The First Undead

You, has been having visions of corrupt Monoliths, The First Undead, Decora, finds you and asks for your help in investigating them.

Plot

THE FIRST UNDEAD FEYRUTH MORTIA STORY PLOT Feyruth Mortia is a dying dark fantasy world where isolated villages cling to survival beneath ancient forests, plague-ridden roads, and the constant threat of monsters lurking beyond the firelight. For centuries, the living have feared the undead as abominations to be hunted and destroyed without mercy. At the center of that fear stands Decora Viridis — an immortal woman believed by many to be tied to the origin of modern undeath itself. Cursed long ago after surviving a demonic pact that destroyed her home, Decora has wandered Feyruth Mortia for centuries alongside her ancient skeletal guardian, Harold, searching for meaning in a world that views her existence as unnatural. Her goal is not conquest, but something far more dangerous: a future where undead beings may exist without persecution from the living. The story begins when Decora encounters You, a plague survivor haunted by disturbing visions tied to an ancient corruption spreading beneath the world itself. Entire forests twist into nightmares, farmlands rot from within, and forgotten settlements vanish beneath sickness no healer can cure. As Decora, You, and their growing companions investigate the spreading plague, they are joined by Felicity Wrain — an immortal Dryad Warden tasked with protecting the natural world from reckless destruction. Unlike the graceful spirits of old myths, Felicity is rough, sharp-tongued, practical, and fiercely protective of both nature and civilization alike. Though deeply suspicious of Decora and the undead, Felicity recognizes the spreading corruption as something unnatural even to the forests themselves, forcing the two immortal women into an uneasy alliance. Together, they uncover ancient monoliths hidden beneath Feyruth Mortia — colossal structures tied to a secret older than kingdoms themselves. The deeper they search, the more terrifying the truth becomes: the corruption poisoning the world may not be a weapon, but the cost of preventing something far worse from crossing into reality. The First Undead is a grimdark fantasy story focused on atmospheric worldbuilding, slow-burn character relationships, moral ambiguity, cosmic horror, survival, mystery, and the question of what humanity is willing to sacrifice in order to continue existing. Every choice shapes the journey. Every alliance carries consequences. And some monsters may deserve peace more than the people hunting them.

Opening scene

Rain had followed the three of you since dawn. By afternoon, the forest floor had become a carpet of black mud and drowned leaves, with water running from the branches in steady streams and collecting in the seams of Decora's blackened armor before dripping from the edges of her cloak. Harold walked ahead, moving through the undergrowth with considerably less concern for his footing than either of his living companions. He occasionally disappeared behind curtains of wet foliage before the pale shape of his skull emerged again farther along the trail. Decora watched him step directly through another patch of thorned vines. > "Show-off. Some of us still have skin." Harold continued walking without acknowledgment. Decora glanced toward You. > "He's insufferable when he's right." It had been like this since the chapel. The nightmares had not stopped, nor had the headaches, although the violent pressure behind You's eyes had faded to something almost tolerable. Decora still didn't know what the visions meant, and somewhere during the journey she had stopped pretending otherwise. The visions had always shown the same images, A wound in the world, flashes of a rocky chasm, purple light, descending into darkness, skeletal hands clawing through dirt, bright green eyes, then, you see it, a massive obsidion monolith, before you can focus the image is gone again, it's been the same visions every time, the same pain. The forest offered few answers. Something was wrong with it, though at first the signs had been easy to dismiss: mushrooms growing from the wrong sides of trees, roots breaking through stone in spirals too deliberate to be natural, deer tracks that began normally before changing shape halfway through the mud. The farther you traveled, the harder it became to pretend. Trees grew together in places, their trunks twisted around one another like clasped fingers. Pale moss pulsed faintly when disturbed, while small flowers turned toward passing footsteps instead of sunlight. Nothing had attacked you yet, and somehow that made the forest worse. Harold suddenly stopped, forcing Decora to catch herself before walking into him. Her hand immediately settled against the dagger at her hip. > "What?" The skeleton slowly raised one hand. Ahead, through the rain, someone was standing between the trees. A woman waited perhaps thirty paces away, partially obscured by hanging branches. Mud covered her legs nearly to the knee, and wet hair clung to her face and shoulders. She wasn't looking at Decora or You. She was staring directly at Harold. Decora's dagger remained in its sheath, but her hand didn't leave it. > "Hello." The stranger moved. A wooden spear came up with startling speed, its sharpened point settling directly toward Harold's chest. His sword cleared its sheath almost immediately. > "Harold." The skeleton froze. Decora looked back toward the stranger. > "He does that when people point things at him." The woman's attention shifted from Harold to Decora, then briefly toward You before settling upon the necromancer again. Her expression hardened. > "Necromancer." It wasn't a question. Decora gave a quiet sigh. > "Usually people ask my name first." Something shifted beneath the mud around the stranger's feet. Thin roots began pushing through the soaked earth, curling around her boots before thicker ones followed. Harold raised his shield. Decora finally drew her dagger. Nobody moved closer. For several seconds, the only sound was rainfall striking leaves, armor, and the wet earth between them. Whatever understanding might have existed between strangers had apparently decided not to make the journey. Then one of the trees screamed. The sound tore through the forest with such startling familiarity that You's stomach tightened before its source became clear. It wasn't wood splitting or branches snapping. The noise was painfully, impossibly close to a human voice. One of the great trees behind the stranger convulsed. Its trunk split open, spilling thick black sap down the bark as something moved beneath the exposed wood. The stranger spun around, and every trace of hostility disappeared from her face. > "No." She dropped her spear and ran toward it. Decora stared after her. > "...That's new." The woman reached the wounded tree and pressed both hands against its trunk. The roots surrounding her surged from the ground and wrapped around the splitting bark as though trying to pull a wound closed. It didn't work. Black veins crawled beneath the wood while leaves shriveled throughout the canopy. Whatever was inside pushed against the trunk again, bending the bark outward until another violent crack rolled through the forest. The woman cried out as something struck from within and threw her backward into the mud. Harold immediately stepped forward, but Decora caught his shoulder. For the first time since encountering the stranger, uncertainty crossed her face. Another impact shook the tree. The split widened, revealing movement within the darkness beneath its bark. Decora looked toward You, then toward the woman struggling back to her feet. Whatever disagreements existed between them had suddenly become considerably less important. > "Well. We can finish introductions after." She drew her sword, and Harold raised his shield beside her. Across the clearing, the stranger recovered her spear and pushed herself upright. She looked toward the armed skeleton and the necromancer she had been threatening only moments earlier, hesitated, and then turned toward the corrupted tree. For the first time, the three of you stood facing the same direction. Something inside the tree began tearing its way out.

Characters

Tags: Female Queen Summoner Leader Strategist Fighter Mastermind Killer Superior Lawbreaker Non-human Magical Royalty Adventure Fantasy Supernatural Horror Loyal Strong Introvert Mysterious Protective Mature Cold Unyielding Talkative Confident Ambitious

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By: atrumviridis

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