I was strolling along throughout the streets of Britain, minding my own business taking the day off from the usual carnage that is my life. However this was to be more out of the ordinary then the adventures my life usually leads me through, in fact I wasn’t prepared at all.

So here I was walking towards the tavern when a mysterious moongate opened before my very eyes. Moongates are a common thing around Britain but this was different. The moongate itself was a blood red colour and as I moved closer I could hear a noise…. What it was I wasn’t sure of, though it almost sounded like a dulled scream. Now if you have lead a life such as mine this isn’t enough to shock you, infact many of my travels still haunt me and I was wondering if I was just imagining things.

Of course it was in my nature to explore this phenomenon, I knew I would regret it if I didn’t so without a second thought I walked through with one swift stride. Dark… and cold…. the first thoughts that ran through my head as I found myself standing within what seemed to be woods, but there was a clearing. My eyes adjusted to the lack of light and through the fog my eyes gazed upon shadowed objects, they seemed to be buildings of some sort and from them I could hear that sound once again…

It sounded more like a person in distress that helped keep my mind clear as all I could think of was helping this poor being. Foolishly I ran off into the fog towards what I figured to be the source of the sound, but before I could get far I was stopped dead in my tracks. Before me stood a horrendous creature, its stench alone was enough to distract anyone. Its flesh appeared to be rotting, chunks would fall to the ground as it staggered toward me. Tilting my head back I looked up into the fiends eyes, which I think was my worst mistake. Glowing red with fire they pierced through me almost as if it were staring straight down into my soul itself. What would I do?

Right at that moment I heard the shouts and screams of others. As they came from behind me I assumed others must have followed me in, thankfully my assumption was correct. Some I had met before, luckily the ones I did know were mighty warriors and warlocks I had the pleasure of fighting alongside previously. I explained what I had seen and we gathered a party together to hunt these beasts!

A spell of protection was cast upon us and we charged in, all was well as we sliced through the toxic flesh of the foes before us but as we left more of their corpses beneath us I felt more and more as though another was watching me. I had always had these senses and they hadn’t failed me yet, I spread warning throughout our group but it was too late. There she was before us; her mount was terrifying enough as it charged against us but that was to be the least of our worries.

Before long our once strong and well organized party was torn apart and we were running for our lives. The foe was formidable and to slay such a creature we would need help. I headed back out to call upon reinforcements. The people of Sosaria inspired hope within me as adventurers from all over came to our aide. Together we would do battle and I was sure that with all this help we could bring her down with relative ease.

Unfortunately I underestimated our opponent once again, she laid devastating blows, strong enough to bring down the fiercely tamed beasts that our allies set against her. I myself received a fatal blow and I could feel myself passing through to the realm of the dead, a horrific feeling, and worse then anything imaginable. Although once again I found myself calm as I looked around, why you ask? I shall tell you…

At first I was just as everyone else around me, scared and somewhat confused as to where I was. It was in that moment I realized exactly where I was but what surprised me were the others I saw around me, I had never been blessed with the ability to see and speak to other spirits who have passed on which is why it came as a surprise. Amongst those who had thought beside me were others…just by their appearance I could tell they were not of my generation.

After much confusion it all became clear, these ghosts were from a time long ago, the people of this village. A great curse had been placed upon them; they were unable to pass through the realms of which time has brought us. Neira herself was the key, until slain they would be held here between worlds to undergo eternal suffering. This was it, this was when I realized she HAD to be slain, not for us but for them, those from generations before us who have been exposed to unnatural torment.

It so happened that through all these thoughts and distractions I had not noticed a healer had been working on me, hoping to restore my life to me once again. She succeeded, to which I will never be thankful enough. Immediately I began to explain to her what had happened here within this haunted village and the word spread through to all who were set against Neira. With this knowledge it somehow raised the spirits and determination of everyone and they lay siege once more!

Many lives were lost but the bravery these people showed was admirable and they will be remembered as such. It was a slow drawn-out battle that will not be forgotten lightly but we could sense her power diminishing with each strike we placed upon her. Though she was not about to go down without a fight, she fought back against everyone who came near her despite being fatally wounded, in fact it was enough to scare us off briefly, her power still was overwhelming and the bond between her minions and herself was unquestionable.

A matter of time was all it would be before her demise and before long enough she was near death, but before her falling she let out one last bone chilling threat:

Sadly I do not doubt this to be true, after all can the undead truly be forever slain?

-Lead Counselor Eagle