History or Origins of Undead

[lillin]

<div></div><div>This question has been lurking in my mind for some time now.  What makes the dead into undead?</div><div> </div><div>We know thier are necromancers and such and the curse on Kithicor woods.  But seems the the undead play such a huge role in this game i just wonder what is the root of their creation.  Any thoughts, theories, facts are welcome =).</div><div> </div><div>On this note does anyone have the origins of necromancers as well?</div><p>Message Edited by lillin on <span class="date_text">03-09-2006</span><span class="time_text">06:03 AM</span></p>

[Pyrrhx]

<div></div><div>Dead into undead..</div><div> </div><div>Sometimes powerful emotions cause vestiges of the once living (if not their former self in entireity) to remain attached to their corporeal husk. </div><div> </div><div>Theoretically.. a person so traumatically emotionally hurt in the events corresponding or leading up to their death will not pass on to the ever-after because they are so caught up in their pain, that they refuse to accept they are actually dead, and set out for vengeance... this could be used to explain the large numbers of undead around ruined villages/castles/keeps that were eternally scarred by the gods betraying their trust and leaving them to die...</div><div> </div><div>Alternatively.. other emotions or pyschological states could be inserted ...rage, denial, sadness... to explain undeath.  For example.. the ghostly and skeletal orcs in the commonlands.. were so enraged, and swept up in the bloody moment, that they refused to accept death in order to battle on. </div><div> </div><div>so theoretically.. emotional resonance is behind undeath (excluding vampires... for now)</div><blockquote dir="ltr"><div>**The concept of powerful emotions being behind undeath is also tied to the following concepts:  hauntings, poltergeist, revenants (seekers of revenge), the japanese grudge..</div><div> </div></blockquote><div>If you can't explain the source of undeath that way... you can fall back to:   a curse.</div>

[Cusashorn]

<div>The Undead just exist.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Some of them are forced into existance by the powers of others. Some just come back out of vengeance or some other emotion.</div><div> </div><div>Some just come to be because of the land itself.</div>

[Vhalen]

<div></div>There is a story behind the origins of undeath. It has never been revealed, but it exists just as well as the undead exist. There are a wide variety of processes that bring the undead to... unlife? But the forces that allow any of those processes to succeed have not always existed. In the coming seasons more of the creation of that undead force may be revealed. For now... only Vhalen knows, (and a few devs).

[Calthine]

<div></div>For some reason Mayong Mistmoore comes to mind.

[Eriol]

<blockquote><hr>Calthine wrote:For some reason Mayong Mistmoore comes to mind.<hr></blockquote>If I were to lay bets, it'd be either Innoruuk or Bertox. Leaning more towards Bertox as the ultimate source. I say Inny because of all the references throughout EQ1's lore about how Necromancy's source was Innoruuk, the Dark Elves, etc (I'm referring to where the Erudites got it from, and that whole story). Though Iksar also having it argues against such (and definitely argues against the Mayong approach IMO), and so the Bertox route is back.Considering what Bertox is like (a rotting corpse with a "normal" head), I'd lean towards him as the source.

[lillin]

<div>Thank you for answers thus far =)</div><div> </div><div>The undead and necromancy have always lured my intrest to great extent.  One reason is that even in real life we are not truly aware of what becomes us after death.  People will argue all kinds of theorys from afterlife in the heavens, to we basically become tree fertilizer.  Fantasy wise it inspires so much thought becuase of all the possible routes it can take.</div><div> </div><div>If you truly look through out the game undead walk amongst most every zone.  Even undead dragons are hanging around and dragons have some of the highest magic knowledge in existance and they too fall prey to this one curse.  Just makes me wonder if there isnt a force yet unknow that is as powerful as the gods who bring life, but brings the living dead. </div><div> </div><div>Bertox is a good canidate for this plague among the dead, but i hope a deeper story lies beneath.  It took so many gods to make life on norrath and just one god to make all this death ............ seems a big job.  Hopefully Vhalens promise of an explanation will come soon in future content.</div>

[backya]

<div>For some interesting facts on undead read the lore behind zarvons tower and him, some interesting things. I dont know if the ring still exist but it was a story behind the lore of his tower and alot of the undead lerking around.</div>

[BloodCelt]

<div></div><div>Answer</div><div> </div><div>The Origional Undead was an ancient bard named Richards Keith.</div>

[EvilIguana9]

In general, undead in fantasy games/literature seem to come from a couple of distinct sources.  The weaker ones are typically merely necromantic constructs, more or less built from the decaying pieces of dead creatures to be used as weapons.  This process is basically instilling a corrupted form of "life" in otherwise lifeless corpses.  They can be short or long duration servants depending on the magic used.  Sometimes powerful releases of necromantic energy can create hordes of undead creatures that more or less run amok. Other times creatures pass from life through means that fail to satisfy their souls' need for closure, and they remain in a state of undeath in an attempt to satisfy some perceived need.  Sometimes they are malevolent, other times they are forlorn but mostly harmless. Typically the most powerful undead are the ones who consciously choose the state of undeath as a means of granting themselves longevity.  We know them as liches, and they tend to be really bad mojo.  They are typically evil, though I have sometimes hypothesized that it could be conceivably possible for somone to become a lich for benevolent reasons. <div></div>

