Ghouls

## Description:

Ghouls, also called Ghuls in Arabic mythology, are classified as undead creatures as a result of the necromantic source of their existence. There is currently one (1) instance in JPCU custody, located at Facility #82, but Ghouls are a known and common phenomenon across the globe.

Ghouls often appear as grotesque mutations of the normal human form, and tend to stand at five (5) feet six (6) inches to six (6) feet tall, although their hunched backs can make them appear smaller. Their hands and feet have mutated to develop sharp claws, and the smell of death permanently follows them. Their skin often features rashes, boils, or signs of necrotization, in addition to random patches of baldness where hair should be and patches of hair where it should not be. Ghoul teeth are yellowed and sharpened, either as a result of their transformation or a result of sharpening by the creature. Their eyes are yellow and glow in the dark.

Ghouls are known to possess enhanced strength beyond that of normal humans, allowing them to easily overpower individuals in single combat and tear a man limb from limb for consumption. Their eyesight is tuned to the dark, but they are still capable of moving and seeing during the day. Their speed and agility is equally matched by their stealthy abilities and advanced hunting tactics, often developed over many years.

Ghouls tend to live around battlefields, cemeteries, gravesites, and any area in which large numbers of people have or will die. Ghouls are drawn to the scent of death, and will prefer to consume the rotting flesh of corpses or the living flesh of weak humanoids. Ghouls will dig up graves to eat the bodies entombed within, they will stalk and harass people walking alone through isolated trails and roads, and will tempt children out of villages for consumption. They are terrified of the ringing of Church bells and the presence of divine magic, and will avoid outright combat whenever possible. Their cunning and predatory hunting habits make them cowardly, as Ghouls are known to pick off the weakest of a group before moving on, never stalking prey long enough for the stronger members to realize what is going on.

### History:

Ghouls in some form of another have featured in European, Asian, and Middle Eastern folklore for millennia, and for good reason. Ghouls are often associated heavily wih Vampires and Necromancers, as those of such Undead persuasions are known to employ lesser Undead as servants and slaves. According to research conducted by JPCU Personnel, a Ghoul can be created in two (2) ways:

1. Ritual: In the case of an unwilling victim, one or more people can force a ghoulish mutation through a specific necromantic ritual involving [REDACTED] and allowing the [REDACTED] to infest the victim. This method is not guaranteed to succeed, and the victim may resist the ritual's influence and lash out at bystanders. Summoning a [REDACTED] is not permitted without a Wine-Level researcher's permission and continued supervision.
2. Consumption of Necrotized Human Flesh: While some creatures like the Wendigo are created when a person turns to cannibalism, the Ghoul curse and transformation comes through similar circumstances. Rather than the consumption of any human flesh, transformation into a Ghoul requires the consumption of rotten human flesh. This method is not guaranteed to work, and may require multiple attempts.

The JPCU first came into contact with Ghouls in [REDACTED] A.D. Reports of a disturbance in a cemetery in the town of [REDACTED], [REDACTED], led to the dispatch of an Investigator and a small team of Personnel. Believing a necromancer or mad scientist to be responsible, the team laid in waiting until their prey arrived, at which point the team quickly disabled the beast via magic and contained it.

The JPCU is commonly not called in to aid with Ghouls, as they are very common and easily dispatched in more rural areas where their presence is more common; local authorities are trained in handling the more commin creatures, and would only call the JPCU should a situation get out of hand.

### Containment Procedures:

1. Subject #24 is to be placed in a standard five (5) foot by fifteen (15) foot by ten (10) foot containment cell in a wing of the Facility separate from the Staff. The cell is to feature a standard bed and toiletries.
2. The Subject is to be fed one (1) meal every day, at or around midnight. This meal is to include one (1) human limb, the original owner of which must be dead for at least forty-eight (48) hours; water is to be provided at the Subject's discretion, up to ten (10) times a day.
3. In the case of partial Vampiric transformation, the Subject in question should be administered a single vial of Vampire's blood once every seven (7) days to maintain compliance.
4. Should an instance of the Subject escape containment, apply fire, divine magic, and gunfire until the Subject expires.