Walking again after death was nothing like I thought it would be. I have risen from the grave and now grace the world of Seyruun with my presence.

The Undead are creatures who have crossed the veil between life and death, yet refuse to rest on either side. Through necromancy, divine wrath, corrupted ritual, or sheer willpower, they exist in defiance of the natural order. Though many view them as abominations, the truth of undeath is far more complex. Some are victims cursed into eternal torment, others are powerful entities who chose to forsake mortality for knowledge, vengeance, or dominion. Regardless of origin, all undead share one fate, they are no longer fully alive, but not truly dead.

Undeath strips away the illusion of time. Hunger, memory, guilt, and obsession linger across centuries, shaping each Undead differently. Some cling to the remnants of their humanity, building mockeries of society in crypts and catacombs. Others surrender to decay and madness, becoming puppets of darker forces. Their bodies may rot, their voices may rasp, but their minds, when intact, are often keener than ever, sharpened by immortality and hardened by the silence of the grave.

Undead are not a single race, but a classification of cursed existence. They range from the shambling corpses animated by residual soul fragments, to ageless liches who wield ancient magic and command armies of the dead. Ghosts, revenants, banshees, ghouls, vampires, death knights, and bone-bound spirits all fall under this vast umbrella. What unites them is their rejection of mortal death and the unrelenting pull of entropy that forever seeks to reclaim them.

To be Undead is to exist on borrowed breath, walking a path where every step echoes with past sins, unfulfilled oaths, and a silence that the living can never understand.

UNDEAD DESCRIPTION

~~ ORIGIN & LORE ~~

They were not meant to rise.

The Undead of Seyruun are a fractured consequence of divine tragedy, mortal desperation, and forbidden magic. They are not a singular race born of evolution or divine grace, but a category of beings torn from the cycle of life and death. Some are animated by residual will, others by vengeance, and still others by dark oaths or relics that bind soul to corpse. All Undead are defined by what they have lost: the warmth of breath, the rhythm of a natural heartbeat, and the tether of time itself.

The first Undead did not crawl from tombs but fell from the heavens.

During the Age of Sundering, when Godsven and his divine kin turned their wrath against mortal betrayal, it is said that entire cities were judged and consumed in flame. But from the ashes of that divine retribution, some refused to pass on. Their souls, too full of purpose or hatred, clung to their broken remains. These became the first true Undead, not risen by necromancy, but preserved by defiance.

As time moved forward, necromancy spread like a disease through forgotten kingdoms and secret cults. Vampires learned to enslave corpses to guard their crypts. Warlocks used bonecraft and soul fragments to build immortal servants. Entire armies were exhumed and given false breath, leading to the creation of the first necropoli, cities of the silent, ruled by death.

Though many races have feared or hated the Undead, none can deny their permanence. They do not age. They do not hunger, unless cursed. They do not sleep, unless trapped. And some remember things the living have long since forgotten.

In modern Seyruun, Undead come in many forms:

Wights who preserve memory, purpose, and will
Skeletons animated by bound spirits or animus runes
Mummies sealed by rites of vengeance or prophecy
Liches who traded mortality for knowledge and power
Hollowed who are shells filled by something alien or broken
Ghasts and Revenants who wander with unfinished business

Each has its own origin, but they all share the same fundamental truth. They are no longer living. Yet they are not yet dead.

Undead do not procreate, nor are they born. They are made. Some rise of their own will. Others are dragged back by magic or fate. Some even volunteer, embracing undeath as a path to eternal purpose or unending war. A few seek redemption or balance, walking the line between monstrosity and sentience. Most simply endure, not to thrive, but to exist long after others crumble.

The gods of Seyruun are divided on the matter of undeath. IO abhors it in most of its forms, viewing it as a corruption of the sacred cycle. But even IO cannot always undo it. Some Undead are protected by ancient pacts, divine confusion, or roles so important that even death must step aside. It is whispered that Godsven himself granted mercy to one necrotic soul during the Second Epoch, granting it the power to remember, to weep, and to judge its own kind.

Undead are feared. Undead are misunderstood. But they are part of the tapestry now. They walk among kings and rebels, slaves and scholars. Some hide their nature behind masks of magic and perfume. Others wear it openly, wrapped in silence and dignity.

No matter their form, one thing is certain: they are not to be taken lightly. Death did not want them, and life cannot reclaim them.

~~ HISTORY ~~

“Even in death, they remember.”

The history of the Undead in Seyruun is as long as death itself. They are not a new invention, nor a recent blight. They are the echoes of fallen ages, walking reminders of past sins, forbidden knowledge, and defiance against the natural order set by IO.

Prehistoric Times — The Silent Ones (Before Recorded Ages)

In the early days of Seyruun, when IO first created the races, death was a sacred and final transition. But even then, not all souls passed cleanly into the afterlife. Occasionally, in places soaked in elemental energy or saturated with primal sorrow, the Silent Ones arose, restless spirits bound to the mortal realm by emotion, unfinished purpose, or trauma. These were the first Undead, not raised by magic, but born of natural imbalance. Ghosts. Shades. Banshees.

These early Undead were rare and regarded with reverence or fear by primitive peoples, often becoming oracles, protectors, or omens of ruin.

The First Age – Rise of Magic and the Birth of Undeath

With the dawn of arcane understanding during the First Age, magic surged across Seyruun like wildfire. Among its earliest wielders were Elven morticians and Human philosophers, each seeking to unravel the mysteries of life and death. Their intentions were noble at first. Some sought to commune with their ancestors. Others hoped to preserve wisdom that would otherwise be lost to time.

However, as knowledge deepened, so too did ambition. The boundary between reverence and dominance was soon crossed. Spirits once called upon for guidance were bound in chains of will. Corpses were raised, not to be honored, but to serve. The natural rhythm of death faltered, disrupted by mortal pride.

It was during this era that the first Liches came into being. Mortals who abandoned their humanity in pursuit of eternal knowledge, they bound their souls to phylacteries and cast off their mortal shells. These sorcerers gathered and formed a secretive sect known as the Circle of the Black Root. They believed undeath was not a curse but the truest form of enlightenment, free from the decay of flesh and the weakness of mortal fear.

But not all undeath came from mortal hands. It was also in this Age that IO, the only true god of Seyruun, issued his first great curse. Mortals who had broken sacred oaths or defied divine order were denied rest. Instead, they rose from their tombs, condemned to wander the world until their debts were paid in full. These cursed souls became the first Revenants, Mummies, and Death Knights, each tethered to a purpose they could not escape.

Thus began the long and complicated legacy of undeath in Seyruun. It was not born from evil alone, but from longing, pride, punishment, and the peril of forgotten promises.

The Second Age: The Old Elysian Empire and the Undying Legions

During the Second Age, under the divine rule of Godsven, the Old Elysian Empire entered its golden era. In this time of expansion and dominance, undeath was no longer viewed as a forbidden practice. It was fully institutionalized. The Undead were not abominations. They were assets of the empire, crafted and commanded for the good of the state.

