Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness Update #43 - Those That Lurk in the Shadows
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Following the previous update that introduced us to some of the cults we’ll encounter while exploring Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness, GrapeOcean Technologies brings us a new update for their upcoming CRPG, this one dedicated to the signature beasties belonging to those cults. Check it out:
Greetings, adventurers!
If you have the Royal Herbalist, Boxed Edition, Undead Miser, Early Access, Royal Historian or any higher level tier and haven't yet filled out the herb/loot/catacomb message survey(s) we have sent you, please make sure to do so before 26th March 2021. After that point, these aspects of the game will be locked and cannot be customzied any longer with your input. (More advanced rewards such as helping us design NPCs, items or encounters will not be locked. We even haven't sent surveys for those reward types yet.)
While our previous update dealt with cults and religions of Yerengal, the current post presents some of the horrors and monsters employed by the dark cults: Zoria Abomination, Zoria Moon Horror, Blood Elemental and Shadowfury Demon.
Zoria Abomination
The cult of Zoria often uses transformation into an abomination as a form of punishment among its ranks. A rather spectacular form of it, that is. Most initiates only need to see it once to understand that appropriate behavior is a must.
The will of the abomination is taken away, along with any semblance of personality it ever had. Only a hunger for flesh, and an urge to kill remains. Therefore, Zoria abominations can be used effectively as the first line of defense against anyone who would threaten the cult. They are not considerably stronger or faster than regular human beings, but their complete disregard for their own well-being makes them fierce opponents in combat. They are led on a short leash, and the cultists have developed their methods for controlling them over the years. There is always a few of them to spare when the time comes.
Moon Horror
The magic of Zoria is a very dark sort, potent, but dangerous. Her power can combine life and death, or turn one into the other, but there might be a sombre price to pay, should one wish to use it. Her cultists train for many moons before making an attempt at using her dark arts. Those unfortunate souls however, who come into contact with her magic unprepared, might soon find themselves twisted into malformed beings known as Moon Horrors. Moon Horrors barely resemble their original form, and their body is engulfed in a shroud of dark, glimmering mist that is the manifestation of Zoria’s magic.
The cultists of Zoria often used this to their advantage. To protect their secrets from unwanted attention, their most important scrolls and items were enchanted with such magic. Should these items fall into the wrong hands, their examination would lead to the investigator’s painful demise.
Blood Elemental
Elementals are formed by the primal forces of nature, beings animated by pure wild energy. Blood elementals are formed when the world is corrupted to the extent that even these primal forces become warped. Rothgor’s influence on Yerengal made all of it possible. Countless cauldrons of blood have been collected by them to fuel the creation of these elementals. These monstrosities often walk the halls of the hideouts used by his cultists, protecting them from threats both inside and outside. The sight of these coagulated beasts strike fear into the hearts of anyone that should set their sights on them.
They are surprisingly docile, however, once one learns how to control them. The cultists of Rothgor quickly become used to their presence, and learn how to control them during their initiation. They mean no harm to the initiates, until they decide to cross the will of the devil-god. Should they do, however, they would soon find out the strength of these dark beings.
Shadowfury Demon
Brought to existence through the pure, swirling hatred of the devil-god Rothgor, the Shadowfury Demon is a true menace to the denizens of Yerengal. These creatures rarely set their clawed feet outside the magical realm of their master, but when they do, only pain and suffering is left in their wake. Their throbbing hearts are filled burning, scalding-hot blood, fueled by a singular intent to kill and maim anything that moves. Shadowfuries are somewhat intelligent creatures, capable of thought and planning, but their savage nature prevents anything more complex than that. During their time in the realm of Rothgor, they tend to feed off the thick fumes that are vented through the barren grounds.
Shadowfury Demons can be brought to the lands of mortal beings only through Ritual Magic. Their will cannot be controlled, and they only answer the influence of Rothgor. Even the cultists avoid them if possible due to this. These creatures care for their master, but not for his puppets, so cultist initiates are easily treated as free prey. Rothgor sometimes rewards those who meddle with ritual magic – his own invention – with sending a Shadowfury instead of what they hoped to summon. The devil-god finds this rather amusing.
We will come back after a week with the next update - stay tuned!
