Zombies

Physical Description:

Zombified versions of any race, once infected by the Reanimator virus, undergo horrific and grotesque transformations, marked by a loss of individuality, rational thought, and physical deterioration. The infected are no longer recognizable as their former selves, becoming mindless, ravenous husks of their once-proud species.

• Appearance: Zombified creatures retain the basic physical structure of their original race but have been horribly altered by the virus. Their skin, once vibrant, becomes pale, decayed, or diseased, mottled with patches of sickly gray, green, or even bluish hues. Flesh may hang in rotting clumps from exposed bones, while patches of muscle or skin are necrotic, covered in sores or open wounds. Hair may fall out in clumps, leaving bald patches on their skulls, or if present, it may appear matted and dirty, clinging to their decayed features. Eyes, once full of life, are now clouded or entirely empty, replaced with dull, lifeless orbs that often glow faintly with an unnatural light, a remnant of the virus' influence.
  
  Their limbs, though still functional, are stiff and jerky, often dragging with an unnatural gait. Once graceful and powerful bodies are now awkward and stumbling, unable to maintain coordinated movement. Infected limbs may be contorted in grotesque angles, with the skin hanging loose around them. Joints crack and creak with every step as they shuffle mindlessly forward.
  
  Some infected, depending on their former race, may display specific physical traits of their original form, but they are twisted and warped by the virus. A Taurus may retain their towering, muscular build, but their body is bloated and swollen with infected tissue, their horns twisted and cracked. A Cyborii may show rusted, corroded plating over their frames, with exposed wires and glowing red lights, giving them an eerie, malfunctioning appearance. Wraiths, on the other hand, when zombified, retain a faint flicker of their ethereal, blue-flame appearance, but their fire is dimmed and weak, giving off an eerie, sallow glow.
  
  

• Eyes: Infected eyes may be bloodshot, milky, or completely vacant, void of any trace of intelligence. They are often clouded over with the blue of the virus or glazed over entirely, reflecting only an insatiable hunger. A faint glow may emanate from their eyes, a subtle indication of the Reanimator virus’ continued influence.
  
  

• Decomposition: The decomposition of a zombified being progresses at different rates depending on their race and level of infection. Some may appear only mildly deteriorated, with flesh still clinging to their bones but rapidly decaying; others may be little more than skeletal remains held together by the virus' unnatural life force.
  
  

Behavior:
Once infected by the Reanimator virus, these creatures are reduced to little more than predatory, shambling automatons, driven by an insatiable, mindless hunger for flesh. They are no longer capable of independent thought or reason, and their once-noble attributes—whether intelligence, honor, or strength—are lost in the all-consuming need to feed. Their movements are slow and stiff, but purposeful. The virus drives them forward, constantly in search of food, and they will relentlessly hunt and devour anything that is still living.

• Shambling Hunger: The infected move in a slow, lumbering manner, but they are relentless in their pursuit of food. Their hunger is boundless and unyielding. Their bodies may be too damaged to run, but they will continue moving endlessly, fueled only by their drive to consume. They may snatch up any living creatures they encounter, dragging them into their grasp with forceful and desperate actions. Once a victim is caught, it is torn apart with ravenous savagery.
  
  

• Mindless: The infected retain no higher brain function. They no longer remember their former selves, their names, or their goals. They are nothing more than a force of nature, a plague that consumes everything in its path. They are driven by an instinctual need to feed, with no concept of right or wrong. The infected do not communicate, nor do they form any plans or strategies. They simply move in groups, guided only by the desire for sustenance.
  
  

• Interaction with Wraiths: The infected are strangely drawn to the Wraiths, as if the cursed flame or some unknown force calls them. They mindlessly follow the Wraiths, perhaps because they perceive them as a source of destruction or because the Wraiths’ presence is a reminder of the Reanimator virus that created them. The Wraiths, for their part, ignore the zombies, seeing them as little more than a nuisance or background noise. While the zombies mindlessly follow them, they do not seek to attack the Wraiths, as their hunger is focused on living beings instead. The Wraiths and the infected coexist in this manner, with the Wraiths continuing their slow, destructive march while the zombies follow in their wake, consuming anything left behind.
  
  

Morality:
The only drive the infected possess is their hunger. They are devoid of morality, compassion, or any sense of empathy. They do not care for their former kin, and they show no mercy toward anyone they encounter. The only thing they understand is the need to feed. Their actions are fueled by pure, instinctual hunger, and they will devour anything they can reach—whether it be fellow infected, animals, or intelligent species alike. To them, the only truth is the gnawing emptiness inside that can only be filled by consumption.

Society and Relations:
Zombified races have no society—no culture, no unity. They are creatures of instinct alone, driven by hunger and little else. They follow one another in haphazard groups, often aimlessly wandering in search of food. The only semblance of order is their mindless pursuit of living creatures, and even that is driven by the virus' influence. They are solitary and yet part of a greater whole, always moving as part of a collective force that spreads across the galaxy like a plague.

They exist in a cycle of consumption and decay, devoid of any sense of self or community beyond the singular need to feed. No alliances or factions are formed among the infected, for they are nothing but a mindless, endless swarm of hunger. The only constant is their insatiable urge to feed, and it is this hunger that binds them together.