My mom went to Egypt and a dude took her and dad on an illegal evening expedition to some caves, and he just handed her a mummy. There’s a picture of my mom holding it in her hands and her face, like, her jaw looks like it literally dropped, her face is disfigured by shock and amazement.
You shouldn’t do that, but she always was deep into archaeology and history, and that meeting between her and a person who lived 4000 years ago was one of the most intense things she had ever experienced in her life, and she traveled all over the world and saw amazing things for decades.
There’s plenty of mummies. Fewer now than before, they don’t make’em anymore. But it was put back proper in its place after, at least, my parents were extremely judicious about disturbing either nature or history.
I miss them dearly.
OP: “All undead are the same to me.”
amazing, you’ve discovered a new kind of bigotry!
I’m no expert on this subject but unlike zombies aren’t mummies sentient? Also mummies don’t turn you into a mummy if they bite you
Zombies are “untreated” bodies and usually virus based, which activates the “ick” factor in the human brain. Plus they’re out in the open and you feel more helpless to keep them away.
Mummies are wrapped, dried, residing in their designated resting place and ancient. Also much easier to avoid unless you’re poking around where you shouldn’t.
Mummies also animate because of a curse, whereas zombies have a whole host of possible mechanisms of animation.
post above this
Zombie: Ceaselessly wanders the land, searching for other people’s brains to devour
Mummy: Remains ensconced in a comfy pyramid for thousands of years, having no interest even in their own brains which they removed and set aside in Canopic Jars.
Absolutely not the same
But seriously, where did the “zombies love brains” trope come from?
I cant point to a movie or book that specifically targets brains.
Return of the Living Dead
That originated it, but I think the thing that really embeded the idea in the public consciousness was that Simpsons Halloween special.
Oh wow, never thought to question that, but you’re right. In all “serious” zombie movies I can think of, the zombies rather seem to target the guts. I guess it looks better on film than them nibbling away at someone’s toes.
Return of the Living Dead
What happens when a mummy bites you compared to a zombie?
Are mummies more ritualistic living dead and a zombie is just a virus living dead?
I’m honestly curious.
I would think mummies closer to liches than zombies - they have their organs preserved in jars which makes them harder to kill, they retain most if not all their faculties, and are typically actively channeling their curse.
While some zombies reanimate via magical means in some stories, they’re usually stoppable with a headshot, are usually devoid of conscious thought, and are the receivers rather than the perpetrators of what reanimates them.
Of course it’s all fictitious so I’m sure there’s some mummy or zombie story out there where the only way to stop them is by setting them up on a cute date with each other.
Ancient tomb robbers would just burn the mummy to avoid the curse. In the original mythos they were easy to deal with.
I don’t really recall any game or story where mummy bites are infectious, they’re animated by magic but don’t usually spread blood-borne viruses like a zombie, the level of autonomy depends on whose dungeon you’re in I suppose, they can be anything from cannon fodder to an ancient Egyptian god…
The Lost Vikings has infectuous mummies. That’s an outlier though.
Mummies can bite?!?! Shit.
Mummies come with curses
But they also come with a free fro-yo
Oh that’s good!
The frogurt is also cursed.
That’s no mere zombie, that’s Settra the Imperishable Opener of the Way Wielder of the Divine Flame Punisher of Nomads The Great Unifier Commander of the Golden Legion Sacred of Appearance Bringer of Light Father of Hawks Builder of Cities Protector of the Two Worlds Keeper of the Hours Chosen of Ptra High Steward of the Horizon Sailor of the Great Vitae Sentinel of the Two Realms The Undisputed Begetter of the Begat Scourge of the Faithless Carrion-feeder First of the Charnel Valley Rider of the Sacred Chariot Vanquisher of Vermin Champion of the Death Arena Emperor Of The Shifting Sands He Who Holds The Sceptre Great Hawk of the Heavens Arch-sultan of Atalan Waker of the Hierotitan Monarch of the Sky Majestic Emperor of the Shifting Sands Champion of the Desert Gods Breaker of the Ogre Clans Builder of the Great Pyramid Terror of the Living Master of the Never-Ending Horizon Master of the Necropolises Taker of Souls Tyrant to the Foolish Bearer of Ptra’s Holy Blade Scion of Usirian Scion of Nehek Settra the Great Chaser of Nightmares Keeper of the Royal Heart Founder of the Mortuary Cult Banisher of the Grand Hierophant High Lord Admiral of the Deathfleets Guardian of the Charnal Pass Tamer of the Liche King Unliving Jackal Lord Dismisser of the Warrior Queen Charioteer of the Gods He Who Does Not Serve Slayer of Redditras [Note ] Scarab Purger Favoured of Usirian Player of the Great Game Liberator of Life Lord Sand Wrangler of Scorpions Emperor of the Dunes Eternal Sovereign of the Khemri’s Legions Seneschal of the Great Sandy Desert Curserer of the Living Regent of the Eastern Mountains Warden of the Eternal Necropolis Herald of All Heralds Caller of the Bitter Wind God-Tamer Master of the Mortis River Guardian of the Dead Great Keeper of the Obelisks Deacon of the Ash River Belated of Wakers General of the Mighty Frame Summoner of Sandstorms Master of All Necrotects Prince of Dust Tyrant of Araby Purger of the Greenskin Breathers Killer of the False Gods’ Champions Tyrant of the Gold Dunes Golden Bone Lord Avenger of the Dead Carrion Master Eternal Warden of Nehek’s Lands Breaker of Djaf’s Bonds and many more…
…of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Protector of the Realm, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons.
I’ve never seen a mummy story where a mummy turns its victims into undead, which is one of the main features of zombies.
I googled a bit and it seems that there are some edge cases in D&D where powerful mummies can control minions and create new mummies.
(I didn’t dig into the lore enough to find out if you need to be dead first.)
Someone hasn’t read the Encyclopedia of the Undead, and it shows.
