Only a Necromancer of considerable power and vileness could meld the deceased bodies of so many beasts into such a horrific construct.


hmm. SOMEONE's been busy. So who made 'em, now that Lyras is dead and gone?

:-)

Preces meae non sunt dignae;Sed tu bonus fac benigne;Ne perenni cremer igne [Dies Irae]

<<they're from Maelshyve's fortress>>
They're from the Abyss which is in Shard, not Maelshyve's fortress by Haven.

---

Tachid smugly exclaims, "Die midget!"

Is there some standard that sets what makes a creature a construct? What makes it Undead or simply cursed? What defines whether it can/is both?

Those were my thoughts as well, but the whole topic of Undead and constructs had gotten me wondering about the whole established lore on the topic so I figured I'd post and see if anyone else could recall exactly what made them different from each other. In light of this discussion, would it be possible to get a more detailed explanation of the Undead (and their subsequent forms), this newer branch of "Constructs", and how they inter-relate?

That makes sense. Have we ever gotten a better definition of the classifications of Undeath? I know there have been discussions previously but I don't recall anything definitive. By classifications I mean, skeletal, fleshy, etc.

Bone golems are an amalgamation of skeletons assembled into a grotesque giant and given life by Necromancy. I don't see this falling under the construct umbrella, but that's just my opinion.

If the definition of Undead is "Re-Life", then I would say that the amalgamation of bones were never jointly alive as a single entity, thus disqualifying it from the definition of Undead leaving its only other option as Construct.

Now, if each once-living skeleton were to be raised separately and then they somehow formed together, each acting apart, I would have to view the abomination as a joint-minded Undead being.

~Leilond
http://www.elanthipedia.com/wiki/Leilond
http://drzeal.forumotion.com Learn How to PvP!

On Constructs:

This has been gone over before in some detail, but sadly, due to the excellent search ability of this place, and my excellent remembrance of terms used I failed in finding it [sarcasm was used].

What I can recall is that Constructs are Constructs because they aren't with a soul or spirit. The second that either or both of those exist in a being it CANNOT be a construct.

Bone Golem were made from dead material, but seem to be without that soul/spirit and thus should (by my understanding) have something.

The idea of steam powered, and mechanized items, should be considered a construct, not that I would want an empath to hunt all of our HE 2011 festival gifts, the clockwork spiders, but I would believe they to would be a construct.

Skeletons though and many other dead, have their previous spirits within them. Typically in a twisted manner, desperate for some freedom, I think I ran with that with my main for one of his big reasons for trying to destroy so many undead in the war with Lyras, because those undead still have something of their former selves earning for freedom, and an end from the wretched corruption the undeath were.

As far as cursed, uncursed, different forms of undead. From my understanding these are the following categories that currently exist within DragonRealms (bare in mind I am not a red-name):

Corporeal Undead: This is an undead with a body, it has substance (ghouls, zombies, arisen, and skeletons, mainly come to mind).
Incorporeal Undead This is an undead without a body, just a ghost or spirit (fiends, revenants, ghosts, spirits, souls, are things in-game that I've seen that seem to match this).
Cursed: This is a bit subjective, but something that seems to be anti-holy (that is something that is opposing to the gods) or something that is influenced by the negative aspect of the gods (this would mostly be things that are in Asketi's ride I would guess).
Animals: Whether mythical beasts, or classical monsters, or something a little bit more normal (gryphons, hogs, crocodiles, and leucros comes to mind).
Humanoid: Things that can mimic humans, thus they'd have armor and weapons, other then their hide, claws, and fangs (this would include goblins, ogres, orcs, and giants, as always others should exist).
Immortals Chosen: [This is how I describe the PC races] So human, elves, elotheans, Gor'Tog, yadda yadda yadda yadda (of note this should be broken down further into two groups, for why is it right to go out and grave robe a Throne City Thug, but not Leilond (sorry your name just popped into mind, hope its an honor if not, please tough it out).
Constructs: These were described above, but reputation is the route to memorization so: Entities without a soul/spirit, being somehow propelled and guided by just magic (things like golems, constructs, Ashu Hhinvi, and gargoyles).

[Once again not a red-name] -Shadow7988
_____________________________________
Victory Over Lyras, on the 397th year and 156 days since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer.

>They're from the Abyss which is in Shard, not Maelshyve's fortress by Haven.

Oops, my bad! I knew they were somewhere.

it seems confusing at times. As some of the in-game lore seems to contradict other lore that came along later.

For instance, you have tortured souls. Which are undead, but still have "souls", obviously <hence their "loot" is the occasional "soulstone". And you have death spirits, which are the spirits, or "souls" of the undead "brothers" in the case of the crossing <premie area> monastery area, you have other death spirits who were "created" by Sithsia <who is a necromancer who, along with farn's company>, helped erect the zaulfung stones to block the "evil" which later was revealed to be Maelshyve. However, those DS are in the mists near Leth Deriel. Then you have the Death spirits that inhabit the confide on ratha, and the ones in dunshade.

And then you have gargoyles, who originally were not constructs, and later "became" constructs <to give empaths an additional "thing" to hunt - which can no longer be harvested as they are now constructs - but which formerly Could be made into zombies and harvested and all sorts of necro goodness>. So.... it just depends on whichever GMs are in charge at the time whether something becomes undead or a construct or whatever, and just go with the flow. heh.
Being able to make a bone golem would be an interesting project though. Could maybe actually put those skulls and etc dropped by vipers to a "constructive" use...

Preces meae non sunt dignae;Sed tu bonus fac benigne;Ne perenni cremer igne [Dies Irae]

<<I do not think calling them spirits be necessity means they have "souls" like player-characters>>

some npcs though have some sort of soul - hence the thugs that "walk the starry road" in throne city.


<<And then there are the undead...
the souls that aren't willing to let go of this life and remain here even though their body is long gone.>>
<<It's little wonder that the souls of the Brothers elected to hang
around the blueberry fields after what was done to them, but they're just fine staying right there>>
-death and the soul:lecture-

also from "age info", liches are considered "undead" as well:

<<True agelessness is reserved for liches: powerful Necromancers who turn their talents inward and become self-animating undead.>> However, in so doing, they somehow give up their soul. <see Lyras>. How and when this will come about in terms of PCs, we don't know yet.














Preces meae non sunt dignae;Sed tu bonus fac benigne;Ne perenni cremer igne [Dies Irae]

<<Agonar and Gauthus and Kssarh are (usually) NPCs; they have souls.>>

well, 2 out of 3. :-)



::mutters something about being thrown out a window::

Preces meae non sunt dignae;Sed tu bonus fac benigne;Ne perenni cremer igne [Dies Irae]