Mierkka
Whatever words I had once to describe such horrors had already been used to the point of repetition by the time I stumbled across the town...Mierkka was, until recently, a town of middling size that largely hid from view within the towering trees of Suoivva Forest, in the nation of Naarim. It was dominated by its woodworking industry, and served as part of the nation's lumber supply chain.
Graveyard by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
The town was largely destroyed early in Queen Valdis's initial conquest of Naarim in 5626. The majority of its populace surrendered to the undead horde as they emerged from the forest's depths, and were either taken hostage or killed.
Many of their bodies still rest in the ruins of houses torn apart for supplies, though efforts have been made to clear out bodies before the rot can foul the remaining homes too much. Even the dead don't particularly enjoy the sight of maggots.
The settlement's tale does not end with its desolation. The reinvigoration of Naarim's military once her conquest was complete saw the Queen demand these smaller lumber towns be reconstructed, and Mierkka - whilst still largely abandoned by the living - has become a haven for the dead.
When not working the lumber mills with tireless undead vigour, the few standing houses and the ruins surrounding them have proven perfect for undead parties.
Demographics
If you get out, tell the others - don't let them bring you here. It's better to be dead like they are than to endure life in this pit...Once, Mierkka would have been a mostly human town with significant half-orc and dwarf minorities. It never held too many folk, and precious few of its remaining living were originally inhabitants prior to the devastation. Nowadays, undead of varying kinds rule the village. The ghosts of those murdered there, both in Valdis's assault and the years prior, make up a large portion of the populace, but equally, many of Valdis's intelligent undead dwell there to command the legions of skeletons and zombies that perform the actual physical work.
Peasant Risen by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
Points of interest
What's a town without.. ah, what're they called? Oh. Places.Mierkka, in its time as a mortal town, was filled with various little points of intrigue. Statues, shops, places of historical murder, the local tavern, and the like. Some of these are still around - albeit damaged or ruined. Undeath's touch has created its own string of interesting little places around the town, instead.
Skull & Bones Tavern by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
Key among these is the tavern, which was completely destroyed in the assault after an ambitious undead warrior threw an explosive into the alcohol-filled basement and blew the entire tavern sky-high.
The new tavern is built on the ruins on the old, and stands as a higgledy-piggledy monument to undead hubris - even its name, the rather-stereotypical Skull and Bones, is for the dead.
It is largely crewed by the few living brought over to serve as waitstaff (and occasionally as entertainment or dining experiences). When not fulfilling their obligations to the Queen, the living sleep in the tavern's basement in its former storage.
As most of the dead cannot drink alcohol and sense it, part of the tavern exists as a den of experimentation to try and elicit alcohol-like responses from other substances. Naturally, these are all very toxic to the living; to maintain their allowance of living waitstaff, the experiments here are well-ventilated.
Finally, the ruined houses provide a fantastic place of entertainment for the undead whenever someone living shows up unexpectedly. Despite Valdis's army keeping control of the region, the occasional adventuring party does wander through.
When this happens, the incorporeal among the town's undead are sure to carefully lure the living into the ruins, which have been carefully repaired just enough to not immediately collapse when inhabited once again.
This inevitably leads to days or even weeks of toying with living adventurers that have unknowingly stepped into a house of horrors - the dead are sure to mislead them into believing they're practicing some form of heroics just to make their inevitable doom all the more entertaining.
Did you hear that? Was that a child..?
Adventurer's Lure by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
Mierkka by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
RUINED SETTLEMENT
5626
Shelter
Though Mierkka has been claimed by undeath's horrors and much of the town has been turned into naught but macabre pleasures for the risen dead, adventurers are not bereft of places to hide should they be forced to pass through the town. Like most small towns, the populace that once dwelled in Mierkka were highly religious. The dead have not been able to taint their holy places, not yet. Scattered through the forest are small stone buildings that were shrines to Mierkka's gods and spirits. They provide shelter enough on the way in. In the town proper, the town's chapel still towers over the graveyard from its hill. As it is a consecrated place, it remains in perfect condition, even though the clerics and priests that hid inside it have likely long since starved. It remains the only truly safe place for living visitors in all the town, and the undead are well aware of that: their living pets are not allowed anywhere near it, though many try.This is exactly why we tell you to pray to the gods. The people of Mierkka were clearly not faithful enough.
Lumber for the Queen by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
The music being described as 'haunting' got me. Great twist on the prompt. Poor living people who have to serve here. But, you know, I guess undead deserve parties too.
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Ideally, undead should be shuffled off to the Great Afterparty of the Beyond - but y'know, necromancers and all... I delighted in snarking about haunting music. Glad you enjoyed X)
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