Season 5 Ghoul Origins

## What is a Ghoul?

All ghouls were once living beings. While most ghouls are 'human', other origins can also become a ghoul under the right circumstances. While ghouls can be classified as undead, they are usually not hostile or completely feral like zombies or skeletons. Despite their decayed appearance, the majority of ghouls retain some of their memories and humanity.

However, they do not reintegrate well into their previous societies due to stigma against the *undead*. So, ghouls are either hermits, vagabonds, or stick with other ghouls/undead.

## How Ghouls Came to Be

Ghouls were accidentally created due to the invention of the "Totem of Undying", objects of which were meant to defy death itself. In its earlier iterations, the Totem (often the crowning piece of a staff) was used to heal minor to moderate wounds. These were primarily used by Villager priests and weren't up for sale due to its cultural importance and excellent healing properties.

When Illagers (exiled Villagers) formed their own society, the usage of the Totem was twisted into a means to potentially become immortal. Illagers who study and experiment on these now-named Totems of Undying are called Evokers. Those with innate magic prowess are better suited to this role, as the Totem is enchanted with ancient magic.

While exploring a dark oak forest, a group of Illagers came across strange, mystical structures of earth and energy. Growing on these spikes of Mesmerite were Illumite clusters-- crystals that had a level of magical energy similar to the "experience" living in every being. Evokers sought these crystals out and created the Altar, a pedestal used to enhance enchantments on an item. By using the Altar, the healing properties of the Totem of Undying could be enhanced further, perhaps to the point of becoming a semi-immortality charm.

However, this enhancement would always come with a price: a curse. The Illagers realized this too late, cursing those who ever used a totem to prevent a fatal blow. The curse? Ironically enough, **the curse of death**. After a certain, random amount of time, a user of a Totem would die suddenly. Repeated use of Totems would cause this timer to rapidly decrease, causing a quicker death. These defective Totems were mass-manufactured in factories across the land and were sold to those who sought immortality and eternal power. While it was true that it did keep a user from dying for a short while, it would eventually kill the user itself for good.

Immortality is what they sought, but what they received was the opposite... *or was it*? Years and years after decaying in the ground, users of the Totem had life abruptly breathed back into them. These undead beings are, you guessed it, ghouls! Ghouls are not immortal, unfortunately, but they can take quite a beating due to dulled pain receptors and magical body. They can become zombies/skeletons/feral undead if they do not take care of themselves.

## TL;DR

Ghouls are accidents made from Totems of Undying, still have some humanity left-- can zombify if body and sanity are not kept healthy. While ghouls CAN become zombies/skeletons/other undead, the majority of these undead were created from different means.

(Credit to bauxitemuse for Creating Ghoul Lore)