[jasonwade]

<div></div><div>Let me just say in advance that I know this post will not answer your questions about undeath - but the topic holds special interest for me and I also seek answers as to the cause of this abomination upon Norrath.  With this said I have posted a few accounts of my interactions with these dark entities and the impact that they have had on my personal and adventuring life....maybe you can help me piece together some of the mysteries I have encountered.</div><div> </div><div><p><strong><u>Of Light and Shadow</u></strong></p><p>Jaison, of the Warshawl family, was raised in the forest island of Icthera (in generations past before the Shattering of Norrath this island was actually part of Kithicor Woods, bordering the town of High Pass).<span>  </span>Although supported by a strong community and loving family, Jaison's early years were not without strife.<span>  </span>Although the human inhabitants of the island community (Jaison's ancestors) were fortunate enough to have survived the cataclysm that affected the rest of the world, many of the undead inhabitants of the long lost Kithicor Woods also continued to thrive.<span>  </span>All of the residents of Icthera lived under the constant threat of the walking dead.</p><p><span> </span>The generations that came before Jaison's time fought a seemingly never-ending battle against the zombies, skeletons, and ghouls that plagued the forests and coasts.<span>  </span>Over time a standing militia was formed to regularly hunt down these threats and patrol/expand the borders of the township.<span>  </span>A predominant religion, The Church of the One, also rose to power - eventually incorporating the militia into its hierarchy and augmenting them with divine offensive and defensive abilities.<span>  </span>The Church was led by a council of elders - a representative from each of four distinct professions sat on the council - a Paladin, a Guardian, a Templar, and a Wizard (this last position was held by the same individual for many decades - a high elf wizard, the only non-human resident of Icthera, originally traveling through Kithicor Woods during The Shattering and since separated from his home city of Felwithe).<span>  </span>During Jaison's lifetime the undead were still a looming threat, but the community at large was protected by the Church's leadership and military strength.<span>  </span></p><p><span> </span>As a boy Jaison excelled in the study of divine lore; he was accepted as an adept under the tutelage of The Church of the One's clerics at a young age.<span>  </span>The Church was largely neutral in alignment, operating under the belief that the Gods of old were in fact different manifestations or offshoots of the various personality traits of one greater deity that had become self-aware during the Shattering.<span>  </span>The catastrophe that befell Norrath was the result of this one deity’s sudden sentience.<span>  </span>The Church also held to the belief that the one deity still presides over Norrath, although the gods of old seemed to have abandoned humanity - the continued presence of divine magic was proof of this fact.<span>  </span>Jaison accepted many of The Church's teachings, but held fast to his own support of only the aspects of good - insisting that any self-aware being must also have the power of choice and therefore the ability to suppress evil.</p><p>Jaison rose quickly through the Order of the One, becoming a full cleric in his early twenties.<span>  </span>He was active in several leadership roles centered on improving the militia's tactics against the undead hordes, which seemed to have been renewing in numbers and increasing in strength after several decades of decline.<span>  </span>Wraiths, wights, ghosts, and other manner of more deadly creatures were beginning to become regularly encountered leading more common, lesser creatures.<span>  </span>It seemed that the mindless monsters were becoming organized in their assaults.<span>  </span>In the winter of his twenty-second year, Jaison was taken into the confidence of the council of elders.<span>  </span>It had come to the council's attention that a powerful undead force had been rising in the shadows - taking the advantage of time to build its strength and forces.<span>  </span>The exact form of this threat was unclear; perhaps an ancient banshee queen or sorcerer lich had been freed from a buried tomb when Kithicor was torn asunder.<span>  </span>No matter the source, it had become clear that the residents of Icthera would need to seek assistance from the outside world to combat the foe.<span>  </span></p><p>It was quickly decided that Jaison would make the perilous journey by sea to the city of Qeynos.<span>  </span>Over the past decade news of this great city's survival had reached the island, and trade vessels had taken notice of Icthera and set up an informal trade route.<span>  </span>Although the visits from these vessels were sporadic, it was determined that Jaison would choose a traveling companion and would book passage on the next ship bound for Qeynos.<span>  </span>The council suggested a seasoned warrior or studied mage to accompany him, but in the end Jaison chose to bring his younger sister, Taara Warshawl, on the journey.<span>  </span>Although this was against the council's combined wisdom, they allowed Jaison to make the choice.<span>  </span>He could simply not bear to leave his sibling in Icthera with the knowledge that the town was in imminent danger.</p><p>On a frigid day in the dead of winter, Jaison and Taara set sail to Qeynos.<span>  </span>The journey was fraught with peril.<span>  </span>Tempests plagued the journey and the seas swelled around the ship.<span>  </span>During one such storm a tidal wave crashed down onto the decking, sweeping away many of the crew who were attempting to secure crates of supplies and gear.<span>  </span>Among those lost was Taara; swept out to sea with no hope of a rescue attempt.<span>  </span>Heartbroken by the loss, Jaison continued to Qeynos alone.</p><p>Arriving in the city, Jaison was surprised by the quick action of the Qeynosian leaders.<span>  </span>Sympathetic to Icthera's plight, a rescue team was quickly organized and sent to the island.<span>  </span>Jaison accompanied the party of warriors, scouts, mages, and priests back to Icthera, arriving roughly a month and a half to the day after he and his sister had left to seek aid.<span>  </span>It was now early spring, but patches of snow still littered the ground and the trees which usually would have begun to bloom were strangely barren and dry.<span>  </span>Stranger still, when the raid party arrived in the village square in the late afternoon they were shocked to find the area devoid of activity.<span>  </span>Searching the houses, they found no inhabitants.<span>  </span>It was as if the Ictherans had suddenly been forced to flee.<span>  </span>Half eaten meals were set on tables, half scribed letters were laid out on desks, fireplaces and stoves contained nothing but ash from fires that had burned out some time before.