Type

Undead (Cursed Spirit of the Drowned)

Origin

Unlike the husk-like Drowned, the Wailing Drowned are formed when a living person perishes by drowning and their soul is never guided through the Veil. Their tether remains intact, and Ghor’s currents twist their final terror into a curse. They are restless echoes of those who died with lungs full of saltwater and eyes fixed on the dark below.

Appearance

• Gaunt, pallid bodies, dripping with seawater.
• Eyes glow faintly, like starlight seen through black water.
• Screams emerge as gurgling wails of rage and despair.

Abilities & Behaviour

• Lures of the drowned: Mimic the voices of loved ones, calling sailors into the surf.
• Hunting packs: Work together to surround ships or stalk shores.
• Relentless pull: Drag victims under and hold them until silence takes them.
• The Drowned Wail: A chilling cry that can overwhelm mortals, leaving them dazed and vulnerable.

Weaknesses

• Strong wards of light and Veil magic sever their tether.
• Cannot travel far inland unless by rivers linked to the sea.
• If remains are recovered and given a passage rite, the soul may finally rest.

Cultural Notes

Sailors whisper: “A Drowned drags you down. A Wailing Drowned calls you in.” Families of sailors lost at sea keep lantern vigils on shore, praying their kin do not return as Wailing Drowned. Even hardened captains blanch at hearing their own names whispered from the tide.

Related Creatures

• The Drowned — husk-like corpses animated by Ghor’s waters.
• Ghouls — corrupted dead whose souls linger in cursed places on land.