Once upon a time, in a secluded village, there was a legend that told of a frightfully spooky witch. This witch was said to have wicked powers and a sinister presence that sent shivers down the spines of all who encountered her. Tales of her eerie cackling and dark magic spread throughout the region, causing both intrigue and fear. The villagers lived in constant apprehension, afraid to venture out after dark for fear of crossing paths with the witch. They believed that she roamed the woods surrounding the village, preying on unsuspecting souls who dared to wander too close. It was said that those unfortunate enough to fall under her spell would suffer a terrible fate, forever trapped in her clutches.
“Yooou who reeeekindle the Flaaaame, embraaaaccceee deeaatttthhhh!”
Such a curse can be from a variety of sources; an exploitation of a life source at a deific level, exposure to using evil magics for too long, a hex brought upon by a powerful caster or even a destructive force bent on draining life from all reality. Maybe it was a little too realistic for classic monster movie fans; maybe Drake just isn t enough of a monster; or maybe it just came along a decade too late.
It was said that those unfortunate enough to fall under her spell would suffer a terrible fate, forever trapped in her clutches. One fateful night, as the full moon cast an eerie glow over the village, a brave young girl named Emma decided to confront the legend head-on. Her curiosity and unwavering determination drove her to seek out the witch, determined to put an end to the fear that plagued her village.
Curse of Undeath – A Dark Souls-inspired mechanic
Check out my updated take on this alongside some neat ways to change up Tomb of Annihilation (again) here!
“Yooou who reeeekindle the Flaaaame, embraaaaccceee deeaatttthhhh!”
Sometimes, the sweet embrace of death is all but impossible for countless damned souls. They are forced to continue to walk a dark path. For them, they seek to regain an essence of life and restore their shattered minds, lest they be lost to an abyss of emptiness and madness. Such a curse can be from a variety of sources; an exploitation of a life source at a deific level, exposure to/using evil magics for too long, a hex brought upon by a powerful caster or even a destructive force bent on draining life from all reality.
The Curse of Undeath is a vile magical power that breaks the soul and leaves the body as little more than a husk. These drained husks share little with their once living counterparts. They are merely corpses controlled and warped by dread energy. Any remnants of mind left in these creatures are stretched to madness and driven to violence. While many of them retain enough knowledge to fight as though could in life, it is impossible for them to engage in rational dialogue let alone interact peacefully.
Author’s Note: Dark Souls III is out and I love it! With that, here’s an optional rule for handling a curse similar to the Undead of the Dark Souls universe. If you don’t want to literally be running Dark Souls, it shouldn’t be too hard to reflavor this into a different dread curse of sorts. If you’ve ever played Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, Anthony’s chapter certainly comes to mind. One last disclaimer, these are mostly random ideas in my head, in an attempt to make a Dark Souls inspired mechanic. As such, it’s more than likely that this idea is a bit clunky. It will probably receive a revision in the future, if reader interest is there.
An Affliction of Body, Mind and Soul
As the last of life’s flames extinguish, you become less and less human. For every time you die, a piece of you is lost when you’re brought back. Only through restoring your humanity can you truly become whole. Even before the curse has truly taken hold of you, its dark power has tainted you indefinitely. You may currently look like one of the living, but heinous power seeks to transform you into one of many mindless and angry dead.
The source of the curse can be from one of several horrible events. Perhaps the Gods attempted to prolong the life of themselves and their followers by draining life essence from the planes. Perhaps an entire area was desecrated by overuse of necromancy. No matter the cause, the results will turn apocalyptic in the long run as people without souls begin to wither into deranged husks. Even before before truly becoming one of the Undead, the cursed already suffer greatly. Upon being afflicted by the Curse of Undeath, you automatically fail death saving throws when brought to 0 HP. You must still roll a Death save. Upon failure, you receive two failed saves instead. Getting a natural 1 causes three failed saves instead of two.
Image Source: Revenant – oevrlord
Based off of Dark Souls, which belongs to From Software. Made by Doctor Necrotic, for Doctor Necrotic Media.
