Undead Origins
Voadam
Legend
Hungry Little Monsters
Hungry Little Monsters:
3.5
Ashen Hound: Created by the burnt sacrifice of a dog and a unique necromancy spell, an ashen hound rises from the pyre to serve as a loyal watchdog to its creator.
Bound: A bound is a spirit that has been trapped in its material remains.
Canker Zombie: Canker zombies are undead creatures formed when a humanoid dies from a particularly potent disease (whether natural or magical).
Any humanoid killed by a canker zombie and not stripped of its flesh rises as a free-willed canker zombie 1d3 days later.
Kyokan: Several years ago, a magical experiment went wrong. Not so wrong that there were deaths involved, but wrong enough that it wasn’t what the experimenters expected. Left with toxic, magical waste, the experimenters did what any organization would do in their situation — they took a boat out to sea very late in the night and slowly dropped the barrels of waste over the side of the ship. No harm done to them, of course.
Ever so slowly, the barrels of waste drifted to the sea floor, and after impact rolled down a slope to a deeper part of the ocean. Eventually the barrels came to a stop on a flat bed, not entirely flat but with enough knife-sharp growths of coral to break the barrels open and spill the toxic waste onto the sea floor. Luckily for the experimenters, the toxic sludge was heavier than the sea water and stayed at the bottom of the ocean.
This sludge spilled in a final resting place for squid, a location where the local squid came to die. Somehow, this toxic magical waste interacted with the dying squid to return them to life, at three times their original size. Unknowingly, those stalwart experimenters created a new scourge of the seas, the kyokan.
Soulgaunt: The soulgaunt is a hateful undead spirit that forms on the sites of terrible accidents that have claimed the lives of no fewer than a dozen people. The accident can be something as simple as an explosion at a sawmill or as expansive as an earthquake that devastated a city; the larger the accident or disaster, the more soulgaunts result. Many evil death cults revere soulgaunts as unholy aspects of their deities, and a few powerful necromancers have learned how to create soulgaunts with the use of create greater undead. In order to do so, the spellcaster must be at least 19th level, and the spell must be cast on the site of an accident no more than one hour old.
Sugareater Zombie: Creatures trapped by a sugareater suffer 1d4 points of Constitution drain per round until they reach 0 Constitution, at which time they are immediately transformed into sugareater zombies.
“Sugareater zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
Sample Sugareater Zombie: This gnoll and its five packmates were ambushed by a sugareater, who hunted them one by one until they all succumbed to its feasting. Now the six roam the forests as sugareater zombies, bringing new victims to their master.
Vain Dead: Vain dead are undead tempters, spawned from the most arrogant, narcissistic, and sybaritic creatures ever to have lived. Most of these creatures arise from the ranks of corrupted clerics of gods of beauty, who have perverted the teachings of their god and now exist as accursed personifications of their blasphemy.
Hungry Little Monsters:
3.5
Ashen Hound: Created by the burnt sacrifice of a dog and a unique necromancy spell, an ashen hound rises from the pyre to serve as a loyal watchdog to its creator.
Bound: A bound is a spirit that has been trapped in its material remains.
Canker Zombie: Canker zombies are undead creatures formed when a humanoid dies from a particularly potent disease (whether natural or magical).
Any humanoid killed by a canker zombie and not stripped of its flesh rises as a free-willed canker zombie 1d3 days later.
Kyokan: Several years ago, a magical experiment went wrong. Not so wrong that there were deaths involved, but wrong enough that it wasn’t what the experimenters expected. Left with toxic, magical waste, the experimenters did what any organization would do in their situation — they took a boat out to sea very late in the night and slowly dropped the barrels of waste over the side of the ship. No harm done to them, of course.
Ever so slowly, the barrels of waste drifted to the sea floor, and after impact rolled down a slope to a deeper part of the ocean. Eventually the barrels came to a stop on a flat bed, not entirely flat but with enough knife-sharp growths of coral to break the barrels open and spill the toxic waste onto the sea floor. Luckily for the experimenters, the toxic sludge was heavier than the sea water and stayed at the bottom of the ocean.
