Abandoned Knowledge of the Cursed Path Left by the Dead Witches Throughout history, the existence of witches has been shrouded in mystery and folklore. These individuals, traditionally believed to possess supernatural powers and the ability to communicate with spirits, have often been feared and misunderstood by society. While some witches may have used their powers for good, there have been tales of a dark and cursed path that a select few have chosen to tread. The knowledge of this cursed path, however, seems to have been all but abandoned, left by the dead witches who came before. It is said that these witches, consumed by their own power and the darkness that beckoned them, walked a treacherous road that led to their downfall. Their pursuit of forbidden magic and the desire for ultimate power led them astray, with dire consequences.
To leave my underworld labyrinth, I knew I had to be able to choose a path and trust that it was the right one. I’d have to be able to trust my inner voice. Writers, and artists of all kinds, need to be able to trust the choices they make in order to complete a project. My curse made me doubt myself. I couldn’t choose a path and stick to it. I needed a psychopomp, a guide whose map I could trust. I chose Mercury, he’s had the job of psychopomp for thousands of years. He has experience. He felt friendly to me, queer, and with a good sense of humor; he encouraged me not to take my curse so seriously. The rites of witchcraft can help us take writing back into our own hands. I wasn’t at the mercy of the muses, Mercury told me laughing. I didn’t need to wait helplessly for inspiration to come. I could conjure the allies I needed. I could forge the path myself through the power of my craft.
My memoir is a testimony to the ways witchcraft helped me escape from that trauma, from the underworlds of sex work, misogyny, family legacies of abuse, patriarchy, and shit jobs. To write, a body must show up, it must sit down, it must stay in the place where the writing happens, even when all our fears, anxieties, and insecurities come shouting at us to leave, to go make ourselves coffee, to do our dishes, to garden, to avoid.
Their pursuit of forbidden magic and the desire for ultimate power led them astray, with dire consequences. In this abandoned knowledge lies the teachings and warnings that could have prevented others from falling victim to the cursed path. The wisdom of the dead witches, despite their missteps, could have served as a guidepost for those tempted by the allure of dark magic.
Coins for a Dead Man's Eyes
You can start - and complete in its entirety - this quest in the Swamp Witch’s Hut area. From where you enter the map in the north-center of the map, follow a road south (battling dire boars and will-o’-wisps as you go) until you find some ruined houses to the southeast. Make your way south around the western edge of these houses, then head east to find the ruins of a small chapel, which stands out due to its stone fence. Inside you’ll find a “Spectre” which will provide very little useful information save that he used to be the village Headman, and has been denied his rightful rest by some malevolent “lights” in the village well. Whispering, hissing lights. This will start the quest Coins for a Dead Man’s Eyes.
View Full-size(1 of 4) If you fail to properly buff, the wisps will deal grievous damage with their Lightning Form attacks.
The well you’re after is to the west, and you’ll probably need to dispatch a group of worgs to get there. Once you reach the well, don’t foolishly go opening it without prior preparation, however, as the specter wasn’t lying about what lurks within. Once the well is opened (you’ll get the option to perform a [Detect Magic] and [Will 20] check at the well, but they don’t really achieve much) you’ll be confronted by two War Wisps and an Ancient Will-o-Wisp.
These foes are superficially similar to Will-o-Wisps in that they are spectral foes with a high Armor Class (a problem exacerbated by their 50% concealment) but there the similarities end. Will-o-Wisps didn’t have much damage potential, but these Wisps will readily assume a “Lightning Form”, dealing heavy (don’t be surprised to see 20-30 damage) electrical damage to all opponents in a line, essentially functioning as a Lightning Bolt spell. This damage is mitigated by a Reflex Save, not Armor Class, so your warriors will be particularly susceptible to it. Fortunately the Reflex Saves required are pretty low, and if you succeed you’ll only take half damage. If engaged in melee, the wisps are likely to resort to single-target attacks. These attacks also deal electrical damage, and only require a touch attack to hit. Thankfully they deal much less damage, but taking 15~ damage per hit on top of the Lightning Form strikes will quickly dispatch your warriors if they don’t have some aid.
