Black Exudate

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You are the only survivor of your village...

Well, not only you.

There are a few still alive and hiding in the forests, but they will not survive more than a few days...

If they are lucky, they will escape the ooze and find their way to us. If not, they will curl up and die in the cold. Either way, the ooze will have its fill, and all that stands between it and complete annihilation are the forest carnivores. But the forest does not lend itself to refuge. It is steeped in darkness and fear.

To navigate the forest, we have chosen a single, vibrant man...

Not all of us, of course; we are a village of hunters and descendants. But this man is bright and bold, and could become a leader. This man is you.

You, traveler, will aid us in the defense of this small community. We travel the world, cast into the wilderness, trying to adapt to the ever-encroaching ooze. We are always prepared for the wars, but this pestilence is new. We do not know what it will do to us and our prey. We must be prepared.

It may seem unlikely, but if we survive this, many of us will return to the forest and live amongst the natural darkness, in harmony. We will only hunt what we need. No more will we oppress, no more will we meddle in the affairs of other nations, no more will we plunder their blood.

The weapon we choose names itself...

The Torch. It is familiar to you, because you have seen it in the world of men for generations. It is a blade made of fire, but brandished through darkness, it does not ignite but it does burn. It makes enemies retreat, it makes friends brazen.

You are guided by a seer...

For centuries, our seers have observed the worlds from the shadows, looking for the balance between darkness and light. We believe you are one of these seers. You are needed to guide us.

You are the seer, such you will find yourself in chains, brought before our leaders. They will question your knowledge, but they do not abuse it. You are not abused. You are poured pints of ale, you are treated well, and your skills are appreciated.

You are free to ask anything you wish, but remember: your answer will be different to what you will ask. Perhaps it will be yes, or perhaps a deep compassion, and not something cruel.

This is a hard life, traveling the world. You are wise to seek comfort and companionship from those on the inside.

What about marriage?

Marriages are arranged between the children of our leaders. It is tradition. Do not ken that, if you are wise, it is through the will of the men and women of this village, who love you and want you to be happy.

You are of course free to decline the union.

The beasts of the forest will soon be upon us.

Not the beasts of the forest, but the hunters.

We will weave their chains and feed them to the beasts. This will be our service to the village, to our leaders. It will be done with respect, as we honor the beasts.

But first, we must prepare the oath. This is a thing we will ask of each man and woman of the village, of every leader and hunter. You are one of our leaders, because you were once a small animal, then a hunter, now the leader of the hunters. We want to make sure you are honored