This sludge spilled in a final resting place for squid, a location where the local squid came to die. Somehow, this toxic magical waste interacted with the dying squid to return them to life, at three times their original size. Unknowingly, those stalwart experimenters created a new scourge of the seas, the kyokan.
Soulgaunt: The soulgaunt is a hateful undead spirit that forms on the sites of terrible accidents that have claimed the lives of no fewer than a dozen people. The accident can be something as simple as an explosion at a sawmill or as expansive as an earthquake that devastated a city; the larger the accident or disaster, the more soulgaunts result. Many evil death cults revere soulgaunts as unholy aspects of their deities, and a few powerful necromancers have learned how to create soulgaunts with the use of create greater undead. In order to do so, the spellcaster must be at least 19th level, and the spell must be cast on the site of an accident no more than one hour old.
Sugareater Zombie: Creatures trapped by a sugareater suffer 1d4 points of Constitution drain per round until they reach 0 Constitution, at which time they are immediately transformed into sugareater zombies.
“Sugareater zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
Sample Sugareater Zombie: This gnoll and its five packmates were ambushed by a sugareater, who hunted them one by one until they all succumbed to its feasting. Now the six roam the forests as sugareater zombies, bringing new victims to their master.
Vain Dead: Vain dead are undead tempters, spawned from the most arrogant, narcissistic, and sybaritic creatures ever to have lived. Most of these creatures arise from the ranks of corrupted clerics of gods of beauty, who have perverted the teachings of their god and now exist as accursed personifications of their blasphemy.
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Voadam
Legend
Template Troves II
Template Troves II: Oozes and Aberrations:
3.5
Bloodseeker: How the first bloodseeker was created is a matter for the sages to debate. Some suggest it was the result of an experiment performed by the legendary vampire sorcerer Necromortis. Others believe it was the result of an ooze accidentally ingesting a vampire as it rested in its coffin.
“Bloodseeker” is an acquired template that can be added to any ooze.
Necromanctic Ooze: The necromantic ooze is a horrible creation that results when an ooze is slain by an energy drain attack.
“Necromantic Ooze” is an acquired template that can be added to any ooze.
Template Troves II: Oozes and Aberrations:
3.5
Bloodseeker: How the first bloodseeker was created is a matter for the sages to debate. Some suggest it was the result of an experiment performed by the legendary vampire sorcerer Necromortis. Others believe it was the result of an ooze accidentally ingesting a vampire as it rested in its coffin.
“Bloodseeker” is an acquired template that can be added to any ooze.
Necromanctic Ooze: The necromantic ooze is a horrible creation that results when an ooze is slain by an energy drain attack.
“Necromantic Ooze” is an acquired template that can be added to any ooze.
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Voadam
Legend
Template Troves III
Template Troves, Volume III: Diseases, Parasites & Symbiotes:
3.5
Plague Zombie: The zombie plague bestows upon its victims a foul semblance of life, as well as an insatiable hunger for the flesh of the living.
In the course of their cannibalistic hunt, plague zombies inevitably spread their disease to the creatures they kill. Victims who do not die outright are eventually overcome by the plague itself, dying in short order only to rise an hour or two later as voracious, undead creatures.
“Plague zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid possessing a skeletal system.
Any creature that dies as a result of zombie plague rises as a plague zombie 1d6 minutes after its death. Any creature that is infected with zombie plague, but which dies by another means, also rises as a plague zombie 1d6 minutes after its death.
Sample Plague Zombie Klein: ?
Sample Plague Zombie Ormand: ?
Pox Spirit: Ghost pox is a disease of the ethereal plane that lays waste to the spirits of men. Though its incorporeal sickness can infect many types of creatures, many scholars speculate that ghost pox prefers to defile sentient beings with its contagion. While the disease is considered by many to manifest some sort of malign intelligence, there could be nothing further from the truth. Indeed, the sickness is spread by the ghostly victims of the pox itself. Denied of life, and twisted into spiteful revenants, they seek to swell their own ranks by infecting the living.
