The Mummified Undead were once a Human kingdom in the southern desert lands of Tyria. These people worshipped the Desert Gods, powerful beings which existed at the source of the great river which flowed between the world of the living and the dead. Protected from invasion by great swathes of desert, the Kingdom prospered for generations in the south.
The Kingdom’s fortunes changed with the arrival of the Havoc Gods. The Havoc Gods sought out the Desert Gods and their Underworld, hoping to seal off death itself from Tyria. The Desert Gods tried to fight back, but were defeated. The Gatekeeper, who guarded the passage between the world of the living and dead, was slain, and the god’s blood poisoned the river passage between worlds. Since that moment, any soul that tried to pass on would be trapped in the poisoned river between worlds, existing in a state of constant agony.
The remaining Desert Gods gave their priests Soul Gems, which could bind souls to their bodies. The Gems’ magic preserved the bones, allowing souls to linger even after their bodies had withered away to old age or injury. The Priests developed a form of mummification to allow people to preserve some part of their bodies. Those who could afford such treatments sought them out, while others slowly saw their flesh fall away until all that remained was bone.
The Kingdom collapsed in the wake of the curse, as once vital farmlands lay barren and people fell into despair. The Mummified Undead were ruled over by a variety of lesser kings and petty tyrants who began to carve out kingdoms throughout the land. This led to a long era of civil war, as no one held the means to claim a final victory and reunite these lands into a single Kingdom.
This changed with the arrival of a powerful sorceress from the north, claiming to be the heir of a mighty Empire. She approached the priests and kings of the land and promised that she alone had the power to discover a means to break their curse and bring them true death. Impressed with her power, her allies declared her the Tomb Queen, and soon reunified the realm under her rule, reigning over a variety of petty kingdoms and cultures which have emerged along the sacred river.
Now, the Tomb Queen looks north to her former home. How will you embrace true death?
History
Ancient Arrogance
The Mummified Undead were once a prosperous Human kingdom in the southern desert lands of Tyria. The kingdom rose up along a sacred river in the desert, which was said to connect the land of the living and the dead.
Desert Gods
These people worshipped the desert gods, powerful beings that existed at the border between the world of the living and the underworld.
Underworld Feud
Once the Havoc Gods arrived on Tyria, they sought to save the living from the Underworld. The Havoc Gods fought the Desert Gods and slew the God who guarded the gate to the Underworld.
Barred From the Underworld
The river was poisoned by the god’s blood and the land’s connection to the land of the dead was forever severed. Souls of the dead could not pass into the afterlife but were trapped forever outside the gate, feeling the pain of their dead god.
Soul Gems
The surviving Desert Gods gifted their priests Soul Gems. These Gems allowed souls to animate their body’s bones after death. The Priests developed a form of mummification to allow people to preserve some part of their bodies.
Warring Kingdoms
The kingdom collapsed as a result of the curse and soon split into warring factions, led by lesser kings and priests. Over time, these Kingdoms began to develop their own cultures and traditions. The Mummified Undead remained in this state through the Havoc Wars until the opening of the Rift.
A Slice of Unlife
The curse has defined much of the culture of the Mummified Undead in the years that have followed. Unable to feel hunger or pleasure, many of the simple joys of life are denied to them. Some choose to live as they once did in life, while others turn to art or seek adventure. As time goes on, more and more have begun to hope to break the curse and find True Death.
The Rift
When the orb was broken, the havoc gods thanked the twin heirs by granting them immortality in undeath and powerful magic. The Princess went south until she arrived in the Warring Kingdoms.
Unified Queendom
The Princess offered to dedicate her powers to helping the Mummified Undead achieve the True Death which they had been denied, if they followed her. Impressed by her power, the kings and sorcerers acknowledged her as High Queen. Her realm is made up of a patchwork of lesser Kingdoms which now live in peace under her rule.
