Contract Contest #11 Round 4 - Vote 1 (Patreon)

Contract 7: Quest Title: “Whispers of the Wailing Mire”

By:EmberFoxx

Mila hears rumors of a cursed swamp known as the Wailing Mire, where travelers have gone missing under mysterious circumstances. As she investigates, she encounters Elara, a stoic and skilled gunsmith who has lost her sister to the swamp’s rumored “ghost.” Elara reluctantly joins Mila, hoping to save her sister and finally put an end to the creature haunting the Mire. Together, they journey deeper into the fog-laden swamp and discover that the “ghost” is actually Lira, a banshee-like creature with hypnotic powers, capable of bending humans to her will and draining their vitality. Lira reveals that she’s been stealing the souls of lost travelers to increase her power, feeding off their fears and despair. She also takes an interest in Mila’s vampiric essence, believing it could help her ascend to even greater power.

In the true ending, Mila and Elara manage to resist Lira’s powers and defeat her in an intense battle. With Lira’s defeat, Elara’s sister is freed from the banshee’s control, though weakened. Grateful for Mila’s help, Elara pledges herself to Mila’s cause, joining her as a loyal party member with skills in ranged combat and tracking. In the alternate ending, if Mila is defeated, Lira drains her vampiric essence, warping Mila into a subservient, twisted version of herself who roams the swamp alongside Lira, luring other travelers into their trap. This defeat marks the end of the quest, with Elara disappearing, her fate unknown as the Wailing Mire claims yet another victim.

Contract 8: Quest Title: “Heart of the Hollow”

By:YeaahTF

Mila hears rumors of an abandoned mining town called Hollowstone, where people once searched for a legendary gemstone known as the “Heart of the Hollow.” The town is now deserted, and those who venture close speak of eerie figures and haunting whispers. Intrigued, Mila sets off to investigate and encounters Astrid, a skilled blacksmith whose family had roots in Hollowstone. Astrid has heard that the spirit of her ancestor, who died in a tragic cave-in, may still haunt the mines. She’s tough and practical, with a mastery over heavy weapons, and agrees to help Mila uncover the town’s secrets. As they venture into the depths of the mines, they come face-to-face with Maribel, a vengeful specter cursed to guard the Heart of the Hollow. Maribel was once a miner who was betrayed by her partners and has since been corrupted into a monstrous, ghostly creature, hungering to claim the lives of all who disturb her resting place.

In the true ending, Mila and Astrid successfully fend off Maribel’s deadly attacks, purging her spirit and freeing her from her cursed duty. With Maribel defeated, the Heart of the Hollow is revealed as a powerful artifact, and the malevolent aura around Hollowstone dissipates. Astrid, grateful for Mila’s help in giving her ancestor peace, joins her as a loyal companion, bringing her blacksmithing skills and powerful melee abilities to the party. In the alternate ending, if Mila is defeated, Maribel consumes her essence, binding Mila and Astrid’s spirit to the mines as more ghostly guardians.