Exodus

Using the Cursed, the remnants focused all their energy on creating a great fleet as well as constructing an ark. Made from a hodgepodge of structures pieced together and given seaworthiness by the Cursed they set off into an uncertain future out at sea. Few stayed behind in the small piece of uninfected land left. Fewer still believed the sun-scorched line would hold. As the fleet departed, the fears were proven correct. Those who stayed were swallowed up. Weeks at sea saw supplies dwindle until land was finally sighted.

After a month of sailing a call from the lead vessel told them land was near. The passengers were mutedly celebrating until the “land” finally came into clear view. Stretching as far as the spotters could see was a graveyard. Crushed ships, decks wiped clean by by the sands of time, comprised the shore of this carrion island. Further in, trees grew and plants sprouted from corpses of barely visible vessels. Odd angles jutted upwards from the ground. Beyond the trees odd angles reached upward out of the ground, and in the center a massive sea green ziggurat loomed over the rest of the artificial island. Desperation for land drove a ship of northern passengers ashore. Advancing cautiously, the island seemed stable. Its component parts had somehow fused together.

Tentatively exploring the beach of smooth ship decks, some hatchways survived the inexplicable melding. Down below the decks, innumerable compartments had also fused together. Doors below would lead to completely different ships pieces. Crew cabins still laced with hammocks angled downwards while connected cargo bays would angle up forming one large component ending in a small door to a huge galley. That same galley was connected to an equally out of place area of other ships, forming an illogical maze. A whole island underneath another with no marks indicating where one began and another ended. Only the weird angles and different slants of the sections hinted as to the ends and beginnings of once separate ships.

Eventual explorations by the Society for Inquisitive Minds sparked a rash of bizarre sightings along the coast. While they established towns and food was suspiciously easily grown, a few years saw expeditions venturing further into the jungles that had grown of the ship graveyard. Three explorers returned from the final expedition to the looming ziggurat. After a meeting with the Kaiser, preparations began to leave the island.

As supplies were loaded on the ships chitinous monsters resembling a horrible mixture of man and angler fish pulled themselves into view from the jungle canopy. The Cursed got to work focusing their powers to dislodge a section of the island from the whole or driving back masses of the abominations from the beach. Hours of rear-guard fighting decimated the defenders. Despite several of the dwindling sea vessels falling victim to the onslaught, the women and children mostly escaped in tact. The men were not as fortunate. Only half survived the exhausting battle and made it to safety. Those who escaped the slaughter watched as the line of fighters who volunteered to stay to the end shortened it disappeared. Legends of the final battle say one Duralian and one Hemosan still held the line until the end, leading to the common battle cries ”Jusqu'à la fin” for Hemosans or “Bis zum ende” for Duralians.

Once again the remnants of mankind were out to sea. As they left the island, it appeared much smaller than it should have. The jungle congealed in upon itself and the strewn remnants of a generation as it disappeared from sight.

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