The affliction begins with nightmares too horrible for the victim to remember. Cold sweats, accompanied by a substantial drop in body temperature, follow. Small points of phosphorescence lend a pocked appearance to the victim’s skin if examined by moonlight. Disembodied sounds accompany the nightmare screams of the dying, and small objects will occasionally float about the sickroom, seemingly of their own accord. Traditional remedies fail to cure the affliction, though religious rites are occasionally effective if the presiding priest is strong in his faith. Eventually, even the strongest of patients succumbs to a coma from which he will never awaken.
When death finally takes him, the victim’s soul has undergone a malevolent transformation. While his body is buried or burned, his spirit remains behind to seek its own solace. Such peace is temporary at best, and is typically at the expense of the living he has left behind. In an attempt to provide himself with companions to populate his bleak afterlife, the pox spirit spreads his own contagion to those he once loved, and the cycle continues once more.
“Pox spirit” is an acquired template that can be added to any animal, giant, humanoid, magical beast, or monstrous humanoid.
Pox spirits seek to create more of their kind by spreading their own ethereal sickness to the living. A pox spirit may take a full attack action to infect an opponent with ghost pox. If the spirit’s ethereal touch attack is successful, its opponent takes 1d6 damage and must make an immediate Fortitude saving throw (DC 14) to resist the infection.
Characters who acquire the pox spirit template are driven mad with loneliness and grief. They seek to end their profound despair by inflicting their ghostly disease upon friends and loved ones.
Sample Pox Spirit: ?
Template Troves, Volume III: Diseases, Parasites & Symbiotes:
3.5
Plague Zombie: The zombie plague bestows upon its victims a foul semblance of life, as well as an insatiable hunger for the flesh of the living.
In the course of their cannibalistic hunt, plague zombies inevitably spread their disease to the creatures they kill. Victims who do not die outright are eventually overcome by the plague itself, dying in short order only to rise an hour or two later as voracious, undead creatures.
“Plague zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid possessing a skeletal system.
Any creature that dies as a result of zombie plague rises as a plague zombie 1d6 minutes after its death. Any creature that is infected with zombie plague, but which dies by another means, also rises as a plague zombie 1d6 minutes after its death.
Sample Plague Zombie Klein: ?
Sample Plague Zombie Ormand: ?
Pox Spirit: Ghost pox is a disease of the ethereal plane that lays waste to the spirits of men. Though its incorporeal sickness can infect many types of creatures, many scholars speculate that ghost pox prefers to defile sentient beings with its contagion. While the disease is considered by many to manifest some sort of malign intelligence, there could be nothing further from the truth. Indeed, the sickness is spread by the ghostly victims of the pox itself. Denied of life, and twisted into spiteful revenants, they seek to swell their own ranks by infecting the living.
The affliction begins with nightmares too horrible for the victim to remember. Cold sweats, accompanied by a substantial drop in body temperature, follow. Small points of phosphorescence lend a pocked appearance to the victim’s skin if examined by moonlight. Disembodied sounds accompany the nightmare screams of the dying, and small objects will occasionally float about the sickroom, seemingly of their own accord. Traditional remedies fail to cure the affliction, though religious rites are occasionally effective if the presiding priest is strong in his faith. Eventually, even the strongest of patients succumbs to a coma from which he will never awaken.
When death finally takes him, the victim’s soul has undergone a malevolent transformation. While his body is buried or burned, his spirit remains behind to seek its own solace. Such peace is temporary at best, and is typically at the expense of the living he has left behind. In an attempt to provide himself with companions to populate his bleak afterlife, the pox spirit spreads his own contagion to those he once loved, and the cycle continues once more.
“Pox spirit” is an acquired template that can be added to any animal, giant, humanoid, magical beast, or monstrous humanoid.
Pox spirits seek to create more of their kind by spreading their own ethereal sickness to the living. A pox spirit may take a full attack action to infect an opponent with ghost pox. If the spirit’s ethereal touch attack is successful, its opponent takes 1d6 damage and must make an immediate Fortitude saving throw (DC 14) to resist the infection.
Characters who acquire the pox spirit template are driven mad with loneliness and grief. They seek to end their profound despair by inflicting their ghostly disease upon friends and loved ones.
