Common Dangers of the Ghostlands

Spirit Sickness

Commonly across the Ghostlands do we have individuals who, upon contact with certain spirits, develop the ill-famed Spirit Sickness. Those who develop this disease must seek help immediately, as the cure only works in the first stage of the illness. I have written an article entirely on this horrid illness that I shall direct you to.

Spectral Caravans

If, upon the roads between villages, you happen upon a ghostly train of wagons and oxen, all of a sudden beset by some evil force or unfortunate encounter, know that you have stumbled upon what is knows as a "Spectral Caravan." These apparitions do not only come in the form of travelling caravans of refugees, but that is their most common form. What this phenomenon truly is is both horrifying to the viewer and torturous for the spirits. What you see in these spectral caravans are true wraiths and other wandering spirits forced to re-enact, until they are released from their bonds (usually via destruction), their deaths, as if it were happening all over again. Worse still, the spirits are not aware that they are actually dead, and have no recollection of their death. When coming upon such a spectacle, it is best to leave it be, unless you are strong enough to put them to rest.

Undead Rifts

These rifts are spiked with dark and demonic energies especially attractive to wandering daemons and undead from all planes of existence. They will commonly burst open in regions of large undead presence (like the site of a spectral caravan), or in places of great tragedy. Most of the Purgers stationed in the Ghostlands presently are there to deal with these phenomena, and they are the root cause of most of the demonic and outer-planar presence in the region. Closing these rifts is no idle task, and if my book should find its way into the hands of a noble adventurer, I should urge you to consult with the Purgers before attempting such a feat. Only they possess the magical knowledge and power to close off a rift until it naturally disappears.

Tainted Water

On the more mundane, I suppose, side of the spectrum of issues in the Ghostlands is that eternal issue of tainted water. While it is certainly not unusual for certain water-holes or wells to become poisoned with disease all across Ultor, in the Ghostands, there are few water sources that are not tainted by rotting corpses or disease. Of course, this problem is compounded by a lack of skilled aquamancers who know how to properly purify the water, and as a result, disease is widespread in the Ghostlands -- mostly those diseases communicable only through via water. One of the primary goals of the Necromancers in the Ghostlands is to distribute as many water purification potions possible, along with teaching locals basic non-magical mitigation techniques (such as boiling their drinking water) and a few basic aquamancy purification spells. While you, my readers, may find this danger a rather mundane source of calamity, I assure you that it has killed far more people in the Ghostlands than all of the demons and devils and extra-planar beings combined. Bear this in mind should you ever find yourself in this land.