The Restless Dead are remains of the deceased which through some abnormal circumstance become animate after their original demise. They can vary greatly in nature, but are almost always erratic and dangerous. While some barely possess the strength to drag their own broken bodies, others wield terrible power and speak in dark, guttural curses.
The people of Samond usually view the Restless Dead as tragic - the desecrated remains and tortured souls of loved ones and countrymen. The Restless Dead are rarely spoken of as a thing to be destroyed, but as a victim to be consoled and laid to rest. They are considered with pity, horror, and as a wrong to be made right.
The Church of Valra instructs discretion and caution with the restless dead, as physical conflict may only exacerbate the situation - after all, the body is only a symptom of the troubled or bound spirit. Those courageous enough to intervene on behalf of the restless dead, or the living they endanger, may find themselves in good standing with the Church.
While at times the Restless Dead rise and act as a result of poorly understood forces, unscrupulous spellcasters throughout the ages have also attempted to cultivate and manipulate the Restless Dead for their own ends. These spellcasters are called “Necromancers” and descend from each of the three schools of magic. Necromancy is reviled and condemned as a crime of profanity exceeding even murder.
However they came to be, the Restless Dead are mere shadows of their former shelves. Their hollow existence is an experience of perpetual suffering. In their anguish and pain, they most often struggle to recognize friends and family - often lashing out in violent confusion.
While the Restless Dead are indeed dangerous, they also inspire a deeper fear to people of Samond - that someday they may be condemned to the same terrible fate themselves. Life on Samond is often difficult and brief, and the cruel reality suggested by the Restless Dead is that even in death, the scarred and downtrodden may not be spared from their suffering.
