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 : 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.

[beitangmoran]

That is certainly true, but Master Five seems particularly incensed that we are just 'giving it all away for nothing' and 'letting this happen', in his words.

[blackscales]

Are we giving it away for nothing? We appear to have had accommodation arranged for us, and we have the promise of a way home.

[beitangmoran]

Well, you know how he is. He appears to believe we somehow have some negotiating power in this situation that could force.... something? I don't know that he knows what exactly.

In any case, something clearly happened here related to the dead, but is it one we know or a new one...

[blackscales]

I understand the woods around us used to be the Beastmaster's hunting grounds.

[beitangmoran]

If they are, we already took care of that... unless of course the time reversal somehow catches him too and we find him here whole and hale once again.

[blackscales]

I suppose it's not impossible... an unpleasant thought, however. Of course, the alternative is that someone else inherited them from him. Another with a similar skill -- or, in fact, the same skill. When an undead lord dies, another may inherit the title.

[beitangmoran]

Well... he does have a child, whose current whereabouts we do not know.

[blackscales]

A wife, too.

[beitangmoran]

Indeed. Everything is both new and familiar. Not even the time problems are things we haven't seen before, but played out in a new way. This place is almost like Ellethia, except on a longer cycle.

[blackscales]

I had thought of Ellethia too, but that didn't appear to impact the structures. Only the living things, aging and growing youthful again.

[beitangmoran]

Hmmm, true, the land and man-made structures are more affected here.

[blackscales]

Ellethia struck me more as a rot of living substances, then regrowth. A lifecycle. This appears more a true change in time.

[beitangmoran]

I admit I am not well-versed enough in magic to be able to tell.

[Says the guy wo can see the future]