<span>  </span>The Qeynosians immediately decided to mount a search effort; they set up a temporary base in the main temple of The Church of the One and began preparations to set out at daybreak.<span>  </span>However, during the night the fate of the villagers became clear.</p><p><span> </span>During the initial inspection of the empty buildings and homes all living areas were searched from ceiling to floor - unfortunately the crawl spaces and attics were not as thoroughly inspected.<span>  </span>It was in these dark, dank nooks and crannies that the former inhabitants of Icthera slept during the daylight hours - having fallen to the curse of undeath.<span>  </span>The dark shadow which had for so long plagued the island had taken the form of a vampire priest, an ancient and evil inquisitor.<span>  </span>As the sun set, these newly created vampire spawn left their hiding places and roamed the streets of the town - still caught in the veil of death, reenacting their memories from life.<span>  </span>It was not long, however, that the fiends realized that there was living blood in the town.<span>  </span>Luckily, they would not approach the temple and the raid party was kept safe for the moment.<span>  </span>The vampire spawn were not entirely without cunning though.<span>  </span>All during the night the would-be rescuers were taunted by whispered threats and pleas from the darkness.<span>  </span>Jaison was shaken to his core, as the voices of his mother and father taunted him with accusations of his failure to save them and the promise that he could end their suffering by simply leaving the shelter of the temple to join them.<span>  </span>By pure strength of will and faith he managed to stay awake throughout the night and resist the vampires' thrall.<span>  </span>Others were not so lucky.<span>  </span>As the sun rose it was clear that at least a third of the raid party had succumbed and had slipped out of the temple to join the ranks of the undead.</p><p><span> </span>At daybreak, the survivors hurriedly made their preparations for departure, but not before setting fire to the village in hopes that the blaze would destroy the evil that had taken it, or at the very least weaken the vampires by driving them out of their safe hiding places.<span>  </span>The mages and priests set charms and wards of protection on the temple to protect it from the fire so that it alone would stand as a haven for any unfortunate travelers that might set shore on the island.<span>  </span></p><p><span> </span>Before long, the survivors set sail to Qeynos - leaving the ghost town of Icthera to burn.<span>  </span>Long plagued by guilt over the loss of his sister during their original journey by sea, Jaison found a sense of comfort that he saved her from the curse that had taken the rest of the village, even if it was only through losing her to true death.<span>  </span></p><p>In Qeynos, Jaison leads the simple life of a Templar outside the city walls in Nettleville Hovel.<span>    </span>He has earned a modest level of respect with the Qeynosian government, having assisted in the defense and betterment of his new home.<span>  </span>Although he has not joined any of the city's religious orders he has been known to ally himself with the followers of good sects when their causes align with his own.<span>  </span>He continues to battle the forces of the undead, and remains vigilent for news of the vampire priest that destroyed Icthera - as he is sure that the fiend's plans extend beyond a simple island village.<span>  </span>Jaison was instrumental in several campaigns organized by the Temple of Quellious (the recovery of the legendary Ghoulbane among others) and the Hands of Marr (the destruction of a rising vampire threat in NektulosForest).<span>  </span>Recent information gained during his travels has led him to believe that the undead threat, although treacherous, is simply a precursor for some greater danger.<span>  </span>The appearance of fiendish creatures in Norrath, often associated with the walking dead, seem to indicate that a demonic force may be the true enemy - acting through the undead to further their nefarious schemes.<span>  </span>He has also allied himself with the Order of the Ancients, a group of like minded individuals seeking to keep the evil forces that threaten Norrath at bay.<span>  </span>He currently is seeking to recover lost artifacts of power and lore to keep them from falling into the hands of evil.</p><p> </p><p><u><strong>The More Thing Are Different, The More They Stay The Same… </strong></u></p><p>The moon rose over the desert bringing a nightly reprieve from the burning heat that afflicted most of the Isle of Ro.<span>  </span>Jaison Warshawl finished shaking the sand from his boots and began to the process of suiting up in his heavy plate armor.</p><p>“Do you need assistance, barrashar?” one of the dervish commoners offered as he passed by the makeshift shelter that Jaison had been resting in that afternoon.</p><p>“No thank you friend, you have been kind enough to share your camp I can ask no more.”<span>  </span>Jaison held up two fingers with a slight bow of the head, a sign of blessing from his order.<span>  </span>The dervish man, puzzled by the foreign gesture, smiled and went on his way.</p><p>Since the shipping routes to the newly discovered Isle of Ro had opened, Jaison Warshawl had been making regular missions with members of the Church of Marr to attend to the barren island’s residents.<span>  </span>As the influx of outlanders came to Ro, they inevitably brought with them sickness and disease new to the dervish folk – the clerics sought to immunize the populace and limit mortality.<span>  </span></p><p>The dervish were a strange culture to Jaison, relying on trade, barter, and coin above all else – even faith.<span>  </span>If the Gods had left Norrath it was here that their departure could be seen most clearly.<span>  </span>They were also a very hardy people; strengthened by their existence in the harsh deserts and rocky plateaus of Ro.<span>  </span>Jaison was also finding that the threats were equally as strong – arachnids of immense proportion roamed the sands and races of Cyclops and Harpies, thought extinct since the Shattering, stalked the rocky steppes that loomed above the dunes.<span>  </span></p><p>Further, there was no reprieve from the threats of the island within the walls of the major city, Maj Dul – a place as neutral in it’s alignment as Qeynos was good or Freeport was Evil.<span>  </span>Warring factions did not hide their bloody power struggle within the city walls, pickpockets and cutthroats skulked in the alleyways, and the ever present Sha’Ir police force was only concerned with enforcing the law regardless of the impact of their actions for good or ill.<span>  </span>Besides necessary excursions to the city, Jaison had opted to spend the majority of his time among the dervish in the desert, lest he unknowingly became involved in the complicated political workings of Maj Dul.