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Message: <blockquote data-quote="megamania" data-source="post: 7631945" data-attributes="member: 9255">DARKSUN: THE ELEMENTS OF EVILSEGMENT 031“THE CURSE OF BLACK WATERS”07/02/19SEASON: FRIEND’S VENGEANCE  YEAR 24MONTH: THE NOMADDAY: 22KA: 190They are making camp once more.  This is a new area for the team.  Normally they travel south from Raam towards Silver Springs but not this time.  They have gone further West towards Urik.Olan goes to relieve himself when he notices there is water under the piles of small rocks that make up the Stoney Barrens.   Kicking a few aside, he notes the water is dark and inky.  “Water!”Yaesha turns quickly- “Don’t drink it!   Don’t even touch it!”“Is it poisoned?   Is this what is causing the trouble?”“The food is almost ready.  I will explain it to you then.”Darkness comes and the group break out blankets.  From over 110 it has dropped to nearly 80 already as the dark sun drops below the horizon.“The lands north and south Urik are filled with small ruins.   Most are surviving basements and foundations of farmers homes from the ‘war’.   Others are larger.    One of the largest is about 10 miles north of here.  It is the city ruins of Yaramuke.”“What happened to it?” asks Olan in true curiousity.“Some say the ruler, a powerful female defiler, performed a magic rite that destroyed the city.  Others say other rulers, including Hamanu of Urik, attacked and destroyed her and the city.  Either way, during certain powerful sand storms, the ruins can be exposed.   It is dangerous but people do try to plunder it.  Few return but when they do, they have more gold, treasure and wonderous things than they can carry.”Choro speaks up without lifting his head.  “Not all.  Some become cursed.”“True.   When these ruins are exposed, magics “leak” out and pollute the area.   This is one of the more famous places.  The uncontrolled magic has cursed and poisoned a small lake of water once said to be crystal clear and filled with fish to eat.   The water flows out and seeps onto the surface for miles especially to the south.  It remains safe from the heat of the sun by the miles of stones and rocks here.”“What kind of klik- curse is it?” asks Drak wondering if he will try to look for food or remain within the camp this time.“You become mindless and seek the flesh of others to join you.   Some of the clerics refer to them as ‘zombies’.   A type of undead I believe.”Everyone goes to sleep with their weapons nearby and readied.Hours after the midnight Drak hears the first one.The sound of a stone grinding against another.   Something is walking through the Stoney Barrens and disturbing stones as it comes.  Drak is quick to awaken everyone including a harder than meant kick to Koe.  “They come.”Drak points to the source of the sound.   The creature is not being stealthy.  It lumbers slowly over the uneven ground.  It occasionally disturbs a stone making it clack or grind against another.“oh…..crap.” mumbles Olan looking beyond the creature.   Dozens of the creatures are coming their way.“They very rarely come this far south without a storm…….. take them down.   They are slow but if they get too close they will easily overwhelm you and the mounts.” Commands Yaesha.Yaesha hits one with three arrows and drops to its knees and finally down.   More come.  A pebble whistles from Koe’s sling and makes a liquidly thump as it strikes the face and embeds itself within a cheek and eye socket.  Olan and Drak wait until they get closer and within range.  Choro has no intension of this.   He visualizes the horde in flames and waves his hands and a crackling sound can be heard in the wind.  Two dozen of the closest zombies burst into flames.  Some fall and splash water onto themselves by falling leading to less damage.  Other keep stumbling at them….. fully engulfed in flame.“What the….!?!?” Calls out the half-giant in a mix of fear and awe.“Do again Choro.” Commands Koe as he waves his arms to get the creature’s attention.“What are you doing Koe?” calls out Yaesha as he drops one more.“Being a Shepard.   I am grouping them up into a tighter circle.   Easy for his psionics to do area affects.”“That may just work.  Good idea Koe.   Do as he is.”The wave of the horde move towards the thri-kreen whom is confused as he raises his four arms.   Kreen are hunters…. Not shepards. Two more energy cone blasts drop the remainder.  Choro has a mild headache and wants to lay down.  He doesn’t like zombies.</blockquote>

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