Undead

A pair of typical Undead.

Death is inescapable as all things wither and fade away. It is innately human to know that this is how all things end. It is the balanced cycle through which all beings come and go. For many, death is an assurance. For some, it is something they cannot allow. Undeath as it were is a process endured by sapient races that is a defiance to this natural cycle. A perversion of death emerges from their husks. They shed their humanity and being to become something more wretched. A tumorous cancer which razes the land of life and spirit. For this the Undead are hunted and hated, their ravenous ways bringing about battles that end with more lives lost. In that sense, Undead are content, for they feel nothing but an envious rage to extinguish life in all its forms.

### Physiology and Anatomy

Undead come about through emotion. Rage, fear, and a desire to remain. The living experiences can trap the soul in a dying husk. Like a cage, it cannot be freed until the husk is destroyed. The husk is powered by these emotions though the soul has no power over the direction of its former vestige. Undead are singularly driven and neither need brain nor organ to function; their bodies are enchanted to continue despite severe decay or injury. They do not feel pain but are able to sense to the degree of their former selves provided the apparatus to do so is still attached. Death comes not from severe trauma but rather destruction of the cage which holds the soul; the spine, ribs, and skull in particular. ***Given their necrotic origin, Undead are subject to RTK/RTC; note this does not mean they can be insta-killed.***

Unbound by the restrictions of the living, Undead are without tire or necessity. They neither sleep, eat, drink, or even blink unless they do so out of instinct. Their persistence is unending which means that they can battle and chase for as long as life persists within their gaze. The speed, strength, and fortitude at which an Undead moves is dependent on their degradation and race but mirrors their living selves for the most part. Despite the lack of muscles, Skeletal Undead still have a comparatively similar physical prowess to their fleshed counterparts- likely due to their soul’s vitoric power retaining its powerful energy.

### Variants

The process of undeath has certain unique consequences depending on the host it resides in. These forms alter the typical form of a mundane Undead, leading to bizarre and sometimes otherworldly results. Though varying in power and strength, all Undead variants pose a real danger to the living.

#### Cremated *(Staff vote, IC Lore is required):*

Victims of improper cremation, Cremated Undead become vestiges of flame and soul. They shed a physical body as their souls are engulfed in flame and ash. This often takes the same of a humanoid form though often disperses when disturbed or engaged. Cremated Undead are considerably hot, roasting at temperatures akin to **Expert Pyromancers**. They can engulf a victim in these flames and choke their lives away with their ashy smoke. Cremated are capable of flight at speeds comparable to the human sprint- though only at heights up to thirty feet. Their forms can be displaced through air and water though lesser forms of these agents will only briefly stun a Cremated. Prolonged use of these agents or more powerful forms of Wind/Water magic can render the Cremated into a catatonic state for **2 turns**- returning to kindling if not ensnared in a trap where it cannot gain fuel.

#### Lemure *(Staff vote, IC Lore is required):*

If a victim suffered extreme trauma before their demise, the: rage, fear, or hatred reaches enormous levels. The result causes their soul to become enriched with vitor. This represents in the Undead it creates; fostering a Lemure into existence. Lemure are contorted and mutated to bizarre heights, their bodies become loaded with bone and muscle to allow great feats of physicality. **Lemure can strike through chainmail, dent plate armour and maintain speeds akin to typical horses.** Strangely, Lemure possess a higher level of remembrance from their previous forms; should they have a skill (e.g. archery) from their previous lives they may be seen replicating it- usually to maim or kill any life they come across more efficiently.

#### Drowned *(Staff vote, IC Lore is required):*

Mariners who die and sea may experience a longing. This longing to once again be part of a boat n’ crew. From death, emerges the Drowned Undead. Drowned are bound to their vessel which despite damages rises from the sea. Regardless of their origin, they travel the seas in search of vessels and beasts to destroy. The boat they die upon is in many ways attached to the **Drowned as they cannot leave its side for distances further than a hundred meters.** Drowned become more fishlike as scales as sturdy as chainmail form on their bodies; become adept swimmers able to keep pace with any ship; and their nails become bladed like rondel daggers to punch through maille. Their ship equally becomes beast-like as its front twists and contorts to form something reminiscent of a jaw. It is not uncommon for a Drowned’s ship to ‘eat’ another. Both are bound to one another, if either the Drowned or their ship are destroyed they both will cease to be.