Liches no longer dwelled in secrecy. They served openly as court sages, historians, and keepers of arcane knowledge. Their minds, preserved through phylacteries, became immortal repositories of the empire.

Death Knights were elevated to the status of generals. Their iron command led legions of skeletal soldiers, each warrior bound by oath and necromancy to fight with tireless resolve. On the battlefield, these undying formations became infamous for their relentlessness.

Spiritbound Banshees drifted through imperial fortresses and border towers. Their wails served as alarms, and their whispers delivered secrets to those in power. Their haunting presence became part of daily life in the highest courts.

Armond Pendragon himself, general of the Divine Court and firstborn of Vicidian, led mixed legions of the living and the dead. Under his leadership, the military ranks of the empire swelled with deathless warriors. Deep beneath the capital city of Old Elysia, catacombs were carved out of the bedrock. These crypt-vaults stretched for miles, filled with mummified soldiers and boneforged constructs resting in magical stasis. With a single command, entire armies could awaken.

Necromancy was no longer feared. It was refined. Honored, even.

Major cities incorporated spirit channels, arcane conduits woven through their infrastructure to guide wandering souls and control hauntings. Grand tombs were designed as eternal estates for noble undead, and living families sought the prestige of entering necromantic pacts. Apprentices trained under Liches, not as heretics, but as students of a sanctioned craft.

The Undead, once whispered about in fear, became symbols of power, permanence, and imperial brilliance.

But no golden age lasts forever. The empire would fracture. The catacombs would crack. And the dead would rise again, not as servants of the empire, but as echoes of a paradise betrayed.

The Great Betrayal and the Third Age: Collapse and Curse

The Third Age of Seyruun was forged in blood and betrayal. When Genevivia and her son Lazarus II turned against Godsven, the divine order that had bound death and undeath together was shattered. Armond Pendragon, the Iron Prince, was forced into torpor. In his absence, and with the fall of the Old Elysian Empire, the careful balance between the living and the dead unraveled completely.

The necromantic rituals and bindings that had kept the Undead in control across the empire faltered. Soul seals cracked. Control spells decayed. The ancient catacombs beneath Elysia erupted as thousands of spirits were violently released back into the world.

Once-loyal Death Knights became oathless warlords, their duty corrupted by confusion and rage. Spiritbound Banshees screamed into the skies, calling to nothing, their minds untethered. Skeletal legions once kept in slumber marched without command, driven by vestigial memory and wrath.

Entire cities collapsed under the weight of the uprising. Feral ghouls and vengeful ghosts overwhelmed settlements. Magical wards and divine protections failed. Necrotic storms swept through the eastern provinces, leaving lands blighted and warped.

Historians would later call it the Cataclysm of Bone. Three Elysian provinces were reduced to haunted wastelands in a matter of days. The skies dimmed. The ground cracked. The air itself trembled with the weight of unburied sorrow.

The betrayal did not simply destroy an empire. It severed the ancient chain of dominion over death itself. From this age onward, undeath became unstable. Predictable forms like Liches and Mummies still existed, but spontaneous hauntings, wild necromantic surges, and unintended revenants became increasingly common.

In his fury, IO sealed many of the gates between the mortal realm and the afterlife. Souls found themselves trapped in limbo. They wandered, confused and hungry, with no path forward. Some clung to their corpses, becoming ghouls or wights. Others bonded to objects or places, becoming ghosts, shadows, or echoes.

What once had been a practice of order had become a plague of chaos. The Third Age marked the end of undeath as a tool of empire. It became instead a curse, a consequence, and in many cases, a lingering punishment for a world that had forgotten the sanctity of death.

The Fourth Age: Avalonia’s Secret Necrocracy

In the current age, undeath is publicly denounced by most kingdoms but remains secretly cultivated within the shadows of imperial power. The Avalonian Empire, now the dominant force across the southern continent, officially declares necromancy a forbidden art. Yet within its heart, the undead are not only present but essential to its inner workings.

Behind the towering walls of New Aurum, and within the obsidian halls of the Grand Chancellor’s Black Citadel, undead laborers and guardians walk without rest. These deathless servants are used for menial labor, forbidden research, and arcane warfare, their existence erased from public record.

Deep within the empire’s hidden chambers, necromantic academies flourish. These clandestine schools instruct death-mages in the arts of spirit binding, corpse manipulation, and blood rites. Apprentices learn to anchor ghosts to suits of armor, construct bone titans stitched from battlefield remains, and forge flesh golems powered by captured souls.

Whispers abound that the Grand Chancellor himself is no longer mortal. Some say he shed his humanity centuries ago and became a Lich, an immortal puppet master manipulating Avalonia from behind a veil of sorcery and deceit. His physical form is rarely seen. When he does appear, his presence chills the air, and even seasoned generals tremble in silence.

Serving beneath him are the Nine Hollow Thrones, a secretive cabal of deathless advisors. These undead lords are believed to be ancient Liches, Wights, and cursed necromancers, each tied to a region of the empire. Their names are never spoken in public, yet they shape Avalonia’s foreign policy, dictate military conquests, and oversee occult experiments buried deep beneath Avalonian soil.

Outside the empire, rogue necromancers and exiled death-mages continue their grim work. In forgotten corners of Seyruun, they raise tomb-fortresses, haunt sacred groves, and infect the land with undeath. Entire villages have been cursed to repeat a single day without end. Forests become graveyards where the trees whisper in ghostly tongues. Mountains tremble with the breath of sleeping bone titans, awaiting their call to war.

Though undeath is condemned in word, it thrives in shadow. It is no longer a tool of empire alone, but a contagion of the soul that seeps into the forgotten corners of Seyruun, waiting for the day it no longer needs to hide.

Current Undead-Related Events & Myths

The Weeping Tombs of Miharu: A sacred Elven necropolis where no dead may rest. The trees whisper with ancestral unrest.
The Black Sphinx of Obraxus: An undead construct guarding a forgotten empire. It speaks in riddles and devours the unworthy.
The Drowned Choir: Undead sirens beneath the Frozen Sea near Stormhelm, singing the lost songs of drowned sailors.
The Phantom Road: A cursed trade route where every merchant must pay a tithe in blood or be followed by their own ghost.
The Sleeper Beneath the Sands: A Death King buried in Triss, said to still think and dream within his sealed tomb.

~~ RELATIONS WITH OTHER RACES ~~

Aasimars:
Aasimars are staunch enemies of undead, as their divine nature directly opposes the corruption and defilement undead represent. Many undead suffer relentless persecution by Aasimar-led holy orders, who seek to cleanse the world of undeath. Yet, some undead who retain sentience or a vestige of their former soul may try to parley with Aasimars to avoid destruction.

Anthromorphs:
Anthromorphs view undead with wary suspicion. Given their diverse origins and cultures, many see undead as unnatural abominations that threaten the balance between life and death. Some anthromorph tribes have traditions of honoring ancestors’ spirits and may seek to help restless undead find peace, while others are quick to destroy them.