Speaking of aid, two spells will largely guide you to victory here: Haste (as usual) and Resist Energy, Communal. The latter is a 3rd level Divine spell which either Harrim or Tristian (or any mercenary Cleric of 5th-level or higher) should have access to by now. Just be sure to cast the electrical variant to give all your characters Electrical Resistance 10/-. It’ll take the sting out of the wisps’ attacks, and every little bit will help. If you have access to 4th-level divine spells, stacking Protection from Energy, Communal will also help, but it’s not strictly necessary.
After those preparations have been made, situate your party north and slightly west of the well (be wary of the Greater Tatzlwrym and its lesser Tatzlwyrm buddies to the west - it may be a nuisance you need to get rid of, first). The Ancient Will-o-Wisp will spawn here, and since it’s the greatest threat, you should focus on it first. Not only will starting out near it allow you to surround it and cut it down quickly, but proximity may also induce the Ancient Will-o-Wisp to use its less dangerous melee attack. When it’s dead, move east to the War Wisps and cut them down one at a time. Other than endeavoring to ensure your characters don’t form an attractive line, there’s little you can do but hope RNG is on your side. With those preparations, however, you should emerge victorious.
Banish the wisps, then loot them for a pair of Coins with Wilber’s Name (War Wisps) and a Coin with Callistropsia’s Name (Ancient Will-o-Wisp).
With these coins you have the key to clearing this quest, but you have two options for which cursed inhabitant of this swamp you can free from their purgatorial existence:
Celtic knotwork is another iconic aspect of Celtic symbolism. These knots showcase how everything in life is interconnected; they form a visualisation of the complex web of energies that shape the universe.
But instead, their knowledge lies dormant, left behind as a cautionary tale. The reasons behind the abandonment of this knowledge are multifaceted and steeped in legend. Some believe that the surviving witches intentionally buried the teachings to prevent others from being tempted and plagued by the curses that had befallen their predecessors. They feared that the knowledge could corrupt even the purest of hearts and lead astray those who sought power for their own gain. Others speculate that the abandoned knowledge stands as a testament to the inherent danger of delving too deeply into the dark arts. The dead witches, in their demise, left behind a warning that the consequences of walking the cursed path would be severe and irreversible. It is as if they sacrificed their own legacy to protect future generations from the same fate. Regardless of the reasons, the abandoned knowledge of the cursed path left by the dead witches represents a lost opportunity to learn from their mistakes and understand the dangers that lie in the pursuit of forbidden magic. It serves as a reminder that power, when left unchecked, can lead to destruction and turmoil. Perhaps one day, someone will stumble upon the remnants of this abandoned knowledge and heed its warnings. They may rediscover the teachings and utilize them to prevent others from falling prey to the darkness. Until then, the cursed path remains a cautionary tale, a cautionary tale that the dead witches left behind for those who dare to explore the realm of magic and the darkest corners of the human soul..
Reviews for "Dark Magic and Forgotten Lore: Resurrecting the Cursed Path of Dead Witches"
- Sarah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Abandoned knowledge of the cursed path left by the dead witches". The premise seemed interesting, but the execution fell flat for me. The writing was confusing and lacked clear direction. It felt like the author was trying too hard to be mysterious and edgy, but it just came across as convoluted and pretentious. I struggled to connect with any of the characters or understand their motivations. Overall, I found this book to be frustrating and unsatisfying.
- John - 3 stars - Although I appreciate the attempt at creating a dark and eerie atmosphere in "Abandoned knowledge of the cursed path left by the dead witches", I found it to be overly dramatic and over-the-top. The descriptions were excessively gory and graphic, which made it difficult for me to enjoy the story. Additionally, the pacing was inconsistent, with long stretches of nothing happening followed by sudden bursts of action. I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations.
- Emily - 2 stars - I had a hard time getting through "Abandoned knowledge of the cursed path left by the dead witches". The writing style was too dense and the story was confusingly structured. I felt like I was constantly trying to piece together fragments of information in order to understand what was going on. The characters were poorly developed and lacked depth. Overall, I couldn't connect with this book and it left me feeling frustrated and unsatisfied.