Undead

Description
Undead soldiers are common within the lands of Varkhest, especially amongst recent large scale battlegrounds. However, these are unorganised soldiers, with broken or damaged armour, using whatever weaponry was left amongst the fallen soldiers.

Undead are frequently referred to as mere carcasses or bareboned skeletons. In reality, the undead soldiers sacrifice most of their flesh and organs, to rise again. Upon the resurrection of the undead, these soldiers will shed their organic matter during this process for increased agility and physical strength; things like teeth, hair and often remain though.

Background
Magic overtime has become imbued within the lands of Varkhest through years of trouble and turmoil. Throughout time the world of Varkhest has adapted, accommodated magic. Just as nature reclaims the nutrients from the dead, magic has been absorbed within the earth through the same process.

The stories passed throughout time, of the undead, is that excess magic congealed within the rotting corpses, thrusting them through the crust of earth before them, to live again.

Individuals of the highest calibre, have managed to resuscitate corpses of the fallen warriors. These fallen warriors, bearing little consequence to living skilled warriors. Most undead soldiers lack organisation, battle strategies, or conscious thought. These undead soldiers, usually fight anything that dares to trespass within its proximity.

Origins of Undeath
There are several causes of undeath. They are as follows:

Unfinished Business
An intelligent creature that died, while being driven by an important deed. It can also occur in a similar manner when an atrocity happens to someone, forcing their souls to remain restless until they've settled what they desired to be at peace.

Servants/ Necromancy
Often knowledgeable, powerful and malevolent creatures create undead beings to rise as their servants. Often used as guards, soldiers or simple servants. These minions are mindless corpses, providing the spellcaster with the perfect obedient servant.

Intentional Self Reanimation
This is when powerful spellcasters who have devoted themselves to magic and wish to further pursue their studies, have converted themselves into undead to further expand their work without the restraints of mortality. Often this can be because of affiliation towards darkness and evil, however, it can be due to thirst for power or fear of dying.

Atrocity
Living creatures who committed extreme and heinous acts of evil, torture and unjustified atrocities on others. In their passing, they have been transformed by a twisted sense of irony into undead creatures. However, the intensity and specific acts that result in this appear to be random, while surprisingly not uncommon.