Zombies

There are many Zombie types in Nerin Toth.

While the vast majority (roughly 70%) of them are the average Horde Zombie, there are other "super" zombies that are far more dangerous.

This should not however, cause one to believe that Horde Zombies are not dangerous. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Their sheer numbers alone have caused all of Nerin Toth the most problems.

* Horde
* Howlers
* Pukers
* Stalkers
* Sprinters
* Brutes
* Zombie Dragons
* The Rabia

* Zombies cannot die conventionally. They can only be killed by destroying or removing the brain, so even decapitation won't work. The zombie must suffer some form of brain trauma.

* If the brain is intact, heads of decapitated zombies will re-reanimate, though the bodies will remain inert.

* Any humanoid who is bitten and who dies (and very rarely, dragon) with their brain intact will become a zombie.

* Reanimation can occur anywhere from minutes to hours after death.

* Unlike conventional zombie lore, it is not the bite that turns humans into zombies; the bite merely kills. Thus far, it has been demonstrated that a bitten victim who has the bitten area amputated will not turn into a zombie, provided they survive the amputation.

* Zombies will attack and try to feed on humanoids and other animals, such as horses. Animals do not appear to reanimate as zombies, however the Aniver and Minotaur races do.

* Zombies will not attack each other, unless struggling for food (i.e. flesh). Still this is very rare.

* Zombies don't need their organs. They can endure severe damage and decomposition.

* Zombies do not have much flowing blood. All they need to function is an intact brain.

* Though zombies consume the flesh of their victims, they can function without eating.

* Zombies can endure being frozen solid, resuming activity once thawed.

* Zombies are attracted by loud sounds, such as gunshots, but cannot differentiate between forms of noise, like human talking and zombie grunting.

* Zombies may differentiate between humanoids and themselves by smell. Humans can fool them by rubbing zombie "filth" or innards over their bodies.

*Horde*

The Horde Zombies (aptly named for the sheer number of hordes of them) that wander the land of Nerin Toth are the most prominent type of zombie there is.

The Horde Zombies of Hunt the Dead share a number of traits with the ghouls of George Romero's films. Below is a short summary of what is known about them, along with some additional notes.

Tactics: Horde Zombies prefer to swarm the closest living being and bite it and beat it to death as opposed to just one attacking just to have the other watch it die and then it's replaced by another. They prefer to attack in group (as well as feed).

*Howler*

Howlers are perhaps the most terrifying of all undead. They are nearly the same as horde zombies in all abilities, except for the chilling screech they emit, sometimes spanning a mile in radius. These howls are high pitched and can physically hurt a person if they are to close to the beast.

On top of its paralyzing effect, the howl also attracts all nearby zombies to the location, making these monster truly terrifying.

These spawnlings are killed in the same manner as horde zombies, the brain must be destroyed to kill them completely.

*Puker*

Puker zombies are very much like Exploders, they look just like horde zombies, but instead of exploding, these zombies can either vomit on or bite their victims to infect them.

No one has an exact idea of a puker's range, but it can easily clear 15 feet. There are, unfortunately, no clear signs to distinguish a puker from a horde zombie, so it is best to always expect the worst.

Luckily, pukers can be killed in the same manner as any horde zombie and it's gore shed from killing them will not infect you.

It is believed their vomit is what causes the zombie virus to infect most dragons.

*Stalker*

Stalkers are among the more deceiving zombies. Outwardly they look like regular horde zombies, but in reality they are faster, stronger, and more agile than their dumber counter parts.

What they lack in intelligence, Stalkers make up for in determination. After picking a target these undead will only cease hunting upon their own destruction, or until they feast upon the flesh of their target.

Stalkers can be killed just as any normal zombie, but are much more difficult to actually destroy. These zombies can run as fast as 50 miles per hour, and have been known to leap over 20 feet. Given the sharpness of their claws, stalkers can easily climb almost any surface, making them increasingly deadly.

