Undead

There is no single mythic origin for the undead as a category; the term in English predates Bram Stoker but Stoker's Dracula popularized the modern sense that associates the label chiefly with vampires and similar revenant beings. Traditions and works cited in modern summaries (e.g., encyclopedic entries and fiction) present multiple origins for specific undead types, ranging from spiritual animation to literary or pseudo‑scientific reanimation (examples cited in modern fiction such as Frankenstein and speculative explanations like bacteria or radiation).

No single canonical appearance defines the undead category. Sources list common examples that fall under the label: corporeal reanimated forms such as mummies, zombies, and skeletons, and incorporeal continuations such as ghosts; literary and game portrayals vary widely and may combine features (e.g., vampiric revenants, animated corpses).

Described broadly as deceased beings that 'behave as if they were alive,' undead in the cited materials may be animated by spiritual or supernatural forces (traditional/fictional accounts) or by scientific or pseudo‑scientific means in modern fiction. Narrative roles commonly assign them as antagonists or hazards that prey on, obstruct, or otherwise threaten the living (Bram Stoker's Dracula frames vampiric Undead as creating further Undead). In gaming and role‑playing contexts they are treated as a distinct class or faction, with specific mechanics varying by work.