Remington and the Curse of the Undead Souls Remington, a young archaeologist, embarked on a treacherous journey in search of ancient relics. Little did he know that his voyage would take an unexpected turn, leading him into a world of darkness and despair. As he unraveled the mysteries of the past, Remington unknowingly awakened a curse that had plagued the souls of the undead. Deep in the heart of a forgotten tomb, Remington discovered an ancient artifact, the Pharaoh's Amulet. With a glimmer of excitement, he held it in his hand, unaware of the power it possessed. As night fell, the amulet emitted an eerie glow, summoning the long-lost souls that were entrapped within.
“Yooou who reeeekindle the Flaaaame, embraaaaccceee deeaatttthhhh!”
Such a curse can be from a variety of sources; an exploitation of a life source at a deific level, exposure to using evil magics for too long, a hex brought upon by a powerful caster or even a destructive force bent on draining life from all reality. Maybe it was a little too realistic for classic monster movie fans; maybe Drake just isn t enough of a monster; or maybe it just came along a decade too late.
As night fell, the amulet emitted an eerie glow, summoning the long-lost souls that were entrapped within. The curse took hold of Remington's surroundings, turning the once vibrant archaeological site into a haunting abyss. Surrounded by restless spirits, he had no choice but to confront the curse head-on.
Curse of Undeath – A Dark Souls-inspired mechanic
Check out my updated take on this alongside some neat ways to change up Tomb of Annihilation (again) here!
“Yooou who reeeekindle the Flaaaame, embraaaaccceee deeaatttthhhh!”
Sometimes, the sweet embrace of death is all but impossible for countless damned souls. They are forced to continue to walk a dark path. For them, they seek to regain an essence of life and restore their shattered minds, lest they be lost to an abyss of emptiness and madness. Such a curse can be from a variety of sources; an exploitation of a life source at a deific level, exposure to/using evil magics for too long, a hex brought upon by a powerful caster or even a destructive force bent on draining life from all reality.
The Curse of Undeath is a vile magical power that breaks the soul and leaves the body as little more than a husk. These drained husks share little with their once living counterparts. They are merely corpses controlled and warped by dread energy. Any remnants of mind left in these creatures are stretched to madness and driven to violence. While many of them retain enough knowledge to fight as though could in life, it is impossible for them to engage in rational dialogue let alone interact peacefully.
Author’s Note: Dark Souls III is out and I love it! With that, here’s an optional rule for handling a curse similar to the Undead of the Dark Souls universe. If you don’t want to literally be running Dark Souls, it shouldn’t be too hard to reflavor this into a different dread curse of sorts. If you’ve ever played Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, Anthony’s chapter certainly comes to mind. One last disclaimer, these are mostly random ideas in my head, in an attempt to make a Dark Souls inspired mechanic. As such, it’s more than likely that this idea is a bit clunky. It will probably receive a revision in the future, if reader interest is there.
An Affliction of Body, Mind and Soul
As the last of life’s flames extinguish, you become less and less human. For every time you die, a piece of you is lost when you’re brought back. Only through restoring your humanity can you truly become whole. Even before the curse has truly taken hold of you, its dark power has tainted you indefinitely. You may currently look like one of the living, but heinous power seeks to transform you into one of many mindless and angry dead.
The source of the curse can be from one of several horrible events. Perhaps the Gods attempted to prolong the life of themselves and their followers by draining life essence from the planes. Perhaps an entire area was desecrated by overuse of necromancy. No matter the cause, the results will turn apocalyptic in the long run as people without souls begin to wither into deranged husks. Even before before truly becoming one of the Undead, the cursed already suffer greatly. Upon being afflicted by the Curse of Undeath, you automatically fail death saving throws when brought to 0 HP. You must still roll a Death save. Upon failure, you receive two failed saves instead. Getting a natural 1 causes three failed saves instead of two.
Image Source: Revenant – oevrlord
Based off of Dark Souls, which belongs to From Software. Made by Doctor Necrotic, for Doctor Necrotic Media.
There’s always a ranch or town boss in a Western who’s the villain, but when there’s a vampire gunman in town any villain is going to seem soft by comparison—even someone like Bruce Gordon, who played Frank Nitti in the old Untouchables TV series and also appeared with Vincent Price in Tower of London. And there’s always a damsel in distress, a delectable morsel-in-waiting in every vampire movie. Here, the part is played by Kathleen Crowley, who was in her fair share of B movies and Westerns, including The Rebel Set, Target Earth, Female Jungle, and Maverick.
Armed with his knowledge and bravery, Remington vowed to break the curse and lay the restless souls to rest. His journey became a battle against time and evil forces. With each step, he encountered apparitions and witnessed terrifying spectacles. The souls, tormented and consumed by their own demons, sought revenge and redemption. Remington's steadfast resolve became his only defense against the relentless onslaught of the undead. In his pursuit of understanding and breaking the curse, Remington delved into ancient texts and sought the guidance of wise sages. He learned of a hidden ritual that held the key to banishing the curse. However, the ritual required great sacrifice and unearthly courage. Guided by an unwavering determination, Remington embarked on a perilous quest to gather the necessary components for the ritual. He ventured into treacherous landscapes and battled malicious creatures that guarded the sacred items. Along the way, he faced trials that tested his physical and mental strength. Amidst the chaos and danger, Remington found allies who shared his desire to restore balance and free the wandering souls. Together, they formed an unbreakable bond, bringing light to the darkness that had engulfed them. Finally, the day of reckoning arrived. Remington and his allies stood before the cursed amulet, ready to perform the ritual. With great precision, they followed the ancient steps, invoking powerful incantations and channeling their energy. In a burst of light, the curse was lifted, and the souls were set free. Remington emerged from the ordeal a changed person. The curse had tested his resilience, but it also revealed his true character. The experience taught him the importance of understanding and respecting the power of ancient relics. From that day forward, Remington dedicated his life to preserving history and protecting the world from the dark forces lurking in forgotten tombs. He became a guardian against the curse of the undead souls, ensuring that their restless spirits would never haunt the living again..
Reviews for "Remington's Final Stand: Defying the Curse"
- John S. - 1/5 - I found "Remington and the curse of the undead souls" to be incredibly boring and predictable. The plot was uninspired and offered no surprises. The characters lacked depth and failed to engage me in any way. The dialogue was stilted and unnatural. Overall, this book was a major disappointment and I would not recommend it.
- Samantha P. - 2/5 - I was excited to read "Remington and the curse of the undead souls" based on the intriguing title, but unfortunately, the story didn't live up to expectations. The pacing was off, with moments of intense action followed by long stretches of nothing happening. The writing style was also lacking, with awkward phrasing and repetitive descriptions. The ending felt rushed and unfulfilling. While it had potential, this book ultimately fell flat for me.
- Michael R. - 2/5 - I'm a fan of paranormal stories, so I was excited to dive into "Remington and the curse of the undead souls." However, I was disappointed with the execution. The story started off promising, but as the plot progressed, it became convoluted and hard to follow. The character development was lacking, making it difficult for me to connect with any of the protagonists. Additionally, there were numerous editing errors throughout the book, which further detracted from my reading experience. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and would not recommend this book to others.
- Emily M. - 1/5 - I couldn't even finish "Remington and the curse of the undead souls." The writing style was so poorly executed that I had a hard time understanding what was happening. The dialogue was unrealistic and the descriptions were excessive. The characters were flat and uninteresting, making it impossible for me to invest in their journey. This book was a waste of my time and I would not recommend it to anyone.