Zombies are a fom of undead, the reanimated dead bodies of those unfortunate enough to have died in the Shadowlands or who have been raised up by a maho-tsukai. [1] A Kansen inhabited the skull of a body whose soul had fled and took control of it. [2]
Abilities[]
Most zombies are mindless automatons who have no will of their own. They move very slowly but have unnatural strength in their limbs, and can tear a man apart. While they are generally only under the control of the sorcerer who created them, they can be directed to follow another's orders. [1] Limbs of zombies will still be active even if severed, and will crawl after the zombie, attempting to attack anyone within reach, though they cannot be re-attached. If the torso of a zombie was severed, it would continue clawing at its opponent, but a decapitated zombie would crumple to the ground and dissolve into a black ooze by the next morning; [3] this was discovered during the first rise of Iuchiban at the Battle of Stolen Graves. [4]
Types[]
There were three major types of zombies: those which formed naturally from the corpses of samurai who died in the Shadowlands; those animated and controlled by Tainted artifacts such as Porcelain Masks; and those formed by maho spells such as Animate the Dead, [2] known as Undead Revenants. [5]
Spell-Made[]
Spell-made zombies were deliberately created by a Maho-tsukai who placed a magical porcelain mask on the zombie's face. If the mask were removed or destroyed, this also destroyed the zombie. The intellect of these creatures was limited, but they could understand simple commands. They obeyed only their controlling shugenja, and did not act except upon his command. [6]
Porcelain Masked[]
The true porcelain mask fetishes used by the Bloodspeakers focused dark energies which created zombies who would obey the mask's enchanter, and also enabled them to understand more complex instructions than normal zombies. They had a self-preservation instinct, and would fight to defend themselves without specific orders. [6]
Skeletons[]
A skeleton was merely a zombie with nothing left to rot away. [1] Skeletal archers were widely used during the first uprising of Iuchiban's hordes. [7]
Plague Zombies[]
Plague Zombies had body tissues and organs which carried the Wasting Disease and other similar magical plagues. [6]
Undead Revenant[]
Undead Revenants were a more powerful form of zombie who did not continue to rot. Their sinews and muscles retained enough tone to allow them to move almost as quickly as they did in life, and they also possessed a certain animal intelligence. [5]
Military Undead[]
Zombie troops wore magic Porcelain Masks that allowed them to march with synchronization. [8]
See Also[]
- Plague Zombies
- Hyakuhei
- Gaki
- Undead/Meta
- Skeletal Archers/CW Meta
- Skeletal Troops/CW Meta
- Skeletal Troops/Diskwars
- Undead/CW Meta
- Zombie Troops/CW Meta
- Zombie Troops/Diskwars
External Links[]
- Zombie Troops (Imperial)
- Plague Zombies (Shadowlands)
- Skeletal Archers (Shadowlands)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Roleplaying in the Emerald Empire, p. 197
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bearers of Jade, p. 130
- ↑ Legend of the Five Rings: Third Edition p. 283
- ↑ Way of the Lion, p. 107
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Legend of the Five Rings; Fourth Edition, p. 330
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Clan War: Shadowlands Army Expansion, p. 9
- ↑ Bloodspeakers, p. 26
- ↑ Zombie Troops (Imperial flavor)
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