Undeath

Undeath is a disease where death is not the end. As a result of The Great Split, some individuals will not fully die when expected. They will remain sentient, mobile, and otherwise continue to live normally, except for a few differences depending on presentation.

Overview

Undeath can be traced back to The Great Split, an event which caused immense strain within its new Fractures.¹ The priority was to preserve life, not death; the internal Macrodesire is believed to overcorrect and stop the death process.

Undeath is classified as a disease for two reasons. First, the undying process can be prevented through medical or ritual means, provided treatment starts early. Secondly, undead individuals should not be stigmatised; providing the necessary specialist treatment to reduce suffering is vital. They are still a part of their original species.

Presentations

Undeath is more like a group of diseases rather than a single pathology. Each presentation has its own requirements for treatment.

Vampires

A vampire’s biggest concern is in their necrotic flesh. Cold to the touch, their chest rots from within; they must seek out Pakaru to slow down their decay. Often, if referred into the correct programmes quickly enough, this can be as simple as using redflower essence in their drinks. The alternative is much more violent.

Vampires, do not age. They are, like the other presentations, cold to the touch and, in their case, smell putrid. Their skin loses its colour (and for the Coraxi, so too do their plates) as their blood no longer circulates.

In terms of treatment, monitoring UV and sunlight levels are a must. Often, specialists will prescribe perfumes to mask the death-scent as well as Pakaru doses to slow the condition. When treated quickly and with dignity, vampires — and all undead — can continue to live in comfort.

Boundarywalkers

Becoming a Boundarywalker is one potential presentation of undeath. These ethereal spirits weave in and out of material reality and Nullspace, half-existing. For Boundarywalkers created through undying, their appearance withers and shreds: the clothes they wore rethread themselves into new, distorted shapes, as the line between skin and bone and cloth and metal fades.

Undying Boundarywalkers often have difficulty adapting to their new identity and community. It can be difficult to control corporeality at first, which only adds strain to their existing relationships. Specialist care focuses on therapies to ease the transition for both the individual and their immediate relationships.

[Werewolves]

The Coraxi may experience a unique variation of undeath through failure of their internal Augments. The Pakaru-based part of their brain, which as per its namesake prioritises survival, can get overwhelmed and permanently enter a faulty state: the Cora is rendered not dead, nor alive, yet implanted with a festering, primal panic.

If left unattended, they will temporarily transform into mindless, scared creatures. They will try to defend themselves and their territory, and seek a way to satiate the forever-hungry call. They are taller, stronger, quicker still—protective of their own and blind to who is at the other end of their snout.

Outside of transformations, undead Coraxi are cold to the touch and their hearts still. They experience voracious hunger and heightened senses. While no undead Coraxi have been reported outside of Boundary's Edge, Santarrian treatment plans include transformational mentorship programmes and therapies to reduce the emotional and sensory strain.

Resurrection

Pakaru, the deity of survival, uses resurrection to raise its own agents. While not strictly undeath, some treatment plans, such as transitional support therapy, can help with the confusion of resurrection. Risen prophets are revered by Pakaru’s worshippers, the Kuro² and tend to assimilate to their culture.³

Prevention

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