Armored99

I've been putting a lot of thought into what the recovered file part of this work is meant to be. One of the things is a way to foreshadow, another is a means of letting people see more into the world, and potentially getting to see things outside of the main characters point of view. Even with all these factors I still don't believe most people would want to read them as they don't push the plot or narrative in an efficient manner.

So I have determined that reading the file chapters should not be essential to understanding or following the story.

tl:dr Reading this chapter is optional.

Materials

- Aged leather cover book.

- Yellowed Parchment written on with carbon ink.

Language: Elmanta

Writer: Karad

Title: Field Studies Vol I

Contents:

Page 1:

This is a condensed work made from the summation of my findings, and studies on the Undead Battlefield,

Dedicated To my brother Karus who has supported me every step of the way.

Page 3:

Abbrievated History of the Undead Battlefield.

Nearing nine-hundred years ago the Second Battle of Lindfel occurred at what is now referred to as The Undead Battlefield. The battle happened at the climax of the unification war, and was the final one in what was many of a rather unusual series of battles. The foremost characteristic of which were drawn out engagements with heavy casualties. The strangeness of such arises from the fact that none of these battles were sieges were drawn out tactics are common.

The reason behind this was divined by Elman and led to him abandoning his duties of the throne to stop a coming catastrophe. A grand artifact of Wuben's making. A colossus of a hundred mouths, a thousand limbs and ten thousand eyes. The Eternal Effigy, The Effigy was being fed using another artifact the Eye of Necrotic Rumination. Which was being escorted from each battle to channel the undead miasma. Had the beast been fully satiated by the eye when it was awoken, not even Elman could have slain it.

The effigy was to be the winning card that would have led to a reversal in the outcome of the war had it not been discovered. The use of such a dangerous artifact brought about such fury in Elman that he crumbled the high walls of the southern's capital, cracked open its hard gates, crushed its monuments, and collapsed every structure. Nothing but rubble remained.

When the Eternal Effigy was slain the necrotic eye without a place to send the miasma, had started accumulating it. Which led to the dead rising and causing chaos. Before the news of the southern capitols collapse even reached the battlefield both sides had already retreated. During the annexation of the southern territory, fierce debate happened among the empirical advisors over the eye. The ultimate decision was reached after Elman's Ascension. 

The artifact do to its large size would be exceedingly difficult to transport, and the field of undead surrounding it were also acting as a natural defense. Additionally without a being at Elman's level, destruction of the artifact would be deeply hazardous and challenging. These factors led to the artifact being discarded on battlefield since then.

In the centuries since the wildlife has adapted and new species thrive here creating a unique community of organisms.

Page 5:

Eye of Necrotic Rumination

An ancient artifact made by Wuben. Little information has survived to the current era on the Eye. The only certain documentation to carry over is the name of the artifact, and its usage in the Unification War.  

Close observation of the artifact is hazardous do to both the presence of undead, and the decaying bodies that surround it. Viewing from a distance the Artifact is a large piece of amber encasing what is presumably an eye. However, said eye is several times larger than one you would find in a human. The species it originates from is unknown, but a hypothesis can be made that it belonged to an especially large giant. As they were often the primary target of the artifacts creator.

The Artifacts known abilities are the accumulation of effluvium drawn from the death of any living thing within a certain proximity of it, converting the effluvium into miasma and then channeling that to the corresponding artifact. Without the ability to channel, the miasma pools around the eye creating the phenomena hereby dubbed the Cessating Gyre.   

Page 6:

The Cessating Gyre

The Gyre exists in part to the Artifact at its center, but also as a consequence of the natural attraction of between creatures nearing death and miasma. Which is a lesser studied occurrence. If not for this attraction the pool of miasma would have been drained long ago, as the degree of animals that die within the vicinity off the artifact wouldn't have been sustainable.

The attraction between the dying and miasma appears to be very minute, and on intelligent beings almost non-existent. The range of effect of the Gyre however seems quite powerful, exemplifying just how great an amount of miasma swirls in it. With documentation showing the discovery of a ghoulified Togurin, a species that has never been spotted south the city of Ranthor. Additonally, there are accounts of the sick or elderly disappearing only to be found near the battlefield or not at all.  

Despite the great power held in the gyre, no creature smaller than a dog has ever been turned. High probability of some unknown limiting factor or principle related to size.

Page 15:

Ghoul Flesh

Warning : Do not eat Ghoul Flesh no matter what the original creature was.

Once living flesh that has died and been made animate through the power of undeath. All undead are composed to some extent of ghoul flesh. 

Ghoul flesh has a myriad of differing characteristics when compared to normal flesh. Primarily normal flesh thrives on the energy stored in its fats, however ghoul flesh survives on the miasma contained in every part of it. Of further importance is the stopping of rot as miasma acts as some form of preservative and poison. However, until a corpse reaches a certain threshold of saturation of miasma it will still rot, and should a undead use to much stored miasma it will also start to rot.

Northern Laboratories and Lyceums have demand for ghoul flesh in place of human or animal flesh. Largely in part do to the longevity as it is slower to decay.