Birthright
The Queen believes that her right to rule over the Human Empire’s lands is indisputable and now that she has united the South, her armies look towards the lands of the Old Empire. Her followers believe that the wizards and knowledge of the Empire may also help serve their goal of finally reaching the lands of their ancestors. She is ready to claim Tyria back as her birthright.
Society
The Mummified Undead are the remnants of a once great people whose god of death was slain by the Havoc Gods. Now they are barred from the underworld, doomed to keep on living without rest, their precious Soul Gems being the only thing that lets them still have a body. If their Soul Gem is destroyed, they will be sent into an eternity of pain with no rest in sight.
The Curse
The Curse upon the Mummified Undead is not simply one of eternal life. Most pleasing sensations are lost, especially once there are only bones (which is why they cling to what they can preserve of their bodies). They not only know but can feel the eternity of torment waiting for them, like an ever-present background noise. They feel a sense of exhaustion and old age that permeates their being. This can make them jaded, bitter and cranky, but also wise and empathetic, depending on the individual. No matter how they react to it, the exhaustion of eternal life and the looming doom waiting for them are key factors in their lives and behaviours.
Regeneration
The Mummified Undead who have been destroyed are usually regrown in Temples. Although a Soul Gem left alone can reform a new skeletal body by itself, it is a slow and unreliable process. But a Gem brought to a temple, treated with the proper rituals and placed in a Life Chamber can bring back the fallen Mummified Undead in a quicker manner. There are a few small and hidden Temples outside of their territory, often built during long military campaigns or by small colonies trying to settle new lands. Most members of their society, from peasants to Queens, visit a Temple regularly to pray and have their bodies maintained and mended.
Soul Gems
Mummified Undead armies always put a lot of effort into securing the Soul Gems of fallen warriors, since they are not replaceable. This is not always possible, especially when a battle is lost and they need to retreat. The Gems are beautiful and often the targets of battlefield looters and opportunistic soldiers. Due to how precious Gems are, the Mummified Undead constantly send out small warbands and trading caravans with the goal of recovering lost ones. They try to hide how crucial the Gems are to them, presenting them as having religious value or minor enchantments.
Population
The Mummified Undead population is very slowly shrinking. They do not recruit new members, and every year, some Soul Gems are lost. Most of these are eventually recovered but some end up destroyed, an irreparable loss. This is an extremely slow process and they will still last for millennia at this pace, but their worst fear is that one day all of their souls will be trapped in eternal torment, with no hope of salvation left as the last Soul Gem is destroyed.
Hope
Temples and religious ceremonies are very important to the Mummified Undead; they believe that their Gods are the only thing keeping their Soul Gems working and shielding them from eternal pain. While their God of death was slain, the other gods are weakened, but still here. The Tomb Queen arrived in the desert, promising a solution. She seems to have won the trust of the Desert Gods and so most of the Mummified Undead have chosen to follow her. Some outliers suspect her of wanting to keep them as servants rather than freeing them, however.
Keeping Up Appearances
Mummified Undead place a lot of pride in maintaining their appearance. They try to keep their bones clean and preserve their flesh. Nobles invest a lot of resources into mummification and magical restoration, even hiring scholars and wizards from abroad to research ways to bring back their looks and senses.
Hidden Cities
The cities of the Mummified are hidden deep in the desert. They are hidden by spells and tricks to protect them from invaders. A traveller trying to find them might find themselves going in circles, lost in sandstorms and ambushed by patrols. But if this traveller manages to get there (or is allowed to), they will see beautiful cities full of sculptures, refined gardens and pristine pools, where even the lowest skeleton servants wear immaculate linen and a gold headband. Stone Shapers use their powers to erect new statues or give life to existing ones, but also to repair and reshape the buildings as needed.
Trade
The Mummified Undead don’t need food, although they still grow a bit of it for their pets and occasional living guests. Their agriculture is focused on textile products, they also grow precious woods and mine gold and precious gems. Their master craftsmen produce jewellery, books and luxury manufactured goods. Beyond their personal use, these resources allow the Mummified Undead to trade abroad for anything they need, which is mostly arcane knowledge and lost Soul Gems.