Celestials:

The relationship between the Undead and the Celestials is one of absolute theological conflict. Celestials see undeath as a violation of the divine cycle established by IO, a state of existence that defies purpose, progress, and the sanctity of the soul. Angels in particular view the undead as spiritual blasphemies. They are often the first to intervene when necromancy begins to unravel the boundary between life and death.

To the Undead, however, the Celestials represent the tyranny of design. Many Undead were once mortals abandoned in death, denied salvation or justice, and left to claw their way back through will or dark power. They view Celestials as arrogant arbiters who claim to guard the light while ignoring those who suffer in shadow. In conflicts across Seyruun, few wars are as merciless as those between death-worshipping Legions and the angelic hosts.

Djinn:

The Djinn and the Undead share an uncanny resemblance in how they are bound to an existence they did not entirely choose. Djinn are sealed into magical vessels, forced to serve those who wield them. The Undead are often chained to the past, through unresolved hatred, necromantic rites, or sheer defiance of mortality. While their forms are wildly different, they understand what it means to be denied rest.

Some Djinn pity the Undead, while others fear the unnatural void they emit. Undead necromancers have attempted to harness Djinn essence before, seeing it as a shortcut to eternity. In return, certain Djinn have retaliated by severing necromantic rituals or cursing tombs. Though there is no direct enmity between them, their contact is rare and filled with tension, for each reminds the other of what it means to exist without freedom.

Dragons:
Dragons generally disdain undead as pathetic and unworthy opponents, creatures that lack the fiery life force and majesty dragons embody. However, some powerful liches or undead dragons have risen as formidable threats or even rivals. Dragons tend to ally with living races against undead plagues but may tolerate undead who maintain strict domains or ancient power.

Dwarves:
Dwarves have an intense hatred of undead, especially since undead often invade their ancestral tombs or desecrate sacred mountain halls. Dwarven craftsmanship includes many wards and weapons designed to combat undead, and their warriors are often on the front lines of undead eradication. Still, wise dwarves respect undead liches who hold treaties and avoid attacking dwarven holdings.

Elementals:
Elementals perceive undead as disturbances to natural cycles and elemental balance. They often violently oppose undead, especially necromantic magic that poisons the land or waters. Elemental guardians are sometimes summoned by allied races to purge undead corruption. Undead are seen as antithetical to elemental purity and natural law.

Elves:
Elves, with their deep connection to nature and the cycle of life and death, generally oppose undead as abominations that unbalance the world. Elven rangers and mages actively hunt undead in their forests and sacred groves. However, some elven scholars study undead for arcane knowledge or necromantic arts, creating a cautious but uneasy relationship.

Fae:

Among all races, the Fae have the most complex relationship with the Undead. To the Seelie, the Undead are tragic figures, fallen things, stripped of beauty and purpose. To the Unseelie, they are relics of raw power and broken truth, often admired for their refusal to obey the laws of gods or time. The Courtless tend to avoid the Undead altogether, wary of their aura of finality and the unraveling effect their presence can have on dreams and glamour.

The Undead view the Vaelari with suspicion. Their reliance on illusion and mask-worn truths is antithetical to the Undead ethos of remembrance and unvarnished legacy. Yet, there is a strange attraction between them. Fae magic can soothe lingering rage, and some Undead are drawn to the idea of rewriting their story through glamour or performance. While rarely allies, the Fae and the Undead both understand what it means to walk between realities, and what it means to be forgotten.

Humans:
Humans often fear and despise undead, associating them with death and evil. Human kingdoms organize crusades, witch hunts, or magical purges to eradicate undead threats. Nonetheless, humans also harbor necromancers and cults that venerate or create undead, resulting in complex social dynamics and internal conflicts.

Lycans:
Lycans and undead have a deep-seated enmity. Lycans, embodying wild, primal life, abhor undead’s unnatural stasis and necromantic energies. Conflicts arise over territory and ideology, with frequent clashes. However, rare alliances may form when facing mutual foes, though distrust remains high.

Orcs:
Orcs are typically aggressive toward undead, seeing them as unnatural enemies who defy the honor of death in battle. Orcish shamans may call upon ancestral spirits to combat undead incursions. However, some orc warlords may attempt to harness undead warriors as shock troops, risking backlash from their clans.

Tieflings:
Tieflings share a complex relationship with undead. Both races have ties to infernal or dark origins, which sometimes fosters uneasy alliances or mutual exploitation. Some Tieflings pursue necromantic magic and command undead, while others strive to distance themselves from undead stigma. Interactions can range from cooperation to deep suspicion.

Vampires:
Vampires and undead often have a tense but pragmatic relationship. Vampires, as living undead, sometimes command or manipulate lesser undead, but they disdain mindless undead as beneath their own station. Conflicts arise when necromancers or liches infringe on vampire domains. However, alliances form when facing greater threats or to control regions.

Warforged:
Warforged, as constructs animated by magic and technology, view undead as unnatural but fundamentally different from themselves. Some Warforged see undead as corrupted flesh puppets, while others regard them as potential threats or tools to be neutralized. Interaction is usually hostile, though pragmatic cooperation can occur.

UNDEAD PHYSICAL INFORMATION

~~ APPEARANCE & PHYSIOLOGY ~~

Undead do not possess a single uniform appearance. Their forms are as varied as the deaths they suffered and the means by which they returned. Some are preserved with uncanny perfection, others are decayed or mutilated, bearing the clear marks of rot, ritual, or battlefield violence. Unlike other races, the body of an Undead is no longer a living system. It is a vessel for memory, will, and the animating force that binds them to the realm of the living.

The most defining feature of the Undead is the absence of life’s warmth. Their skin is cold or dry to the touch. Their eyes, if still intact, often glow faintly with the hue of their animus: sickly green, burning blue, hollow amber, or necrotic violet. In some cases, the sockets are empty but still seem to observe. Undead rarely blink, and many do not breathe unless mimicking life to blend among mortals.

Their flesh varies greatly. Some Undead maintain their former visage through embalming, magic, or pure will. Others bear withered or partial bodies, kept functional through bonecraft, curse binding, or spiritual possession. Mummified forms may be wrapped in ancient cloth and oils, while skeletal Undead may be polished by the elements, with runes carved into their bones by forgotten hands.

Hair, if it remains, is often faded, brittle, or shadow-touched. However, some liches or wights may style their hair as they did in life, using magic to preserve its shape. In rare cases, new growth of bone, horn, or necrotic flora may emerge from the scalp or jaw, especially in Undead linked to corrupted lands or death-gods.

Scars do not form on Undead bodies. Instead, damage may persist indefinitely unless magically repaired or ritually healed. Some wear their wounds like badges of identity: a blade wound across the ribs, a cracked skull from execution, or a hollow in the chest where their heart was removed. These are not shameful but symbolic, often integrated into their clothing or armor like heraldry.