<span>  </span>Unfortunately, with his associates in the Order of the Ancients making the decision to try and influence the law makers in the city by aligning themselves with the Court of Truth, he was sure that problems in the city would come looking for him.</p><p>Jaison finished donning his armor and slipped his mace into it’s holster, preparing to set out onto the dunes as he had for the past few evenings to look for herbs and roots amongst the sparse desert vegetation to use for medicinal purposes – the scorpions and spiders seemed to retreat to their lairs during the night making harvesting a bit less troublesome.<span>  </span>After an hour or so he came upon a small patch of wiry, green stems; a sure indicator of healthy roots in the sand.<span>  </span>Sure enough after a moment of digging the yellowish-white root was exposed, as he kneeled to examine this find a shadow fell over him blocking the moonlight, the smell of curdled milk and rotten meat wafted in the breeze.</p><p>Startled, Jaison turned quickly to get to his feet – but too late – a claw-like hand batted the exposed skin on his neck and he felt his muscles tighten and freeze as the ghoul’s touch temporarily paralyzed him.<span>  </span>The creature’s face showed no expression, but a gleam was in its black eyes.<span>  </span>Jaison stared helplessly and saw several skeletons clothed in rusting armor and a bandage-wrapped zombie advancing from behind his assailant.<span>  </span>The ghoul’s thick, dry tongue clicked against it’s teeth as it waited for it’s undead brethren to catch up to their intended victim…</p><p> </p><p><strong><u>A Private War</u></strong></p><p>“How can this not leave an impression upon them?<span>  </span>Their policy of blindness will lead to their doom.” <span> </span>Jason fumed at Ryshia, the Court of Truth liaison, as they left their audience with the foreign affairs ambassadors and Sha’Ir representatives.</p><p>Ryshia’s face showed genuine empathy.<span>  </span>“I see your concern Sir Templar, but you must understand the Court’s point of view – these creatures you seek to fight have never directly threatened Maj’Dul, only the unwary desert traveler need feel threatened by them.”</p><p>“Their very existence is a threat, an obscenity to the heavens.<span>  </span>If Maj’Dul will not act then others must.”</p><p>The finality of this statement forced a change in Ryshia’s demeanor, her stance firmed and her expression hardened.<span>  </span>“I implore you, barrashar, do not go seeking trouble, you will certainly find it.<span>  </span>I fear that it will be you who will bring our destruction; your hostility is an invitation to war.”</p><p>Jaison offered a gesture of blessing to end the conversation and the two parted ways outside the Tower of the Moon; Ryshia to attend to some minor errand for her Court as Jaison strode across the market to confer one last time with the Stargazers about the piece of obscure lore that had lead him to the course of action he was determined to follow.</p><p>The undead that wandered the Isle of Ro were viewed by most of Maj’Dul’s citizens as solitary, mindless creatures – some pitied the cursed monsters, others even viewed their unceasing nature as a benefit since their main targets seemed to be the desert madmen and orcs that were considered true threats to the dervish.<span>  </span>“Why would we seek to destroy a predator that keeps our enemies attention diverted and their numbers in check?<span>  </span>Besides, how could creatures with no reasoning capacity mount any kind of campaign against us?<span>  </span>The thought is laughable.”<span>  </span>The words of one of the Sha’Ir rang in Jaison’s ears, but he knew better – he had seen the undead’s ability to coordinate attacks firsthand when they destroyed his homeland and he had experienced them attacking in groups in the desert sands surrounding Maj’Dul.<span>  </span></p><p><span>************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************</span></p><div><p>It was two weeks before his failed audience with the Sha’Ir and ambassadors in Maj’Dul and Jaison Warshawl found himself at home in Qeynos seeking information to support or, he hoped, to dispel the mounting evidence of an undead army buried in the desert sands of Ro.</p></div><p>“Ahhh, yes, the tales of the Founders of Living Death.<span>  </span>I would expect that more information would be available in the tomes of Freeport, but I do know of several texts that reference the bleak academies and the origins of Necromancy; dark tales to be sure.”<span>  </span>The librarian-mage shot a suspicious glance at Jaison before summoning two books from the shelves with her wand.<span>  </span>Each hovered in mid-air in front of her, opening in a flurry of pages as the texts magically turned to the passages she sought.<span>  </span>“Here now, mention of a Pharaoh – a desert king – a prominent founder of a chapter of mages devoted to the research of magicks intended to extend mortal life.<span>  </span>His name is not noted, but both texts tell a similar story – that eventually his well-intentioned quest for long life became an obsession with immortality and his experiments led to the creation of some of the first necromantic spells, specifically those involving the harnessing of lifeforce.<span>  </span>This obsession ultimately resulted in madness, ending in the downfall of his kingdom and the deaths of many of his subjects.<span>  </span></p><p><span></span>“Did this kingdom have a name? Is a location mentioned?” Jaison tried to keep his tone of voice neutral, but he could feel his pulse rise as he absorbed the information he had gleaned, news that mirrored and confirmed the lore that the Stargazers in Maj’Dul had already referenced and the scrolls he had recovered from the Orillian pirates.</p><p>“No, not anything specific, but I am sure that anyone familiar with the geography of Norrath before The Shattering would agree that the desert of Ro was the only area capable of sustaining a kingdom of the size referred to in this tale.<span>  </span>Of course, like the tale itself, the land is probably pure conjecture – a fabrication.”</p><p>“Of course. Thank you for humoring me.”<span>  </span>Jaison departed through one of the many portals in the MageTower and made his way outside into the bustling streets of South Qeynos.<span>  </span>The Order of the Ancients guildhouse was not far and he needed to make arrangements with his comrades before departing to Maj’Dul to plead his case before the Courts and Sha’Ir representatives.<span>  </span>He was sure that the physical evidence – the parchment, the rubbings from the desert lunatics’ alter, and the scepter – along with the irrefutable similarity between the folktales of the Dervish and the written history from the Qeynosian library would be enough to enlist the armed forces of Maj’Dul to investigate, if not mobilize, in the face of a very real threat.</p><p>************************************************** ************************************************** **********************************</p><div><p>A purplish glow enveloped Jaison’s mace as it struck its mark, feeding divine energy to its wielder even as the mummified warrior he had been battling crumbled to dust.