Undead
Even though it has been over a thousand years since the Mage Wars, the Plague of Undeath remains. No one is sure exactly how it happened, whether the mages raised the dead as armies to fight one another, or whether the rising was the natural response of the world to the power that was unleashed. Whatever the explanation, it remains true to this day that, unless complex and difficult rituals are undertaken to prevent it happening in the first place, the dead rise and walk again all over the world, preying on the unwary and looming as a constant threat to all civilised nations everywhere.
Their condition is spread by their touch at the point of death, so anything unfortunate enough to meet its end at the hands of the Undead quickly rises to join the ranks of the hunters. Corpses that are exposed to significant flows of magical energy also tend to absorb some of that energy and become animated. Curiously enough, the cause of reanimation appears to make a difference to the nature of the Undead creature that is created as a result. Undead created by being killed by another Undead tend to be more combative and feral, while those created from mana build-up tend to be less alert to their surroundings and generally more sluggish.
In order to better understand the enemy that they are primarily charged with combatting, the Charter Schools of Sorcery have conducted extensive experimentation on captured and deliberately created Undead creatures, one of the few exceptions allowed to their strict embargo on research into matters of sorcery. This has, of course, been supplemented by first-hand accounts from those who have faced the Undead in combat and behaviour in small and large-scale incursions from wilder areas of the world into the civilised nations have been analysed as best as possible.
Basic Information
Genetics and Reproduction
As stated before, the Undead are reanimated by the absorption of mana from the local area or by the touch of another Undead creature, usually as a result of having been killed by one. These actions typically result in a newly created zombie, which then progresses through the stages of development outlined below.
Growth Rate & Stages
Initially and individually, the Undead are mere zombies, mindless monsters that shamble menacingly in search of living creatures to kill. Studies of Undead brains by the colleges of magic have shown that only the most basic functions are active, leaving zombies as slaves to their instinct to end all life around them.
Over time, however, their bodies absorb an increasing amount of magic, which activates other portions of the brain, and they begin to display capacities to think and reason commensurate with their living counterparts. This process is slowed considerably by the presence of other Undead, confirming the supposition that it is fuelled by the absorption of excess mana from the surrounding environment. These creatures are typically classified as wights or revenants and are marked by the fact that they are almost entirely fleshless by the time they reach this stage. Cohesion of the body is enforced almost entirely by mana flows running from bone to bone.
Older Undead creatures, which have been dubbed Wight Kings, are also able to influence and command their younger brethren, forming armies of terrible creatures hell-bent on wiping out all living things. Preventing the emergence of more of these Wight Kings lies at the core of the campaigns by the various nations of the world to cull the Undead wherever they are found.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
The Undead are to be found primarily in the wild areas of the world, beyond the bounds of civilisation's influence. Here the build-up of magical energy and the absence of population control allow for the reanimation of any dead creature.
Average Intelligence
The Undead become more intelligent, the longer they exist. Immediately after reanimation, the amount of mana suffusing their bodies is only enough to sustain instinctual responses such as seeking out living prey. Over time, they absorb more mana and regain cognitive skills at a commensurate rate until they reach the level of their living species, at which point their intelligence is limited by the size and structures of their brains just as it was with their living counterparts.
The exception to this rule are sorcerers, who are returned to Undeath with all of their former intelligence and powers immediately. It has been speculated that this occurs because of the abundance of mana already found in a sorcerer's body, as well as the natural ability to draw mana in from the surrounding environment.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
It is unclear exactly how the Undead perceive the world around them. Extensive testing has proven that they have some form of sight, or at least an instinctive need to turn their heads in the direction of things that draw their attention, even when the creature in question is completely lacking eyes. Their other senses appear to be non-functional, or at least testing has revealed no apparent reaction to sounds, smells or textures. Seemingly to compensate for this, Undead creatures are able to sense, and are drawn to, living creatures and concentrations of mana in that order of priority.
Civilization and Culture
History
The few Nirinian Era records that survived the Mage Wars do not mention the threat of the Undead. This has led many to assume that the Plague of Undeath was unleashed during that destructive conflict.
Lifespan
Immortal until killed.
Related Organizations
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