Stalkers are animalistic, even more so than their kin, and are not above tearing a person to shreds with their hands, sometimes, it seems, for the mere enjoyment, if that is possible.

*Sprinter*

Sprinters are very closely related to the Stalker. These undead are unprecedented in speed, but once again look almost identical to a horde zombie.

The sprinter has two preferred ways of running. On two legs, it can reach speeds up to 50 miles per hour, but once it drops to all fours, these monsters can top out at roughly 80 miles per hour.

Sprinters share the weaknesses of horde zombies, but a blow or shot to the brain will drop them instantly.

*Exploders*

Exploders are incredibly dangerous. None know what chemical imbalance causes them to explode but some scholars believe it is due to endorphins in the brain or potentially adrenaline.

While they look just like normal horde zombies, Exploders, when closing in on a target, begin to tremble violently, and then explode. The resulting gore from the explosion has been known to infect a target, but this isn't known for sure.

Exploders can be killed just like horde zombies.

*Brute*

Brutes are considered some of the most widely feared of the zombie kind. Only the zombie, The Rabia, and undead dragons are superior to these monstrous undead.

Brutes look mostly identical, save for a few minute changes that vary from zombie to zombie. They are large, standing sometimes over twelve feet tall and weigh hundreds of pounds. They are horribly disfigured, generally their bodies are disproportional and lean to one side.

Brutes are the hardest of the zombie kind to kill. A shot or blow to their head will NOT kill them, a brute will always rise for a second time or even possibly third or fourth time and seek revenge. It will be even more enraged and destructive at this point. A Brute's skull is thicker, no explanation is known for this, than any other zombie's.

The only means for killing a brute for sure are to decapitate it, and to then remove its brain. There are rumors that fire is a weakness to a brute, but this is not confirmed and should be tried with only with extreme caution.

*Dragon*

Quite Possibly the most feared creature in all of Nerin Toth, as well as one of the most mythical. Many believe they do not exist. Many believe they do. Some have claimed to have witnessed them destroying villages. Others claim to have witnessed them leading hordes of undead. And still others claim they simply aren't real. The latter usually end up as meals or worse...undead.

The Zombie Dragon is not all that different from any other dragon, except they are undead. Meaning that they are decomposed dragons. Their brain must be destroyed in order to kill them. And they are out of control.

Zombie Dragons do not retain the ability to cast magical spells like living dragons. However they still retain their breath weapon abilities, frightful presence, and amazing strength and flight.

While their brains are decomposed to the point of not allowing them to cast magical spells, they still retain the instincts of hunting, stalking, lurking, and feeding, much like any other dragon (or zombie).

Zombie Dragons are extremely rare, and nearly everyone in Nerin Toth can honestly state that they have never actually seen one (although many claim otherwise, and even more claim they know someone who has).

How any dragon ever became infected remains a mystery due to their extremely hard and tough scales covering their bodies preventing them from bite attacks (most scholars believe Pukers or Exploders may have been swallowed whole by some Zombie Dragons, although there is no proof of this).
Most Zombie Dragons do not have the intent of spreading the infection. They only wish to feed. With this being said, most citizens of Aeon would rather be eaten by a Zombie Dragon, than to be bitten and survive (if that's even possible).

Zombie Dragons treat other dragons the same as they do any normal humanoid. They view them as food, simply put. However Zombie dragons do not even attempt to eat other Zombie Dragons or Zombie Humanoids. No one is quite sure why. That doesn't mean though the random zombie can't be swallowed whole if it's in a group of humanoids.

*The Rabia*

No know truly knows what The Rabia even is. However the popular belief is that it is the famed Kraken of pirate lore, turned undead.

In the history of Nerin Toth, it has always been known that the main transports of trade goods has been by sea. However a time came and a large majority of trade ships and pirates both took to the skies with air ships.

Most believe it was due to the attacks of a large zombie Kraken.

Others claim it was just technology advancing.

Regardless, only the bravest sailors take to the deep seas to travel now.