Damned

**Race Name:** The Damned

## The Damned

**Origins:** The Damned are a unique race of sentient undead beings in the world of Azrielon, born from a mysterious and tumultuous past. Their origins can be traced back to a cataclysmic event known as the "Rupture of Souls." During this event, the boundaries between life and death were shattered, releasing a surge of raw necrotic energy that washed over the land, reanimating the deceased and freshly buried.

**The Spark of Spirit:** Upon reanimation, the Damned retained a fragment of the spark of spirit from their former lives. This spark, residing within their brains, grants them self-awareness, consciousness, and the ability to think, remember, and reason. It is the source of their sentience and the foundation of their individuality.

**The Missing Soul:** Unlike other sentient races, the Damned lack a complete soul. While they possess the spark of spirit in their brains, the vital component known as the soul in their brains is mostly absent. This absence is both a source of great curiosity and a haunting emptiness in their existence. The Damned believe that their souls were fragmented and scattered during the Rupture of Souls, leaving them forever incomplete.

**Gaining Back a Fragmented Soul:** Over time, some Damned individuals embark on quests to recover and restore fragments of their lost souls. This is a perilous and challenging journey, often requiring them to confront the echoes of their past lives, face unresolved conflicts, and navigate the realms between life and death. Regaining a fragment of their soul can bring profound changes to a Damned, such as heightened emotions, a deeper connection to magic, or newfound abilities.

**Differences from Mindless Undead:** The Damned are distinct from mindless undead in several significant ways:

1. **Sentience:** Unlike zombies, ghouls, and other mindless undead, the Damned possess self-awareness, intelligence, and some emotions. They can think, communicate, and form complex relationships.
2. **Individuality:** Each Damned has a unique personality, shaped by the memories and experiences of their former lives. They retain the ability to make choices and shape their destiny.
3. **Society and Culture:** The Damned often form communities and societies, fostering art, culture, and traditions. They are driven by a desire for connection and understanding in a world that often fears them.
4. **Magic and Abilities:** Some Damned individuals may have unique magical abilities tied to their fragmented souls, allowing them to harness necrotic energy, commune with spirits, or manipulate the boundaries between life and death.
5. **Potential for Redemption:** The Damned are not inherently evil. Some seek redemption for the actions they took in their past lives, while others strive to find meaning and purpose in their unique existence.
6. **Moral Dilemmas:** The Damned grapple with some moral dilemmas, as their sentience forces them to confront questions of identity, morality, and the nature of the soul.

The Damned are a haunting and thought-provoking addition to the world of Azrielon, exploring themes of identity, memory, and the enduring quest for completeness in the face of an incomplete existence.

**Distinctive Characteristics of the Damned:**

While the Damned share commonalities with mindless undead in terms of their physical nature, they exhibit several distinctive characteristics that set them apart:

1. **Sentience:** The most profound difference is their sentience. Unlike mindless undead, who lack self-awareness and act solely on instinct, the Damned retain their consciousness and individuality. They can think, reason, and experience a wide range of emotions, although their emotions are often tempered by their unique existence.
2. **Spark of Spirit:** Upon gaining sentience, the Damned still carry a fragment known as the "Spark of Spirit" from their former living selves. This fragment preserves memories, personality traits, and a sense of identity. It is the core of their self-awareness and often acts as a moral compass, guiding them in their decisions.
3. **Lack of Soul:** However, the Damned are missing a crucial component of their former selves: the soul. The soul is the repository of emotional memory for exmaple, love hate fear happiness a sense of self, ego, that moves on to an afterlife with the full spirit upon death. Without it, the Damned are unable to experience emotional growth or even experience emotions other than coldness, and they do not possess the same connection to divine or celestial forces that living beings do. This absence of a soul makes their existence distinctly different from both the living and traditional undead.
4. **Evolution of Character:** Over time, the Damned may begin to regain some semblance of soul-like qualities and emotional memory. This gradual process of spiritual renewal is rare and often unpredictable. It can result from moments of great compassion, profound introspection, or acts of selflessness. As they regain these soul-like qualities, the Damned may experience inner conflicts and transformation in their character.
5. **Resilience and Adaptability:** The Damned are remarkably resilient. They have learned to adapt to their existence, forming communities, and developing their own cultural practices. They are often experts in necrotic magic and have a deep understanding of the energies of death, which they harness for various purposes.
6. **Community and Secrecy:** To protect their unique existence and preserve their way of life, the Damned have formed tightly-knit communities in crypt cities. These underground enclaves are hidden from the living world and serve as safe havens for their kind. They are governed by their own laws, traditions, and rulers.
7. **Distrust and Isolation:** The Damned often face distrust and hostility from the living world, which has contributed to their preference for secrecy and isolation. They remain cautious about revealing their true nature, knowing that prejudice and fear can lead to persecution.