<span>  </span>All around him the battle raged on the edge of the oasis.<span>  </span>The corpses had risen at the approach of the twelve warriors, all members of the Order of the Ancients and their associates from Qeynos who had answered Jaison’s call for aid.<span>  </span>Outnumbered, the allies were making quick work of the decrepit soldiers that had apparently been prepared for their arrival, but with each corpse they destroyed another clawed its way to the surface of the dunes eager to feast upon the living.</p></div><p>Jaison quickly surveyed the battlefield for any wounded.<span>  </span>Confident that the damage to his forces was minor at the moment he grasped the silvered holy symbol from the chain around his neck, closed his eyes and uttered a prayer; a brief shimmering of divine favor fell upon the group.<span>  </span>Recovery from this reverie was almost instantaneous, a result of his experience in battle.<span>  </span>He weaved through the combatants to make his way to the head of the fighting where warriors and scouts, lead by Cobraslayer, were holding back the bulk of their enemy’s forces.<span>  </span>The need for healing on the frontlines was imminent.</p><p>A few feet away, Dimzar waved his left hand with fingers outspread while pointing his staff at a group of mummies – a brief flash of light and their dried flesh burst into flames exposing bones which splintered in the magical heat.<span>  </span>A ghoul, taking advantage of the moment, sprang at the wizard – but too late.<span>  </span>Dimzar spun to face the threat; a snap of his finger and the predator froze in a ring of ice in midair before breaking into pieces on the ground.<span>  </span></p><p>Not far from the clashing of swords, atop a patch of grass and desert weeds, Kamara’s fingers danced over the strings of her lute.<span>  </span>As her voice rose in unison with the melody wisps of sound took form, manifesting in the air above the combatants and showering her comrades in golden notes that ran like quicksilver on armor and sword but steamed and fizzled on the flesh of their attackers like acid.<span>  </span>From behind a zombie lurched towards her, its arms outstretched to silence the bard, but she was too cunning; without missing a beat she pulled a concealed short sword from the handle of the instrument and cleaved the monster’s head from its body.</p><p>Advancing behind three bandaged corpses, Colnar called out a challenge to his enemies, preferring to sacrifice the element of surprise in order to face his enemies on equal standing – the paladin displaying chivalry even to the most despicable foe on a chaotic field of battle.<span>  </span>Blocking a scythe attack from one of the creatures with his weapon he suddenly found himself open to flanking attacks from the other two as serrated daggers were drawn from their wrappings.<span>  </span>Both stabbed quickly at Colnar’s abdomen, but a quick holy word of protection deflected the attacks and stunned the undead long enough for him to smite all three with a single blow.<span>  </span>Their weapons dropped to the ground as they crumbled to dust atop the sands.</p><p>Finally the ranks of the dead began to thin.<span>  </span>Cobraslayer held the line against the remainder of the horde, selflessly drawing their ire as several scouts made sneak and ranged attacks to further deplete their numbers.<span>  </span>Alluria and Amasc, an Elvin druid and a Dwarven shaman, found themselves cut off by a group of ghouls that had slipped around the battle, intent on eliminating the healers before they were in casting range.<span>  </span>Within moments the duo was circled by the creatures.<span>  </span>Not a moment to spare, Alluria dropped to the ground and plunged her hand into the sand sending a transparent greenish ripple along the deserts surface; Amasc bowed his head and held a totem skyward as phantasmal wisps swirled outward from his body.<span>  </span>Their attackers approach quickened, but their advance was thwarted as thorny desert vines sprang from the dunes to hold them fast, attempts at escape made futile as their strength was sapped by spiritual energies.<span>  </span>The danger resolved for a moment, the pair moved forward to join their comrades.</p><p>The last of the creatures fell before a flurry of arrows and a flash of swords, leaving only a single enemy – a mummified Oracle, a mage-general.<span>  </span>With no more troops to bolster the monster made ready to release its devastating powers directly upon the raid party.<span>  </span>A clap of its hands released a sonic boom, stunning and stifling the Ancients and their allies.<span>  </span>Taking advantage of the moment the Oracle began to utter a breathless chant as electric sparks began to emanate outward.<span>  </span>All combatants stood helpless watching the spell take form, bracing for the strike.<span>  </span>However, unnoticed in the crowd, Xindu had shrugged off the effects of the initial blow – the monk deftly leapt to meet the threat, striking the undead caster with a flurry of kicks and blows.<span>  </span>The Oracle’s spell fizzled in a series of audible pops as the creature was knocked backwards.<span>  </span>There was no opportunity to begin another casting, Xindu’s outstretched hand sliced the air like a sword severing his enemy’s head at the jaw.</p><p>With the Oracle’s death the Ancient’s found themselves instantly released from the effects of the stunning spell that had held them.<span>  </span>The last of the creatures seemed to have fallen and relief washed over the group of adventurers like a cool desert breeze.</p><p>The moment faded quickly as Jaison spurred the group’s sense of urgency.<span>  </span>“Search the remains – we are looking for a personal artifact that belonged to the leader, a symbol or emblem I would think.”<span>   </span>They had not battled this hard to lose the item they sought to the shifting desert sands, the proof that linked these creatures to a darker purpose, evidence to the arrogant leaders of Maj’Dul.</p><p>As the company focused their attention amongst the tattered wrappings and scraps of clothes and bones, a figure materialized on a nearby dune.<span>  </span>A strong, almost regal presence silhouetted against the setting sun.<span>  </span>“Is this that which you search for fools?!”<span>  </span>The figure held aloft a trinket that sparkled like diamonds; a headdress made of bones and stretched skin rested atop the creature's exposed skull.</p><p>On each side of this new adversary great mounds of sand and earth rose as two scarabs of enormous proportion pulled themselves to the earth’s surface, carapaces glinting in the failing daylight.<span>  </span>Jaison and his comrades had barely the time to brace for a final battle; the three figures descended upon the allies with unearthly speed.<span>  </span>The name R-A-H-O-T-E-P was caught up in a shrill, sandy gust that trumpeted their approach…</p><p> </p><p>Jaison Warshawl</p><p>Templar, 60th Order</p><p>Exorcist, 5th Rank</p><p>Order of the Ancients</p><p> </p></div>