Page 19:

Skeletals

The weakest and most common undead wandering the battlefield. Is almost entirely skin and bones. Missing all softer tissues, and cartilage. Despite missing its eyes, ears and nose, the undead still maintains some level of awareness to the environment around it. 

The behavior exhibited by it, is generally wandering around the battlefield attacking only living things that are larger than a persons head. Its almost mindless in its actions.

The Skeletal best exemplifies the theory of life vision, however no concrete evidence has yet been found.

Page 20:

Ghouls

What can be ironically called a healthy undead, formed under good conditions with the body experiencing only a modicum of decay before turning. Typically is from a corpse that has died within the same day of turning. During colder months this time frame may increase.

The humanoid ghouls have a mostly human appearance and small degree of intelligence, on par with a trained dog or young child. Can easily be differentiated from a person by the lack of color in the skin, not having any vibrancy, only ranging in color from white to black. Additional characteristics may be unhealed wounds and lack of blood. 

Despite having functional eyes it also ignores smaller creatures.

Page 21:

Eyebeast and SkeleClops

The Eyebeast is a humanoid ghoul that has been tampered with during the turning process. Having its head sunken into its chest cavity, and all the normal organs held within removed. Across the creatures bulging back are eyes of various animals. The bend of the legs have been reversed causing it to walk on all fours.

Each of its eyes is paired with an eye that has also been implanted into a skeletal. These Skeletals have been called SkeleClops in concert with the nature of them possessing a single eye. 

While the nature of the connection between the Eyebeast and SkeleClops is not entirely clear. There are definite increases to the SkeleClop's abilities over a Skeletal. Where skeletals cannot leave the Cessating Gyre as they lack the ability to hold a substantial amount of miasma, the SkeleClops are able to cover a large distance outside of the Gyre. The SkeleClops are also capable of moving in a unified manner.

The most probable hypothesis is that the connection between Eyebeasts and SkeleClops allows the transference of miasma and commands, with the Eyebeasts even potentially sharing vision with the SkeleClops.

There likely is some connection between this undead relationship and the Eye artifact, However this remains speculation.

Page 23:

BoneSticher

A higher tier of undead, having been changed in less than hour and still maintaining a high degree of intelligence. Despite this intelligence the creature has an obsession with desecrating corpses. Stitching them together bones and all, hence the name. With this capacity it can create any configuration of undead creature, making categorizing all impossible. Fortunately though the amount of different types of undead it creates are relatively few, the reason for this is yet to be discovered.

Only visibly significant difference between BoneStichers and Ghouls is in the hands, which are often mutilated with the bones of the hand exposed and even carved into some form of crude instruments for mending corpses.

Important note : The Elimination of BoneStichers is of highest priority. 

All of the more dangerous undead in the battlefield have been the work of a BoneSticher. Being Responsible for the EyeBeasts, TreeCrawlers, and even the Nukalavee.

Page 28:

Putrified

Suspected to be a higher tier undead, however only sightings how been reported and no combative engagements, It is described as a ghoul that is experiencing decay as some form of furry black rot is consuming it. With a pungent smell several folds worse than a normal undead.

As Ghoul Flesh does not rot, and anything that would grow upon it would wither, the existence of this creature is contentious. Although it can be noted that all species of plant and animals within the Cessating Gyre have an unusual resistance to miasma. A trait bred into them from the prolonged exposure over the generations. It would still be impossible in theory for them to directly feed on something containing miasma. 

If it is true that the Putrified is suffering from such an affliction, then I shall pre-preemptively name it as Melancholic Rot.

Page 36:

Sanguine Moss

Warning : Imperial Law dictates that the cultivation of Sanguine Moss is an illegal offense punishable by a minimum amount of five years of hard labor.  Harsher sentencing may even include execution. This was declared under the Tillage Act of 794. 

Sanguine Moss is a rare species that has highly specific nutritional requirements, which are only known to be satisfied with the nearby presence of decayed flesh. The Sanguine habitat has been solely confirmed to be undead battlefield, however there is credible speculation that similar species may exist on the Apulean continent. 

The appearance of the moss is similar to short fur being only a finger widths in length. The color varies from a bright red to dull brown.

Warning : Do not use unprocessed Sanguine Moss for treating wounds. 

The primary use of Sanguine Moss is as an ingredient for blood coagulants. Which can be used in field dressings of wounds, or more popularly by the capitols surgeons. Who use it to decrease the chance of their patients bleeding to death. (Elman help you, if a surgeon is operating on you.) 

Few apothecaries exist that know how to properly handle and process Sanguine Moss. Despite the lucrative nature of the moss and the monopoly of its sales, these apothecaries do not operate within Lindwel. They have made the gentry and 'better-men' of the north their sole customers.

End of Recovered File.

Armored99

I honestly could've written the whole book, I cut out a lot of pages and even kept the descriptions of the monsters short.

Opinions on the images I made would be appreciated. Do they feel out of place, or do they add to the work?