Subtle signs of undeath include:

No pulse, no breath, no warmth
Eyes that reflect moonlight even in darkness
Voices that echo faintly, as though speaking from a crypt
Shadowed footprints in soil or sand, even when walking barefoot
The scent of old earth, incense, blood, or rot depending on origin
Silence in the presence of wild animals, who fear or flee them

Inside, their physiology is still. Their blood, if present, is congealed, blackened, or replaced by magical fluid. Muscles do not contract through natural means, but through animating essence. Bone structure remains intact unless shattered, and many Undead learn to move without the need for ligaments or tendons. The heart no longer beats. The lungs do not inflate. Their speech is driven by will, not breath, and their bodies are immune to most mortal frailties.

When an Undead calls upon their full power, the signs are unmistakable. A death knight may ignite with spectral flame. A wight may cause nearby torches to extinguish. A lich’s voice may tremble the air like distant thunder. Their presence disrupts the natural world, not always violently, but undeniably. To stand in their presence is to remember that death is never far.

~~ FOOD, DRINK, AND MISC ~~

Drinking and Eating:
Undead are not sustained by food or drink in the traditional sense. Their bodies are either preserved husks, animated corpses, spectral remnants, or magically-bound vessels of Icor. They do not possess living stomachs or functioning organs, and as such, consumption is not a biological requirement. Instead, eating and drinking serve symbolic, magical, or ritualistic purposes depending on the type of undead in question.

Some sentient undead may feign the act of eating to comfort mortals, maintain their disguise, or experience fleeting memories of life. Others engage in ritual consumption, devouring grave offerings, decayed remains, or soul-bound materials to absorb residual energy. In the case of ghouls, wights, or cryptborn, they may crave raw flesh, marrow, or soul fragments, but such hunger is spiritual in nature rather than metabolic.

Processed or sacred foods typically have no taste or effect on the undead, and attempts to consume holy meals or consecrated offerings may cause searing pain, internal rejection, or violent ejection depending on the individual's corruption level. Certain undead, particularly liches and bloodbound nobles, can ritually consume magical reagents or alchemically-infused substances to sustain their essence or cast forbidden rites.

Alcohol:
Normal alcohol has no intoxicating effect on undead. Without a functioning liver or bloodstream, their bodies do not absorb or process spirits in any meaningful way. That said, there are rare alchemical infusions or necromantic elixirs specifically designed to affect the dead. When consumed, these potions can alter their state of awareness, open pathways to the underworld, or intensify lingering memories.

Some ancient undead partake in mock feasts or ceremonial toasts using cursed wines or embalming liquors. These rituals are theatrical, often used in funerary processions, death cult initiations, or political gatherings among the dead. Intoxication, if experienced, is purely spiritual and must be roleplayed as such.

Weather and Environment:
Undead are largely immune to mundane weather. Their flesh does not sweat, their bones do not shiver, and they cannot suffer sunstroke, frostbite, or drowning in the traditional sense. However, magical environments, divine weather, or spiritually saturated landscapes can influence their stability or strength.

Cold: The cold does not hinder them physically, but extreme magical frost can slow joint movement or cause rigidity in decaying corpses.
Heat: Flames pose more danger than ambient temperature. Normal heat has no effect unless the corpse is poorly preserved.
Rain and Storms: Rain rolls off their skin without consequence. However, thunder imbued with holy power may cause tremors, hesitation, or mild disorientation in cursed undead.
Sacred or Desecrated Ground:
- While in sacred ground, most undead suffer. Their power pool may wither, their limbs grow sluggish, and their spirits become uneasy. Extended exposure to consecrated areas can cause paralysis, hallucinations, or forced torpor.
- Desecrated ground invigorates them. Within unholy temples, cursed crypts, or tainted ruins, they may regain 1 point of Icor per hour. Their senses sharpen, and their spiritual cohesion stabilizes.

Miscellaneous Physical Traits:

Undead do not breathe. Most cannot speak with airflow, instead vibrating bone, muscle, or arcane matrices to mimic speech.
They do not blink, sweat, or sleep. When at rest, they fall into a statue-like stillness known as torpor.
Undead cannot taste or smell unless their reanimation was performed with advanced sensory preservation or magical grafts.
Some experience phantom sensations tied to their mortal memories, particularly if their soul is still partially anchored to their former life.
Undead with retained intelligence often report dreamlike visions, not of future prophecy, but of death's pull and past traumas.
Long exposure to radiant magic, druidic rites, or divine light may cause them to shed necrotic tears, tremble uncontrollably, or spontaneously combust at higher intensities.

The undead body is a shell of magic, memory, and decayed matter. It endures not by nature’s will but by violation of death’s sanctity. Everything they consume, feel, or resist is filtered through that lens of transgression.

~~ AGING ~~

Undead do not age in any natural sense. Once risen, their body no longer follows the rhythms of time, and the progression of decay or spiritual erosion depends entirely on the nature of their reanimation, the strength of their soul anchor, and the power of the necromantic force binding them. Time becomes irrelevant, and for many, it is only memory or madness that deepens with the passing years.

Most undead originate from mortals and retain fragments of their past life. The condition of their flesh, mind, and soul varies drastically between types, but all share this fundamental truth: they are no longer part of the living cycle.

Undead pass through the following stages based on their condition and type of resurrection:

The Freshbound (Day 0 to Year 10)

This stage includes the newly risen. Their body still holds the memory of life, and their soul, if partially bound, continues to echo. These undead retain recognizable features, coherent thought, and often display emotional residue. Speech patterns, personality, and even muscle memory remain intact during this early stage. Most revenants, cryptborn, and soulbound undead exist within this window during their formative years.

Freshbound undead often struggle with memory loss, hunger, or spiritual dissonance. During this stage, their decay is either halted or extremely slow, depending on the rituals used in their rebirth. Sentient undead who have not fully accepted their new state may experience episodes of emotional collapse or haunting dreams of the grave.

The Hollowing (Year 10 to Year 200)

As time passes, the body either mummifies, petrifies, or degenerates according to its necrotic path. The soul, if unanchored, may begin to drift. Memory becomes fractured, and some undead begin to rely entirely on routine, duty, or obsession to retain focus. In this stage, emotional detachment deepens, and their existence becomes defined by function over feeling.

This is also when many undead lose the ability to pass as mortal. Facial tics vanish. Blinking ceases. Voice modulation collapses into eerie monotone. The mind becomes either eerily lucid or drowned in fixation. For some, this is when they choose to seal themselves within tombs, guard ruins, or vanish into the Undervault to avoid their slow descent into madness.

The Deathless Epoch (Year 200 and beyond)

Very few undead survive to this stage without complete degradation. Those who do are either preserved by immense magical power, sealed by divine curse, or sustained by their own sheer will. In this phase, physical decay has either stabilized or transformed the body into something entirely different, skeletal husks, shadow-wreathed apparitions, or crystal-veined lich-forms.

