Undead

## The Dead Do Not Rest

### Description:

Undead is a collective term for a massive variety of creatures, intelligent and otherwise, that can be found across the K2 Universe and all of its myriad Realms. Undead, being so varied, are difficult to describe as any singular race. Due to their nature of Undeath, Undead are known to prefer colder, drier climates, but some notable exceptions exist; sapient Undead rarely have a preferred climate, although some Vampire Houses are known to have ideal climates.

Undead come in a wide range of possible appearances, often determined by the way in which they died and were reanimated. Some Undead look no different than they did in life, life-filled skin and all; some are pale and gaunt but still alive enough; others are zombified and rotting, decaying flesh barely clinging to the bones underneath; many Undead are long-since dead, ancient individuals who have been brought back as skeletons; and more Undead lack physical bodies altogether, and are instead undead in Soul/spirit only.

Regardless of their appearance, all Undead are considered horrific, unethical, evil, dirty or contaminated, and antithetical to nature and life by a massive majority of other races and cultures. Only Undead and death-worshipping cultures like Aranalt see Undead as anything but disgusting.

Undead are generally grouped into two (2) major division: the sapient Undead that retain their intelligence/memories from life, and the "standard" Undead that do not retain their intellect/memories after reanimation. Most Undead fall into the latter category, their bodies acting as merely the physical vessels for the Necromantic energy that keeps their corpses reanimated. As a result, unintelligent Undead are often incapable of using technology or Magic in most forms, with some exceptions; more complex Necromancy will allow an Undead to use tools, weapons, or armor, and the most advanced forms of conventional Necromancy will allow for use of Magic. Curses and other such phenomenon that create Undead are an exception to the standard rule, and can determine the intelligence of the reanimated Undead according to the curse/blessing's wording. Intelligent Undead like Vampires, Wendigo, etc. are capable of using all of the technology and Magic that they knew in life. Most Spirits retain their memories from life but often lack the intellect to properly use the same abilities they had in life.

An overwhelming number of Undead cannot reproduce biologically at all; some Vampires and other similar monsters can, however. As a result, reproduction of Undead occurs through the application of Necromancy, Curses, possession by Spirits, or the interference of a higher power.

Due to being undead, Undead do not have a natural lifespan; many sapient Undead are biologically immortal, a small prize for their state of undeath. Unintelligent Undead created through simple Necromancy have incredibly short lifespans by comparison, "dying" once again the second their master's Spell ends or is dispelled. Spirits and similar Undead created through curses, intervention by higher powers, or other anomalous phenomenon can have a variety of lifespans, but most are dependent on the Undead's usefulness or remaining "unfinished business" on the Material Realm.

### Abilities:

The abilities of Undead vary greatly and depend entirely upon an Undead's type. Regardless of type, however, they do all share a few common strengths and weaknesses. All Undead are immune to Necrotic Magic, cold and ice damage, poisons and intoxicants, and do not fall unconscious after suffering life-threatening wounds. Similarly, all Undead do not need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe to survive; many forms of sapient Undead choose to partake in some of those activities regardless, either to maintain a semblance of life as part of maintaining one's ruse or as a way of retaining one's connection to life. However, all Undead are weak to fire and Pantheonic Magic, and most Undead are unable to step onto hallowed ground; Spirits and the like are also vulnerable to Soul-based Magic.

### Subraces:

#### Sapient Undead:

1. Vampires
2. Wendigo
3. Liches
4. Demiliches
5. Wights
6. Living Martyrs (Undead religious clergy)
7. Tempestuous Souls (Undead berserkers)
8. Pact-Puppets (Undead servants of a higher power kept from death by their greedy master)
9. Ever-Devoted (Undead Monks unable to achieve Enlightenment in life driven to Undeath by their devotion)
10. Pariahs (Undead master thieves driven to Undeath by unfinished business; can be acquired through death in The Unbeheld)
11. Stubborn Conduits (Undead Sorcerers kept from death by the power of their innate Magic)
12. Eternal Hunters (Undead hunters unable to rest until their life's ultimate hunt is finished; often employed as part of the Wild Hunt)
13. [REDACTED]

#### Non-Sapient Undead:

1. Zombies/Mummies
2. Spirits
3. Skeletons
4. Revenants