Ghül

Overview

A magical ritual exists which allows a person to obtain the memories of a person whilst consuming their brains. The immediate downsides of this incredible power are two-fold:

• The consumed brains must be fresh, necessitating a recently killed person.
• It's addictive.

So individuals who learn this dark magic often become vicious killers and depraved cannibals in their efforts to feed their addiction. A third effect of the ritual is the creeping madness and loss of identity as one blurs the line between their own memories and those they have consumed.

Generally one of these ghüls can go a long time before being discovered. Exceptionally clever ones may even recruit others and employ them for procurement of new victims while promising them power and secret knowledge.

Given the horrible nature of this ritual, magic of this sort is considered sinful, and heretical by most religions. Exactly how this forbidden knowledge keeps surfacing is a mystery.

Most people will simply kill a cannibal of this sort given how dangerous they might be. Their practices go against most religious and cultural taboos. In addition, sorcery is outlawed in most nations.

Appearance

In early cases they do not stand out, but as a ghül continues to feed their addiction, their hunger, and identity loss, overrides their better judgment and they cease to take precautions. Particular long term ghüls are often extremely intelligent, and of a social strata that allows them to either escape notice, or be above the law.

Well advanced victims of this addictive magic will cease caring about cleaning themselves, or their homes. the stink of old blood and rotting flesh will cling to them. Their clothes will become torn, stained with their meals, and other grime. Hair, will become matted, and tangled. As they shift to an diet of nearly entirely human flesh, they start to suffer from nutritional deficiencies. Jaundice, tooth and hair loss, foul body odours, and a yellowing of the sclera of the eyes.

Abilities

Combat

Ghüls can be skilled in any weapons appropriate to their culture, some are capable warriors, while other are barely capable in combat.

Sorcery

A would be ghül needs to have some sorcerous ability, or know a sorcerer. The ritual is cast in order to prime the consumer such that they may obtain the memories of the victim. A live victim is preferable, as the age of the corpse affects the successful transfer of memories to the ghül. The ritual's magic remains active for a few hours, although with exceptional success it can last much longer empowering a ghül for a few days or more.

Weakness

They do not suffer from any supernatural weakness; and are as mortal as any other person. Their addiction, and behaviours toward feeding it, can be exploited though.