Sample Pox Spirit: ?
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Voadam
Legend
Book of Templates Deluxe Edition 3.5
Book of Templates - Deluxe Edition 3.5:
3.5
Undead: An undead is a once-living creature animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Corpse Vampire: Nosferatu, mullo, and dreaded hopping vampires all have one thing in common—they are corpses animated by an evil and animalistic will to feed on the living. Not truly sentient, these abominations are like a spiritual plague that can infest almost any creature. Only the bodies of the truly vile or terribly corrupted animate thusly.
“Corpse Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature besides an elemental, ooze, or plant.
An appropriate creature slain by a
corpse vampire’s blood drain attack rises as a corpse vampire 1d3 nights after its death if it fails a Will save (as if it were alive, DC 10 + one-half of the corpse vampire’s HD + its Charisma modifier). Evil creatures take a –6 penalty on the save, while chaotic evil creatures take a –10 penalty.
An appropriate creature slain by a gnoll corpse vampire’s blood drain attack rises as a corpse vampire 1d3 nights after its death if it fails a DC 10 Will save. Evil creatures take a –6 penalty on the save, while chaotic evil creatures take a –10 penalty.
Any appropriate creature that drinks or otherwise ingests the blood of a fleshbound vampire comes back as a corpse vampire if it dies with the blood still in its system. Such a creature gains the Corpse Vampire template.
Alternatives to vampire spawn include the possibility of low-HD creatures slain by a vampire becoming corpse vampires or even fleshbound vampires, using the Corpse Vampire template or Fleshbound Vampire template. Only your imagination and the metaphysics of your game world are limits.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Gnoll Corpse Vampire: ?
Dessicated: Aptly called the “horrors of the sands” or the “dried ones,” desiccated are a special type of undead created from the dried remains of creatures that have perished in the brutal environments of the world’s deserts. Skilled necromancers know how to raise desiccated.
“Desiccated” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature besides an elemental or ooze.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Duneshambler: ?
Fleshbound Vampire: Fleshbound vampires are bloodsucking undead possessing superior physical abilities. Although they are undead, they can breed with each other (or suitable humanoids) to produce young or infect humanoids by forcing them to ingest vampire blood.
“Fleshbound Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature besides an elemental, ooze, or plant.
An appropriate creature slain by a fleshbound vampire’s blood drain attack rises as a fleshbound vampire the next night after its death.
Any creature of the appropriate type that is disabled or dying and drinks the blood of a fleshbound vampire immediately stabilizes, but transforms into a fleshbound vampire over the next 24 hours.
An afflicted dhampirelike creature begins to hunger for blood, and must make a Will saving throw against drinking the blood of any sentient creature it sees bleeding (wounded in combat, and so on). If the infected creature does drink, it must make a similar saving throw to resist drinking its victim dry. Killing another sentient creature in this manner causes the dhampirelike creature to die and transform into a full fleshbound vampire (losing the Dhampire template abilities altogether) after the next day has passed into night.
As indicated in the template, fleshbound vampires can reproduce biologically. To do so requires a partner of the appropriate species that is either alive or also a fleshbound vampire. The offspring of a fleshbound vampire and a living being is a dhampire (see the Dhampire sample of the Half-Template metatemplate). Two fleshbound vampires produce another fleshbound vampire that ages like a normal member of the species until it reaches adulthood, at which point aging ceases.
An appropriate creature slain by Pavil’s blood drain attack rises as a fleshbound vampire the next night after its death.
Alternatives to vampire spawn include the possibility of low-HD creatures slain by a vampire becoming corpse vampires or even fleshbound vampires, using the Corpse Vampire template or Fleshbound Vampire template. Only your imagination and the metaphysics of your game world are limits.
Create Greater Undead spell
Pavil: A murderer, Pavil was cast out into the wilderness by his north-dwelling clan. He faired well there, preying on those unfortunate enough to cross his path and eventually falling in with similar ne’er-do-wells. This all changed when Pavil’s band took a young girl from a passing group of strangers for sport—what was good in Pavil made him protect her. When her kinsman, an immortal blood-drinker, came to find the girl, Pavil was the only man given any sort of mercy.
