Drownies

"The Drownies swim with the ship now. In their song is the taste of salt, the hundred colours of darkness, the loving coil of the current. Come home, they say: come home to us."

Drownies are humans who drowned, but recovered because death in the Neath is weird.

What Are They?

They are, for practical purposes, zombies. They shiver, they complain, they try to drag you under the Zee's surface and make you one of them. They become siren-like entities that prey on men driven mad by their experiences at zee. When a ship's crew fears the zee, the fear draws the Drownies like moths to a flame. To hear the song is a death sentence, as most men are urged to jump in and join them. Those of strong will, however, might be able to resist the urge to jump ship, there are several tales of captains returning home to London, shaking and alone with no crew in sight.

Be wary of the Drowned Men of the Zee, for they are far smarter than they look. Despite being pale, waterlogged corpses, the Drownies are entirely sentient beings who retain much of their humanity after death. It is uncommon, but known, that Drownies will communicate with living men peacefully when negotiating with other factions or within the court of the arbitrary Fathomking.

What Births Them?

"There are some things we were not meant to know, they say. But you wouldn't be down here if you took that seriously." Beyond this point lie spoilers for Fallen London, Sunless Sea, Sunless Skies, or Mask of the Rose. This may include midgame or minor Fate-locked content. Proceed with caution. You can find out more about our spoiler policy here.

It was once known that almost all humans who drown in the Zee become Drownies. However, this seemed to have been retconned. Instead, Drownies are explicitly born out of humans who ate Mutton Island's rubbery lumps, which are basically mini-Lorn-Flukes.

It is possible to make freaky with a Drownie. It will then lay eggs. Uh, don't ask.