un: Black Prince; text

[blackscales]

A not unexpected outcome at this point, the dead rising. Especially considering the scratches seen on the inside of the burial boats.

Prior to this little event I spoke briefly to Samuel Vane, since he is native and has travelled extensively. I asked if he had ever sailed here. He mentioned he has, and reported previously that Yancai was boring and puritan, that he expected the dead to be here in some capacity and that in his opinion the village could not defend itself and wouldn't have survived long if swarmed. If it had, he expected it would be via a deal with a dead lord for protection.

Certainly he has not yet been proven wrong.

Some of you may have noticed that during the eclipse the waters around Yancai thickened and darkened. To my senses, this felt like the dark water we have seen previously present in other places with undead. In Ke-Waihu it was healing when chilled and caused mutations when warm and melting, in Serthica it was present in the Remembrance base where they animated mannequins in conjunction with a music box. The tar-covered corpses, too, recall some of the tar-coated creatures in Ke-Waihu inside its volcano. This seemed less... intense than that, but all related.

One additional thing: the black mould in some structures is reminiscent of Serthica, and the sickness there -- albeit less... potent. I wonder how many of these people have died from it. Have a care, as much as I desire to understand what happened here, it should not be at the expense of our own lives.

Comments

un: ut malum pluvia | text

[somebadnews]

[ Always so happy to hear they’ve kept Vane around for these helpful insights. Just great. ]

Any clues on which dead lord might have taken an interest?

[blackscales]

It may not be one we've met before, although there was mention of Anurr in the building where we searched for the beacon. Both The Huntress and her child are still missing -- I believe she does cause decay in areas she is in. This doesn't feel like Rathakku, at least on the surface. We could be about to meet a whole new member of their contingent.

[somebadnews]

[ He has considered that more could rise up to replace the ones they've disposed of, unless they're able to stop them at the source. That isn't the part he gets stuck on though, and it takes him a minute of debate before he asks. ]

What about Anurr?

[blackscales]

A recording where we found the beacon. It said, "Depressingly, Anurr was right to worry."

[somebadnews]

[ The one they can contact at any time, who personally owes him, whose finger he carries around like a lucky rabbit's foot? That guy was right to worry. ]

So logic would dictate that he knows what happened here. What else did the recording say?

[blackscales]

Nothing else discernible, although it did sound as if the speaker was talking to someone else at the time. The voice was unfamiliar to me, too.

un: absterge

[downswing]

Water surrounds here. We are at disadvantage.

Entrapped.

[blackscales]

You cannot swim?

[downswing]

Proficiently.

But waters appear to rise strangely.

[blackscales]

[ That... was... actually a joke, he's quite aware Wangji can swim. Obviously he should have known better than to make a joke.

MOVING ON... ]

I wouldn't spend more time in it than necessary, given the way it turned dark.

[downswing]

( SIR WERE YOU JOKI - )

[downswing]

( ........OH. )


This world survives on tar and shadow.

[blackscales]

[ HE'S LITERALLY SEEN YOU IN THE WATER SEVERAL TIMES, WANGJI.

DID YOU THINK HE FORGOT? ]

[blackscales]

[ Anyway. ]

It has ill effects on the living.

un : dappled peals of the parted seas (voice)

[beitangmoran]

Indeed, we are seeing quite a few things that are not strange to us anymore. The problem with time makes it a bit more difficult to get clear answers, unfortunately.

voice;

[blackscales]

I wonder if the time travel aspect is connected to or separate from the undead lord. They speak of a curse here, and blame the witches. It could be the witches, and could be separate, but it strikes me as an interesting coincidence for the village to be suffering two disconnected troubles. I'm expecting some meddling from our wandering friend in white.

voice;

[beitangmoran]

It's safe to say he probably came here. Maybe with the child in tow.

And curses and blaming witches are unfortunately universal, but I agree. I don't think the time problems are disconnected. The townspeople are just probably unaware that they are because, well, they don't even really know when they are.

[blackscales]

The confusion certainly isn't helping us with our inquiries, but I'm certain it won't be long until the pieces start to come together.

[beitangmoran]

I assume things will get a bit clearer with time, but some in our group are already chafing at the bit.

[blackscales]

The location is hardly appealing, I can understand a desire to leave sooner.

un: nah | text.

[damnable]

...suppose people will do whatever they can to survive including making deals with the dead.

Just never really seems to work out to their favor in the end regardless. Also, hi.

[blackscales]

Good to see you.

Unfortunately you are correct, it seems they plan for the short term not the long term consequences.

[damnable]

Good to see you too. How're you enjoying our... moist little adventure here?

Afraid that's not going to change. You hold a sword to someone's throat, they're gonna do the thing that makes the sword not go through their throat... or in this case, you do the thing that makes the dead not go and destroy all your shit. Even if that means being indebted to the dead for uh... the unforeseeable future.

[blackscales]

It is not to my taste.

[ Little is. ]

Neither is such an agreement, although I do of course understand the logic behind it. We've seen it more than once, here, and I have seen it in my home. It seems for many here the undead lords are considered unbeatable and inevitable both.

[damnable]

Shocking.

( But she's teasing, because she figured it would not be to his taste at all - he has far more fancy taste than all this. )

Life's pretty precious like that. They wouldn't want to chance it. But that's one helluva shitty way to see everything. Still I probably would have done the same in their shoes even being as old as I am.

Survival's one of those basic instincts, y'know? Not saying they're right. Just. I get it like you do. Big question is how can we reverse it? Not the first time this groups done the impossible.