#### Banshee *(Staff vote, IC Lore is required):*

Women who die in intense grief, sorrow, or anguish. Remembered only in shrill weeping or in deathly cries. Their ghostly final moments are plastered upon them in their Undead form, giving rise to the moniker of ‘Banshee’. Their bodies contort in death, limbs elongating and fingers gaining an extra joint to the extent that the person grows by a foot. Their skin becomes pale and hair wispy as if held aloft by an unseen wind. Long claws, able to puncture chainmail, emerge from their nails dappled in a reddened hue. **Banshee can shriek at immense volume to temporarily deafen all but Master+ Aeromancers for 4 turns.** This shriek is immensely painful for all who hear it- though it renders the Banshee stationary whilst they’re screaming. This gives Banshee a chance to attack as they’re as nimble as typical dogs. While Banshee expresses unmitigated hostility towards most life they are notably docile toward -but avoidant of- women.

#### Vitoric *(Staff vote, IC Lore is required):*

***`Requires at least Expert Mancy`***

Vitoric Undead is classified as an existence that stands equal to, or even far above Lemures in outright frightening combat capability. Very little is known about them, but legends say that the strongest amongst these Undead are capable of leading entire legions the damned, with several Lemures as their commanders. Whether those stories are exaggerated or not is completely up for others to find out. These beings are known to be made up of former mancers that were wronged, leading to their death, or archmancers who have failed in their progress to ascend past their realm to become beings above mortality.

These beings were often called Liches in folklore, being extraordinarily powerful beings with some having the intelligence to boast and taunt their opponents as battles go on. In one story it outright details the Undead’s intellect. While the story isn’t confirmed, the person who wrote it still lives today in a tent, homeless within Arcenix. Hope is not lost for humanity, as vitoric Undead have been stated to be far weaker physically than regular Undead, but that doesn’t mean it is easier to fight them.

These beings are typically formed from mancers who had died in gruesome ways. While deceased runecasters and summoners would almost always become lemures, it is far more likely for mancers of higher levels to turn into Vitoric Undead. On rare occasions, Vitoric Undead can be formed from arch-level mancers who die before they can accomplish their goal in life, however their soul begins to burn with pure rage towards everything around them, often destroying other Undead and people upon first sight.

**OOC Note: Keep in mind this is a rare minority of Arch-Level Undead, and most do not adhere to the “Destroying other Undead” but there are some who do.**

Each form of Vitoric Undead corresponds to an existing mancy which can be distinguished through appearance and brightness. Vitoric Undead have distinct auras that differentiate them from each other depending on the mancy they inhabit. The amount of light emitted by a Vitoric Undead may easily reveal the enemy's level of mancy, each type constantly glowing the same as the given mancy they were bound to when alive. Expert level Vitoric Undead will glow like a candle, master level like a lit lantern, and archmancer usually emits the maximum possible glow of solarium. These Auras and changes do not affect the combat capability of the Undead and are purely cosmetic. However, with this strength in vitor - like their living counterparts, comes physical weakness, leading to these Undead being primarily support and ranged-focus, as in a close-ranged engagement with a competent party, they would be destroyed.

* **School of Animo (Psychomancy)** Undead will not only glow a shade of purple but constantly have a mirage ongoing around its skull, forcing multiple fake and hazey heads to contort and change continuously without a means to an end.

* **School of Gaia (Terramancy)** Undead may be distinguished between their earthly bonds, typically glowing Gold or Green and causing flora or particles from the terrain to float around them.

* **School of Motus (Hydromancy & Cryomancy)** Undead may be shown from their blue shine, one brighter than the other and treading along with constant snowfall while the other a deeper shade of blue with particles of water.

* **School of Calor (Pyromancy, Electromancy & Luxomancy)** Undead glow warmly, shades of red, orange and yellow paint their skeletons. Particles of fire ensnare a pyromancer, electrical bolts an electromancer and small floating speckles of light for a Luxomancer.

* **School of Corporis (Necromancy, Carnomancy, and Herbomancy)** Undead (specifically Necromancers) consist of a black glow, seeming more eerie and shadow-like than a strong bright light whereas Carnomancers are a pink. Carnomancers specifically are flesh abominations, covered in rotting flesh and twisted into weird and grotesque shapes.

* **School of Caelum (Aeromancy)** Undead glow the brightest being a divine shade of white, currents of wind circle the Undead and pick up random objects where it moves.

Vitoric Undead share many traits as when they were alive, but are ,at the same time, very different. Generally, Vitoric Undead are categorized by their power, and are separated into three sub-categories, Expert, Master, and Arch. Each category shares similarities in terms of vitor amount and skill, however, Vitoric Undead are incapable of learning or using submancies, and are stuck with the base magic. Both expert and master undead are capable of being approved through staff vote, whilst arch undead is locked to staff members.

