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"How I Kill Undead" Copyright (c) 1997 Simon E. Phipp
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# How I Kill Undead

An Account by Deathwing, Sword Drake, of Duck Point.

There are many ways to bring Humakt’s Justice to those Perversions of Death which walk the Upland Marsh. As an expert in these things, I have killed Delecti’s minions for ten years, I have collated the best ways to send these creatures back to their graves.

## General Tips

Undead are not affected by Poison, so do not use it. They are also normally not affected by Spears, Arrows or Daggers, apart from Vampires and Ghouls. If you are allowed to Ambush then do so otherwise you may be slain. Always fight with more than one warrior against each Undead, this will give you the edge. Above all, do not fear them - they have already died once and can easily die again.

## Killing Zombies

Although Zombies are big and strong, they are also stupid. This is our best defence against them.

When Zombies patrol the Marsh, they do so in single file so that they leave few tracks. This means that we can follow a patrol and take the rearmost Zombie without the others knowing. If we repeat this, we can destroy a whole patrol using only one warrior.

The best way to kill a Zombie is to strike at the head with a Sword. Use a Bastard or Great Sword, that way you may be able to take the head off with a single stroke and will not alert any of its comrades. It may be wise to use Humakt’s Powers to make the Sword Sharp and True and ensure victory.

Do not use spears, arrows, shortswords or daggers against Zombies, they just stick in and do not cause any harm. Clubs have little effect as you cannot stun a Zombie. Sticj with swords if you can.

One method I have devised is to use a Garrotte, preferably one made of Iron. This will allow you to sneak up behind the Zombie and to remove its head with a minimum of fuss. Do not use a Garrotte made of rope as Zombies cannot be strangled, make sure yours is of metal. This is also a good tactic if the Zombie falls into the water as you o not want to wrestle with it.

Zombies can easily be caught in Traps as they do not watch out for them. Pitfalls should not be used as the Zombie will not be hurt by the fall. When setting traps, use Man Traps to grab hold of limbs and slow the Zombie down. Also, if near a stand of trees, use nooses and ropes to pull the Zombie into the air where it can be safely despatched. A Zombie will almost never be killed by a trap, so you must follow behind and kill the Zombie when it has been trapped.

Sometimes, the Zombies will travel in boats. This means that they will not fall into traps and cannot be picked off one by one. In this case, we need to ambush the boat. Several warriors are needed for this manoeuvre. Each warrior removes most of his armour and swims underwater until they are all at one side of the boat. If the boat is a reed boat, the warriors can attack the underside of the boat and break it up, causing the Zombies to fall into the water. If the boat is wooden, the warriors must take hold of the boat and overturn it. Either way, the zombies will be floundering in the water and will be simple to pick off. Do not try to take on a Zombie by yourself as you will probably lose. Instead, mob each Zombie in turn, making sure it is dead before attacking the next. Zombies cannot swim and will be disoriented when under water. Obviously, this manoeuvre works best in fairly deep water, one of the lakes or waterways is the best place.

Occasionally, the Zombies will have a Captain in charge who is a Mummy or even a Vampire. In this case, the use of Humakt’s powers is encouraged, if you have access to them. Such a captain will be able to organise the Zombies and will make them a far more effective force.

## Killing Skeletons

Whilst Zombies are a dangerous force within the Marsh, Skeletons hold few dangers. Yet they are still Perversions and must be dealt with.

Skeletons are weak and may be discommoded by a single blow or by a spell. I recommend the Disruption spell as it will shatter a limb or even the head.

Any sword or club may be used against skeletons as their bones shatter easily. Do not use spears or daggers as they just pass through or beside the bones and cause little damage.

In normal combat, skeletons are faster and more agile than Zombies but they re far more fragile. It is still a good idea to attack them with more than one warrior.

Skeletons may be caught in traps and may well be destroyed by them. Springing traps which throw boulders or clubs into the skeleton’s path are often enough to break them apart. Man traps will break legs. Pitfalls may smash the skeleton on impact.

