Zombies

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Name Zombies
Classification Undead
Age Expectancy Immortal
Average Height Same as the original race.
Average Weight Same as the original race.
Body Normal
Spirit Corrupt
Soul Proxy
Preferred Weapons None
Owner David


Overview

The undead are the scourge of natural life, a terrifying race of unknown origins both immortal and contagious. It is thought that the first undead outbreak took place in Banivia long ago when the Undead plague was first introduced to the population, but where it came from is yet unexplained. All that is known is that it is extremely contagious, and all those who ingest contaminated substances or are killed by an infected creature themselves join the ranks of the undead. The greatest benefit the undead have to their name is their longevity. They are eternal. They consume energy at an astonishingly efficient rate, and more importantly do not need it to survive, but only to move. Potentially, even an undead that has been dormant for thousands of years is a constant threat to become active if they are somehow exposed to the energy of life, regardless of their power at their prime.

However, undead are not created only by the plague. An undead creature is a creature with a self-sustaining proxy in the place of the soul that has left the dead body. This effect can also be created through the magic of dark sorcerers such as necromancers, and certain rituals and circumstances can create an undead even in unexpected circumstances. The undead's proxy does not draw its power from any outside source such as a god or force of nature, but rather it sustains its function by stealing the life energy of other creatures. That is to say, the only way for an undead to remain active is to consume the recently departed. However, undead are not innately evil creatures. When their proxy is created, it is a clean slate, a naive soul, and a primitive mind that knows only instinct for its own 'survival.' Due to the means through which they must maintain animation, most develop violent and scornful personalities.

Obviously, appearance differs greatly based on what race the undead was originally. Almost any living race is capable of becoming an undead, even complex and unusual ones such as Archons. The only race currently immune to the undead plague (but not magical means of causing the transformation) is the Neophytes. However, a Neophyte which is already deceased can be turned into an undead as a result of exposure after death.

When brought to unlife, most of a corpse's spirit has since decayed. As a result, a completed zombie lacks the spirit energy required to stay together, as well a reliable blueprint for its body to refer to for healing. For this reason, zombies need to take spirit from other living sources to continue functioning, primarily from the bodies of the freshly dead.


Appearance

Dismiss all conventional understanding of what an undead appears to be. An undead's appearance depends entirely upon the frequency with which it feeds. An undead trapped in an ancient bastion raided by perhaps two or three stupid adventurers every 60 years will appear almost as a skeleton, as the 'health' of the flesh depends upon the life energy consumed. An undead that eats frequently, however, could appear to be an ordinary healthy specimen of the originally infected race.

Size, likewise, also varies depending on consumption. Of course, the size of the original race factors in, but undead which 'over-eat' will increase in bulk in all dimensions. The most enormous undead are to truly be feared, as they have become addicted to the hunt and no longer feed only upon instinct. Their power is often enormous, despite their awkward stature.


Noteworthy Zombies


Racial Passive

Undead

Undead Might (Racial Passive): You are undead, blessed and cursed by the gift of eternal life. You are eternal, but to maintain your strength you must feed upon the living. As an undead, you have a proxy soul and are unaffected by Keystones.
Positives: You do not need to breathe, and as such cannot be killed by any form of suffocation. When Undead die, they go to the Void. Every death from an undead (excluding Deathmatches and willing self-sacrifice, which follow their normal rules) follow Death 1 rules, requiring a 35 paragraph board quest, but Keystones cannot be used for them. If you eat a PC or an NPC at least your level, you may enter your Ascension (eating counts as a quick-action, and can only be used on those who are KOed or dead) for the rest of the battle or for the duration of the RP. (Ascension cannot be entered or extended using a Keystone, but may be extended by eating again in place of a Keystone.) After eating ten victims, you may become either a Greater Undead or a Lich (your choice), and your racial passive is replaced with the corresponding racial evolution.
Negatives: An undead must eat once per week, or all skills and battle stats will be halved until eating again. If an undead has not eaten in four weeks, all skills and battle stats will be halved again (25% of full) until eating. (You may do a 10 paragraph quest to eat instead.) Due to your nature, you take 20% more damage from techniques with the Holy Tag. You cannot use Keystones, or go to Heaven or Hell.


Racial Evolutions

Greater Undead

Greater Undead are the next step of 'evolution' for most undead. When an undead consumes a creature of above average power, its strength is added to its own. Once an undead feeds on enough powerful beings, it has reached a state that transcends the comparatively pitiful strength of a normal undead. The Greater Undead are among the most imposing and dangerous creatures in existence. Like undead, they cannot use Keystones.


Undead Juggernaut (Racial Passive): You have achieved incomparable power. Even the planet itself quivers beneath your terrible countenance. Many heroes have fallen at your hands, and they will be far from the last. You are terror.
Positives: You gain 5% of the battle stats of a character (PC only, although you may eat NPCs for no stat bonus) you officially eat (rounded down). You do not need to breathe, and as such cannot be killed by any form of suffocation. When Undead die, they go to the Void. Every death from an undead (excluding Deathmatches and willing self-sacrifice, which follow their normal rules) follow Death 1 rules, requiring a 35 paragraph board quest, but Keystones cannot be used for them. You are immune to damage over time effects such as Poison. If you eat a PC or an NPC at least your level, you may enter your Ascension (eating counts as a quick-action, and can only be used on those who are KOed or dead) for the rest of the battle or for the duration of the RP. (Ascension cannot be entered or extended using a Keystone, but may be extended by eating again in place of a Keystone.)
Negatives: An undead must eat once every two weeks, or all skills and battle stats will be halved until eating again. If an undead has not eaten in six weeks, all skills and battle stats will be halved again (25% of full) until eating. (You may do a 10 paragraph quest to eat instead.) Due to your nature, you take 20% more damage from techniques with the Holy Tag. Healing techniques do not affect you. You cannot use Keystones, or go to Heaven or Hell.


Lich

The Lich is the ultimate perversion of natural life. There is nothing pure or naive about what they've become. They have twisted their existence to the most unnatural purpose through dark magic, necromancy, and cannibalistic rituals. Their appearance is often that of a corrupted, haggard figure. Like Undead, they cannot use Keystones.


Malevolent Sorceror (Racial Passive): You have achieved a saturation of evil incomparable even to devils. You are the foulest, most spiteful creature in existence. To make matters worse, you're immortal. Great. You're a jerk.
Positives: Unenchanted or non-legendary weapons deal 10plm less damage to you. All of your attacks with some form of energy tag receive the Draining Hit Points element for free (only once per technique). You do not need to breathe, and as such cannot be killed by any form of suffocation. When Liches die, they go to the Void. Every death from a Lich (excluding Deathmatches and willing self-sacrifice, which follow their normal rules) follow Death 1 rules, requiring a 35 paragraph board quest, but Keystones cannot be used for them. If you eat a PC or an NPC at least your level, you may enter your Ascension (eating counts as a quick-action, and can only be used on those who are KOed or dead) for the rest of the battle or for the duration of the RP. (Ascension cannot be entered or extended using a Keystone, but may be extended by eating again in place of a Keystone.)
Negatives: Must be Evil Alignment. Due to your nature, you take 30% extra damage from techniques with the Holy Tag. Healing techniques do not affect you. A Lich must eat once every two weeks, or all skills and battle stats will be halved until eating again. If a Lich has not eaten in six weeks, all skills and battle stats will be halved again (25% of full) until eating. (You may do a 10 paragraph quest to eat instead.) You cannot use Keystones, or go to Heaven or Hell.