Deadies

Deadies are a fictional class of undead beings that appear in various works of fantasy and folklore. They are typically reanimated corpses animated by necromantic energies, preserving limited motor function and some residual memories, though usually lacking full self-awareness. The name is thought to be derived from the word dead with a diminutive suffix, reflecting their status as mindless or semi-autonomous undead.

The concept likely evolved from traditional zombie lore and modern horror fiction, with early references in regional legends and later standardized in contemporary fantasy settings. Deadies are often depicted as slow-moving or shambolic, though depictions vary from sluggish, brain-eating hordes to faster, more disciplined collectives. Common traits include a craving for living flesh or life force, susceptibility to fire and holy or magic-based deterrents, and a vulnerability to head trauma when seeking to destroy them.

In some stories, Deadies retain fragments of memory or emotion from their life, leading to occasional eerie behavior such as protective bonds or mournful acts toward the living. Socially, they may form loose herds or be controlled by a central necromancer or dark artifact, while in other versions they act as autonomous agents. They are often used in fiction as catalysts for themes of loss, containment, and the ethics of necromancy.

In scholarly and gaming contexts, Deadies are discussed as a flexible trope within undead fiction, illustrating how different authors reinterpret undead agency and threat level. See also: zombie, undead, necromancy, reanimation.