Mindless and soulless undead are still undead, but only for being animate through life energy. No soul is necessary but they would still be considered undead even if all they are is an 'appliance'.
The difference seems to be that a necromancer where I'm from couldn't reasonably animate something that had never been alive, but there are other mystical disciplines that can. I've fought constructs made of sand and someone who could animate long-broken machines to function under her will.
For something to be alive or undead it doesn't need to have a soul, but something with a soul is usually alive or undead.
It's a while IC before D gets back to this but he eventually does
The difference seems to be that a necromancer where I'm from couldn't reasonably animate something that had never been alive, but there are other mystical disciplines that can. I've fought constructs made of sand and someone who could animate long-broken machines to function under her will.
For something to be alive or undead it doesn't need to have a soul, but something with a soul is usually alive or undead.