Draugr

Basic Information

Anatomy

Physcially, Draugr have the same form as they did in life, with Bediz being the overwhelmingly typical example. While their morphology remains consistent, draugr exhibit signs of necrotic deterioration, often with a bloated appearance from the buildup of noxious, necrotic gases. Draugr are accompanied by a potent stench of rot and decay, that permeates in and around their rancid lairs. This aura is strong enough to kill small birds and rodents that approach to closely.
Draugr often have long, clawlike fingernails, capable of slashing through wooden doors, shields and even bronze weaponry.

Genetics and Reproduction

The corrupt magic animated Draugr often flows to the victims of their curses. Beings slain by a draugr after being drained of positive Dle will often rise as draugr themselves, beginning the cycle anew.

Ecology and Habitats

Draugr have a powerful Ere-Hud binding them to the place of their burial, greatly limiting their geographical range. Draugr must remain near their place of "rest", most commonly a tumuli, dolmen, or graveyard shrine. Still others, residing deep within Mag Mor sit in silent and fog-shrouded necropolises and ruined palaces, surrounded by their wealth and their hollow, cursed greed.
When a draugr is active and away from their barrow, the gravesite will glow with Tan-Noz, acting as a seal between Bedouar and Mag Mor.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The Draugr do not possess Foyson of their own. Their own corrupt hoarding of positive Dle in life lead to them being far into the negative after death. To compensate, the draugr greedily and voraciously consume foyson and positive Dle from external sources, often violently.
The most insidious method by which the draugr feeds, and by far the reason it is most feared, is the establishment of a parasitic Ere-Hud linking a draugr to a victim. Once a victim is chosen, a draugr will invade the victim's dreams, driving them mad with fear and paranoia, always leaving some small sign to confirm that the visit is not a figment, but a very real experience, although it will often disguise these to prevent outside interference until it is too late. The draugr will pursue its victim in both dream and wakefulness. In addition to its physical and psychological attacks, it will curse the victim with increasing bad luck, loading them down with negative Dle while gaining power themselves. This culimates in the death and devouring of the victim.
Draugr are carnivores, seeking out fresh meat during periods of activity. They will use their shapeshifting abilities to hunt down prey, typically favouring cattle, sheep, and shepherds who remain out at night. With lesser beings, such as birds, insects and rodents, the draugr is more direct, draining their foyson as its radiant corruption destroys these beings.

Behaviour

Draugr are slaugh, driven by the primordial spirits of Greed. They attack any would-be grave robbers, real or imagined, to protect their barrow hoards, but when this proves insufficient, as it always is, they turn their envy on the living, devouring food, animals and people to sate their unquenchable hunger, while looting valuables from the surrounding area.

Abilities

Draugr commonly retain some of the abilities they had in life, such as the use of tools or weaponry. In the most dangerous form of draugr, this includes the use of Huderezh

Shapeshifting

Despite being bound to the physical vessels of their corpses, Draugr are capable of a level of projection, taking on numerous forms to guard their treasure and terrorize the living. Draugr with the power of shapeshifting are especially common in the Royal Magocracy of Fjallkonan. Common forms include:

A seal-like creature capable of harassing ships and even upturning small boats.

A flayed bull

A broken backed horse with no ears or tail

A mangy cat that sits like a stone on a sleeping victim, growing heavier and heavier.

Dreamwalking

Draugr Similherez possess a potent ability to enter the dreams of their victims, terrorizing their prey by leaving a physical reminder of the dream in the form of a wound or trinket of symbolic significance to prove the visit occurred. Those cursed by Draugr in this manner will be plagued by weakness and misfortune, similar to an unbalanced Dle, until the victim dies or the Draugr is given a second death.

Other Common Tactics

Draugr are bringers of disease, corrupting the land and populace with their presence or directly spreading disease by fouling water and food sources, or attacking individuals. Extremely powerful Draugr can trigger a localized Bleed, plunging daylight into darkness for a short period.

Behaviour

The power of the Draugr is at its greatest in darkness, and they prefer to operate under the cover of night. However, they can be active beneath the sun, suffering no ill effects beyond a weakening of their magical power, as though their Dle is unbalanced.
When threatened, Draugr will become black sludge, sinking into the ground to escape threats. Draugr are often under an Ere-Hud that renders them immune to most weapons, and while they are weak to iron, it is not "fatal" to them. Draugr can be temporarily sealed if thy are forced back into their graves, but can only be killed be decapitation, burning the body in a pyre of yew and dumping the ashes into the sea.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Draugr can be controlled via a Rauðskinna, a powerful grimoire. Necromancers can use them as personal servants, soldiers and assassins to great effect.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

While draugr first appeared in Fjallkonan and The Lost Peninsula, spreading along the trading routes between the two, they followed Northern raiders into the Fortunate Isles and the Ar Mor Marv, especially Duchy of La Manche. After making landfall, they continued to spread into Letha, Anjev and Gallia. They now appear across Kornôgel as far South as The Golden Sea, but their expansion across the Mor Kreizdouar has been hampered by the Ghul.

Civilization and Culture

Common Taboos

Draugr are one of the few creatures partially unbound by the laws of Threshold and Hospitality, entering houses that they had entered while living without hinderance. As a result, precautions are often taken to mitigate the risk that a corpse will return to its familiar haunts.
In Fjallkonan, corpses suspected of rising again as draugr undergo a variety of rituals to prevent this. A pair of open iron scissors in placed on the deceaseds chest, and variations of the Ninefold Spell are sewn into the clothing, hidden to prevent easy removal. Feet are stitched together or connected with yew-wood stakes to prevent the creature from walking. Pallbearers are instructed to lift and lower the coffin in three different directions to confuse the monster upon its potential resurrection.
In La Manche, a special door is used to remove a body from a house, which is then bricked up to prevent re-entry.
The most effective means of preventing the return of the dead was believed to be a corpse door, a special door through which the corpse was carried feet-first with people surrounding it so that the corpse couldn't see where it was going. The door was then bricked up to prevent a return. It is speculated[by whom?] that this belief began in Denmark and spread throughout the Norse culture, founded on the idea that the dead could only leave through the way they entered.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Yan-gant-y-tan Bugul-Noz Iannic-ann-ôd

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Sluagh

Scientific Name

Slaugh Ramhar

Average Physique

Despite their decrepit appearance, draugr are animated by powerful corrupt energies to possess superhuman strength and are capable of pushing their bodies far beyond mortal breaking points. They are largely unaffected by the elements, showing little reaction to extreme cold, heat or pain, although these may damage their physical forms in extreme cases.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Draugr commonly have a bruised, necrotic pallor, of sickly whites, blues or blacks.

Geographic Distribution

• Fortunate Isles
• Kornôgel
• The Lost Peninsula