Chapter 3: So You’ve Been Bitten by a Ghoul… Now What?
“If someone near you is chewing on corpses and giggling, and it’s not a necromancer’s birthday party, chances are, it’s a ghoul.”
Ghouls are corpse-eating undead, once humanoid, now transformed by necromantic forces and sheer culinary depravity. They are stronger than they look, faster than you’d think, and hungrier than a tavern full of dwarves at closing time.
How to Spot a Ghoul:
- Sunken, rotting features, but unnervingly nimble.
- Sharp claws and fangs used for rending flesh—often yours.
- A distinct, foul odour, like rotted meat left in a cellar sauna.
- An obsession with fresh carrion (or aged, if nicely marbled).
Ghoul Fever: Nature’s Unfriendliest Infection
Got bit? That’s not just a nasty puncture wound. That’s ghoul fever, a supernatural disease that can kill you, then bring you back as one of them — a half-starved corpse with questionable table manners.
Symptoms may include:
- Fever and cold sweats
- Muscle spasms
- Hunger for long pork (you)
- Death within days, followed by undeath and a strong desire to eat your friends
Pro Tip: Don’t wait to get sick. Magical healing, particularly remove disease, can halt the progression — if applied early. No, garlic doesn’t work. No, slapping the infected doesn’t help.
Fighting Ghouls (and Living to Brag About It)
- Ghouls are fast and feral. Keep your distance.
- They can paralyze you with a scratch—unless you’re an elf (lucky you).
- Don’t expect them to talk… unless they do, in which case you should be more worried.
- Blunt weapons, radiant magic, and area effects are your friends.
“Ghouls rarely work alone. If you see one, there’s probably a pack. If you see a ghoul with books, leave.”
Some ghouls retain scraps of their former intellect, forming cults or serving darker powers. If they speak of a “Ghost Queen,” get out, or make sure your will is up to date.