Loghyr
From Glen Cook Wiki
An enigmatic and extremely rare race of long-lived humanoids with advanced mental powers including the ability to read minds and telekinesis. They are so rare that only one is encountered directly in the series, The Dead Man, whose principal distinguishing features are a trunk-like nose about 12 inches long and his enormous weight (between four and five hundred pounds); it's not known whether all Loghyr are this heavy or if The Dead Man is simply an obese specimen. They are unusual in that their spirits generally remain tied to their bodies after death for a period of time called "The Passing", which may last hundreds or even thousands of years (Loghyr bodies corrupt very, very slowly). The Dead Man is still in this phase. During The Passing, Loghyr spend weeks "sleeping" and building up stores of energy to fuel their mental exploits when "awake".
History
Nothing is known about Loghyr society; they were rare in the old days, and no living examples are seen today. It is claimed that they are capable of passing for human (despite the nose) and that some important figures in human history, including some saints, were actually Loghyr. In addition, The Dead Man states that many of the old gods and demons were actually dead Loghyr, because it used to be "the fashion" for these spirits to torment or assist mankind during The Passing. However, this pursuit has worn thin (explaining why gods and demons are not as active these days as they once were) and that most Loghyr go to the island of (name???) to die these days.
Loghyr in the books
There are actually two dead Loghyr which appear. The Dead Man is Garrett's consultant and then partner from the first book, but in Cold Copper Tears a second dead Loghyr makes his presence known. This one is never named, but is described as "the only Loghyr ever to have gone mad". It poses as a nihilistic demon god whose cult members castrate themselves and are devoted to bringing about the end of the world. This one is capable of not only reading minds and speaking telepathically, but of projecting its power in tangible avatars such as a giant eight-armed demon capable of tearing a man into pieces. The avatar is vulnerable to magical attacks, however. This second dead Loghyr is never seen directly, but is traced to a small island, where employees of crime lord Chodo Contague wage an eight-month campaign to destroy the Loghyr's corpse with insects and rodents, forcing the spirit to depart.
In Whispering Nickel Idols, the Dead Man alludes in passing to a cousin, Duphel. It is the only Loghyr name given in the series so far.
