And to add to your comment about the Hedeby corpses, there are also instances where Norse graves were apparently opened after the funeral and a sword thrust through the body. The usual interpretation is that someone was seeking to prevent the deceased from becoming a draugr.
Andrew E. Larsen
On Dec 19, 2011, at 8:02 AM, jorganos wrote:
> I don't know about a Gloranthan definition, but I would go for the Old Norse definition which had the draugr as the animated and intelligent corpse out of a burial. E.g. in Hedeby there were found burials with rocks on the corpses' breastcase to avoid them rising as a draugr.
>
> In RQ terms, take the average reason for the existence of a ghost, then let it animate its own corpse with mummy-like strength etc., and you get a draugr. (Or go to RQ Vikings for a definition.)
>
> I'm less certain about how a draugr avoids decomposition of its body. Some must manage to do so, or we wouldn't discuss perpetual figures like Delecti or Brangbane as draugr.
>
> I won't put it past the followers of Urain to have a ritual to create a draugr, but there are certainly other, almost "natural", ways to become one of these undead. Great power in life often is part of it.
>
> May I toss the term "barrow-wight" into the ring? One of the undead used by grandmaster Tolkien, who most certainly was not influenced by terms like zombie, but rather like "gjenganger".
>
> Tolkien's concept of ring-wraiths might be taken over as well - not necessarily restricted to loopy objects of metal, but to any kind of heavy duty artifact. That Babeester Gor axe from the Munchroom scenario might get close to this.
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> Another variation might be the mighty magician who hides away his life in a sealed object. Not too far away from a properly prepared mummy, really...
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> One type of monsters that impressed me in Tekumel were those undead who never had lived (at least not in that shape). In Glorantha, those would be another class of beings from hell, unlike trolls, Black Horse demons and andins not alive.
>
> >
> > I thought Gloranthan Draugr were the superior sentient undead created by the Urain cult (the unofficial but impressive Book of Drastic Resolutions on Chasos, iirc).
>
> > Is that what David had in mind too, or is this phrase now used to refer to some other powerful undead created by the Nontraya cult?
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