Undead

Origins & Mythology

Undead are created when a necromancer channels corrupt magic into the remains of the dead, forcing them to rise and serve. The state and appearance of the undead depend on the condition of the corpse, leading to various types such as skeletons, zombies, mummies, or ghouls. Their creation is universally feared and reviled, seen as an abomination by all but the darkest practitioners.

Physical Characteristics

• Forms: Can appear as skeletons, zombies, mummies, ghouls, or other animated dead
• Lifespan: Indefinite, as long as necromantic magic sustains them and the body remains intact
• Distinct Features: Varying degrees of decay, empty eyes, and an absence of will or intelligence

Culture & Society

• Habitat: Found wherever necromancers work or undead armies march—crypts, graveyards, battlefields, or cursed lands
• Social Structure: None; act only on commands from their necromancer master
• Traditions: No customs or rituals; purely instruments of dark magic
• Economy: Not applicable; undead neither trade nor possess desires

Subraces & Variants

• Skeletons: The bare bones of the dead, animated and used for basic tasks or battle.
• Zombies: Fresh or partially decayed corpses, slow and relentless.
• Mummies: Preserved corpses, often wrapped and sometimes imbued with curses.
• Ghouls: More decayed, sometimes with enhanced speed or ferocity, often used as shock troops.

Notable Facts

• Undead possess no will or intelligence of their own, acting only as commanded.
• They cannot use magic and are little more than empty shells animated by necromantic power.
• The state of the corpse determines the type and function of the undead created.
• They are universally feared and despised, often destroyed on sight by the living.