Headless
From Editable Codex
| Headless | |
|---|---|
 Headless, from Ultima IV manual | |
| First appearance: | Ultima IV |
| Last appearance: | Serpent Isle |
As their name implies, Headless are creatures which are in appearance very close to humans, but they lack the head and neck. They are inherently magical creatures, said to have created through the experiments of an unnamed Mage. Despite the lack of sensory organs, headless have no trouble sensing their surroundings and are apt fighters. They also seem to avoid using any kind of tools, appearing completely naked and attacking with nothing more than their bare hands.
A Headless often travels in groups, both on the surface and underground.
First appearing in Ultima IV, they were typically armed with a club. In both installments of Ultima Underworld, they were encountered singlely and were much stronger and more difficult to slay than when encountered in Ultima IV.
[edit] Lore
Another evil being best suited to terror and destruction, the Headless is indeed a creature of nightmares. Many a traveller has fled in abject horror at the sight of a headless torsos bearing down upon them.
- from "The History of Britannia", Ultima IV
No one knows exactly how the senses work on these mutant abominations. Do they sense the world only through touch and feeling? Or do they "see" with some inner vision? Whatever the answer, these relatively strong creatures are fairly enduring and do mild damage to their foes. They tend to carry goods with them.
- from "The Book of Lore", Ultima V
The product of a wizard's failed experiments, these wretched creatures somehow manage to sense the location of their quarry and strike with unnatural accuracy. Do not fall prey to pity, for the headless would as soon strangle you with his bare hands as accept your mercy.
- from "Compendium", Ultima VI
Do not fall prey to pity for these wretched deformities, for the Headless have a relentless animosity for all upright beings with heads - they attack without thought, and give no quarter unless on the verge of their own extinction. Having no visible eyes or ears, it has long been a mystery how the Headless find and pursue their prey. It is a simple matter to avoid a pack of these beasts by exercising silence and keeping a prudent distance.
- from "Memoirs of Cabirus", Ultima Underworld
This ensorcelled creature appears to be a living, ambulatory, beheaded human being. It is unknown exactly how it compensates for its apparent lack of sensory organs, but it manages to do so quite well. Its favorite method of attack is strangulation.
- from "Fellowship", Ultima VII
The headless seem to be the result of a bizarre and cruel prank on the part of some powerful human or possibly nature itself. Headless appear as twisted human bodies, lacking any sort of head or neck. It is not known how they feed, or how they sense the world around them. However, they do have some means of locating an opponent, and once they know a human is near they will almost always fight to the death. They are a vicious abomination, to be pitied and avoided.
- from "A Safe Passage Through Britannia", Ultima Underworld II
