Ple-Sen
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-- Let's do it right now. For example, I have a very vague idea about the type of undead called "lich," who make up the Nephirian elite. Am I correct in understanding that they are professional soul manipulators?
— Alas, in my home world, we heard nothing of such a type of undead. So I can only rely on local information from public sources. We know that Monogat was a powerful spellcaster during his life, and therefore this type of undead is corresponding, inaccessible to ordinary mortals. My experience clashing with one extremely vile Warlock confirms this. He claimed that it would be "just right for him to become a lich." We also know about Monogat's nickname — "The Many-Faced." In the context of my knowledge of dark spellcasters, I venture to suggest that our "lich" is capable of jumping through the bodies of his puppets, and perhaps even others. We also know that he is capable of turning people into undead, ripping them out of the cycle of souls. That is, to some extent, you are right, and soul manipulation does indeed take place. It would be logical to assume that the nature of a lich multiplies his magical abilities. At least in this field. The problem arises from how we are to overcome such a potentially immortal opponent. Perhaps some way of catching souls, preventing him from escaping into a new shell, would help? Either way, even if my assumptions are correct, I doubt the stone of Akonia will jump through bodies along with him. Which means there must be a "main" body somewhere — Monogat's vulnerability, which he must hide somewhere. But all my suppositions about him are based on assumptions. I believe Her Majesty can tell us more about this opponent.
— Continuing the theme of Nephiria. As far as I have heard, the miasma created by Monogat covers the entire territory of the kingdom and turns anyone entering its territory into a walking dead man. Protection against curses and diseases seems critically important for confronting such an opponent. Most likely, our patron has some ideas on this matter, but that doesn't mean we should sit still and wait for a miracle. It is better to be over-cautious than to hope someone will think about this for us.
— Now let's discuss the ordinary types of undead, which will be the main, so to speak, "backbone" of the Nephirian army, — the inquisitor looked meaningfully at the audience, — liches will most likely be assigned the role of commanders, if not generals. As I already mentioned, this is clearly a "complex" type of undead. But the bulk of the enemies will be provided by zombies and skeletons; I don't know if any of you have encountered them before. Let's start with zombies. They are "living dead." Contrary to a misconception popular in some circles, they do not differ in slowness compared to their past lives. There are no obvious weaknesses either, other than those common to all undead. Despite this, they are much tougher than ordinary soldiers. It is unlikely there will be many sword masters among them, but one should still not relax. And never leave a "defeated" zombie, even its hand, behind your back. At any moment, they can be returned to non-life. Any defeated undead must be immediately committed to the cleansing fire to avoid risks.
— Skeletons, another common type of undead, do not possess the same physical toughness. In this regard, they are roughly comparable to a living human. The problem with them lies elsewhere — they dodge long-range attacks extremely deftly. So, my advice to you is, never enter a firefight with them. Unless you are a sniper whose every shot hits exactly on target. Magic and melee weapons will prove much more effective here. I venture to suggest that the same skeletons will make up Nephiria's ranged units, while zombies will act as a screen. So for our shooters, in such situations, it would be wiser to focus on creating a breach in the enemy ranks. And be sure to stock up on melee weapons if you haven't already. Skeletons must also be burned. Or point out the remains to me.
— Ghosts complete the common trio. And they are the most unpleasant. Only those possessing great strength of spirit have any chance at all of harming them, so keep that in mind. Being semi-material, they are capable of seeping through physical obstacles, like walls, and bypassing traps. Moreover, as long as ghosts do not show aggressive intentions, they are absolutely invisible to the human eye. If the shield protecting Margel from such guests has fallen, I strongly recommend you be on your guard. It is possible that the capital is already swarming with such spies who are only waiting for their moment to strike. I would recommend acquiring some masks that allow us to see spirits without problems. Such things definitely existed in my home world. Here... I assume you are unable to create something similar, Erephir? In that case, Crag is probably our only hope. But that will clearly cost us a pretty penny.
— Now let's move on to more exotic options. I venture to suggest that these may be provided by Nephiria's elite troops. I am talking about death knights, mighty warriors whom even death could not overcome. They are not as tough or enduring as zombies, and they are extremely vulnerable to the light element, but they compensate for this with their combat skills and affinity for the darkness element. Clad in dark armor, they are clearly not an opponent to be underestimated. Perhaps their most curious feature is the knight's connection to his weapon. As long as it exists, he cannot be disarmed. Furthermore, in the event of a "premature" demise, — she chuckles unpleasantly at the unintentional joke, — the knight's soul will find a new home in the chosen weapon. I think you already understand what I will say next? Correct, do not touch suspicious items. Even if it is a masterfully crafted sword that looks tempting. Whenever possible, death knights' weapons are also subject to destruction. Perhaps your Ikigayan friend can help with this?
— I am not sure if we will encounter them in the ranks of the Nephirians, but I also think it right to mention banshees and dullahans. Moreover, I personally have not encountered them, so my knowledge on this matter is quite superficial. Banshees are ghostly women of unprecedented beauty, capable of foretelling another's death. They can turn men into undead dependent on them, which should be kept in mind — a very unenviable fate. While dullahans are women beheaded in the territory of Vishnia or neighboring territories, characterized by high resistance to magic. There is only one mage among us so far, but it's still worth considering.
Alaria concluded her lecture with stories about techniques used against undead and Necromancers in her native Tanarsis. Any knowledge could be useful in the coming conflict.