[KidMangaX]

<div>Undead are rightly called Undead. They are UN-doing Death.</div><div> </div><div>To put it in short, imaginbably, the undead were based upon the principle that Chi is your life force and your animating energy, and that when your chi runs out you die.</div><div> </div><div>Basically, what a summoner does is take his chi (mana in this case), find a body, pile of rocks, some bones, a wisp of air, a spirit from the netherworld, just about anything, and forces his chi into the object. This object is now animated and under his control (since its still his chi and he still moves it)</div><div> </div><div>In the necromancers case, he forces his chi into a pile of bones, a dead body, or even a solidified shadow</div><div> </div><div>Another point to be made is the origin of necromancers. Frankly, there is little difference between conjurers and necromancers, as in a matter of fact necromancer shouldn't even be considered "evil". The only real difference is that the necromancer chooses the (easier to animate) bodies and bones instead of giving life to something completley random like a stick, rock or pile of dog poo like the conjurers do :smileyvery-happy: ((BTW the bodies and bones are only easier because their bodies/limbs are pre-formed, while conjurers have to make new parts from random objects))</div><div> </div><div>When I say necromancers arent evil, I dont mean all necromancers. Unfortunatley, there a few sickos out there who like to do strange things with corpses and the other ones only THINK their evil because theyre "desecrating another human being" and then this thought eventually consumes their mind, driving them to other evil acts ((which is also why many necromancers were insane))</div><div> </div><div>So there ya have it. Now you choose: Uber awesome necromancer or smelly, hard working conjurer :smileywink:</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>your home-boy of knowledge,</div><div> </div><div>-Sahaquiel Darklore of L'D server</div><div> </div>

