Here begins my tale of unnatural horror. It was a warm late afternoon and I was wandering aimlessly as the sun’s last rays lit up the dark jungles jungles of the Zorai lands, enjoying the wholesome Kami peace of nature. Fyros-born, I love those deep quiet thickets as a place of calm reflection and contemplation. My way took me southwards from Min Cho, and suddenly my peaceful life was shattered as I happened on a great band of Zorai and Fyros warriors all marching grimly to the south. Breathlessly, I begged them to explain what was happening only to hear to my dismay that the fair Grove of Umbra been taken over by camps of goo-infected Gibbai and Cutes.

 

Joining their ranks immediately, we continued southwards until we came upon the first of the foul creatures’ strongholds which we successfully took following a prolonged battle. Even the mighty infected Cute High Chief was no match for our fighters, mages and healers, and after a brief pause to heal the wounded we set off to find the second camp which we guessed was to the north west of our current location. This proved to be well-hidden indeed, and as we searched, many of our people became disheartened with the constant attrition that our warband suffered at the hands of the marauding bands of the maddened primitives.

 

This second camp seemed to have even more forces then the first, nevertheless undaunted, we let loose our anger on these wicked souls. Slowly however, it came to my attention that our numbers were falling, and to aid the group I switched to healing my new friends and allies in a desperate attempt to revive the dead but this was to be of no avail as we were beaten off and forced to regroup. Finally, the last of the goo-tainted primitives fell but our task was not to be over so easily. Now there came news that the foul monsters had made an outpost in the old fortress of Withered Stock and it became essential to both retake this key position and hold it against the goo! Close to the outpost our forces regrouped and made sure that everyone was at full health and strength before we marched determinedly down the ancient tunnel.

 

The battle waged long and hard but finally we defeated the evil Karavan agents and killed their unnatural leader. As we began the long trek back to civilisation leaving a skeleton force to hold the camp, we realised that our battle was not yet over when we met a Kami and a wise Gibbai who explained that it was imperative that we travel into the Prime Roots and wipe out the camps of the evil Karavan worshipping tribes who had perpetuated these atrocities.

 

Nothing daunted, we made our way to the portal into the dark lands of the Roots, where we quickly encountered the first camp, slaying their wicked leader as he cowered behind his men. The second camp however was a different story and by this time our brave force was down to half its original size. The goo was also much stronger and smarter here and we encountered many teams of Cute and Gibbai working as one. I prayed over and again to Jena give us the power to defeat this abomination and to help us to stand fast, and behold it was so – the might of our blades and natural magic shrivelled the forces of evil where they stood.

 

Nothing with Karavan involvement however is ever simple or easy, and we knew we had to make a final push to the third and last outpost of evil to kill the Black Circle Mage who had masterminded the Goo invasion. Our scouts stated that this final camp lay in the south-east of the lands close to the portal at Spooky End, and time after time our courageous band attempted to fight their way there through the hordes of natural and unnatural wildlife roaming the gloomy depths of the Prime Roots, but it was a hopeless task. Spirits were low indeed when a fearless band of five using cunning and knowledge of the terrain won through to the final outpost and ignoring the massed Gibbai and Cutes as inconsequential, targeted all their efforts at the Mage. The battle raged for endless minutes but eventually aided by Jena and the goodwill of the Kami, the small band triumphed and the dark figure of the Mage crumpled into nothingness.

 

The invasion was over on all the lands of Atys, the natural order had prevailed and the balance was restored, all rejoiced in their hard-fought victory and wore their newly awarded titles of Kami Champion with pride and gladness.

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