Ghouls are usually undead that feed on corpses from graveyards. Some are mindless, others are not.
Background[]
The Boatman was a ghoul employed by Dracula to ferry him and others across the Poisoned Lake. The shrouded ghoul was very frightening, and his hands were little more than claws, and his face was completely hidden inside of his hood. It greeted others with stony silence.[1] Some claim the grim boatman is death itself, or Charon.The ghouls of Kolyma as are most undead there are truly evil
Ghouls inhabit the surface of the Realm of the Dead. The animated bodies of the undead roam the haunted landscape. They are forever banished from the Underworld, never to be allowed in. Spirits sometimes are trapped on the surface of the realm with unresolved trauma. More often than not, things are not resolved for the spirits in the real world and the bonded souls, over time, become part of the mindless dead, to roam the surface eternally, never to know peace or be allowed to move on.[2] The shambling undead have no human sentiment left, and have no interest in things from the material world. They can no longer communicate, the only sounds that they are capable of making are moans. Weapons have little effect on ghouls for they are already dead. The touch of their putrid flesh disolves living matter like acid. The unfortunate, repulsive creatures have been unable to shed their mortal flesh and enter the Underworld. They are deadly to the touch...but fortunately, none too bright.[3]
Ghouls lurk in the darkest places of Tamir.[4]
The Ghoul Kids terrorize the land of Ooga Booga.
Behind the scenes[]
It seems that although the Lord of the Dead judges the souls of individuals, that those that fell under the influence of sins such as greed, infighting, and anxiety end up as ghouls on the surface with no chance of redemption, barred from the Underworld, to walk the surface eternally. Thus it is in the best interests of the Green Islanders to live peaceful lives.[5]
Ghouls are portrayed differently in pretty much every King's Quest they appear in. Some like the ghoul in KQ2 are relatively benign. The ghouls in KQ7 are trouble makers, and might even murder if someone gets too close to them. Ghouls in Realm of the Dead are deadly to the touch and mindless (more like zombies).
A file in KQ8 has the name ghoul2. This is used for the wandering spirits, but may suggest that at one time there may have been ideas for ghouls in the game.
References[]
- ↑ The shrouded ghoul looks very frightening. His hands are little more than claws, and his face is completely hidden inside his hood.", "You are greeted by stony silence from the frightening ghoul."
- ↑ Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles.
- ↑ KQ6 Hintbook, pg 54
- ↑ KQC2E, pg
- ↑ Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles.