The Drowned

The deepest parts of the Ephemeral Sea contain, buried under centuries of silt and debris, the remains of those that sank to their inevitable deaths as the Blight destroyed the vast naval blockade that surrounded the Seanachaisian Isles at the time. The bodies of those sailors and soldiers settled there and soaked in the energies of the Void for many years. While many of their spirits remain either topside or somewhere in the shallower parts of the sea where they died, there are some that clung to their corporeal form long enough to join it on the sea bottom. This lack of spirit makes these creatures dangerous even for a perceptive spiritualist. Once disturbed, these abominations will rise up from the muck and filth and give chase to anything unlucky enough to disturb their repose. They are relentless and numerous, and each of them carries, not only the danger of injury and infection, but the inherent dangers of exposing a potential victim to the environmental dangers of the location as well.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Drowned maintain the basic physical structure they had in life, though saturated and bloated by the toxic waters, and most showing signs of being eaten upon by the sparse life that exists in the sea. It is not uncommon to find the missing limbs and large portions of tissue from their bodies, though this does not seem to hamper their ability to move suggestion they are animated by some means other than the basic physiology of their bodies.

Ecology and Habitats

These creatures exist exclusively on the sea bottom surrounding the Seanachaisian Islands, a result of the unique environmental situation that exists there within the Void and the toxic waters.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The Drowned to no have any remaining biological needs, and in fact do not devour their victims like many other undead have a tendency to do. Once a victim is slain, they will instead drag the remains under the seabed with them to assure the body will absorb the same energy that animated them. It is believed this is a result of the influence of the Void, utilizing these remains to create a slowly growing horde unseen beneath the waves.

Behaviour

The Drowned will unerringly and ceaselessly pursue anyone or anything that disturbs them, and will continue to chase tirelessly until they either claim their target, or completely lose the ability to give chase, either by the target getting too far out of range or the Drowned being debilitated or destroyed. Beyond this, they function mindlessly, having no ability to communicate or reason beyond the drive to destroy any living thing that comes within their scope of awareness.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The sea bed of the Ephemeral Sea surrounding the Seanachaisian Isles.

Average Intelligence

None

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

These creatures have limited visual senses, though they can see perfectly in the darkness at short distances. They instead rely on an uncanny ability to detect the living for a small radius around them. This ability is an extrasensory one, not reliant on any existing organ in the body.

Civilization and Culture

History

In the months leading up to the Blight being called down, the Bechtlarite Empire, along with allies from the Gaul Do Shah, and even a number of Dwarves, set up an enormous naval blockade around the Seanachaisian Isles in an attempt to cut them off from the outside and force them to accept the terms offered by Sovereign Daimus III . The blockade stretched for thousands of miles, small groups of naval vessels patrolling the areas while airships monitored from above. The direct effect of the Blight was underestimated and all of them were caught in the radius of the impact site, and destroyed in the shockwave that followed. Tens of thousands of sailors and crew died in an instant, their remains lost to the sea and the ships, broken and splintered, left to drift outward over the years until they created a huge ring of debris along the edges of the sea, a memorial of sorts that remains to this day.    The bodies of those lost remained on the sea bed, buried by the debris and mud over the centruries that followed, soaking in the Void energies and slowly being turned by that influence into what they have now become.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Undead
Origin/Ancestry
Humanoid
Lifespan
Immortal
Average Height
4' to 8' depending on the species they were in life.


Cover image: The Drowned by Midjourney

This species has multiple parents, only the first is displayed below.
All parents:

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