Ghouls

Graveyards and other places of interment are common practices across the cultures of Varda. Intended as reflective spaces to honour the dead, these places are often associated with hauntings and supernatural beings. Amongst these, the undead creatures known as Ghouls can be found.
Bestial in nature, many grave sites have found themselves infested by a pack of Ghouls. Writings of Ghoul appearances are found throughout history, stretching back as far as records go. It seems that wherever the dead are kept, there is always a chance for the Undead to also be found.

Appearance and Behaviour

Appearing more or less humanoid, a Ghoul will typically have a lot of the features that they had in life, although distorted by their new condition. Mottled flesh taking a more greyish hue will be stretched tightly across bones, and most of the hair of the creature will have fallen out. Razor-sharp teeth will now jut out from their jaw, and jagged claws will now protrude from where fingernails once were.
Ghouls will most often walk or run around on all fours, although they are still fully capable of bipedal movement. Studies have shown that the transformation into a Ghoul affects skeletal and muscle structures slightly, making this quadrupedal movement easier for the creature. This has no negative impact on the creature's movement, which is surprisingly fast when the scent of flesh is near. This also appears to enhance a Ghoul's physical traits, granting them an almost supernatural level of strength and dexterity.
A relentless hunger seems to drive a Ghoul in all its actions, and this hunger is for the flesh of the deceased. It is for this reason that Ghouls are often found in graveyards and burial places, digging up fresh graves so they can feast. It is only when this resource of nourishment is used up that Ghouls will resort to hunting the living.
When hunting, Ghouls will do so in packs and will wait in hiding before ambushing their prey. This is not always another humanoid, and Ghouls will happily hunt any animals in their area. Once they have sprung their trap, they will strike with their claws, seeking to overpower their victim. This is aided by a strange power a Ghoul has when touching one of the living. A strange paralysis can affect the victim of a Ghoul when it strikes, stiffening joints and rendering them immobile. Some folklorish beliefs say that this is the Ghoul passing on the rigor mortis that it would have experienced if it had not been bought back as one of the undead.
Dealing with an infestation of Ghouls can prove difficult, as despite their constant hunger and drive to feed, they will retreat if threatened. This can lead to Ghouls spreading out over larger areas as they seek a source of food. Necromantic energies passed on to their victims can also lead to complications, as those feasted on by a Ghoul are more likely to rise as a Zombie, reanimated Skeleton or other minor Undead. It has even been observed that a Ghoul can create other Ghouls in such a way.

Signs of Presence

Ghouls can lay dormant for hundreds of years if needed, but when they do awaken there are several clues that will mark the presence of Ghouls:

• Grave-robbing: What may appear as the act of stealing from the deceased may be Ghouls digging for the flesh of the dead. Looking for claw marks instead of the use of a shovel can aid in this identification, as well as if the deceased died recently or it is an older grave.
• Missing Bodies: If the bodies of the recently deceased have gone missing in an area, they may have been taken by a Ghoul.
• Open Crypts and Tombs: Ghouls often take up residence near to reliable sources of food, in dark locations. Crypts, Tombs and basements are all ideal locations for a Ghoul, and checking whether these are left open or searching for Ghoul tracks is common practice.
• Minor Undead: In some cases, the necromantic energies present in Ghouls can seep in to their victims. Partially eaten Zombies or reanimated Skeletons with visible teeth marks can be signs of Ghouls.

Known Lore (In-World)

The common belief of becoming a Ghoul is that a sentient, living-being intentionally eats one of its kind, and that in death this cannibalism will mean the person will rise again as a Ghoul. Other such beliefs are that the greedy and gluttonous in life can also come back as Ghouls, their everlasting hunger transcending death.
Ties to the full moon and necromantic energies of deities are also widely believed. Some cultures even leave food near graveyards in an attempt to appease the dead and prevent them from reawakening as Ghouls.
One definitive way of creating a Ghoul is through the use of Necromancy, although such spells to achieve this are often outlawed and hard to come by.
It has also been observed that other, more powerful Undead will frequently employ Ghouls as minions. Liches have been observed raising Ghouls from the dead and even having influence over them, going as far as to stem their hungering nature.

True Origins

The following is for world-building purposes only – no Character or mortal found within Varda will be privy to such information (although Divine or Otherworldly Beings may be).
The first Ghoul finds its origins in ancient times, often referred to as The Time of Elves and Dragons. The Elves of Auraiddmir stretched out across the land, with explorers seeking all the wonders the world had to offer. One such exploration party sought the far north, and tragedy struck in the cold, harsh climates of the Northern Wastes.
Caught in a relentless blizzard, the Elves supplies soon dwindled. Starvation soon became a real danger, and desperation began to set in. With their reverence of all life, the thought of resorting to cannibalism was anathema to the Elves. However, it seems that one of their party did not agree with their kin. It wasn't long before disputes led to violence, and the idealistic individual won. Killing all of their party, the Elf now had enough food to survive the blizzard.
This did not go unnoticed by the Elven Gods, and the Goddess of Life and Death, Arawaan, sought to punish the Elf for this affront to nature. She cursed the Elf with eternal hunger, transforming him in to the first Ghoul. However, she did not realize that this curse would corrupt the lands of Varda for eternity.
It wasn't long before Arawaan realised her mistake. From her domain in the Fey Realm, she saw the bodies of those that had died from starvation raise again in to Ghouls, their hunger in life following them into undeath. Seeking to repent for what she had done, she blessed Elven-kind with resistance to Ghouls, rendering all Elves immune to the necromantic paralysing effects of a Ghoul's touch.

Type
Medium Undead
Location
Graveyards, Crypts, Cemetaries, Tombs