There’s always a ranch or town boss in a Western who’s the villain, but when there’s a vampire gunman in town any villain is going to seem soft by comparison—even someone like Bruce Gordon, who played Frank Nitti in the old Untouchables TV series and also appeared with Vincent Price in Tower of London. And there’s always a damsel in distress, a delectable morsel-in-waiting in every vampire movie. Here, the part is played by Kathleen Crowley, who was in her fair share of B movies and Westerns, including The Rebel Set, Target Earth, Female Jungle, and Maverick.
Armed with only a small lantern and a sense of purpose, Emma ventured deep into the dark woods. The dense foliage obscured her path, and the wind whispered chilling warnings in her ear. But Emma pressed on, her heart thumping with both fear and anticipation. After what felt like an eternity, Emma stumbled upon a dilapidated cottage nestled deep within the trees. Its twisted and gnarled exterior seemed to mirror the tales of the witch's wickedness. Gathering all her courage, she cautiously approached the cottage, her lantern casting eerie shadows on the cracked windows. As she stepped inside, Emma was greeted by a musty smell and an overwhelming sense of foreboding. The room was adorned with arcane symbols and mysterious potions, hinting at the witch's dark practices. Stepping further into the cottage, Emma discovered a hidden chamber, the walls lined with shelves of enchanted artifacts. But to Emma's surprise, the witch was nowhere to be found. Instead, she stumbled upon a worn journal, its pages filled with the witch's confessions and regrets. It told a tale of a young girl who had once been innocent and misunderstood, but was twisted by a cruel fate and the fear of those around her. Emma's heart softened as she read the witch's story, realizing that the legends had distorted the truth. Suddenly, a figure appeared in the doorway – it was the witch herself, her eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and longing. In that moment, Emma chose compassion over fear. She reached out to the witch, offering understanding and forgiveness. The witch, overcome with emotion, revealed her true name – Lily – and recounted the sorrowful path that had led her to become the frightful witch of legend. From that day forward, Emma and Lily formed an unlikely alliance. Together, they worked to dispel the misconceptions and fear that had plagued the village for generations. Through their efforts, the villagers slowly came to realize that the witch they had once feared was merely a misunderstood soul who had craved acceptance and love. And so, the tale of the frightfully spooky witch became a cautionary tale, reminding all who heard it of the importance of compassion and understanding. Emma and Lily's bond served as a reminder that sometimes, the scariest things in life are nothing more than misunderstood souls in need of kindness and empathy..
Reviews for "The Witch's Legacy: A Hair-Raising Inheritance of Evil"
1. Sally Williams - 2 stars - I was really excited to read "A frightfully spooky witch narrative", but I found myself disappointed. The plot was predictable and lacked any real scares. The characters were flat and one-dimensional, making it hard to connect with them or care about their fates. Overall, the book failed to evoke any sense of fear or suspense, which was a major letdown for a horror fan like myself.
2. John Thompson - 1 star - I couldn't finish "A frightfully spooky witch narrative". The writing was amateurish and filled with clichés. The dialogue felt forced and unrealistic, and the attempts at creating spooky atmosphere were laughable. It was more like a caricature of a horror story than an actual scary narrative. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for a genuinely spine-chilling read.
3. Emily Johnson - 2 stars - "A frightfully spooky witch narrative" fell flat for me. The pacing was incredibly slow, and there were long stretches of filler content that did nothing to advance the plot. The main character was irritating and made questionable decisions, making it hard to root for them. The climax was underwhelming, and there were no real twists or surprises. Overall, I found the book to be a forgettable and uninspiring read.
4. Michael Anderson - 1 star - I am bewildered by the positive reviews of "A frightfully spooky witch narrative". The writing was dull and lacked creativity. The author relied too heavily on tired horror tropes without providing any fresh or innovative ideas. The story dragged on, and I found myself struggling to stay engaged. The book failed to deliver on its promises of fright and left me feeling bored. Save yourself the disappointment and skip this one.