The Black Myst

"Nobody knows what the myst is... all I know is that it's hungry and alive..." Arkrhyst the vigilant.   "NO! DON'T GO INTO THE MYST!" - unknown   Hungry and alive?   There is no recorded history of when the black myst arrived. The earliest records state that the black myst appeared after the nameless king vanished but these records are spotty at best.   What is known is that anyone who enters the myst never comes out or back - and it is rightly feared. It retreats from the coast during the day but during the night, no one goes near the coast.   Occasionally the myst will flare up and scour further inland. These events are known as 'harrowings' and the local populace rightly fear them.   The origins of the Black Myst are shrouded in mystery and fear. Some believe it to be a manifestation of the apocalypse itself, a malevolent force born from the chaos and destruction that engulfed the world. Others whisper of ancient curses and forbidden rituals, unleashed by dark sorcerers or vengeful spirits seeking to wreak havoc upon the living.   Nature: The Black Myst is a formless and ever-changing entity, a swirling mass of shadow and darkness that defies comprehension. It is said to possess a malevolent intelligence, capable of twisting the minds of mortals and corrupting the very fabric of reality. Those who encounter the Black Myst speak of an overwhelming sense of dread and despair, as if the very essence of their soul is being consumed by its dark influence.   Manifestations: The Black Myst manifests in various forms, ranging from eerie whispers in the night to shadowy apparitions that haunt the darkest corners of the land. It is drawn to places of suffering and despair, feeding upon the fear and anguish of those it encounters. Entire coastal villages have been swallowed by its darkness, their inhabitants driven mad with terror or transformed into soulless husks enslaved to its will.   Effects: The effects of the Black Myst are manifold and devastating. It twists the minds of its victims, filling them with paranoia and delusion. It corrupts the land itself, turning fertile fields into barren wastelands and poisoning rivers and streams with its toxic influence. Those who succumb to its power become its thralls, twisted and warped by its dark magic into grotesque abominations.   Countermeasures: The Black Myst is a formidable adversary, but not without weaknesses. Ancient wards and protective runes can be used to ward off its influence, while powerful sorcery and divine magic may be employed to banish it from the mortal realm. However, such methods are dangerous and fraught with peril, for those who meddle with the forces of darkness risk becoming ensnared by its malevolent power.