Their identity becomes myth. Memory fades into archetype. They may speak of centuries as if they were moments or confuse allies with enemies from forgotten wars. Some retreat into vast libraries of bone and spellwork, guarding ancient secrets until disturbed. Others haunt battlefields, cursed to relive their death again and again.

In this state, the undead no longer fear time. They become timeless instruments of undeath, detached, efficient, and inhuman in perspective. They are no longer who they were in life. They are what remains when death is denied.

Special Phenomena:

Soul Echo and Fragmentation
In rare cases, an undead’s soul does not remain whole. Over the centuries, it may fracture, split across phylacteries, haunt descendants, or anchor to relics from its mortal life. This leads to multiple spiritual signatures across the world, each carrying fragments of the same being.

The Withering Curse
Some undead suffer a fate worse than stasis. A failed binding or prolonged exposure to holy magic may trigger the Withering, an irreversible spiritual erosion that causes the soul to leak into the Ether. These undead do not die, but fade into husks, bodies without will, memories without minds.

~~ PROCREATION RULES ~~

Undead do not reproduce through traditional biological means. They are not born, but created. Their existence is a result of necromantic ritual, divine curse, or supernatural consequence. Reproduction in the biological sense is impossible unless the undead in question retains enough living tissue, magic, or soul essence to simulate fertility. Even then, such occurrences are considered abominations by most cultures and are treated with deep caution.

Undead propagate through death, not birth.

Methods of Creation

An undead may come into being through one of the following circumstances:

Necromantic Ritual: The most common method. A powerful necromancer binds a soul to a corpse through arcane rites, often performed during specific lunar phases or atop desecrated ground.
Divine or Infernal Curse: A mortal cursed by a god, daemon, or dying witch may rise after death as an undead creature, condemned to linger in eternal unrest.
Blood Oath or Soul Pact: Some willingly accept undeath in exchange for power, vengeance, or forbidden knowledge. These beings retain more autonomy and often greater magical strength.
Plague or Undeath Contagion: Certain forms of undeath, like ghouls or corpsebound, spread through cursed wounds or burial in tainted soil.
Sacrificial Rebirth: A powerful undead may transfer part of their soul into a new vessel by sacrificing a mortal host during an eclipse or blood rite.

Ritual Signs of Reanimation

A sudden chill in the air or extinguishing of flames
Graves splitting open or dirt weeping black ichor
A corpse sitting upright before rigor mortis fades
Unnatural silence or animal panic in the surrounding area
Blood that refuses to congeal on the corpse's wounds

Forbidden Offspring: The Revenant Spawn

Though biological reproduction is denied to the undead, necromancers throughout Seyruun whisper of the Revenant Spawn, a theoretical being born when a soul refuses to pass through the Veil and instead merges with a pregnant vessel near death. This monstrous birth results in a child with fragmented consciousness, a warped aura, and the memories of someone long dead.

These children are hunted, studied, or worshiped in secret cults. Few survive long enough to understand what they are.

The Echo of Death Phenomenon

Similar to the Aasimar’s Echoborn, some undead possess a trait called the Echo of Death. When destroyed under fated circumstances, part of their soul may linger and reattach itself to a dying mortal nearby. Unlike reincarnation, this is a possession in infancy. These children grow up hearing whispers, seeing the faces of forgotten lives, and dreaming of grave dirt and old enemies.

The Echo of Death may take decades to awaken fully, but when it does, the personality of the undead returns, with vengeance, sorrow, or purpose.

UNDEAD RACIAL GROUP INFORMATION

~~ RACIAL HIERARCHY ~~

In Seyruun, the undead do not organize themselves through bloodlines alone. Instead, they gather into Hordes, loose or tightly bound groups defined by their origin, purpose, necromancer, or master binding force. These Hordes serve as the undead equivalent of political factions, military cults, or spiritual collectives, each with a role in the greater web of deathly influence.

A Horde is more than a swarm of risen corpses. It is a structure built on compulsion, ideology, ritual, or memory. Some serve a shared master, while others rise around an oath or cursed relic. These groups operate through ranks, rites, and recognition, much like noble houses or secret orders.

Hordes function as formal racial groups under the Seyruun system and use the shared 1 to 5 dot advancement path. While they do not unlock custom Discipline trees, they offer unique social, ritual, and narrative benefits that grow with time.

What Is a Horde?

An Undead Horde is a structured collective unified by:

A shared origin of undeath (necromantic school, divine curse, or death god’s blessing)
A unifying purpose such as vengeance, protection of a site, servitude to a master, or pursuit of forgotten rituals
Internal ranks based on age of death, power retained, or bonds of service
Rituals of resurrection, obedience, and memory preservation

In practice, a Horde is a blend of military company, haunted congregation, and death cult. They are feared across Seyruun, especially in regions like the Obsidian Marches, the Gravehold Chasms, and the desecrated ruins of old Ravenholm.

Forming an Undead Horde in Seyruun

To form a Horde, players must:

Have 3 or more active Undead characters
Choose a Horde name, core ideology, and undeath origin
Submit a group sheet that includes:
- Horde symbols, necromantic sigils, or corpse markings
- Your Rite of Awakening (how new undead are initiated)
- Internal ranks (e.g., Bonewalker, Hollow Lord, Gravekin)
- A Pact of Continuance or Command Oath
Maintain regular in-character activity such as rituals, defense of a domain, or grave pilgrimages

Once approved by Storytellers, your Horde becomes a recognized racial group and may progress through the five official ranks.

Horde Rank Advancement

XP can be shared across members. Advancement is moderated by Storytellers.

Horde Benefits by Rank

CREATING THE UNDEAD CHARACTER

To create an Undead character on the Seyruun server, follow the standard character creation rules from the modified World of Darkness system. This section outlines the race-specific steps needed to properly design and finalize an Undead character and enter play as a risen force of unlife.

Step 1: Choose Your Horde

All Undead characters must belong to a Horde, either a canon group or a new formation approved by Staff. This Horde will determine your political role, undeath origin, and cultural philosophy. Some Hordes are religious, others militaristic, and some exist as fragmented echoes of their previous lives.

Once chosen, a Horde cannot be changed unless your character is destroyed and rebuilt through narrative resurrection or transformation.

Step 2: Assign Attributes and Skills

Use standard attribute and skill distribution rules:

Attributes: 7 / 5 / 3 across Physical, Social, and Mental categories (in any order)
Skills: 13 / 9 / 5 across Physical, Social, and Mental categories (in any order)

Your character may reflect a broad array of traits depending on the manner of their undeath. Some may be relentless berserkers, others lingering spirits driven by memory and purpose. Common skills include Occult, Survival, Intimidation, Medicine, and Lore.

Step 3: Select Discipline Trees

Undead characters begin with access to three Discipline Trees:

One from your racial archetype (e.g., Graveborn, Boneforged, Deathsworn)
Two from the general or thematic tree options available on the server

You start with 3 total dots to spend between these trees. All Disciplines are capped at level 1 at creation and may be advanced over time through XP and roleplay milestones. Custom trees must be submitted separately and approved by Staff.

