Husks

Husks, Withered, Shells, Mindless... Regardless of what you call them, they are as much a part of nature as the grass beneath your feet, or the trees in the forest

- Criella Stayanoga, Prime Natural Historian of the Lussonia Archives
A Husk is what remains of a creature, when the soul has moved on from this world. Not terribly unlike a zombie, but for the intent behind their creation. Husks are the bodies of those devout to Melora, the Wildmother. Worshipers who gave themselves so fully to her that when their spirits returned to her, their bodies become one with her creation. Rather than decomposing, they become infused with plant life, and begin to move again, on muscles and tendons of vine and ivy, with bones of wood and stone, skin plastered with dead leaves, fungi and moss growing all over their bodies.
Husks wander the world, no will of their own, seeking out gardens and fields that need tending, protecting forests and swamps from those who would destroy them, and caring for injured creatures who cannot care for themselves. They have no memories of their life, as there is no soul to contain the memories. They are a tool of the Wildmother much as a plow is a tool of the farmer.
Those who worship Melora consider it a great honor for their gardens and groves to be visited by a Husk. They will create crowns of flowers to place upon the Husks, and adapt their gardens to make them places of respite. Openings in the canopy to let sun in, rich soil, and small ponds with algae and small fish. Sacred groves and sanctuaries tend to attract Husks, forming a symbiotic relationship.
Those who have lost their way in the Great Green Sea of Sacae tell tales of a slowly shambling hoard leading them back towards civilization.
As they become fully integrated with the plant life dwelling within their bodies, they begin to decay if they do not receive enough water and sunlight. When several husks come together, they begin to fuse into a larger Husk. The largest recorded Husk was the size of a small hill. It was large enough that it had a small ecosystem of its own living in the cavernous torso of the creature.
Husks are passive creatures, unless provoked, or directed by the Wildmother. When angered, they can be a fearsome foe. They possess unnatural resilience, a limited ability to regenerate, and a control of the plants and animals around them, reminiscent of the druids and priests of Melora.