Paleoskeleton: Paleoskeletons are the fossilized remains of long-dead creatures animated by special rituals associated with spirits of the earth. Shamans or druids who know the proper rites can summon these undead dinosaurs as guardians. Evil clerics have necromantic arts that allow them to raise similar creations, though fossil skeletons associated with mere negative energy are much weaker.
Paleoskeleton” is an acquired template that can be applied to any dinosaur, prehistoric animal, or any other living creature appropriate for fossil remains.
Animate Paleoskeleton spell
Triceratops Paleoskeleton: ?
Skinhusk: An idea born of the vilest necromantic depravation, the skinhusk is a hollow shell of a creature’s skin, animated to undeath by rituals of unspeakable evil.
“Skinhusk” is a template that can be added to any living creature that has a skin.
Craft (taxidermy) is used to create skinhusks, taking a DC 20 Craft (taxidermy) check. Cost is the same as preparing a body for create undead. A skinhusk may be given the Hardened variant only if its creator succeeds on a DC 25 Craft (taxidermy) check.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Dire Bear Skinhusk: ?
Terror Vampire: “Terror Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature besides an elemental, ooze, or plant.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid with 5 or fewer Hit Dice that is reduced to 0 Wisdom by a terror vampire’s absorb fear attack rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. A creature with 5 or more Hit Dice instead returns as a terror vampire.
Create Greater Undead spell
Terror Vampire Spawn: A creature slain by a terror vampire’s energy drain rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. If the creature cannot qualify for the Terror Vampire Spawn template, it does not rise. Potential spawn with more Hit Dice than the terror vampire do not rise.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid with 5 or fewer
Hit Dice that is reduced to 0 Wisdom by a terror vampire’s absorb fear attack rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. A creature with 5 or more Hit Dice instead returns as a terror vampire.
Terror vampire spawn are creatures with fewer Hit Dice than the terror vampire that created them, most often 4 or fewer Hit Dice.
A creature slain by a terror harpy’s energy drain rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. If the creature cannot qualify for the Terror Vampire Spawn template, it does not rise.
A creature with 5 or fewer Hit Dice that is reduced to 0 Wisdom by a terror harpy’s absorb fear attack rises as a terror vampire spawn (see the Terror Vampire Spawn template, page 170) 1d4 days after death. A creature with 5 or more Hit Dice instead returns as a terror harpy.
Create Greater Undead spell
Terror Harpy: A creature with 5 or fewer Hit Dice that is reduced to 0 Wisdom by a terror harpy’s absorb fear attack rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. A creature with 5 or more Hit Dice instead returns as a terror harpy.
True Mummy: The true mummy is the pinnacle of the embalmer’s art—a sentient undead as powerful as many liches. The problem with becoming one is that almost all the vital work for the creation of the true mummy occurs after the death of the person to be preserved, and no guarantees can be had that the embalmer will do the job correctly or that he will not steal the immortal power of the true mummy for his own, leaving the mummy as a nearly mindless automaton of the gods of death.
“True Mummy” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with an Intelligence score greater than 3, other than an elemental, an ooze, or a plant.
A true mummy is always created via a long ritual that is planned before the aspiring mummy’s death. This ritual requires the sacred vessels detailed here.
The core element of becoming a true mummy is the removal of the organs during the embalming process and placing them into specially prepared sacred vessels, which in turn store the true mummy’s essential soul and persona. Unless the true mummy is separated from these sacred vessels, no mere physical attacks can ever slay it due to its fast healing.
Each would-be true mummy must make (or have made) three sacred vessels. The sacred vessels are usually small stone or clay jars (sometimes metal) just large enough to contain the fresh organs to be placed within. Many also have rings mounted upon their top so they may be hung from a rope or cord. A sacred vessel has a hardness of 12 and 30 hit points, with a spell resistance of 12 + the creator’s level.