* **Expert level (Staff vote)** Vitoric Undead are expert mancers who fell in combat, and found their souls unable to move onto the void for one reason or another. They have the capabilities and vitor level of an expert mancer, and unlike their higher leveled counterparts, they have no intelligence boosts, and are physically weaker than normal undead.

* **Master level (Staff vote)** Vitoric Undead are a completely different story compared to an expert level. They find themselves with master-level capabilities, and possibly just as importantly - increased intelligence, which allows them to call upon undead to join them and begin creating a ‘horde,’ however, they must physically come into contact with other undead to have them join their horde.
	+ **Master-level undead who were originally Archmages** find themselves with a key advantage; they are capable of vastly increased intelligence, being able to brutishly communicate - usually taunts or insults, and can make slightly more long-term decisions, rather than attacking everything they see the second they see it (Ex. Waiting for more powerful members of a party to depart before attacking). All other undead also tend to follow the orders of these beings.

**Arch level (Event-only)** Vitoric Undead are extremely rare beings formed from the greatest depths of rage, hatred, and betrayal - their incomparable anger allowing them to use swaths of vitor. They find themselves equivalent to an archmancer in magical capabilities, however, another great strength is attached to them - their ability to call upon legions of undead to march with them and initiate destruction and chaos. Arch-level undead are one of the most dangerous opponents to reside on the face of Ludwag.

#### Harbinger *(Staff vote, IC Lore is required):*

***`Requires at least Master Summoning`***

Those accustomed to their realm of magic become one with it emotionally. In their death that emotion takes complete control of them. The requirements for becoming a Harbinger are specific to the emotion or goal embodied by their particular realm. These Harbingers are easily recognizable through a colorful aura dependent on their realm and command immense power over their singular emotion. This emotional form is far too great for a single entity to wield so the Harbinger expels magical energy into its fellow undead. The magical energy they produce offers varying alterations depending on the realm they belonged to, causing a variety of different effects to both themselves and other undead within their proximity.

**`*Paradox Harbinger*` (Sephra)**

Fallen from grace, Sephrans who fall with lost honour or bodies tainted may twist and contort. An image of purity, malformed as their soul refuses to exit the shell since expired. The result is a Harbinger Undead of utmost hideousness. A Sephra’s healing magic becomes contorted, enabling them to heal fellow undead. This takes the form of a sickened white hue which emanates from the open pores and orifices upon the Undead’s body. At **Master**, Paradox Harbingers can reattach appendages and seal injuries of other Undead at the same rate as a living Summoner. Undead in their proximity will heal mundane injuries (e.g. non-lethal stabs, sprains, and small breakages) over **3 turns**. At **Oracle**, they’re able to revive Undead should they be rendered inert- though the process may take **6 turns** to fully complete. ***(They cannot revive undead that have had their souls removed or have been inert for longer than an OOC day)*** All Paradox Harbingers possess a set of blackened, crow-like wings, enabling them to fly at speeds comparable to a Master Aeromancer.

***`Pox Harbinger`* (Vadakel)**

Eradicated from proliferation, Vadakelites who are cleansed of disease through medicine or ember before they die may jump start in death. Their bodies become chambers for a diverse array of disease-bearing entities which spill forth to fill the world around them. Their bodies are open and riddled with blemishes and hives. They now bear a teaming swarm of hungry insects which reside within the Harbingers’ center, eating away at anything organic beyond the Undead they call home. These stinging insects cause painful blisters on any skin they make contact with and may drive their stinger through armor as thick as leather. Orbiting Undead can foster smaller hives in proximity to the Harbinger, giving their bites the same blistering effect that the insects have. These blisters will swell painfully for **4 turns (unless reapplied)** and if upon a joint or hand may make it difficult to move or hold items. To protect itself, tentacles rupture from the Harbinger’s back as additional weapons. At **Master**, Pox Harbingers have but **two** of these tentacles which may be able to pierce chainmail. At **Oracle**, they can have up to **four** and may pierce plate armor.

***`Depths Harbinger`* (Oiram)**

An abyssal terror, Oriamites who die within the unknown or in great terror may become one themselves. Their bodies contort to reveal angler fish teeth and dim-white, vacant eyes. Their skin becomes a rough black covering and adeptly streamlined, enabling them to swim at speeds akin to a horse’s sprint. Undead within their proximity develop similar abyssal traits in their jaws and appendages, becoming as adept swimmers as living men are. At **Master**, Undead affected by the Harbingers’ aura will be able to pick between the ability to generate a field of electricity akin to a Nath’um or spray pressurized water at a force strong enough to knock a grown man over for a turn. At **Oracle**, all Undead affected by their aura receive both of the former options.

