A dark night in Sembia: Back to the Dead

[Roekemoes]

A dark night on Sembia: Back to the Dead

Darkness had fallen for hours, the thunder was striking nearly and the occasional screams of agony on the streets made the atmosphere of an average Sembian evening. Commoners, thugs and drug dealers were drinking their usual ales as Urric slowly stepped out of his bed. He rubbed his eyes and sat on the edge of his bed for a while, before sliding on his robes, grabbing his walking stick, and walking downstairs to just fade into the normal life downstairs.

As Urric was stumbling on his way downstairs, the sight of a rat helped him awaken a lot quicker than he normally does. He jumped back and peered deep into the blood red eyes of the enormous rat. Urric grinned and picked up his walking stick to continue downstairs.

‘We’ve been watching you’ – spoke the rat in a high toned voice

Urric stopped immediately, slowly turning his head back to the rat. Both curious and surprised, Urric kneeled and spoke to the rat.

‘Who’s lookin’ fer me? Who are ye? Who be yer master?’

The rat remained silent and ran off with great speed, leaving Urric behind with a confused look on his face. He recognized the glowing dust that visualized the path of the rat. It was controlled by another being. Without thinking again, Urric made his way down in fast pace, concentrating on the, hardly visible, trail of dust. The trail led him outside, where he was staring in the deep red eyes of the same rat again. The rat ran around quickly, making it hard for Urric to keep his eyes focused on it.

‘Who’s yer master? Wha’ ye’re talkin’ ‘boot?’
‘Go to the graveyard, find the source of power. Prove yourself worthy’ – spoke the rat

The rat ran around quickly again and jumped on Urric’s back, clenching it’s claws firmly in Urric’s robes. Urric waves his arms around and jumped around, trying to grab the rat from his back. The rat eventually jumped off and ran towards the nearest commoner. Before Urric could realize the rat let loose, he already heard the penetrating scream of a middle-aged men. The rat appeared gone and the only thing left was a dead commoner, laying on the ground with his belly slit open and bleeding heavily.
Urric looked around quickly and rubbed his head as he made his way over to the still bleeding corpse. He kneeled down, grinned widely and took a few minutes to look the corpse over numerous times. Slowly he took his finger and ran it around the wound, smudging the blood allover the man’s belly. Seeming to enjoy it, he drew the picture off a skull, using the blood on his finger. He noticed the wound had immediately started getting infecting and oozing. A wide grin on his face was interrupted as he heard soft footsteps slowly coming from the distance.

‘Urric? Who is that? Is he dead?’ – were the questions of Tulith, an elven man he met once.

Urric started preparing the corpse for transportation by covering up the wound with the cloths and placing the arms crossed on the chest, and spoke back to Tulith

‘Nuthin’, just seein’ this poor feller ta a proper burial ‘

Urric tried to hide a wide grin and his excitement as he lifted the corpse over his shoulder. Tulith watched insecure and let Urric pass. Urric walked through the empty and sinister streets with a corpse over his shoulder, still bleeding heavily. He was concentrated and was dodging every Black Knight he saw. Near the gate the inevitable happened, he was asked for an explanation by one of the Black Knights. He shivered softly of nervousness and excitement and tried to explain his adventure to the graveyard. The guard wasn’t easily convinced, and stared at Urric for a moment. Urric sensed trouble but suddenly the guards eyes focused on, what appeared to be another person, behind him. The guard made a few steps forward and Urric immediately took advantage of the situation and quickly made his way a small alley. Relieved and with a wide grin on his face again, he made his way through the gate.

Breathing heavily Urric saw the walls of the Sembian cemetery come closer and closer. His pace fastened as he smelled the sent of dead and rotting flesh. Finally he stopped and looked up at the large gates that held the large number of undead from invading towns around it. He slided the corpse from his shoulder and grabbed it by it’s collar. He pushed the heavy gates open with trouble and was heaving trouble dragging the corpse inside. He walked in a few steps and then holded. He grinned widely and took a really deep breath, seeming to enjoy the sent and atmosphere. Undead were fighting each other all around him, but Urric just smiled and enjoyed his presence there.

He walked around for a while, examining his surrounding with pleasure and dragging the corpse with him by the collar. As Urric walked through the graveyard, he attracted the attention of numerous undead.

‘No me friends, ye kin feed on all ye want, this one be mine’ - spoke Urric and laughs.

As Urric searched the ground for a suitable place for a proper burial, he suddenly stopped. A shock of energy passed through every cell of his body. Urric froze for a few seconds, the grinned widely, seeming to like the previous sensation.

‘Where tha’ be comin’ from?’ – he whispered to himself softly.

His eyes were strangely drawn towards a tomb on his right. He walked in a straight line towards the tomb, looking to be controlled by a strange force. As he stood in front of the tomb, his hands clamped to the door like magnets, and again every muscle in his body flexed because of a huge shock of energy. Urric closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation for a few seconds, then he pulled himself clear from the door and examined it closely.

