Eli’s Game: The Shadow Well

Centuries ago, the small port town of Celai was chosen as the resting place for a dark secret. The secret eventually faded from living memory and all that remained was a crumbling well filled with inky black liquid. The town became a stop on major trade routes and grew into a modest city. Curiosity eventually consumed the people of Celai, and they began an investigation into the well. The events that followed were the inspiration for dozens of cautionary tales that have since been told to all who enter Celai. It is said that less than a week passed between the start of the investigation and the first accident. The details of the accident are unclear, however, the identity of the first victim is known to be that of the lead researcher Telsen Ikori. The accident was seemingly random and raised little concern outside of those with personal connections to Ikori. The sun rose and fell twice before news of the next tragedy reached the residents of Celai. A young member of the research team had been moving metal onto a ship when a substantial portion of the dock collapsed, and they drowned in the freezing ocean. More accidents followed, and soon the research team had been reduced to a fraction of its size. Word spread that the well was cursed and would bring dangerous misfortune to those who searched for its secrets. In response, the local government created a law that forbade approaching the well. Many years passed, and the city continued to grow.