Graefward, old common for grave ward, sometimes known as child of the dead. Viewed as monsters the world over, a select few acquire sentience or a mind of their own detaching them from whatever power, being, or reason that raised them from the dead. For the most part, they act like normal living beings aside from their dead or decaying look and desire to regain the living flesh they once had.
Shards of Orn verison 4.0 Information
| Costuming | Graefward | Graefwards must have grayish or ash darkened skin and some obviously skeletal appearance. |
| Passive Effect | Immune Decay |
You are Immune to Decay Effects. |
|
Combat Effect
|
Weapon, Fear |
You trigger a Weapon ability by attacking the intended target with any Light, Medium, Heavy, or Great Weapon in melee or a Projectile Weapon. If you use a Projectile Weapon, you must count out the activity three times (e.g., "Aiming 1, aiming 2, aiming 3"). If the Weapon is “Ruined”, or the arm wielding it is “Maimed”, you cannot use the ability. The target may not attack or use abilities on others as long as they can see the user. Line of sight may only be broken by scenery, such as a building or large number of trees. The effect ends if they are hit. |
| Narrative Effect | Commune Corpse |
You are able to speak to dead bodies and severed body parts. They are typically able to convey their physical experiences and sensations but lack nuanced information like motivations and emotions. |
Graefward must have grayish to ash darkend skin and either a visible mortal wound or be obviously dead.
Most Graefward are born to hallowed ground, but the means of their birth usually determine their bloodline. Those who retain memories from their previous life refer to this as their resurrection. Those who don't remember refer to their birth as their beginning.
After their resurrection (or beginning), the year that follows can be confusing for a Graefward. Memories will usually start to appear as dreams or visions until the being has a firm grasp on their past life. Those who don't regain their memories within the first year usually never will or can't because there aren't any left.
Other than injury or a second death a Graefward will live on long after their flesh has rotted away and turned to dust. The oldest appearing as nothing more than skeletons of their previous races.
There are two difficulties a Graefward faces in their indefinite lifetimes the first being their appearance. Some try to hide their smell or rotting flesh while others are just to far gone to fool anyone. The latter usually seek solitary lives or the company of those who don't care. The second problem is their constant hunger. Being a creature of the undead they gravely crave the flesh of living beings.
Although some, if not the majority, of the Graefwards are brought into being through evil or necromatic reasons this does not reflect their beliefs.
In all the text, the tomes, the great halls and libraries, even the back alley warnings told to heed villagers or scare children; there are stories. Stories of Lich, of ghoul, and shade, vampire or things-that-go-bump in the night. The Graefward are not these things. Some may have once been or choose to be, but as a people they are not.
Graefward have been around since the races started dying. The Hollowed were the first to come about. Before magic was completely mastered and history had not yet started to be recorded. Hollowed walked with the living. When mortal beings found magic the Vassal was born. When magic was mastered and necromancy became a school the Revenant found its way into creation.
Existing in the shadows of the mortal world, it is rare for them to dwell amongst the living. After the ascension of Jeddit O’Jorramn, his army would become the bulk of the Graefward race leaving them to reside in the Wraithwood. There is even mention of a necropolis hidden among the ever shadowed wood.
Revenant are the most prominent of the Graefward, their resurrection is commonly brought by the hand of a powerful necromancer and in some cases even deity. These zombie-like beings gain sentience after the power that raised them subsides from either their master's death or choice.
Hollowed are among the oldest of the Graefward therefore they usually take charge of the other bloodlines. Their affinity for leadership is attributed to not only their age but their tendency for strong affiliations with deity. Their resurrection is brought about by a strong emotion or need from their past life.
Vassal, the rarest bloodline and most prone to magic, share nothing in common with their previous life except their body. When a mortal of immense magical power dies, their soul and memories die with them. Their magic however resides in the body causing what they refer to as their beginning. They rise from the dead, a clean slate, retaining their ability to talk and think. Some scholars believe this is due to muscle memory and the fact that their body and brain have been developed while others chalk it up to magic.
Because of a Revenant's resurrection, it is written in their very nature to follow. The Hollowed blindly devote themselves to the cause of their resurrection giving them the allure of a strong sense of direction. This makes for a great symbiotic relationship between the two bloodlines. Revenant will usually follow a Hollowed and view them as their leader, whereas Vassal will be taken in by the loved ones of their previous life and only seeking companionship from their fellow kin when they have been ostracized by their communities.
When a group becomes large enough, their graveyard will be called a necropolis. The citizens will often emulate that of mortal societies electing officials, the Hollowed, to determine the laws and creed of the grave.
It is said that the largest Necropolis resides in the Wraithwood. That after the ascension of Jeddit O’Jorramn his armies left droves of roaming Revenant. A Hollowed known only as The Elder took lead of his wandering kin and resided in the shadow of the wood.
Those blessed or cursed with the memories of their past life will often recycle the ideals and culture of the ones they left behind. Those less fortunate to retain their memories will adapt the culture of their surrounding community.
The Revenant choose to surround themselves with their kin and love to co-exsist in big groups. The Hollowed would prefer to live a secluded life but some learn the merit in rallying others to achieve their goals.
All Graefward posses a hunger for living flesh. Some swear off eating the flesh of sentient beings only eating live cattle or wild game.
Relationships with most mortal beings are fickle at best, for to the living anything raised from the dead is mostly seen as a monster or that of evil nature. Those that are accepted by the living, work hard at proving themselves as more than mindless creatures waiting to devour the townsfolk. More difficult are the Graefward that find themselves in the company of those faithful to some dieties, because Orders are taught that the dead should stay dead.
Dwarves are hesitant to befriend the Graefward because of the undead that often invade their homelands, though some bond over their hatred of the Uordeq. Graefward view the Uordeq race as necromancers and to them this is the same as being a slaver.
The practices of a warlock and control of the undead is viewed as the lowest form of magic to the Graefward. This being said, it is not unheard of for a mad Vassal to raise the dead now and again.
One of the touchiest subjects to discuss with a Graefward is religion. Many worship Etejeril only for the fact they believe their resurrection was brought forth by his power. The followers of Etejeril believe necromancers should only use there powers to bring about new life and not for the control of their brethren.
A select few follow Muralakrum believing that he is the cause of their great change from life to death to life again.
Most if not all Graefward posses a distain for Dhuroscht, for he symbolizes true death and the end of all things.
Revenants typically walk the path of fighter, not scared to pick up sword and shield or to fight on the front lines. They will usually try to please all around them and love following orders.
The Hollowed will often try to take charge of a group of adventurers and like to delegate tasks. Usually being from time long forgotten they love new technology often becoming tinkerers or picking up guns.
Vassals outshine their brethren in the school of magic summoning the power within, many become sorcerers. Some study to hone their skill and are ranked among powerful wizards.
Most Graefward shun warlocks and the practice of necromancy. All fear to-be-healers, for the wounded look mighty tasty to a flesh starved undead.
By my bones!- to declare disbelief
After my after. - to describe things you would like to die before seeing
Walking boner. - a joking term used to insult
Stiff. - racial slur
Green.- short for gangrenous meaning bad for you in the long run " Do you think we should venture down that dark tunnel? I don't know it seems green"
Brit bones.- insult, calling someone week