Step 4: Assign Backgrounds and Resources

Undead may begin with up to 5 Background Points. These represent the lingering echoes of their past life or current standing in undeath society. Suggested Backgrounds for Undead include:

Gravetether (connection to the place of death or tomb)
Haunting Influence (fear-based reputation or domain control)
Relic Binding (possession of a necromantic item or body part)
Servants (ghouls, possessed corpses, skeletal protectors)
Deathmarked Status (rank within a Horde, cult, or necropolis)

Step 5: Apply Racial Mechanics

All Undead receive the core racial mechanics of their kind. These include:

Racial Strengths and Banes
Innate Traits unique to the Undead race
Racial Merits and Flaws (see relevant sections)
Access to their unique Power Pool: Icor (see Power Pool section for rules)

You may take additional server-wide Merits and Flaws to deepen your character concept. Freebie Points are used during this step to finalize your build.

Step 6: Write Your Death Scene or Binding Origin

Every Undead character must have a documented origin that describes how they died and how they returned. This “Awakening Scene” replaces the Embrace used by vampires.

It must include the following details:

Name and title (if applicable) of the person or force that raised you
Cause and method of death
Whether the return to undeath was willing, accidental, or forced
Description of the first moment of undeath (location, sensations, first actions)
If you were a bound servant, describe the Pact, Rune, or Ritual that keeps you walking

If you are a free-willed revenant or ancient risen warrior, include the events that led to your awakening in the current age.

Undead Character Creation Checklist:

Once these steps are complete and the sheet is submitted for approval, your character is ready to join the world of Seyruun as a fully formed being of undeath. Whether you serve a dreadlord, hunger for memories, or cling to duty long abandoned, your story now walks alongside the deathless.

~~ STRENGTH, FLAWS AND BANES ~~

The Undead are not merely corpses animated by necromancy or cursed souls cast from the grave. They are the remnants of mortality twisted by death, magic, or divine punishment into something eternal. Whether risen through ritual, vengeance, or forgotten pacts, the Undead are bound to a second existence that defies nature and reason.

Some remember who they were. Others only remember the pain of death. Yet all carry with them the echo of finality, and the strength that lingers when life refuses to end.

These benefits apply to all Undead characters. They represent the unnatural gifts of the deathless condition and remain active unless altered by divine transformation, resurrection, or magical overwrite.

RACIAL STRENGTHS

Unliving Endurance
The Undead are immune to disease, poison, suffocation, and mortal aging. They do not sleep, breathe, or tire, and can function underwater, in toxic environments, or in complete voids without penalty.

Grave-Touched Reflexes
You gain +1 die to all Dexterity-based rolls involving dodging, unnatural movement, or physical resistance. This includes rolls for stealthy locomotion, recoil recovery, and escaping bonds. Your body reacts without breath or hesitation.

Corpse Repair
By spending 1 point of Icor, you may heal 2 Bashing or 1 Lethal damage once per turn. You cannot regenerate Aggravated damage without rituals, grave soil, or necromantic intervention.

Aura of Dread
You exude an aura that unsettles the living. Gain +1 die to Intimidation rolls against mortals or sentient beasts. You may choose to suppress this aura when interacting with others socially.

Unnatural Resolve
When your Icor Pool is below 3, you gain +1 die to Willpower and Fortitude saving throws. The pull of death sharpens your grip on existence, but you become increasingly cold and emotionless.

Power Pool Access
All Undead begin with access to the Icor Pool. This resource fuels Disciplines, powers, and regeneration. See the Power Pool section for usage and mechanics.

These weaknesses apply to all Undead unless removed through divine absolution, exceptional Merits, or major narrative transformation. They reflect the cost of death denied.

RACIAL BANES

Desecrated Essence
You are considered unnatural by most divine or nature-based effects. Healing spells from clerics, druids, or holy relics do not affect you unless designed to interact with Undead.

Sanctified Vulnerability
Holy symbols, blessed ground, and sacred relics repel or wound you. Entering consecrated zones requires a Willpower saving throw (Difficulty 7) or you suffer 1 Lethal damage per turn. This does not apply to desecrated or corrupted temples.

Fire’s Judgment
Fire deals Aggravated damage to Undead. You roll –2 dice when attempting to soak or resist fire-based attacks unless protected by magic or resistance Merits.

Sunlight Curse
You suffer 1 Lethal damage every minute in direct, unobstructed sunlight. Magical sunbeams or radiant attacks may deal additional Aggravated damage depending on the source.

Uninvited Presence
You cannot enter a private home or ancestral crypt unless invited or summoned. This applies to magically bound spaces, burial grounds, and bloodline homes.

Icor Starvation
If your Icor Pool reaches 0 and remains empty for more than 12 hours, your body begins to rot and seize. You suffer –1 to all Physical rolls and fall into Dormancy after 24 hours until reawakened by a ritual or power.

Echoes of Death
Sleep offers no rest. When exposed to long periods of rest or meditation, you must roll Resolve (Difficulty 7) or relive traumatic memories or the final moments of your death. On failure, you lose 1 Icor and suffer –1 to Social rolls for 1 hour.

All Undead in Seyruun begin play with the following Merits and systemic advantages. These traits reflect the unnatural state of their existence and the residual power that animates them beyond death. They are not optional and cannot be purchased with Freebie Points or XP. Only divine transformation or resurrection into another race may remove them.

To deepen the tragic weight or horrific legacy of your character, you may select one of the following Undead flaws at character creation. Each represents a lingering curse, decay of memory, or fracture of spirit common among those who defy death.

OPTIONAL FLAWS (+3 Freebies Optional)

Fading Echo

Your soul has begun to unravel. Your voice is faint or distorted, and your presence becomes harder to recall. Mortals forget your face within minutes unless you anchor their memory through touch or words. You suffer –1 to Social rolls involving first impressions or persuasion unless the target is Undead or magically aware.

Grave Hunger

Your body remembers hunger too well. Once per day, you must consume raw flesh, bone, or ash or suffer a –2 penalty to all Physical rolls for the next scene. The urge is primal and worsens with stress, often manifesting in trembling hands, dry mouth, or sunken features.

Soul Rot

Your soul has begun to fester. Holy symbols, sanctified ground, or consecrated relics cause pain and weakness. While within 10 feet of such objects, you suffer –1 die to all rolls and cannot regenerate Power Pool points by any means.

Lingering Memory

You are haunted by the fragmented memory of your former life. Once per session, the Storyteller may invoke a phantom flashback that causes emotional dissonance or distraction. This may affect your judgment, compel reckless action, or blind you to the current moment. –2 to Mental rolls during the hallucination.

Tethered to the Grave

Your body is linked to a grave, relic, or cursed item hidden somewhere in the world. If it is destroyed, you suffer permanent loss of 1 Health level and become vulnerable to banishment effects. Until it is recovered or defended, you may be tracked by certain undead hunters or necromantic rites.

