On the Subject of Undead

A missive from Solomon Resni to the Fort Balasar guard and fellow adventurers:

Friends, the honorable Lord Balasar has requested that I share with you the information Hagen and I have gained on our recent, ill-starred expedition to the monastery of Pelor. It is my hope that this may help you in your future battles against the walking dead, and allow you to avoid taking losses as grievous as ours. In addition to various vicious wildlife, our group encountered two varieties of undead, both made from the risen corpses of humans.

Ghouls: are strong and fast, and by consequence very difficult to hit in battle. Their claws can immobilize a target, but do not hinder its ability to attack or cast spells. Once they have immobilized their prey, they proceed to bite it, dealing grievous injuries and fully paralyzing the victim. Approach with extreme caution; were it not for the heroic actions of my companion Hagen, I would be currently residing in a ghoul's gullet, and would not be able to convey this information to you.

Wights: are less dangerous than ghouls, but still more than a match for a young adventurer. They can dart in and out of combat, dealing no direct harm, but seizing tactical advantage wherever they may find it. Their life-stealing touch deals relatively little direct damage, but consumes one of the target's healing surges.

Both types of monster are fully vulnerable to divine powers of turning and abjuration, and I recommend that any group that sets out to face such horrors bring along a priest, holy knight, or the like. Moreover, because both wights and ghouls are surprisingly quick and maneuverable for shambling corpses, it is advisable to fight them on open terrain. Cover can be useful against them, but only if it is not cover that they can use against you when they draw in close. Finally, both are unable to harm from a distance, and so if one can get into a tower, up a cliff, or otherwise put impassable terrain between themselves and their undead foes, one should remain safe.

Yours, Solomon Resni