***`Manic Harbinger`* (Eldingar)**

Lost in knowledge, Eldingarites who perish before they unlock a secret (or perhaps because of one) may be driven to manicism after their bodies cease vital functions. Their skulls fracture as their heads become too small to accommodate their rapidly expanding brain. While the rest of the body rapidly petrifies, the brain maintains an almost healthy level of consistency. Manic Harbingers’ aura enables Undead in their proximity to act with a higher level of intellect; allowing them to use ranged weapons, crude strategy, and follow the Harbinger’s command. Of course, they’re still bound by the sole focus to eliminate living beings, but do so with more care. Manic Harbingers exude a telekinetic field which lifts their atrophied bodies off the ground. At **Master**, they’re able to use telekinesis akin to an **Expert Psychomancer**. At **Oracle**, they’re able to use telekinesis akin to a **Master Psychomancer**.

***`Entropy Harbinger`* (Thulan)**

End in entropy, Thulanites relish death. Those who die fulfilling death and entropy may have the chance to keep their husk to continue doing so. Their bodies corrode and seep a wretched tar. Their touch is corrosive, melting through organic material of any kind at varying speed; wood and other dense organic substances may take **4 turns** to corrode through whereas skin and flesh may only take **2**. Corroded organic material can be bent to the will of the Harbinger; at **Master** to the degree of an **Expert Herbomancer**, at **Oracle**, **Master Herbomancy**. Undead in the proximity of their aura secrete a viscous tar which may encompass their entire bodies. This substance doesn’t affect the Undead’s movement but is incredibly sticky to other organisms and surfaces. They can use it to climb walls, ensnare similarly sized organisms for 2 turns, and attach other objects to their bodies as makeshift weapons.

***`Battle Harbinger`* (Mikräg)**

Fallen in battle, Mikrägians live to fight. Those who die in arms may be refused to vacate their shells as their souls well up with bloodlust and rage. Their bones form armor-like scutes which grant them protection akin to KHP. A steed of bones forms underneath their hip which they’re permanently attached to unless broken off- something that would render the horse skeleton inert beneath. Undead within the Harbingers’ aura will feel compelled to follow them in large hordes. ***At Master, they can have up to ten Undead within their ranks. At Oracle, they can have up to twenty. (You do not need Horde Approval)*** Undead within their horde will develop bony scutes that protect their skull and spine akin to those seen on the Harbinger, though weaker that they break within two or three hits.

***`Inferno Harbinger`* (Sheol)**

A flame extinguished, a Sheol fire lies in coals. Those who die with no ember to their name, exhausted of their fuel and fire, maybe rekindled as their soul begins an inferno within themselves. Their skin, flesh, and extremities melt away to a pitch-black skeleton. An inferno encompasses them, allowing them to direct the flames either by throwing them or by breathing them out. At **Master**, the heat rivals an **Expert Pyromancer**. At **Oracle**, the heat rivals a **Master Pyromancer**. Conventional water will not impede the Harbinger’s flames, though Water/Air magic of an equal or higher level can counter them. Undead within the Harbingers’ aura develop volcanic glass formations around their teeth and fingers, making them incredibly sharp. Their bones blacken and they become wholly immune to natural fires and resistant to Expert level fire-based attacks for up to 3 hits.

#### Wretched ***(Staff / Event Only)***

Amongst the rarest forms of Undead, Wretched are formed from  mountains of suffering. They often come to be on the battlefield where the mass death causes the newly formed Undead to collaborate. Wretched are an amalgam structure of many Undead of varying forms whose size is largely dependent on the number of corpses that make up their dermis. Wretched grow by attaching new corpses to their frame, their mess of souls causing the new parts to animate despite the Undeath process. Though they’re outrageously slow they’re unprecedentedly strong, able to break plate and fell trees with a swipe of their bony appendages. Typically, Wretched is driven by a collective goal of exterminating life, usually surrounding revenge on the culprits of their demise.

### Psychology

Unless stated otherwise, the Undead are solely driven by the need to extinguish life. They’re driven to kill sapient beings but will also kill sentient ones should they cross paths. Typically -without certain variants or approval from a Moderator+-, Undead can only reside in groups of up to three individuals. Similarly, Undead -unless under the effects of certain Undead Variants- are limited in weaponry, only able to use their appendages or melee weapons to engage foes. Their intelligence -except for some variants- has been rendered moot in favour of mindlessly advancing on their target.  Undead do not feel fear nor do they need their brains to function so they cannot be controlled unless stated otherwise. Outside of hunting, Undead usually lie dormant or merely wander about- though some perform crude actions like tending to gardens as small remnants of their previous lives. Undead are unbiased in who they attack and will not hesitate to carve into someone they once knew if they cross paths again.