Day of the Dead Edition
For the past four weeks, we have been examining the most well known creatures of the night. We have looked at Vampires, Werewolves, and Zombies. This week, the Day of the Dead, we examine Draugrs and Liches.
Draugrs:
Draugrs are people that have died. Draugrs rise out of the grave for several reasons. Perhaps they need to have revenge for having been killed. Perhaps an unfinished task waits.
Most draugrs move like zombies. They have a slow shambling gait, which is not much of a threat. Yet when they climb out of their graves in the midst of the night, they are a formidable creature.
One of the most famous draugrs is “The Crow.” The Crow originally sought revenge for his and his fiancée’s murders. After he completed the task, he went was able to “rest.”
A type of draugr is the vampire. As we read in our first installment, vampires are more sentient than the average draugr. Yet both full the same living dead requirement. The vampire’s unfinished task, of course, is to survive death.
Speaking of which…
Liches:
Liches are very powerful sorcerer/ wizard (yes females included) types. They have found a way to live beyond death.
A lich generally plants the essence of their being into an object of some kind. Once their body dies, they can transfer their life energy into another form. Most often, this form can be another body, either living of dead.
Liches can be mistaken for zombies. That of course would be a big mistake. Liches command unusually powerful magical resources. Many liches, having learned the secret of life and death, are also necromancers.
A lich cannot be killed by killing whatever from it occupies. As long as the life force container exists, the lich can regenerate. This process may take many, many years.
The prime example for a lich is Sauron, from the Lord of the Rings fame. Sauron is, of course. The Lord of the Rings. His life force was contained in the “One Ring.” It took Sauron several thousand years to gather enough energy to be able to claim his ring. If he were able to obtain it, he would have been unstoppable.
One interesting fact – Sauron did first appear as the Necromancer of Dol Guldor, before fleeing to Mordor, and sending his minions in search of the ring. Sauron was at that point a bodiless spirit. He took the shape of the eye to show his presence amongst his servants.
