Quarantine of Ocaraz

Not often does the Empire of the Jade Eye extend its reach into the lives of those beyond its borders, but when it does, the results can be catastrophic to the balance in the lives of the people and nature itself. Such was the case in Ocaraz in the year 7023 AV, where the discovery of an ancient Astran necropolis brought more than relics and ancient wisdom. It is thought that the opening of the necropolis unleashed a mysterious illness that spread quickly through the village. Faced with an unknown threat, the Empire’s response was swift: a quarantine that sealed Ocaraz from the outside world.

The Illness

The relative peace of Ocaraz was disturbed when an Imperial expedition uncovered a nearby necropolis. The explorers brought not just artifacts back into the village, but also an inexplicable sickness. Symptoms varied wildly, some villagers were blinded, others became enraged and violent, while a few fell gravely ill. Even the High Priestess of the Green Tower, once deeply connected to magic, lost her abilities. Fear consumed the village, and a message for aid was sent to the Empire. In response, the Jade Legion quarantined Ocaraz, stationing soldiers to patrol its borders. The village became tense and silent, overshadowed by the sickness and the growing unease brought by the Imperial presence. The Green Tower, once alive with birdsong and the rustling of small creatures, grew eerily quiet. Its sanctuary emptied as animals fled, disturbed by the unnatural events.

The Cure

Weeks later, a second expedition into the necropolis somehow brought the disease to an end almost as abruptly as it began. Yet this relief came at a high cost. Part of the necropolis was destroyed, and, inexplicably, the Green Tower vanished. Witnesses could not agree on what happened, whether it was teleported or obliterated in a burst of magic, but its absence left a void in both the physical and spiritual life of the village. Ocaraz is now a place of quiet unease. The villagers mourn the loss of the Green Tower, unsure if its disappearance was a punishment, a warning, or something beyond mortal comprehension. The jungle around the village feels quieter, as though it, too, remembers what was lost. While the Empire has withdrawn most of its forces, the scars of the events linger, leaving Ocaraz changed.