Corpse Reflection

Mirrors, silver, and still water reflect not your current form, but the corpse you were when death claimed you. These reflections unsettle mortals and interfere with magic that relies on light or sight. +2 Difficulty on any illusion or appearance-altering power when used near reflective surfaces.

Vile Stench
Despite magical preservation, you emit the faint odor of rot, mildew, or grave-dust. This cannot be masked by mundane means. Mortals within close proximity may react with revulsion or suspicion. You suffer –1 die on all Charisma-based rolls with living creatures unless your undead nature is openly known and accepted.

~~ INNATE BENEFITS (Free Merits/Traits) ~~

Innate Merits

Ossified Precision (2 pt Merit)
You gain +1 die to any Dexterity-based roll when performing fluid or inhuman movement. This includes Melee, Dodge, Climb, or Stealth actions. Your limbs move with a smoothness no longer limited by muscle strain or fatigue.

Death-Forged Endurance (3 pt Merit)
You begin with +2 additional Health Points beyond your base maximum. You also add +1 die to resist physical pain, forced displacement, and exhaustion-based effects. You no longer tire and can function in hostile conditions without penalty.

Hollow Stillness (2 pt Merit)
Gain +1 die to Social rolls involving intimidation, composure, or menace. Mortals instinctively fear your silence and poise. This bonus applies only when you are not visibly aggressive, but instead unsettling through restraint.

Necrotic Immunity (1 pt Merit)
Gain +2 dice to resist magical effects tied to disease, rot, paralysis, aging, or fatal curses. Your body no longer functions under mortal rules, and death-based afflictions pass through your frame without purchase.

Gravetouch (2 pt Merit)
When you drain life essence or consume memories (depending on your feeding method), your victim becomes pacified for 1 round unless actively resisting. This affects only sapient creatures. No roll is required unless interrupted by magic or willpower effects.

Innate Systems Access

Power Pool: Icor - All Undead begin with 20 Icor Points. This pool is used to activate racial abilities, recover from damage, and power your Disciplines. See the Undead Power Pool section for more on cost and recovery methods.
Feeding Mechanism: Undead may feed on essence through physical, magical, or symbolic consumption. This varies based on origin and narrative choice. Some drink blood, others consume memories, or draw warmth from the dying. Feeding restores 1 Icor Point per round. Consent or contextual approval is required during roleplay.
Immunities that the Undead are immune to:
- Poison
- Disease
- Drowning
- Sleep deprivation
- Mortal aging
- Non-magical suffocation
Deathless Constitution: When reduced to 0 HP, you do not die. Instead, you enter Dormancy, a state of paralysis and inert decay. You may only be reawakened by specific triggers such as blood, magic, or trauma. See Dormancy and Health rules in the Game System document for more details.
Origin Link: The ritual, curse, or necromancer that created you has a lasting tie to your essence. They may sense your pain, general direction, or emotional state unless this bond has been severed by ritual or rare artifacts. This can also be inverted for player-created Undead, where you sense the presence of your animator or binding object.

~~ RACIAL MERITS (Unique to This Race) ~~

These Merits are exclusive to characters of the Undead race and represent their necrotic heritage, arcane origin, or cursed nature. They may be purchased at character creation with Freebie Points or later with XP, subject to Storyteller approval. Some Merits may require a specific method of undeath, such as necromantic animation, divine punishment, or curse-bound reanimation.

These Merits cannot be taken by any other race under any circumstance.

Minor Racial Merits (1 to 2 XP)

Graveborne Instinct (1 XP)
You gain +1 die to Wits + Survival rolls when tracking a living being you have fed from or drained essence from within the last week. Their echo lingers in your unliving senses like a haunting scent.

Corpsewalker (2 XP)
You take no penalties when moving through dim light, thick fog, or lightless terrain. In addition, you gain +1 die to Dexterity + Stealth rolls when in shadowed or subterranean environments.

Tongue of the Hollow (2 XP)
Gain +1 die to Manipulation + Subterfuge when interacting with the living while drawing upon your supernatural presence. This applies during intimidation, deceit, or emotional manipulation scenes, especially when the target fears your nature.

Withered Focus (1 XP)
You may spend 1 Icor to gain +1 die on a single Mental roll per scene. This clarity lasts one minute and reflects the cold, calculating stillness of undeath.

Standard Racial Merits (3 to 5 XP)

Echoes in the Vein (3 XP)
By tasting the blood or essence of a creature, you may roll Perception + Occult (Difficulty 7) to determine their race, emotional state, and whether they are cursed, sick, or touched by magic.

Nocturne Bastion (4 XP)
Gain +2 dice to resist magical mental intrusion at night, including domination, possession, and madness effects. During overcast days, the bonus is +1. This benefit does not apply under direct sunlight.

Legacy of the Shroud (5 XP)
Choose a passive trait from your origin or creator (e.g., resistance to decay, silence, or fear projection) and gain a lesser version of it, such as a +1 die bonus or passive cosmetic effect. This must be registered with Storytellers.

Ossuary Reflex (3 XP)
If attacked more than once by the same enemy in a single scene, you gain +1 die on all rolls against them from the third attack onward. This bonus stacks up to +3 and reflects learned reaction patterns encoded through ritual memory.

Advanced Racial Merits (6 to 10 XP)

Bound Servant (6 XP)
You may ritually bind a mortal to your will using necromantic rites. Feed them three times across three nights, and they become immune to fear while near you. They also gain +1 to one Skill of your choice. You may only maintain 1 Bound Servant per 2 dots of Charisma.

Whisper from the Grave (7 XP)
Once per week, you may consume a portion of a corpse or place your hand upon it and roll Intelligence + Occult (Difficulty 8). If successful, you commune with the lingering soul and may ask up to 3 questions. Answers may be cryptic, disjointed, or clouded by the afterlife.

Death Echo (8 XP)
When struck by any supernatural ability, you may spend 2 Icor and roll Stamina + Resolve. If successful, you gain partial resistance to that effect for the rest of the scene, reducing the difficulty by 1 or gaining +1 die to soak. This does not reduce direct damage effects.

Origin Surge (10 XP)
Once per Chronicle, you may awaken the raw power of your reanimation. For one scene, you gain +2 to your Icor Pool maximum, +1 to all Discipline activation rolls, and total immunity to Dormancy or fear-based control. At the end of the scene, you collapse and remain inert for 12 hours, awakening with no memory of the activation.

~~ RACIAL POWER POOL NAME & FUNCTION ~~

Power Pool Name: Icor Pool

The Undead are not sustained by food, sunlight, or divine favor. Their strength comes from Icor, the necrotic essence of cursed vitality, spiritual residue, and soul memory. Icor is not life, it is unlife, a force that clings to the body through sheer will, hatred, obsession, or divine punishment. It binds the flesh, fuels their Disciplines, and maintains the tether between corpse and consciousness.

Without Icor, the Undead begin to degrade. Their skin decays faster, their minds fracture, and their will to remain unravels. At zero, they are little more than husks, awaiting final death or external reanimation.

