Cadavers

A cadaver is a monstrous reanimated corpse that exists in a perpetual state of hunger and decay. Originating from deceased mortals who have been bitten by another cadaver, these creatures awaken from death with a ravenous desire for human flesh. Unlike the person they once were, a cadaver is void of consciousness, emotions, or memories, driven solely by their insatiable appetite. The affliction spreads like a contagion; any mortal bitten by a cadaver is doomed to become one themselves upon death, adding to the ever-growing numbers of these horrific entities.

## Appearance

Cadavers are haunting and grotesque visages of their former human selves. Their skin takes on a pallid, ashy tone, often stretched taut over bones, giving them a skeletal and withered appearance. The eyes, once full of life, become clouded and milky, exuding an unsettling, vacant stare. Their movements are usually stiff and jerky, a result of rigor mortis setting into their limbs. Clusters of bite marks, lesions, and decay mar their form, often oozing with a dark, putrid fluid. The most terrifying feature, however, is their mouth, which tends to be smeared with fresh or dried blood, with elongated and sharpened teeth, ever ready to sink into the flesh of the living.

## Powers and abilities

### Resilience to harm

The most distinguishing ability of a cadaver is its resilience. Conventional means of harming or incapacitating a living person prove to be less effective on cadavers. They can sustain massive injuries to their bodies and still continue their relentless pursuit of the living.

### Strength in numbers

Individually, a cadaver may not pose a significant threat. However, cadavers tend to group together, driven by a hive-like mentality. In groups, they can quickly become overwhelming, allowing them to easily overrun areas with sheer numbers.

### Persistence

Cadavers are known for their relentless pursuit. They don’t tire, get exhausted, or feel pain, making them indefatigable predators when they detect the presence of the living.

It's important to note that while cadavers have these abilities, they do not possess any form of enhanced strength, speed, or other supernatural attributes commonly associated with dark creatures. Their true terror lies in their persistence, number, and resilience.

## Weaknesses and vulnerabilities

### Limited cognitive abilities

Cadavers lack the intelligence and cognitive abilities they possessed in life. This makes them predictable and often easily outsmarted by the living. They operate on a basic instinct to feed and do not exhibit strategic thinking or problem-solving capabilities.

### Slow movement

Most cadavers move at a slower, shambling pace. Their physical movements are rigid and somewhat uncoordinated, making them less agile compared to a living human.

### Brain-centric vulnerability

A cadaver's brain is its main vulnerability. Destroying or severely damaging the brain will render the cadaver immobile and 'dead'. This makes them susceptible to head-focused attacks.

### Lack of self-preservation

Cadavers do not possess a sense of self-preservation. They will not react to pain or self-harm, allowing them to walk into hazards, such as fire or traps, without hesitation.

## Dietary needs

Cadavers, in stark contrast to the living beings they once were, have no actual physiological need to feed. Their relentless pursuit of the living and their instinct to bite or consume flesh is not driven by hunger in a traditional sense. Instead, this behavior is a mindless compulsion, rooted in the dark transformation that turned them into cadavers.

It's important to note that even if a cadaver doesn't consume flesh for an extended period, it will not weaken or die. Their drive to attack the living is not a means of sustenance, but rather an insatiable and inherent urge.

## Origins

### The first cadaver

The chilling and morbid history of cadavers traces back to the tragic tale of Henry Ravenshade. He met an untimely end during a war, leaving his mother, lady Seraphina Ravenshade, in unbearable sorrow. Unable to cope with her loss and desperate to have her son back, Seraphina resorted to the forbidden and dark arts, performing the Ritual of Malicious Desires.

Her plea to bring Henry back to the realm of the living was granted, but not in the way she had hoped. Instead of returning as the young man she remembered, Henry was reanimated as a monstrous and mindless creature, the very first cadaver. This horrific transformation set the stage for the curse of the cadavers, as those bitten or harmed by these creatures would suffer a similar fate upon their deaths, joining the ever-growing horde of the undead.

### Plague spread

In a tragic twist of fate, Henry's initial victim was none other than his own mother, Seraphina. Consumed by an insatiable hunger and stripped of any remnants of human consciousness, Henry bit Seraphina, transmitting the dreadful curse that transformed her into another cadaver.

As the undead duo roamed the streets of Ebonwale, the number of cadavers began to multiply at an alarming rate. Each victim they attacked soon rose again after death, adding to the growing horde. The city, once bustling with life, quickly descended into a state of chaos. The living barricaded themselves in their homes, but no place was truly safe from the relentless advance of the cadavers.

To make matters worse, the infamous voltquakes, a unique meteorological phenomenon known to target and harm mortals, seemed to have no effect on the cadavers. This gave the undead an even greater advantage as the living not only had to defend against the cadaver onslaught but also find shelter from the deadly storms.

Word of the terror consuming Ebonwale spread throughout Stormlash Valley, but before adequate measures could be put in place, the plague had already begun its outward march. Trade caravans, fleeing refugees, and unwitting travelers unknowingly carried the contagion to neighboring settlements. One by one, villages and towns across Stormlash Valley reported outbreaks of the cadaver menace.

In a matter of months, almost the entire region of Stormlash Valley was engulfed by the cadaver plague. The undead moved in massive hordes, relentlessly pursuing any sign of life, and leaving in their wake a land of silence, marked only by the eerie moans of the hungry dead.