The sacred vessels contain some of the essential energies of the embalmed true mummy. Each jar contains one or more organs, and each organ is linked to a specific ability. The liver is linked to Intelligence, stomach and small and large intestines to Wisdom, and spleen and lungs to Charisma. If any are destroyed, the true mummy can be killed, and only a wish or miracle can restore the creature. Destruction of one or more of the jars also causes the mummy to lose her former self over the course of 39 days divided by the number of jars destroyed. She begins to forget things, lose class abilities, and act erratic and aggressive. Once this process is complete, the mummy is a desecrated true mummy and the sacred vessels become nonmagical (except for their hardness and hit points).
Desecrated True Mummy: Destruction of one or more of a true mummy’s sacred vessel jars causes the mummy to lose her former self over the course of 39 days divided by the number of jars destroyed. She begins to forget things, lose class abilities, and act erratic and aggressive. Once this process is complete, the mummy is a desecrated true mummy and the sacred vessels become nonmagical (except for their hardness and hit points).
If the true mummy’s sacred vessels are destroyed, the creature loses all memories of its former life and becomes an abomination. A desecrated true mummy usually has a true mummy as its base creature, but this variant can be applied to any creature that qualifies for the True Mummy template.
Kaminheni the Traveler: Though her true name is known only to her, it is rumored
the Traveler was once a princess—one gifted with the final power of eternal life.
Exoskeleton: The Skeleton template can be applied to creatures with exoskeletons as much as those with internal bones.
Greater Undead: Greater undead can be created using the versions of create undead or create greater undead found in this book.
Greater Skeleton: Use the Skeleton template in the MM, but a greater skeleton can have any amount of Hit Dice, limited only by the base creature’s Hit Dice.
The only limit on a greater skeleton’s potential Hit Dice is the caster level of the spellcaster who creates them.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Greater Zombie: Use the Zombie template in the MM, but a greater zombie can have any amount of Hit Dice, limited only by the base creature’s Hit Dice.
Do not double racial Hit Dice. The only limit on a greater zombie’s potential Hit Dice is the caster level of the spellcaster who creates them.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Hardened: Hardened undead are corporeal undead specially treated to be tougher and more resilient.
Preparing a skeletal corpse for animation involves removing all skin and flesh by boiling but preserving cartilage and ligaments in place for proper range of motion of the animated bones. It also hardens foot and hand bones for greater durability. Preparing a fleshy corpse for animation preserves it from quick decay, keeping the flesh intact by draining the most easily corrupted fluids and removing unnecessary organs (such as the lungs and intestines) that are often the first site of rot. A corporeal undead creature successfully prepared with the embalming skill gains the Hardened variant.
A skinhusk may be given the Hardened variant only if its creator succeeds on a DC 25 Craft (taxidermy) check.
Undead vampires: ?
Variant Vampire Spawn: A creature slain by a variant vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the creature cannot qualify for the Vampire Spawn template it does not rise. Potential spawn with more Hit Dice than the vampire do not rise.
If the variant vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice or as a vampire if it had 5 or more Hit Dice.
Vampire spawn are humanoids or monstrous humanoids (and other creatures you allow) with fewer Hit Dice than the vampire that created them, most often 4 or fewer Hit Dice.
Alternative Vampire Spawn: Alternatives to vampire spawn include the possibility of low-HD creatures slain by a vampire becoming corpse vampires or even fleshbound vampires, using the Corpse Vampire template or Fleshbound Vampire template. Only your imagination and the metaphysics of your game world are limits.
Incorporeal Undead: Preparing a skeletal corpse for animation involves removing all skin and flesh by boiling but preserving cartilage and ligaments in place for proper range of motion of the animated bones. It also hardens foot and hand bones for greater durability. Preparing a fleshy corpse for animation preserves it from quick decay, keeping the flesh intact by draining the most easily corrupted fluids and removing unnecessary organs (such as the lungs and intestines) that are often the first site of rot. A corporeal undead creature successfully prepared with this skill gains the Hardened variant. An incorporeal undead prepared with this skill gains +1 hit point per Hit Die from the respect shown its body.
Skeleton: Any living creature with a skeletal structure that dies from the Constitution drain of a desiccated creature rises as a skeleton within 1d4 rounds. Its flesh turns to dust and sloughs off. A desiccated creature can only create skeletons from creatures that have fewer Hit Dice than it does.
