It is my Hope that others may find this Manuscript, learn from It, and thus benefit from It.

The Lesser Deade are the Deade who are the easiest to create, and the easiest to vanquishe. One is cautious to mark that though the Lesser Deade are the weakest Form of Undeade, they may be difficult indeed for the Unprepar'd to destroye.

As these Lesser Deade are compos'd of nothing more than the Bones of the Deade, they are resistant to all Weapons who attacke by means of Blade. Spear, Sword and Axe are all only half as effective as One may expecte. Yet there existe Weapons who are Bladed, yet damage the Lesser Deade with their full Effectivitie. These Weapons of Lesser Art are called Hammerblades, for obvious Reasons. Weapons attacking at a Distance are next to useless, as the wickedlie sharp Points of such Weapons do little Damage when bouncing off the uncover'd Bones of the Lesser Deade.

Other Items that may prove useful against the Lesser Deade are two of the Major Elements, Fire and Water. Though Fire will impart Damage in its form Natura by scorching and making brittle the Bones of the Lesser Deade as it would a normal Person, the Water must be empower'd through blessing if it is to be useful against the Lesser Deade.

To understande why the Bless'd Water is effective against the Skeletal Deade, One has to be knowledgeable about the Process in which these Creature are made.

As a Person dies, the Soul of the Person is freed of its Flesh, and will speed to the Afterlife for there to receive its Penaltie or its Rewarde for its Way of Life. A Part of the Soul, the Animus, remain'd, lingering with the Vessel it in Life has animat'd. It will remain until such Time has passed that the Remains are nough but Dust.

When the Binding of Art that gives Animation to the Lesser Deade is perform'd, the Enchantement accomplishes twine Tasks. The Enchantement knitteth the Bones together with the Power of the Art, binding the Bones together with Force drawn from the Negative Energies of that Plane. Near all the Bones must be present, else the Enchantement will not be stable, and unravel with Haste.

The second Task the Enchantement accomplishes is that of binding the Animus to the Bones more surelie. This is the Force that guides the now awakened Lesser Deade. When the Animus has taken House in the Bones, the Necromancer can give the Words of Command to the Animus, Words guiding the Lesser Deade in its appointed Tasks. The Animus will follow these Orders of the Lesser Deade to the last Letter, and thus care must be taken in the Wording of these Words of Command, ere the Lesser Deade behave erratically. These Words of Command are unchangeable forever after, as Permanent as Art can be.

Therefore, the Bless'd Water has much Effect against the Lesser Deade, as the Water interrupts the Flowing of Power from the Plane of Negative Energies to the Lesser Deade, thus rendering the Animus powerless.

To prevent the Changing of Bones into Lesser Deade, One can banish the Animus from the Body. A clerical Ceremony which gives the Body Eternal Rest will suffice. Though it is a costly Process in both Materia and Time it is not difficult, and the Art in the Ceremony is not difficult to master.

The Control of the Lesser Deade can be accomplish'd by several Devices. Suffice to say that there are Drinks which impart Power through Art over the Deade, and not only the Lesser Deade, though such Drinks are the easier to make. Also, it is useless to try controlling the Lesser Deade by Art that controls the Mind, as the Animus is merely an animating Force, and thus the Lesser Deade are utterly mindless except for their Words of Command.

The best Way of defending Oneself from the cold Claws of the Lesser Deade, is to have a Cleric of Faith, as the Lesser Deade are easily kept at bay. A Cleric of some Repute will be able to undo the Binding of the Animus to the Bones, and will cause it to flee the Bones, thus giving the Lesser Deade Eternal Rest.

These are some random Musings I, Vergrim, wrote on the Subject of the Lesser Deade in this Year of 1301, Dale Reckoning.