**Major Cities:**

**Hidden Existence and Underground Crypt Cities:** The Damned have learned to embrace secrecy and subtlety to protect themselves from the often-hostile living world. They dwell in vast underground crypt cities hidden beneath Azrielons surface, where they can exist without drawing unwanted attention. These crypt cities are intricately designed, with tunnels, chambers, and catacombs extending deep into the subterranean realms.

1. **Ebonveil:** Ebonveil is one of the largest and oldest crypt cities of the Damned. Its history is shrouded in mystery, dating back to the time immediately following the Rupture of Souls. The city is renowned for its towering spires, intricate labyrinths, and majestic crypts. Ebonveil serves as a hub for trade, culture, and arcane research among the Damned. Its inhabitants are known for their resilience and unwavering commitment to preserving their unique existence.
2. **Obsidianreach:** Obsidianreach, situated in the depths of the earth, is another major crypt city. Its history is marked by a group of Damned who sought to delve even deeper into the mysteries of necrotic energy. Obsidianreach is known for its profound connection to the energies of the underworld, making it a center for spiritual and magical pursuits. It is a city where Damned scholars, known as "Soulseekers," delve into the secrets of souls and the afterlife.

**History of Ebonveil and Obsidianreach:**

**Ebonveil:** Ebonveil was founded by a charismatic and enigmatic Damned leader named Lysandra Nightshade. Legend has it that Lysandra possessed an unusually strong connection to the fragmented souls of her people and used her abilities to unite disparate groups of Damned who were struggling to survive in the chaotic aftermath of the Rupture of Souls. Under her guidance, Ebonveil was established as a sanctuary for those seeking refuge and understanding.

Over the centuries, Ebonveil expanded both in population and influence. It became a beacon of culture, art, and arcane knowledge among the Damned. The city's crypts house countless relics, memories, and even forgotten fragments of souls. Ebonveil has weathered internal and external challenges, and its people have remained vigilant in preserving their way of life.

**Obsidianreach:** Obsidianreach has a more enigmatic history, often intertwined with the darker aspects of necromancy and the afterlife. The city was founded by a group of Damned who believed that the key to unlocking the mysteries of their existence lay in the deepest recesses of the underworld. Led by a reclusive figure known as the "Shadowed Scholar," they embarked on a perilous journey into the depths.

Obsidianreach's inhabitants are known for their deep reverence for the energies of death and the spiritual realms. They have developed unique magical practices and rituals that allow them to commune with lost souls and gain insights into the nature of souls and the afterlife.

Both Ebonveil and Obsidianreach stand as testament to the resilience, adaptability, and enduring curiosity of the Damned. These crypt cities serve as centers of knowledge, culture, and protection, allowing the Damned to thrive in the shadows of the living world while seeking to understand the mysteries of their existence.

**Affilations:** The Bloodound races seem to get along well with the damned although not all of them trust them. Many of the druids and clerics complain about thier odor due to the fact they soak at night in embalming fluid to help preserve the condition of their flesh. The Dawnsworn are not always as friendly and consider them aberrations or outright abominations of life.