Marcus

UP: Europa/Drachenfels

    I am a fisherman by trade, so I spend a great deal of time near or on the waters of Britannia. I have seen many a thing happen on the water, but none quite like this.

    I was fishing off the shore of the mainland near the ferry docks of Skara Brea. I noticed three prisoner ships a sail heading for Britain. I stopped my fishing and stood back away from the shore to watch the ships sail by. My father always warned me about the cursed folk aboard those foul barges. This thought stabbed at my brain as I watched the events unfold.

    From out of nowhere flames shot up on the decks of all three ships. Mages revenge? Perhaps… or just a failed escape attempt by the prisoners. I could see their chained bodies running through the flames; the fire hungrily engulfing the human forms. I wretched from the smell of burning flesh, as I watched the ships go down with all they carried. What a horrid way to be stripped from your mortal coil. The prisoners must have signed their souls away to some daemon, for what happened next I cannot yet fully explain. Crates and chests washed ashore, some burnt, some with goods still intact and undamaged. I managed to sneak a Magic Dagger from one of the undamaged chests; it was then that I felt fear crawl up my spine. I turned to see skeletal forms rise from the water. By the dragons in the sky, the water was alive with undead and they were coming ashore, toward me. I ran to Britain as fast as my feet would carry me. I lost my newly found dagger along the way, at the time I cared not.

    As I reached Britain I called to the Guards, but they only protect in city limits. Scared witless, I turned to the only person who I thought could help, the Town Cryer. He had a shocked on his face as he bellowed the news of my horrible tale. Luckily, there were several groups of warriors that took to dispersing the undead, quite handily I must say. I still have yet to find that magic dagger I dropped in my hasty retreat. I think I will stay away from the water for a while. Mother always said I was a decent tailor…

    Marcus the Fisherman…

From the Town Cryer - The Journal of Ultima Online, Saturday, July 3rd 1999