The Curse of the Black Lightening

In the Midlands of Western Nehwon, overlooking the Sea of Monsters, stood the Republic of Karja Tal. This ancient maritime city was known for its bustling trade with the Ildebreth and the Snow Clans of the North, at Hedeby Trading Post.
But among the tales of prosperity and bravery, there was one legend haunts the dreams of every Karjan - the Curse of the Black Lightning.
Sometime near the end of Ernte, 3022 RJ, on the night of the New Moon's Eclipse, a tempest like no other formed off the coast. The skies darkened prematurely, and the usually placid waters of the Sea of Monsters thrashed violently. But what truly struck terror into the hearts of the Karjans wasn't the raging sea or the howling winds. It was the unnatural, heavy booming thunder that seemed to echo the roars of ancient gods, followed by sharp, serpentine bolts of black lightning that would pierce the heavens and strike the Parched Mountains to the east with deadly precision.
Amidst the chaos of one such storm, a tale took root, a story that will pass down through generations. A revered seer of Karja Tal, old Madam Elsara, had predicted the exact hour of the tempest's arrival that year. She gathered her family to the water's edge north of Karja Tal, urging them to form a circle and join hands. As the black lightning began its assault, she started an incantation, her voice harmonizing with the thunder's boom.
Her family watched in horror and awe as the bolts approached the heart of their city. But instead of the anticipated destruction, each bolt was absorbed by Madam Elsara, her body acting as a conduit, channeling the energy safely into the ground. With each strike, she aged, her hair turning white, her skin wrinkling, her voice growing feeble. By the storm's end, she had sacrificed her very life essence to save Karja Tal.
The morning after the storm, the city was intact, but Madam Elsara was found turned to stone, her statue forever gazing towards the Sea of Monsters.

Madam Elsara by Chad Watson via Midjourney