‘Kozakuran, nae doubt ’boot it, ‘ere did me see tha’ before?’ – mumbled Urric to himself as he tried to remember.

He shrugged and suddenly remembered the presence of the, now more slowly bleeding, corpse at his feet that he dragged around the whole graveyard. A wide grin grew on his face and he walked a few paces westwards, where he kneeled. He took off his gauntlets and ran his hands through the wet soil, turned into mud by the rain. He felt the mud and brought it awfully close to his face. He sniffed the ground and continued digging quickly, with the wide grin remaining on his face. After almost an hour, a large hole appeared at Urric’s feet. Urric took the corpse and placed it in the whole carefully. He took the arms and placed them crossed on it’s chest. He then kneeled again in front of it, examining it for a few minutes while he whispered. He remained silent and greatly concentrated.
Again he took his finger and started running it over the wound to collect some blood on his finger. He drew a detailed picture of a laughing skull on the belly. He examined his drawing closely and grinned again. Then he took his finger full with blood and held it closely to his face. As he whispered some prayers he licked some of the blood.

‘Velsharoon, take dis soul and make ‘em yers. He’ll be prepared soon. Let me connect ta it and feel it’s pain. ‘

Urric took out a small dagger and closed his eyes. He examined the dagger closely and grinned widely while looking up at the sky as he whispered some final prayers.
He took the knife and carefully cut his forearm rather deep. Showing no signs of pain he held his arm above the corpse, dripping some blood over the drawn skull. Urric then spread his arms and a huge shock of energy blew through his body again. The corpse on the ground lit up for a few seconds and then everything grew dark once again. Urric sweated and exhaled deeply. He smiled and talked to himself softly as he started covering up the body with mud. With only the head uncovered he heard footsteps softly coming closer and closer. He stopped and listened closely for minutes, and immediately ran past one of the huge stones to seek cover, as he heard the gate opening quickly. Two individuals entered the graveyard and Urric crouched deeply behind one of the stones, trying to keep his eyes on the two men. Undead immediately started attacking the two and Urric laughed to himself as he watched. The smile slowly faded away from his face as one of the two men was slaying them all with little effort. Urric boiled with anger and cursed softly to himself. The corpse approached and halted at the sight of the corpse.

‘A corpse Sir’
‘Hmm, yes. Why isn’t this finished?’
‘I don’t know Sir, do you want me to set it on fire?’
‘Yes please do. Should keep it from becoming one of those’
‘Yes Sir’

One of the men took out an oil flask and set the corpse on fire, angering Urric even more.
Urric waited in silence for the two to leave. After he heard the footsteps he slowly came out from behind the stone and walked up to the burning corpse. He muttered while shaking his head and whispered some final prayers. Before he left he stood walked towards the tomb for the last time. As he placed a hand on the door again, he felt the huge sensation of energy once more. He took out a piece of parchment and carefully scribbled some of the symbols on it. As Urric stood at the gate he turned around and spread his arms widely. He grinned and took a deep breath.

‘Me will be back fer sure, me will be seein’ ye soon ‘gain me minions’

He raised his walking stick in the air and turned and left.

Back at the gates he thought deeply and decided to make his way to the library. He slowly stumbled inside soaked from the rain and leaving a trail of drip marks wherever he went.

‘Welcome! How may I be of service’ – was the polite introduction he received from the lore keeper.

‘Aye, ye think ye kin help me with sum of these symbols lad?’

The lore keeper took the paper Urric handed him and examined it closely.

‘Of course Sir. These symbols are Kozakuran and appear on the tomb of Chou, a tomb in the graveyard. One of their greatest fighters is laid to rest there.’

‘Me sees, thank ye lots. Ye think ye kin also get me sum information ‘boot other places? Negative ones especially?’

‘Of course Sir, follow me.’

Urric followed as he was told and was taken to a huge book, almost twice his own size. He nodded to the lore keeper and flipped through the enormous pages. He stayed at the library for hours and read through the book until the sun set again. Urric yawned and walked towards the door, raising his stick to the lore keeper before he left, into the pouring rain again. Urric’s eyes were almost closed as he stumbles outside. Suddenly his eyes were forced wide open again as the same large rat filled his view entirely.

‘Well? You found it?’

‘Aye me thinks’ – he answered in a stuttering voice

‘Well what did you find?’

‘Da source holds a great Kozakuran fighter, Chou. Da place seems ta be sum kind of Doldrum.’

‘Ah yes, you did well, very well! The clergy welcomes you.’
The rat ran off again, too fast to follow for Urric’s tired eyes. Urric rubbed his head and muttered softly, while he stood confused for several minutes. Then he shrugged and tightened his cloak while he walked into the Sembian streets again, still holding the same atmosphere.