Pyrewalkers

Smoldering, Charred, Animated Corpses with smoke and flame powers

RockandRollah with thanks to "Deena"

If monsters made gods, men would be their king

— Half-Orc Playwright Gruhr Minisk On the Iniquities of Ages, Act V, Scene 4, line 8

The smoke is finally starting to clear away, but the sickening smell of burnt flesh, hair, and clothing remains. A hundred paces away, a freshly dug grave lies. The rich black soil has barely been patted down when the dirt begins to stir. They know what they must do, they must run, run and tell the Knight Brother. As they dash away fearfully, a charcoaled, scaled hand erupts from the burial plot.

The Strange Case of the Pyrewalkers

As stated in a previous chapter, common Undead fall into two basic categories, regardless of corporeality, or lack thereof.
1. Mindless Killers
2. Masterful hunters.
The following, related to me by trusted sources around the Jonus Autocracy; as well as scholarly studies, details a relatively newly discovered phenotype that takes the role of Masterful Hunter, though with very specific prey.

Folklore and Arcane Study

The rumors started not 100 years hence, of charred skinned animated corpses; with skin that still smolders, victims of the Knights of Inquisition, were whispered about in small hamlets and villages around the Autocracy. Said rumors reached academic arcanists slowly, through their interaction with adventuring parties who traveled too, and through Jonus. The first arcanist to brave the wrath of the Inquisitors for a chance to study this phenomenon was an apprentice in the Tower of the Mind, one Marul Surfield, while his notes on the investigations were smuggled out, the young wizard would meet the flames of the "True Church," himself before they could be properly edited and compiled. The following is my attempt to reconstruct the events in a chronological, and succinct manner:

Surfield's Tale

Surfield arrived in Baytowne Harbor via a merchantman who's name he did not give in Springstay 1305 N.C., most scholars believe he did this to protect the crew of the ship from the inquisitors. From here, he rode on horseback, with a guide two days away to the hamlet of Shellie to investigate the rumors of a Pyrewalker there. The creature had been seen a week before.
The villagers described the Pyrewalker to Surfield in the manner most commonly attributed to it's kind. It looked vaguely humanoid with charcoal colored, and textured skin. It's lack of eyes, ears, and nose gave it's face a skull-like appearance. It was said to be of the height, and build of the Half-Elven visitor who had been caught by an Inquisitor as she prayed to one of the Elven gods.
The woman, found guilty, was burned alive at the stake. When the Pyrewalker was first spotted walking into the hamlet from the nearby forest where she had been buried, the locals tried to attack her. She subdued their attacks by breathing smoke at them, making some choke, and others to hallucinate her death from her point of view. By the time that any of them were able to react to her, she was gone.
Surfield would learn later that day that she had attacked the Inquisitor with the same smokey breath, and sparking embers that flew from her hand. The Inquisitor, Knight Brother Diamont Ferel had bested her however. Surfield spent nearly a year traveling the breadth and length of the Jonus Autocracy searching for tales of the Pyrewalkers, his findings remained fairly consistent throughout the time. He was executed for possession of a spellbook on the second to last day of Springrise 1306.

Theories of Origin

Numerous theories of origin have been posited by various parties. The True Church of Legi believe that Pyrewalkers are animated by demons, or devils. Some in the Worldwide Church of Legi believe that Legi himself raises them, in order to give them a chance for real justice, and to teach his errant followers, other polytheists devoted to various pantheons believe similarly. Most arcanists are of opinion that the spellcasters of Jonus have found a way to prematurely give themselves unlife as they are dying. Some even call it "discount lichdom," which is absurd, considering the fact that Pyrewalkers cease to exist when their quarry is destroyed.

— Harlin Destor "New Findings in the studies of Unlife" pages 54-57

Basic Information

Anatomy

A Pyrewalker has roughly the same bodytype as the humanoid it was before it's transformation.

Genetics and Reproduction

The consensus is that Pyrewalkers are the vengeful spirits of victims of witch hunts reanimating their former bodies. The mechanism of this is unknown, however there are several theories. (See above)

Ecology and Habitats

Pyrewalkers have be found near most any settlement that has seen an active witch hunt in the last 100 years.

Dietary Needs and Habits

A Pyrewalker has no need to eat. It hungers only for vengeance.

Biological Cycle

Pyrewalkers are seemingly without care to the effects of weather. Even heavy flooding will not keep their skin from smoldering. Because of their nature, they can however be an enviromental hazard during the drier months.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Pyrewalkers are solitary creatures, but will work together with anyone who will advance their vengeance.

Facial characteristics

The faces of Pyrewalkers lack eyes, ears, noses; but retain most the skin of the face and the lips.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Throughout the political borders of the Jonus Autocracy.

Average Intelligence

A Pyrewalker retains, more or less, the same intelligence it had in life. Some have been known to be able to cast spells as long as they could do so without verbal components, and had the correct materials on them at the time, or even at the time of their death.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Though they lack eyes, ears, or noses, they seem quite capable of spotting potential threats.

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

A Pyrewalker can understand, but not speak, any language it knew during life. It can, however communicate with gestures.

Conservation Status

Pyrewalkers are hunted relentless by the True Church of Legi, and the state apparatus of the Jonus Autocracy.

Average Physique

Each Pyrewalker retains the build of their former self for the most part.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Skin is the color, and texture of charred flesh. It is constantly smoldering.