Icor Pool Basics

Starting Pool Size: 20 Icor Points
XP Advancement: +1 Maximum Icor per 5 XP
Hard Cap: 50 Icor Points (unless increased via relics, curses, or Storyteller-awarded mutations)
Refill Method: Drawing from death, desecration, memory, suffering, or spiritual anchors through roleplay

How Icor is Gathered

Undead do not eat, sleep, or breathe. They regain Icor through ritual acts, violent death, and spiritual violation. This may include consuming raw life essence, desecrating graves, binding souls, or reenacting moments of death to draw lingering power.

Note: Feeding on innocents, kin, or cursed relics may grant higher Icor but risks emotional degradation or loss of control (ST discretion). Not all Undead feed the same, Liches, Wights, Revenants, and Mummies each have unique preferences.

Using the Icor Pool

Certain racial Merits, cursed relics, or storyteller-inflicted banes may alter these costs or offer additional uses.

Icor Recovery Mechanics

Icor does not regenerate through rest or time. It must be earned through acts of unholy resonance, necromantic ritual, or suffering inflicted or remembered. This fuels narrative play while reinforcing the Undead's grim cycle of feeding and desecration.

The deeper the spiritual or narrative weight, the greater the Icor reward.

Icor Pool at 0

When your Icor Pool is fully depleted:

You lose access to all Undead Disciplines and powers
You suffer –1 die to all Physical and Mental rolls as your form begins to collapse
Your body decays visibly, attracting suspicion or even divine retribution
You cannot regenerate wounds and lose the ability to hide your undead nature
Roleplay effects may include memory loss, twitching, hollow gaze, or whispering to shadows

Extended starvation of Icor can result in:

Loss of personality or free will (becoming near-feral)
Undeath stasis (paralysis or torpor)
Awakening of buried curses or ancestral sins
Being consumed by your own necromantic tether, possibly resurrected by outside forces as a puppet

Special Notes

Liches often store emergency Icor in phylacteries or soul gems.
Revenants may gain Icor through vengeance fulfilled.
Wights regenerate minor Icor from fear or screams.
Mummies may anchor their Icor through bloodline sacrifice or preserved relics.

The Undead are not dead, they are the memory of death, animated by will, bound by purpose, and always hungry for what was lost. Icor is not mercy. It is a cursed fire that burns only as long as the pain remains.

FINISHING THE CHARACTER

FINISHING YOUR CHARACTER

Once you have selected your Undead’s origin, bloodline, strengths, and supernatural traits, you are ready to finalize the character sheet and enter play. This checklist summarizes the required steps to complete your Undead character and prepare them for story-driven roleplay within the world of Seyruun.

1. Attribute Assignment

Follow the standard attribute distribution:

Assign 7 points to your primary category
Assign 5 points to your secondary category
Assign 3 points to your tertiary category

The Physical, Social, and Mental categories may be assigned in any order. Undead often lean toward Physical or Mental traits, but no category is restricted. Justify your choices through your lineage, method of resurrection, or the fate that binds your soul to undeath.

2. Skill Allocation

Distribute your skill points as follows:

13 points in your primary skill category
9 points in your secondary
5 points in your tertiary

Choose specialties that reflect the Undead condition. Commonly selected skills include Occult, Intimidation, Stealth, Subterfuge, Survival, or Lore. All skills must be tied to your background, death circumstances, or current existence.

3. Discipline Selection

Begin with 3 Discipline Trees:

One from your bloodline, necrotic path, or undeath origin
Two additional trees from approved general or thematic options

Each Discipline Tree begins at ● unless otherwise approved by Storytellers. Custom trees are locked until you begin your personal 10-dot Discipline Tree through narrative progression and XP expenditure.

4. Merits and Flaws

Select from available Racial Merits unique to the Undead. These reflect death-borne metaphysics, memory-bound powers, and resurrection anomalies.

You begin with 15 Freebie Points to spend at creation
Standard server-wide Merits may be chosen
Optional Racial Flaws grant +3 Freebie Points per flaw
You may only take one Racial Flaw, unless special approval is granted

5. Backgrounds

You begin with 5 Background Points. Choose from the following, based on your unlife story and role:

Allies
Contacts
Haven (crypt, mausoleum, tomb)
Resources
Influence
Cult Standing or Necrotic Rank (if applicable)

Some undead may lack social backgrounds but gain narrative presence through fear or occult influence.

6. Power Pool: Icor

All Undead begin with 20 Icor Points. This supernatural pool fuels:

Discipline activation
Self-repair and regeneration
Augmentation of physical traits
Ritual defense against divine or elemental harm

Feeding methods, Icor recovery style, and favored sources should be noted in your sheet. Some feed on life essence, others on memory, despair, or sacred violation.

7. IO Blessings and Saving Throws

Undead characters begin with:

5 IO Blessings (representing the strength of their will, defiance of death, or cursed resilience)
Willpower: 1 (resists emotional or mind-based influence)
Reflex: 1 (used for initiative, dodging, and reactions)
Fortitude: 1 (used for resisting disease, poison, holy effects, or overwhelming force)

These scores may only be increased through XP or Merits. IO Blessings may be raised with Freebie Points during creation.

8. Health and Defense

Base Health: 10 + Stamina
Defense Rating: Reflex + any bonuses from Disciplines, armor, or Merits

Undead do not die when reaching 0 HP unless destroyed by specific sources such as decapitation, fire, divine wrath, or narrative obliteration. Otherwise, they enter Dormancy.

9. Profession and Wealth

If your Undead character engages with mortal society, choose a starting Profession Rank based on your background.

Assign a Wealth Rating from ● to ●●●●● depending on:

Possessions retained from mortal life
Cult backing or necrotic patronage
Control of forgotten tombs, vaults, or enchanted holdings

Undead nobles or ancient revenants may begin with a higher rating if justified in lore.

10. Racial Group Registration (Fell Lineage)

Undead characters belong to Fell Lineages, similar to clans or cults. These groups trace their origin to a resurrection method, a shared ritual, or a necromancer’s legacy.

You may:

Join an existing Fell Lineage
Create a new one following these steps:
- Have at least 3 Undead characters involved
- Submit a group concept with origin story, sigil or rune, and internal hierarchy
- Define your Resurrection Rite and code of silence or undeath conduct
- Maintain RP presence, logs, and scene documentation

Once approved, your lineage enters the official registry and may gain access to advancement ranks and special rites.

Storyteller Reminders

Once your character sheet is complete, submit it to a Storyteller or Staff Member for approval. Include:

Finalized sheet (official template)
Origin of undeath (ritual, resurrection, curse)
Any custom Merits, relics, or rituals pending review
Background on your transformation, lineage, or master
Consent logs if your character was raised or turned by another player

Upon approval, your Undead character is eligible for participation in court scenes, necromancer plotlines, Icor cult activities, and all undead-centered story arcs within the world of Seyruun.