The Dread

Overview

The Dread is the common name for intelligent undead - those rare and fearsome beings who's corrupted souls are anchored to their decaying body. Most undead are raised to some facsimile of life by magic, with the caster imbedding instructions or directly controlling the bodies to their whims, but the Dread are different beasts - created by corruption and retaining their will and wits. While a properly prepared Saultshard can be used to bring someone back from the dead, an improperly prepared (either accidentally or intentionally) one instead creates a Dread, anchoring their soul to their body through a corrupted conduit that strips the soul of its virtues while feeding into its baser qualities. The kind become cold, the generous become misers, the calm become angry - and any who were already leaning into those emotions get them enflamed even further.

All corruption is not created equal, however. While a botched Saultshard ritual might create mockery of life, one that is prepared with skill and intent can corrupt the soul even further - giving rise to deeper powers as it strips away the last vestiges of the person who once was. Further, a Dread's control over their conduit will also determine how much the corruption rules them, instead of the other way around.

The Dread maintain the base characteristics of their life to a certain degree, but can be made from any race.

Mechanics

The Dread must be of evil alignment.
Each Dread will be given a Corrupted Saultshard by the Story Team. This trinket will have the Ensouled property, as well as one additional property for Low Corruption Dreads and two for High Corruption Dreads.
If a Dread is killed, but their Saultshard is not destroyed, their body will reform around the shard over the next 24 hours. However, if a Dread is killed twice in one month, their shard will shatter, permanently killing them.
The Dread do not have to have a Force for Chaos role, but those who do will be given extra story considerations (the ability to turn others into undead, minions, etc)

"There are no creatures under the gods as we - and none so like them as ourselves."

Lore

The High Corruption Dread are the nightmares of kings, queens, high priests and master mages. Where their lesser brethren keep to mortal trappings, they eschew it. Creatures of rot and decay, their souls corrupted fully, these Dread carry few vestiges of who they once were. Gone even is the need to feed off mortal sustenance, instead keeping together through the power of their conduit slowly consuming their soul.

These Dread take many forms, but the form of each is far from living. From half decayed abominations of the flesh, to bandage wrapped rulers, to skeletons moving by sheer force of will, each is as different to each other as can be. Those with control over their conduit were typically, but not always, great mages in their life - ones who perhaps even designed and executed the ritual to make them this way in the first place. They can interact, observe, and converse with the living to meet their twisted ends.

By contrast, those without that control have a seething hatred for the living that they can not hide for even a moment, and struggle not to act on. The living brings visceral disgust to these creatures, a disgust that must be ended quickly lest it escalate to a bloodletting frenzy.

Quirks

High Corruption Dread do not need to feed, drink, breathe, or otherwise sustain themselves.
These Dread are obviously dead and decayed, visible at a glance.
Distinct magical effects are common (ex. glowing or flaming eyes).
Even their magic appears corrupted at a glance.
The most powerful of these Dread have chosen the path.
High Corruption Dread have many names, including: Lich, Dread Lord, Dread Champion.

Core Characteristics

Size: Varies by Base Race

Average Lifespan: Ageless

Physical Characteristics:

Varies by Base Race
Can not blend in with Base Race
Notably decayed/destroyed

"We do not truly change, we only become more fully what we are."

Lore

The Low Corruption Dread are the stuff of children's nightmares. Stalkers in the night, feeding on blood, killing those who stray too far from the beaten path. These Dread cleave the closest to their old lives, looking markedly different but not so much that they can't slink through a town without notice. Their souls have not been totally lost, and so their bodies still require sustenance - blood, and the blood of sentients to boot.

There are many types of Dread, and many names for each - some whisper of vampires, others of ghouls, and many spin fanciful tales of stakes, rivers, silver, and daylight. In truth, the only thing that will save you is the destruction of their shard - everything else is wishful thinking.

The Dread with control over their conduits will often take the role of the patient hunter, luring people into vulnerable positions as often as is necessary but rarely more. Those without control, however, are far more terrifying. Nigh feral, they often tear through villages and neighborhoods with swift fervor - though they are far more likely to be caught and dealt with by the locals.