When travelling in boats, skeletons may be ambushed in the same way as Zombies. They are more dangerous in water as they are more skilful, although they are not as strong.

I prefer to face a skeleton to a Zombie any day.

## Killing Ghouls

For some reason, Delecti does not mount many Ghouls within the Upland Marsh. However, when a Ghoul is met it must be instantly destroyed as they are very dangerous.

The first thing when fighting ghouls is to plug up one’s ears with mud. This protects one from the Ghoul’s Howl. Use Sword Speech to organise the attack as this need not be spoken.

Beware of the Ghoul’s Bite as it is poisonous and will draw you into a deep state of slumber and will kill you. The Ghoul’s claws may hurt you but they are not poisoned.

A Ghoul may be killed with a sword, club or spear equally as effectively. They can also be harmed with spells, but as they are normally magically powerful, this is not the best option.

The best tactic when fighting a Ghoul is to attack it with many warriors at the same time. In a mixed group, kill the Ghoul befoe the Zombies or Skeletons as it is truly a Horror.

Ghouls can be caught in Traps but generally Howl when caught and may drive the stalker away. Ghouls have been known to free themselves from a trap by gnawing off their hand or foot. This may slow them down but does not harm them too much.

If you feel that a Ghoul is too powerful to fight by yourself, contact a Humakt Temple and tell them where you saw it and they will send a group of warriors to deal with the threat.

## Fighting Mummies

If you ever need to fight a Mummy you must bear several things in mind.

First, a Mummy is fully intelligent and is probably a seasoned warrior and commander.

Second, a Mummy is far stronger than any Duck and is harder to kill.

Third, a Mummy may have powerful magic.

Fourth, a Mummy in the Upland Marsh will be soaked to the skin and will not be able to burn.

Mummies are normally encountered as Captains of a group of Zombies or Skeletons. In this case, all warriors should try to kill the Mummy while ignoring the other undead. This is because the Mummy will lead and organise the Undead and make them into a more effective team.

Mummies may be killed with Swords and clubs, although they cannot be stunned. Do not use spears, arrows or daggers as they merely stick in. Use Humakt’s Powers when fighting Mummies, make your Swords Sharp and True otherwise you will merely scrape their armour and skin. Make sure you parry or dodge their blows or they will kill you easily.

Sometimes it is necessary to use Humakt’s Greater Powers to Turn the Mummy away or even to Slash at its Spirit. Be warned that the Mummy will be powerful itself and your spell may fail. However, it is worth the attempt as this may shorten the combat considerably.

## Killing Vampires

These are Delecti’s Chosen, the elite of his forces. Whereas faithful soldiers will be made into Mummies, faithful officers will be made Vampires.

If you ever have to fight a Vampire be warned - you may not live to tell the tale. I do not say this to frighten you but merely to make you understand the gravity of the situation. Vampires are the most dangerous of the Undead in the Upland Marsh.

Most Vampires are very old, very wise and very skilful. They will have been trained in Swamp Warfare for many years and will be experts in all forms of combat, including combat underwater. They are very strong and have access to powerful magic and powers. They can run as wolves or fly as bats and can sneak upon you unawares. They can hold you in their eye and simply walk up to you and kill you without you raising a finger to stop them.

They are also very weak. Flowing water destroys them. They cannot cross a river or stream unless on a boat, bridge or aided by others, so you can escape them by crossing one of the many streams in the Marsh. They lose their powers in daylight. They can be hurt by Fire and cannot bear the Symbol of Death. Holy Water burns their skin. All these things gives us power against them.

If you fight a Vampire, use all Humakt’s Powers. Make your Sword Sharp and True, make your armour stronger, try to Turn it away or Break its Spirit. Use all the powers you have otherwise it will kill you. Strike at its head or chest otherwise it will turn to mist and disappear. Avoid its gaze and do not listen to its voice. Use Fire if you have it and Holy Water to trap it. Attack it with many warriors and you may survive.

Give thanks to Humakt if you survive combat with a Vampire. I have fought a dozen and felt that each one would kill me.