Now where was I? Oh, the early starts of religion and how they twisted under the corruption enveloped the world views. That should be easy to explain. Right. Like I want to touch on that with great detail even in the fictional world. I'll let the first novel unravel religion about a third into the storyline. Religion (not just the ones we follow today) is so large it could fill a whole series of War and Peace size novels. Nope, going the easy route today. Sticking with the concept of zombies (undead).
In the novel Temperature: Dead and Rising I explained how cemeteries put the undead into a near complete death-like state. There is a reason behind it I didn't mention in the first novel. That part of religion came from believing in what was right and good. The correlation between the two ran parallel, which gave a resting place for the weary undead to seek refuge. When a need for them was great they broke free from the soil to protect the hallowed ground or return balance once more. This bit of history helped grow a fear of graveyards in general. Besides ghost taking over your body while in a cemetery at midnight, who wants dead body reaching up to grab ankles. Nowadays the undead use abandoned graveyards resting next to forgotten churches as supernatural prisons.
For lesser crimes, one of the undead might be buried for years based on the crime against the undead (the only crime they care to judge on). Heinous crimes would call for dismembering a body and placing each piece in separate graveyards to keep follower from digging up the convicted person and setting him or her free. By now you get the picture of how the undead cannot die. Now I'll answer the question for the rotting, putrid flesh issue.
The 'Deadman's Drink'.
Corny name to be sure but the undead try not to mince words too often and call things what they are. This elixir made of exotic plants and other minerals make up the mystical concoction that keep an undead body looking young and whole. A smell still lingers like that of decaying flesh, which has to be masked by a spell so others (humans) don't know what they are. Good way to hide from most humans, not so much from supernatural creatures. The drink is taken every forty years or so to keep up appearances. Some of the undead use this skill to enter into public office or start a career as a celebrity. Would you believe me if I told you Elvis was one? Why else are there so many sightings have he's been declared dead so long ago.
Moving on, Spell casting is a tricky mess for some and nonexistent for all humans. Supernatural beings have the innate ability to cast magic around. It draws on what some might call a soul. For this very reason humans cannot weave spells or cast curses. Mixed breeds like the witches can do a little hocus pocus but it can drain them immensely. Witches are considered the redheaded stepchildren of the supernatural world. That said, they carry big sticks filled with ancient knowledge shared only between other witches. None care to offend a witch for she may come back with a vengeance.
Other supernatural creatures have long life expectancies with some regenerative powers to compensate, although, in the end magic will kill them if they draw too deeply. However, the undead have a battery like the energizer bunny. They will get depleted, but can recover without the fear of dying. Another reason they were built by the side of righteousness.
To be honest - there is more to tell about the undead and what they can do. I believe telling more might give away what comes next in the following two novels I have planned. For now, I hope you have enjoyed my tale of fictional history. Please leave comments below.
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