Culture

Ghouls are the spirit or soul of the deceased bound to either an item embedded in a recently deceased corpses or directly to the corpse itself. The differences between the two versions are slight and not enough to warrant them being split into a sub category; those linked directly to a body will be slain if the entirety of the body is destroyed or lay dormant should too little of it remain to be easy found, while those linked to an item may switch hosts freely permitted the new body has been deceased less than two days and it not mangled or maimed, or otherwise magically protected. Once inside this host, all decay will cease for the duration of inhabitation. Outside of this pseudo-immortality ghouls rarely have any additional powers and share a nigh universal weakness to flame and strong aversion to bright light and consecrated ground. This leads to a naturally shady reputation for the race as a whole, who operate mostly in the ‘underworld’ though in a wide variety of positions; though specializing in ones that benefit from not being in the spotlight.

 

Appearance

Ghouls are forcibly reanimated corpses, and often look it. Always a few shades too pale or a bit too ashen, they often appear rather sickly or pale, their skin taking on a waxy appearance over time. Glamour spells work wonderfully for these undead, however, providing them with an option to blend in when need be. It is not uncommon for a ghoul to carry several enchanted baubles to enhance or augment their physical appearance as the situation may call for, dreading exposure over all us.

Powers

It is rare that a ghoul is brought into existence with any additional abilities and those that are tend to suffer for it in both intelligence and freewill, making them more akin to zombies than full-fledged ghouls. While they are able to employ magical items and artifacts and the like, they cannot harness magic of their own through spell or incantation- though it is not uncommon for a ghoul to pledge his allegiance to a powerful witch or warlock, who can in turn bestow the ability to cast minor to medium magics for as long as the link to their patron or matron lasts, and the aforementioned has the available power.

Furthermore, it is worthy of note that ghouls do not require sleep, air, or what would be considered an ‘average’ diet; they do require the meat or flesh of a humanoid or beast, as well as the blood from the same at least once every three to four days. They tend to have slightly above-human physical prowess, limited not by stamina but hunger.

 

Weaknesses

Highly sensitive to magic used both for and against them, ghouls tend to either befriend or avoid witches and warlocks entirely, with little gray area between. Fire and acid are the two most efficient ways to utterly destroy one of these undead, and many have a strong aversion to bright lights. They recover from injury rather slowly, and while they can often shrug off the effects of non-crippling blows easier than some other races, the lasting damage proves a prominent issue when deciding when to fight and when to flee. Despite their slightly above-average physical prowess, their bodies are actually slightly more susceptible to physical trauma given their slightly deteriorated state. Combined with their long healing times, and most ghouls’ ability to switch hosts limited without the assistance of a high-level magic user, they are not often found in the role of frontline warriors.

 

Protecting against Ghouls

There are a healthy selection of warding spells against ghouls specifically and an even wider library for the lesser undead, able to be taken advantage of both by establishments and by way of enchanted talismans or relics. Fire bigger than a lighter will give them second thought and anything the size of a torch will send them running, and dismemberment or beheading without the proper follow up of burning or dissolving leaves the opportunity for a witch or warlock to restore the ghoul should they be able to obtain a substantial amount(one-two limbs, etc.).
 

Registering a Ghoul

As a ghoul is a combination of differing body and soul, the mind is naturally a concern. Rarely does either present with any memories of past lives, though the personality of the soul seems to be the more dominant in these few cases, which presented in vague flashbacks. They tend to take a name of their own choosing or are given one by their creator, should that individual be alive or remain in the ghoul’s company- it is these early days in the undead’s formation that are most impressionable, developing most of its personality.