, the vicar has responsibilities for which William lacks both the temperament and training. He quickly moves to take Elizabeth, despite his intense hatred of living in a woman’s body.

1768

Thomas/William takes the body of Elizabeth. Thomas “dies” by apparent suicide, the body found at the bottom of the Silburn Hollow after a suicide note laments the previous two years of debauchery and dereliction.

1768–1775 (7 years)

To Elizabeth/William’s chagrin, it takes nearly seven years to identify an ideal heir, establish a will, and lure the victim to Creston Grange. Perhaps subdued by the limits of his vessel—a late-middle-aged woman—this period is marked by relative sobriety and calm.

1775

Elizabeth/William takes the body of Josiah Wythe. Elizabeth “dies” by hanging from a chandelier. This is the fourth taking in less than twenty years, and the rumors of the vampire, which had lain fallow for decades, gain renewed power.

1775–1809 (34 years)

Josiah/William is really into debauchery. Creston Grange takes on a Hellfire Club-like atmosphere. Rumors of the vampire strengthen, despite the lull in mystery deaths, and for the first time focus distinctly on Creston Grange.

1809

Josiah/William takes the body of Victor Huntington Paine, a wealthy and admired comrade in debauchery. Josiah “dies” after being trampled by horses in the stable.

1809–1845 (36 years)

Victor/William lives principally in London. Creston Grange is intermittently occupied by distant members of the extended family, but ultimately Victor/William buys it. After several decades, he names Robert Wickersfield Lynch as his heir (to regain the Wickersfield name while retaining what remained of Grange’s wealth), and, following his old successful model, invites Robert to Creston Grange.

1845

Victor/William takes the body of Robert Wickersfield Lynch. Victor “dies” falling from the banister above the grand staircase.

1845–1878 (33 years)

Robert/William is no model citizen or landlord, but he lives a more subdued life than many past incarnations. He marries Portia Smithfield, daughter of a wealthy industrialist. She mysteriously drowns in the mere when their son, Richard, reaches school age. Unfortunately, four years later—within a year or two of being old enough for the taking ritual—Richard dies after being kicked in the head by a horse. The Wickersfield fortune is nearly depleted, and though Robert/William is only late middle-aged, he doesn’t have a solid alternate plan.

1878

Robert/William takes the body of visiting American businessman and new-money heir Reginald Banks. While Banks/William is in the process of creating a death scene for Robert, Creston Grange is attacked by a mob of villagers from Wivelscombe and the west wing is set afire. Banks/William flees without any suspicion falling upon him. The fire is contained, and Robert’s burned body is recovered by the villagers. Believing they have killed the vampire, they behead the body and bury it, facedown, in an unmarked grave at the crossroads. The “death” of Robert ends the Wickersfield line.

1878–1921 (43 years)

Banks/William lives in London on Banks’s considerable net worth. Creston Grange passes to distant relatives. As the manor is no longer an economic asset, the family donates it to the church for the creation of an abbey.