Undying

The Undying is a term applied to the less than one-percent of the population whose souls cannot, or refuse to, move on after death. Theories abound as to why the souls don't move on, from nether-taint to merely having unfinished business in the world of the living. Whatever the reason, the souls of these Undying ones can potentially be returned to their bodies in order to live again. It is also theorized that if one of these lost souls is left in "limbo" for too long without being returned to its body, it will eventually become tainted and return as a wraith. However, occasionally the soul of an Undying one will inexplicably depart upon a death, with no apparent extraordinary conditions, so even the Undying must take care that they avoid death if they wish to continue their mortal lives. Lastly, the Undying are apparently not immune to old age. If the body is too old and withered to sustain life, the soul cannot inhabit and make use of it.

The majority of the world's population are not affected by this mysterious condition, and have mixed opinions regarding the Undying. Some consider them unnatural and untrustworthy. Others fear them, for many Undying will become reckless and power-hungry when they realize even death itself is seemingly powerless to stop them. Some take a more practical approach, deigning to judge them on a case-by-case basis: many of the Undying are regaled as heroes and champions of good causes, who can continue their good works and deeds even if they are struck dead. Still, the majority of opinions tend to be ones of worry or mistrust at best, for what becomes of a person who loses their respect for death? They nearly inevitably downplay the seriousness of death and mortality, often becoming even casual or joking about it, and this tends to offend those for whom becoming parted from their body early is an irreversible event of unknown consequences.