Shards of the Rock - An analysis of properties and effects

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After years of research, I have come to understand much about the Shards of the Rock, and their power over the living.

The Shards are a darker black than any night I've ever seen, with a faint red glow. Each shard seems to be attracted to the others, as if they wish to become one again. When held in close proximity, they will come together, fusing into a larger, more powerful chunk than the sum of it's parts. Many pieces of lab equipment have been destroyed in an attempt to isolate one shard from another, the attractive force proving too strong for conventional means of constraint.

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If a Shard comes in contact with a living thing, it will use it's dark magic to overpower the will of the host, and even a small sliver can spell doom for a full grown human. I have found the use of dragonhide to be invaluable in my pursuit of knowledge, allowing me to hold and examine a Shard without directly touching it. One of my assistants, Starlin, made a fatal mistake, fumbling a small Shard which fell and touched his uncovered forearm. I will never forget the guttural screams which came from deep inside him.

Being the ever-vigilant researcher I am, I immediately cast a containment rune, giving me an opportunity to finally observe the affects of The Rock on an intelligent being. I have observed the type of monsters the Shards create in what used to be animals, and the result isn't pretty.

When a person is consumed by the power of a Shard, a dark, wicked creature is born, and any remnant of the host dies in that moment. A wraith, as I have come to call them, is a being fueled by hatred and violence, seemingly bent on the destruction of our world. A creature shrouded in a black mist with glowing red eyes that seem to see directly through one's soul.

I was unable to contain the Wraith for long, and called for the assistance of the Order of The Fallen to obliterate the creature. A great paladin named Aldur was able to combat the wraith, destroying it's physical form, and leaving the Shard behind.

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To my ultimate surprise, Aldur removed his left gauntlet, exposing a scarred and burnt hand, and picked the shard up from the floor! The moments that followed felt like a millenium. Aldur's eyes rolled back into his head as he was lifted by an unseen force. I prepared my most powerful spells, knowing full well my day had come.

After a moment, Aldur's body descended back to the floor, his arm more burnt than before, and glowing with the same faint red glow as the Shards. This was a pivotal moment in my research. I learned that someone with a strong enough will can actually overcome the power of the Shard, absorbing the magic within.

Is this how Aldur became so powerful? How many pieces of the Rock did he possess? The questions flooded my mind, but there were no explainations that day. Aldur left as quickly as he had come.

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I have learned much about how the Shards interact with one another, and with living creatures. I hope that by writing this, others will pick up the work were I have left off. I will be traveling the world looking for more Shards, and I'm both excited and fearful by what the future holds for me