[KidMangaX]

<p> </p><blockquote><hr>Pyrrhx wrote:<div> </div><div>Sometimes powerful emotions cause vestiges of the once living (if not their former self in entireity) to remain attached to their corporeal husk. </div><div> </div><div>Theoretically.. a person so traumatically emotionally hurt in the events corresponding or leading up to their death will not pass on to the ever-after because they are so caught up in their pain, that they refuse to accept they are actually dead, and set out for vengeance... this could be used to explain the large numbers of undead around ruined villages/castles/keeps that were eternally scarred by the gods betraying their trust and leaving them to die...</div><div> </div><div>Alternatively.. other emotions or pyschological states could be inserted ...rage, denial, sadness... to explain undeath.  For example.. the ghostly and skeletal orcs in the commonlands.. were so enraged, and swept up in the bloody moment, that they refused to accept death in order to battle on. </div><div> </div><div>so theoretically.. emotional resonance is behind undeath (excluding vampires... for now)</div><hr></blockquote><p>The whole theory behind being dead is that you can no longer animate your motions with energy. Even if your angry at something, while this may multiply your will and energy while alive, will NOT REANIMATE YOU IF YOUR DEAD</p><p>A hint, if you think your dead, look in the mirror for rotting flesh. dont check your pulse; your heart, brain, and vitals will reactivate if you are un-dead. This is also why the undead can be re-killed</p><p> </p><p>However, phyr brings me to another point: Spiritual resonance</p>

[KidMangaX]

<div></div><blockquote><hr>Pyrrhx wrote:<div></div><div> </div><div>**The concept of powerful emotions being behind undeath is also tied to the following concepts:  hauntings, poltergeist, revenants (seekers of revenge), the japanese grudge..</div><div> </div><div>If you can't explain the source of undeath that way... you can fall back to:   a curse.</div><hr></blockquote><p>Hauntings and ghosts:  Your leftover energy after you die. This is NOT your spirit and you cant even tell if your haunting a place because of this. Your Ghost will do the same thing of you because your energy fuels your brain (which contains your personality and such) so people will think it is YOUR SPIRIT becuase your energy will act as you do. To put it in short, ghosts are an embodiment of you minus the you.</p><p>Hauntings are non-embodied apparitions which play around with objects you used to when you were alive. This is because since your energy is essentially your personality with energy (as explained above) it does what you do so for all you know your ghost could be haunting a lampshade you wore to a party once :smileyvery-happy:</p><p>Poltergist: A more viololent version of a ghost, poltergists are energy from the times you were angry. Its like, as above, your personality with energy, except with poltergists it comes from if you died when angry (since it goes by most recent personality)</p><p>Grudge: If you were bullied around, desecrated, or something along those lines when you died, this is, again, an "angry ghost", except this is REALLY pushing the limit. Grudges actually manifest themselves and are almost zombie-like constructs of your energy. Scary? You betcha.</p><p>Revenant: This is the "Ok you went WAY TO FRIKIN FAR BUB" version of a grudge. This IS YOUR SPIRIT. You actually control this thing. Unlike a grudge and more like a full-fledged zombie construct, the Revenant is permanently manifested untill it sees fit to kill itself and pass over (which will only happen after you stop going killcrazy and get your revenge) or unless it is excorsised (which ALSO cant happen unless it kills, since being a revenant is like the sentinent being stage in BBC HQ. the Afterlife wont even have you forced in until you get less bloodthirsty)</p><p>To put it in short: Dont screw around with people and kill them otherwise you might get screwed over...meep</p><p> </p><p>-SD</p>

[Futunctio]

