Ghouls

Ghouls are a common form of undead found across Haven, both in cities and in the wild. They are among the greatest threats an ordinary person is likely to encounter.

Description

Ghouls are humans that died from a magical disease and rose the next day as a ghoul. They are gaunt, pale and hairless, stink of rot and blood, have sharp fangs and claws and are faster and stronger than you'd think. Ghouls are also exceptional climbers, able to skitter up trees and walls and leap between rooftops and branches. They live only to consume, hungering eternally for the flesh of the living and recently deceased.

Ghouls retain most of their knowledge and intellect from life, including languages and even magical knowledge. Despite their intelligence, ghouls are motivated only by their hunger and survival. They speak the languages they knew in life, use advanced hunting tactics and avoid traps, they might even use disguises and use magic but they do not build or create, they do not work to improve themselves and they have no empathy. They can be talked to, even negotiated with, but they see humans as food and ultimately are always just waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Most ghouls live in the wilderness, spawned from travelers that were attacked by ghouls on the road. However some live in large cities, wearing discarded clothing to appear human at a glance and hiding among the dregs of humanity. Some ghoul 'clans' have lived this way for decades, feeding on the poor and destitute and the already deceased.

Ghoul-Fever

The bite and claws of a ghoul spreads an illness called 'Ghoul-Fever'. It is almost always lethal without treatment, and though the recipe for the cure is widely known, it still requires the correct ingredients and equipment to manufacture.
The sickness transitions quickly from cold shivers to a strong fever to a coma mixed with spasms leading quickly to death within 24h of infection.
Those that succumb to it rise the next day as ghouls. In this way, ghouls have become a self-propagating scourge. However only Humans are vulnerable to the disease.

History

The scourge that is the ghouls was created by Ketior Fulgur during the necromancer crisis. It has since spread all over the world of Haven.

Hunting strategy

Ghouls mainly hunt at night or in dark and gloomy places, stalking isolated prey such as beggars, vagabonds, isolated farmers or lone travelers. They never attack if they are outnumbered, and can hunt both alone or in packs. They prefer surprise attacks such as to sneaking up on sleeping prey at night or dropping onto prey from tree branches or rooftops. Barring that they will use pincer attacks, aiming for the most vulnerable individuals of any group first and retreating if they are outmatched.

Ghouls should never be hunted alone. The best method to fight ghouls are slashing weapons of blessed silver such as swords or polearms, due to their tendency to shun heavy armor.
Ghouls have an insatiable hunger for the flesh of the living or recently deceased. They are driven by this cannibalistic hunger and go mad if they are unable to satisfy it. It is possible to lure ghouls with meat of animals or people, and they will be tempted to aproach even if they know it is a trap. If sufficiently hungry, ghouls will charge into certain death so long as they smell flesh.
Ghouls are likely to attempt retreat if they meet stiff resistance, but they can be followed if one has a capable tracker. Be wary of ambushes, however.

Trivia

Metaphysically a person afflicted with ghoul fever is gone the moment the disease kills them; what rises the next day isnt them reanimated as an undead but a shade that slipped inside their corpse and now posesses it.