Ghouls

Ghouls are a common form of undead found across Haven. They are among the greatest threats an ordinary person is likely to encounter.

Description

Ghouls are cannibalistic undead monsters. They are humans twisted by a magical disease and posessed by an undead spirit to turn it into a terrible monster that lives entirely to kill.
Despite their intelligence, ghouls do not build or create, they only hunt. They use their intelligence to learn language, use advanced hunting tactics and avoid traps, but little else.
Ghouls can even pretend to be civilized to an extent, blending into the dregs of humanity in large cities to prey on the lower strata. But for all they might pretend otherwise, they are little more than animals.

Ghoul-Fever

The bite and claws of a ghoul spreads an illness called 'Ghoul-Fever'. Though it is rather easily cured, it is almost always leathal without treatment.
The sickness transitions quickly from cold shivers to a strong fever to a coma mixed with spasms leading quickly to death.
Those that succumb to it rise the next day as ghouls. In this way, ghouls have become a self-propagating scourge. However only Humans are vulnerable to the disease.

History

The scourge that is the ghouls was created by Ketior Fulgur during the necromancer crisis.

Hunting strategy

Ghouls prefer to hunt in packs, stalking isolated prey such as the inhabitants of isolated villages. They like ambush tactics such as pincer attacks and dropping onto their enemies from above, such as from rooftops and trees which they can climb with ease due to their claws and nimbleness.

Ghouls should never be hunted alone. The best method to fight ghouls are slashing weapons of blessed silver such as swords or polearms, due to their tendency to shun heavy armor.
Ghouls have an insatiable hunger for the flesh of the living or recently deceased. They are driven by this cannibalistic hunger and go mad if they are unable to satisfy it. It is possible to lure ghouls with meat of animals or people and they will be tempted to aproach even if they know it is a trap.
Ghouls are likely to attempt retreat if they meet stiff resistance, but they can be quite easily followed if one has a capable tracker. Be wary of ambushes, however.

Trivia

Metaphysically a person afflicted with ghoul fever is gone the moment the disease kills them; what rises the next day isnt them reanimated as an undead but a shade that slipped inside their corpse and now posesses it.

A Ghoul

Appearance:

Ghouls usually appear as half-decomposes human corpses, moving with an inhuman speed and agility. They have sharp claws and slavering jaws.