Revenant

The Revenant is a form of undead creature, and at one time it was used as a synonym for “ghost.” This term was often used to refer to anything returning from the dead in any form. Their name is a variation of the French “revenir,” meaning “to return,” though it was commonly known from British myth. They return from the grave and can be physical or incorporeal. In physical form, they resemble corpses with rotting skin, sunken eyes, and foul breath. In Irish folklore, they are physically risen bodies that sometimes attend their own funerals. Other times, they are undead, with some being vampiric in nature. Shapeshifting is uncommon, but sometimes they are known to turn into large dogs. Often, they retain memories from life, but possess no emotion towards them. Instead, they use memories to hunt for humans to kill and eat. It’s believed they are created when someone with an evil nature dies.

Citations:

Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017.

Guiley, Rosemary. The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits. United States, Checkmark Books, 2007.

Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.