Tweet
Entry #85
Levels of power are things that any living creature is innately familiar with. Even the beasts of the field are capable of analyzing another living being and judging whether victory could be achieved if presented with life-and-death struggle. Knowing this, I should not have been surprised to find that the Dead harbor similar such abilities, and they themselves vary in power. What seperates the Dead and the Living, though, is that while anything Living can press upward and gain more power, only certain types of the Dead, or Undead, can do so. I have decided to break them down into two groups, which I will outline below, as I understand them.
The Free-Minded
These Dead (or undead) seem to have retained their knowledge from Life. Perhaps this is what allows them to continually adapt themselves and their abilities to overcome new obsticles. Most of the Free-Minded are actually Undead, and bear the closest resemblance to being still alive. It may be that closeness to life, and the remnants of that vitality that actually permits this category to continue and grow. Most Free-Minded seem to hold high places of power, and perhaps honor, in the ranks of the Dead or Undead. Common types of Free-Minded are Vampires and Liches, though commonly deemed "lesser" types seem to portray this quality in rare instances. Perhaps this is the most visible and influential adaptation of the actual Soul allowing progress beyond the limitations of biology.
The Mindless
These Dead (or..again...Undead) are those who seem to be nothing but animated vessels. There does not seem to be any residue of life within them, neither mind nor body. Commonly used as fodder by the Free-Minded, these seem to have latched on to a singular purpose that is bent to the will of a greater, higher, controlling force; commonly a powerful Necromancer or "Greater Undead". I believe that if that hold was severed, the Mindless would persue, in the most direct way possible, whatever that base instinct was that was implanted within them at the time of their animation. These Mindless pose perhaps the greatest threat to the Living because even if the controller is removed, they will continue on with whatever purpose brought about their creation. Only through utter and complete destruction might they be stopped. These Mindless might also be deemed Soulless, for I can see nothing within them but the magic used to power their actions.
As stated...the Mindless may be the most dangerous of the two, but only because of their tendency to appear in large numbers and continue until completely disabled. The Free-Minded may well pose the greatest threat in the long term, because they have been freed from many obligations and responsibilities laid upon the living and have nigh-unlimited time to ponder obsticles and desires. Without the same governing Morals as the Living, it would not be difficult for one to fall prey to their own devices. Given the nature of my own studies, that is a Lesson I must keep close to heart.
Levels of power are things that any living creature is innately familiar with. Even the beasts of the field are capable of analyzing another living being and judging whether victory could be achieved if presented with life-and-death struggle. Knowing this, I should not have been surprised to find that the Dead harbor similar such abilities, and they themselves vary in power. What seperates the Dead and the Living, though, is that while anything Living can press upward and gain more power, only certain types of the Dead, or Undead, can do so. I have decided to break them down into two groups, which I will outline below, as I understand them.
The Free-Minded
These Dead (or undead) seem to have retained their knowledge from Life. Perhaps this is what allows them to continually adapt themselves and their abilities to overcome new obsticles. Most of the Free-Minded are actually Undead, and bear the closest resemblance to being still alive. It may be that closeness to life, and the remnants of that vitality that actually permits this category to continue and grow. Most Free-Minded seem to hold high places of power, and perhaps honor, in the ranks of the Dead or Undead. Common types of Free-Minded are Vampires and Liches, though commonly deemed "lesser" types seem to portray this quality in rare instances. Perhaps this is the most visible and influential adaptation of the actual Soul allowing progress beyond the limitations of biology.
The Mindless
These Dead (or..again...Undead) are those who seem to be nothing but animated vessels. There does not seem to be any residue of life within them, neither mind nor body. Commonly used as fodder by the Free-Minded, these seem to have latched on to a singular purpose that is bent to the will of a greater, higher, controlling force; commonly a powerful Necromancer or "Greater Undead". I believe that if that hold was severed, the Mindless would persue, in the most direct way possible, whatever that base instinct was that was implanted within them at the time of their animation. These Mindless pose perhaps the greatest threat to the Living because even if the controller is removed, they will continue on with whatever purpose brought about their creation. Only through utter and complete destruction might they be stopped. These Mindless might also be deemed Soulless, for I can see nothing within them but the magic used to power their actions.
As stated...the Mindless may be the most dangerous of the two, but only because of their tendency to appear in large numbers and continue until completely disabled. The Free-Minded may well pose the greatest threat in the long term, because they have been freed from many obligations and responsibilities laid upon the living and have nigh-unlimited time to ponder obsticles and desires. Without the same governing Morals as the Living, it would not be difficult for one to fall prey to their own devices. Given the nature of my own studies, that is a Lesson I must keep close to heart.