<div></div>From early EQ1 days, when I had great fun roleplaying a necro during the first halloween invasion of Qeynos Hills, I've always enjoyed looking at necromancers this way:It's all about power for them. They're given their power through study by Bertox (or Inny) and a source of their mania is control. Control over another being, control over the ultimate fate of all life (first I'm gonna kill you, and then I'll bring you back as my slave) and transcending the control of another over them - i.e. death over themselves (liches).They cannot abide any undead they do not control, which is why they run around killing them rather than letting them flourish.  Goodies think the undead are an abomination to destroy, evils think they are an abomination to control and use as a tool.  Necros use death as a weapon while denying that weapon to others, through the power of their gods.  Why are Inny and Bertox so vile? Because all the other gods are unwilling to grant that power to their subjects. Only Inny and Bertox are willing to open that realm of study to their mortal followers, perhaps because only Inny and Bertox are beyond the visceral fear of death.  Tunare, the Marrs, they are all about the energy and vitality of life. Bertox is about rot and corruption of the body, Inny about the rot and corruption of the soul.My necro's tagline was "We are all followers of Bertoxullus - some merely more slowly than others."  Bertox is the only god that all Norrathians will worship at some point.  Even if - especially if  - it's the last thing they do.The mechanism I like to think of as just another branch of magical study - clerics have health magic, wardens have nature magic, necros have death magic. They augment, repress, and make use of the primal forces of chaos and entropy the same way wizards and clerics and summoners do - they just studied an area that is distasteful to others.One thing I miss from EQ1 was being able to rp the "shunned necromancer" of Qeynos.  Human necros weren't evil due to city allegiance - they perhaps even considered themselve good (mad scientists?) but were outcast of society.  I never enjoyed playing an inkie necro, because it was too permissable for them.<div></div><p>Message Edited by Futunctious on <span class="date_text">03-13-2006</span><span class="time_text">10:56 AM</span></p>

[Pyrrhon]

<div></div><div></div><div><span><blockquote><hr>Futunctious wrote:One thing I miss from EQ1 was being able to rp the "shunned necromancer" of Qeynos.  Human necros weren't evil due to city allegiance - they perhaps even considered themselve good (mad scientists?) but were outcast of society.  I never enjoyed playing an inkie necro, because it was too permissable for them.<div></div><hr></blockquote>I agree! I've been playing my first Qeynosian lately to get at some new content, and I have to say, wandering around Qeynos is nearly unbearable. The whole flavour of the city is ultra-saccharine.I think they went a little too far in making Freeportians "evil" and Qeynosians "good" in the stereotypical ways. There are a lot of good, noble, loyal Qeynosians who aren't carebears -- and you don't have to be a selfish, self-serving jerk to be a good citizen of Freeport. There SHOULD be gray areas. It's just unrealistic otherwise.When I play a Qeynosian, I want to play a capable, decent, likable person, who happens to agree with the philosophies of Qeynos. When I play a Freeportian, I want the same, a capable, decent, likable person, who happens to agree with the philosophies of Freeport. It's just too artificial to force people to be theatrically, Vincent Price-evil just because they chose to ally themselves with a certain philosophies. Similarly, Qeynosians shouldn't all be superficial, overbearing, nice-to-a-fault, Don Quixotes.My new Qeynosian is an erudite, and I was really irritated that I was being forced, in the newbie racial quest, to drive a heretic (read: necromancer) out of Qeynos, especially since he wasn't hurting anyone, he was just trying to live there in peace. When the heretic cursed me and said he was only seeking knowledge and if I don't appreciate that I'm not a true erudite, well, I sort of agreed with him.</span></div><p>Message Edited by Pyrrhonic on <span class="date_text">03-11-2006</span><span class="time_text">05:14 PM</span></p><p>Message Edited by Pyrrhonic on <span class="date_text">03-11-2006</span><span class="time_text">05:34 PM</span></p>

[lillin]

<div></div><p>bleh qeynos necro's, the softer side of Sears =p j/k</p><p>I was a dark elf necro in eq1.  While i see your points of faction, you should of seen it from my perspective as a dark elf.  The only people that did like me were dark elfs, and even the necro epic guy viewed me as threatning lol.  Was some thing about starting in neriak, exiting into Nek forest that just really gave that dark necro feel.</p><p>On note of thread, interesting read on theorys so far.  Reading the shadowmen thread about similarities in nek castle and obelisk got me wondering what shadow men have to do with the undead as well.</p><p>Far as mages being better summoners then necros ......... pfft look at real life we make inanimate objects into robots and such and still cant raise the dead =p</p>

[ke'la]

<div></div><p>When I play a Qeynosian, I want to play a capable, decent, likable person, who happens to agree with the philosophies of Qeynos. When I play a Freeportian, I want the same, a capable, decent, likable person, who happens to agree with the philosophies of Freeport. It's just too artificial to force people to be theatrically, Vincent Price-evil just because they chose to ally themselves with a certain philosophies. Similarly, Qeynosians shouldn't all be superficial, overbearing, nice-to-a-fault, Don Quixotes.</p><p></p><hr><p>Try playing a FPer thats betrayed to Qeynos.  Now I have not personally done this but have been standing near those that have. If you do you will find out(especally the elves) that Qeynosians are not all sweet and nice.:smileywink:</p>

[Guronzor]

<div></div>This interesting topic brings me another question:Does permanent death really exist in Norrath?Everyone you kill will reappear later.Even heroes from Qeynos and Freeport don' t really die.Is there a link between undeads and the fact that no one can really die?<div></div>