Many of the Undead face this terrible fate for mistakes of their own. Dark sins, or conscience heavy for the criminal deeds they have commited, they cannot pass on and linger in this world. But some do not deserve this curse...
The Via-shaal are ghostly creatures with great hands of delicate fingers, small stature and a face resembling the one they had in live. Whether they were studied doctors, or simple medics, even nurses, all share such a deep desperation few Living can grasp. All their life they tried to help the Living, curing them and tending to their wounds... until at some point, they cannot anymore. Whether it is a war or a plague, their patients keep dying, and however they try, they cannot hinder it. They cannot rest, and at some point, overcome by desperation and weariness, they expire of their weariness. Days later, they rise.
A Lost Healer will never harm a living creature. But in their madness they try to cure any dead creature around, and they restore it with their cunning fingers, whatever their wounds... making it Undead.
Lost Healers are thus accompanied by many Undead, people of all sorts, even animals, that are of course aggressive against the Living. And if a battle erupts, the Healer will desperately run around, beg his way through to any "wounded" or (again) dead, and return them to unlife with unnatural speed. Helping as he can, a single Healer can be a true plague of the land.
To delay a Via-shaal, one can put fine medical instruments into his reach, these he will try to use, but fail as it is immaterial. It cannot be truly parleyed with, as it is not longer reasonable, and sees the world in different way. But if it is hindered to help its patients, blocked by holy symbols and other utilities, it just stop helplessly, and cry a single black tear. It is said that if a mortal touches the tear, he will die from desperation. Some Alchymists are willing to pay a fortune for such a tear.
A Healer never fights, and will try to evade any combat. There is a way of putting it to rest peacefully... it must be prevented from "helping" its patients, which have to be laid to rest in the usual way (killed and buried). Lastly, it must be buried in a proper ceremony, priest and all, with praises being sung on its abilities, and the many Living it has saved in life.
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Also in
Codex hubs that gather this piece with similar work.
- Remaking the Undead CaptainPenguin
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Links to this article 1
- Remaking the Undead CaptainPenguin linked by MoonHunter
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Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh!
Man, one of those would just piss me off.
'Kill that zombie!'
'I'm trying too!'
Updated: At least one way of permanently putting it to rest.
At last - a logical reason behind the hackneyed old "undead invasion" plot
4½ / 5 - plus gets the wish I'd thought of that award
While I think it is way too powerful I like it. You nearly can't kill it and it literally raises undead nearly on a whim. It has a creepy way of saying, what is that and why is it doing that? I think one of these would literally make some of the experienced players and give them pause.
I love two fold things, items especially but this bad thing with semi good intentions is a nice touch.
Awesome concept Manfred, Awesome!
For some odd reason, I picture Via-Shaal wandering the corpse-filled trenches of World War I. Not sure why.
Weird War I For those of you who do not know the reference, There is a Deadlands suppliment for the period. The critters would fit there. http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1194
http://greywolf.critter.net/weirdwars.htm
Yes, the image is right there. That would be a natural enviroment for these very rare creatures.
BUMP, great concept, great imagery, and a WWI-type scenario is still where I see them fitting best!
I wonder why I have not voted for this before. 5/5
These guys would make an appropriately eerie guest appearence in "Death Watch", a highly visceral, relatively unknown (and underappreciated) movie, starring Golum, in a creepy and quite atmospheric WWI supernatural thriller.
yep, still love these guys!