Spooktober 2022

The moving lady

Prompt 1: Portrait

Three years, three months and three days before her death Lady Ulla commissioned a portrait of herself, telling the painter that if he captured her likeness he'd see riches beyond belief. Months later the painter revealed his creation. It was immediately hailed as a masterpiece, with every little detail matching the Lady perfectly, down to individual hairs.

However, when the painter asked for payment he received only ordinary pay. This caused the painter to curse Lady Ulla to never find enjoyment when looking at the painting. Over the months and years Lady Ulla seemed to get more paranoid, claiming that the painting moved when only she was looking. This got to the point that she had the painting burned, but that didn't calm her mind. Eventually she ended her own life, finally free of the painting.

The lost ship

Prompt 2: Vanish

In the fifth year of Yrkas' reign the Musa sailed out of the port of Yrr, towards the nearby port of Rii, loaded with silver. Spotters in Yrr reported that the ship had arrived in Rii safely and without incident. A day later a messenger from Rii arrived, asking why the Musa was delayed.

After some confusion it became clear that spotters in Rii never saw Musa leave Yrr, contrary to what people in Yrr had seen.

Investigations were started and people questioned, but nothing came of it. The Musa and her crew had somehow disappeared.

Ella Thorn

Prompt 7: Thorn

Ella Thorn was born to a noble family in Yrr, but she was cast out after a rival family had manipulated the king into believing that she had killed a beggar.

She swore revenge against everyone who wronged her and her. Soon people in the rival family would end up dead, always with a blood red rose held in their lips.

While Ella was the prime suspect she could never be proven guilty.

Mirror of self reflection

Prompt 9: Mirror

Somewhere in the archives of Hallfeld is a full length, oval mirror covered in cloth, both tho prevent it from getting dusty and to prevent people from looking at their own reflection.

This is because it causes people looking at themselves to immediately go through introspection and to gain full understanding of themselves. Most accounts of people going through this cannot handle the truth and go mad.

Orb of Millok

Prompt 10: Broken

The Orb of Millok was a magical crystal orb weighing the same as a human. Those who gazed into it could see lights dancing around and in the hands of a wizard such as Millok it could unleash astounding magical power.

During a wizard duel it was shattered and the amount of magic unleashed caused the town to be evaporated in a blinding white light. When the dust settled the orb was still there, spewing out magical energy that no human could hope to go near without dying.

Tower of Lucy

Prompt 14: Ruin

These ruins once were inhabited by a wizard named Lucy. One day she stopped coming to the village and when the villagers tried to find out what had happened they found that the tower had collapsed and created a heap of rubble.

Suspecting that Lucy was buried they went to excavate the body, but the stones were covered in magical potions and regents that had leaked, creating an incredibly toxic mixture. The villagers decided to stop and instead erected a tombstone to remember her name and why she is still there. Both it and the rest of the tower has since started to wither.

The red mist

Prompt 15: Mist

Those who are foolish enough to walk along the bog south of Yrr, known as bog of lost souls, on a blood moon will find that the mist has turned red. The belief is that on a blood moon the souls that have drowned in the bog are allowed to leave, assuming they find a host to consume.

Inhaling the red mist causes creatures to first become itchy, but very quickly they start bleeding out of every orifice and old wounds, succumbing to blood loss in a matter of minutes.

Shadow

Prompt 17: Shadow

Shadows are created by ripping the shadow of any creature and animating that shadow through the use of magic. It can also happen naturally if it is an area bathed in magic while the creature is afraid and constantly looking around.

Shadows want to reunite with their former body and the only way they can do that is by wither be slain or by slaying their former body.

Goblin water

Prompt 18: Spirit

Goblins are not well known for their culinary expertise, but those who have heard of goblin water are often curious and foolish enough to want to try it. It was first discovered like all goblin inventions: a bad idea implemented poorly.

Goblin water is created through a combination of poisonous fungi, dried blood and rotting flesh. The toxic mixture is fermented, after which it is distilled into one of the strongest alcoholic beverages that anyone has had the poor fortune of drinking.

Clockwork eye

Prompt 19: Relic

Said to have been created on the plane of law this relic appears as an eyeball made of tiny gears and springs.

When inserted into an empty eye socket it does not grant the wearer any vision, instead it gives an absolute time reference in the form of ticking and a mechanical voice that regularly calls out time into the skull bone. It also continuously points in a fixed heading even if the world or person around it moves.

Shatter

Prompt 21: Shatter

A classic spell for those who are practicing magic and are of a destructive nature. When cast it causes a loud, destructive explosion in a nearby location that has a tendency to destroy flesh, bones and stones.

It is rarely used underground as it is destructive enough to potentially cause a cave-in. As such anyone in the Underdark who has it prepared is shunned and called suicidal.

Lock of Quio

Prompt 22: Lock

Almost a century ago the wizard Quio made this lock as a prank on his mentor Pned. It was made to look exactly like the lock to Pneds private room in the wizard tower they were in, but with one difference.

This replica always locked or unlocked at the most inopportune times. Sometimes it locked Pned in or out, other times it unlocked to allow the cats to get in and cause mischief.

It took Pned months to figure out what was going on. After reprimanding his pupil for the inconvenience he congratulated him for making a magical object without Pned finding out.

Gates of Hell

Prompt 23: Door

The Gates of Hell are portals to hell. Anyone who has actually seen one of the gates calls them disappointing. Most believe them to make even ancient dragons to look tiny, but instead they are only large enough for small creatures to walk through without ducking.

The look is also nothing special. A solid wood door with simple metal hinges and no lock. It wouldn't look out of place leading down into a wine cellar. The only thing that stands out is that the top door frame has the words "Abandon all hope ye who enter here" stamped into it.