Ding!

Due to the activation of the harmony effect of the Gatekeeping Array, the effects of the Voidblight will be lessened.

The air doesn’t feel as oppressive as before.

The Voidblight effect has been somewhat alleviated.

All stats decreased by 2.

Hp will decrease by 3 every 40 seconds.

Tacha was shocked to read the notifications. She thought she had to suffer through all of her unkown dishes for all of her stay here. Though, she wasn’t completely cured from the blight. It just reverted back one stage.

Does that mean that if she had activated it when she had just been afflicted, then she would have been completely cured?

The granny shaked her head. There was no point in thinking about the what ifs, once she got out of here she would probably get naturally rid of the Voidblight. Now that the basement was decently illuminated, grandma Tacha could search for more clues to advance with the chain quest.

Corruption Runs Deep

You found Kirio’s mother, Layla, in the hidden depths of the Amber Jackal ruins. However she was far beyond saving, her body and mind already lost to the Corruption.

You wonder, how did she get trapped down there?

Completion percentage: 3%

Quest rewards: The penalty for failing the previous chain quest will be removed.

In short, she had only to undertand how Layla became that… slimey thing. Well, it shouldn’t be that hard. Usually quests like these have all of the clues laying around.

She thought for a bit. From where should she start?

As she was reading the quest for ideas, the term Corruption catched her eye. It was the first time she saw it. There was no explanation if she focused on it, and none of the notifications before mentioned it. At least, she didn’t think so.

Could it be some kind of Blight? The system did hint at multiple of them existing. Tacha frowned. She either didn’t met the conditions to get a tutorial about it, or the system notifications were sneakely concealing part of the information.

She had to search the forum before logging in next time. If no one had ever heard of this term, then she had to change the way she looked at the system. If she trusted too much in its accuracy and definitions, she might one day make a fatal mistake during a quest because she had not enough information.

As for the possibility of starting from the beginning… she had heard that it was a hassle. She was too old to have the patience to sit through hours and hours of paperwork.

Stopping her wandering thoughts, she focused on the quest description.

If we assume that the Corruption is a severe version of the Blight, then that would mean that Layla probably caught it here in this room. A prolonged exposure to the Blight would have worsened the disease and turned her into that slimey form.

Still, it’s weird. Couldn’t she have operated the array? It seems like its main effect was to dispel the Blight. But what if she didn’t? If it wasn’t for the fact that both me and Frӧst were trapped here in the darkness, we would have never bothered to activate it. Unless it was for searching for more treasures. That is the most effective way to entice players.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

So, assuming I was a normal researcher, here just to take a look at the ruins, I wouldn’t carelessly touch some strange machine without understanding it first. It might be a death trap.

Tacha nodded to herself. Then, if her suppositions are on the nose, then wouldn’t she have left some notes somewhere?

Her eyes darted around the room. At last, stopping into a suspicious spot not far from the Metal Emblem. She crouched down; in front of her there was a little pile of muck that covered an exhausted magic lamp, of the same type she had brought back at the general store. The lamp didn’t look like anything special, but a small window appeared at the corner of her eye.

6%

The completion percentage of the quest seemed to have gone up. Was it a clue? She put it aside and the percentage didn’t decrease. It seemed like it wasn’t necessary for her to keep the item.

Tacha got up, but halfway through she noticed that the slab where the lamp was before was slightly higher than the rest of the floor. Curious, she tried to raise it, and it came off with ease. Under it was a worn notebook.

Bingo! With sparkling eyes, she checked its contents. In it there were various writings detailing the ruins themselves. From the suspected datation of the building, to an in-depth analysis of the murals found inside.

20%

However the latest entries were messy and rushed; quite a contrast with the neatly handwriting found at the start. The last few pages were completely ruined, with the slimey grime smeared all over it. Not that it mattered since the handwriting had already become unreadable by that point.

Worn out Notebook

A carefully hidden notebook that you found under a floor tile.

A comprehensive study of the Amber Jackal ruins is meticulously compiled inside, however the latest entries are completely unreadable. Grime can be found all over the notebook.

There’s no other way. I must try it.

Entry 1:

The ruins seem to be dating from at least 400 years ago. The stone blocks are typical from the region, probably brought here from the deposit south-west from the village.

The architecture and statues are completely different from the ones found all around Garnea Kingdom. The alphabet too has no resemblance to the sacred scriptures of the White Order.

I suspect that they’re not the branch that had separated from the sacred city of Kash’ri Lah 500 years ago, but a civilization native to the northen region.

The structure inside is well preserved, the mural too in the main hall is in good conditions.

On the right, accommodations and a big library can be found. Most of the books, unfortunately, have become too fragile to be read due to the passage of time.

Wolf, crow and the Sacred Tree motifs can be found in various forms. Some amulets, others pottery and little objects. I should come back to examine it in depth.

On the left, gems and ritual objects and garments can be found, still in good condition. One in particular, presents similarities to the statue in the middle of the central hall. I suspect it was the attire of the highest authority, responsable for performing the main rites.

On an altar, an amber fist-sized gem with a darker streak crossing through its diameter, makes it resemble a cat’s eye. Under it, a seven-branched sword with three gems inlaid along the main blade, lays in exposition.

The mural in the central hall shows a battle between the priests wearing the feathered hat and black creatures with eyes of gold. With the priests successfully pushing back the Night Crunchers. A gem is inlaid in each priest’s chest, with the high priest having three.

On each corner there’s a symbol, starting from the top left and going clockwise: a full red moon, an amber eye, a white sun and a black wolf.

Further studies should be conducted to better understand the meaning.

The coming of a red moon? The Night Crunchers. A blessing? The god they believe in?

Entry 2:

The mural has been burned down. The library too; all of the books have been ripped out and tossed on the floor. I have no clue who did this, I have been careful in coming here in secret. Could it have been one of the villagers?

Entry 3:

I’m grateful that the one that destroyed the library didn’t touch the room on the left.

Putting the orb and the sword in the statue’s hands opened a hidden passage that leads underground. It’s completely dark, but there are more murals down here.

In one the Night Crunchers rush out of a portal, all life withering where they pass through. In another one the priests are helped by winged people and skull wearing people. In a couple of the there are two rites: one to purify a tainted object, and another one to close the portal the Crunchers came out of.

Further in, the priests are fighting with people bearing the symbol of the White Order. An opposing faction? In another mural they make peace and fight together against the golden eyed creatures.

On the wall opposite the stairs, the high priest is surrounded by 7 different symbols and is holding a medallion similar to the one hold by the White Order: the image of the Sacred Tree with the four gems on the tree canopy, two on the sides and one at the roots.

Does it have the same meaning?

The White Order, the guardians of the dead, the keepers of records, the Wind tribe, the Spirit World, the gods above, the blessing of the Sacred Tree.

Where would ---- (unreadable)

Entry 4:

----- the mechanism is part of the rite ----- circle to balance ----- ground to open and purify. ----- need to purify -----, all for the sake ------

------ (unreadable)

Entry 5:

I ------ too late. ------ can still ------ should’ve ------ separated.

------ (unreadable)

--- need to open. ----- (unreadable)

I can’t leave Kirio alone.

Entry 6:

(The entry is mostly scribbles. Grime heavely covers the page. You can only make out one word.)

------- Berith -------