Any living creature with a skeletal structure that dies from the Constitution drain of a duneshambler rises as a skeleton within 1d4 rounds. Its flesh turns to dust and sloughs off. A duneshambler can only create skeletons with 14 or fewer Hit Dice.
Vampire: If a variant vampire drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice or as a vampire if it had 5 or more Hit Dice.
Vampire Spawn: A creature slain by a variant vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the creature cannot qualify for the Vampire Spawn template it does not rise. Potential spawn with more Hit Dice than the vampire do not rise.
If the variant vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice or as a vampire if it had 5 or more Hit Dice.
Animate Paleoskeleton
Necromancy
Level: Animal 8, druid 7, shaman 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One set of fossils
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You summon a primal spirit to occupy the fossils of a deceased prehistoric beast. The fossils include most of the upper portion of the creature’s skull and 20% of the creature’s other bone mass, but the power of the spell creates the missing parts of the skeleton out of the local rock. The raised paleoskeleton must have no more Hit Dice than your caster level, or the spell automatically fails. The created paleoskeleton is not under your control, but you can attempt to command it and secure its loyalty with a wild empathy check. See the Paleoskeleton template.
Material Component: Volcanic ash, obsidian, and amber worth at least 50 gp per Hit Die of the creature raised.
Create Greater Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Cleric 7, Death 7, sorcerer/wizard 9
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell must be cast at night. You create even more potent undead than those created with create undead, limited to devourers, fleshbound vampires, ghosts, greater desiccated, mohrgs, mummies, spectres, terror vampires, vampires, and wraiths. You can raise 4 Hit Dice of these types of undead +2 Hit Dice per level you are over 13th. You may also use this spell to create undead listed in the create undead spell, starting at 7 Hit Dice and gaining +2 Hit Dice per level over 13th. Created undead are not automatically under your control. You may attempt to command the undead as it forms with a turning check. A wish or miracle spell puts a creature of the types listed in this spell under your control.
Material Component: A jet gem worth 50 gp per Hit Die of the raised creature.
Create Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Cleric 5, Death 5, Evil 5, sorcerer/wizard 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell must be cast at night. You can create powerful kinds of undead: corpse vampires, desiccated, ghasts, ghouls, greater skeletons, greater zombies, shadows, skinhusks, and wights. You can raise 3 Hit Dice of these types of undead +1 Hit Die per level you are above 9th. Thus, a 12th-level character could raise any of these undead that have 6 Hit Dice or less. Other created undead are not automatically under your control, but you may attempt to command the undead as it forms with a turning check. A limited wish or small miracle spell puts the creature under control automatically.
Material Component: A jet gem worth 50 gp per Hit Die of the raised creature.
Book of Templates - Deluxe Edition 3.5:
3.5
Undead: An undead is a once-living creature animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Corpse Vampire: Nosferatu, mullo, and dreaded hopping vampires all have one thing in common—they are corpses animated by an evil and animalistic will to feed on the living. Not truly sentient, these abominations are like a spiritual plague that can infest almost any creature. Only the bodies of the truly vile or terribly corrupted animate thusly.
“Corpse Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature besides an elemental, ooze, or plant.
An appropriate creature slain by a
corpse vampire’s blood drain attack rises as a corpse vampire 1d3 nights after its death if it fails a Will save (as if it were alive, DC 10 + one-half of the corpse vampire’s HD + its Charisma modifier). Evil creatures take a –6 penalty on the save, while chaotic evil creatures take a –10 penalty.
An appropriate creature slain by a gnoll corpse vampire’s blood drain attack rises as a corpse vampire 1d3 nights after its death if it fails a DC 10 Will save. Evil creatures take a –6 penalty on the save, while chaotic evil creatures take a –10 penalty.
Any appropriate creature that drinks or otherwise ingests the blood of a fleshbound vampire comes back as a corpse vampire if it dies with the blood still in its system. Such a creature gains the Corpse Vampire template.
Alternatives to vampire spawn include the possibility of low-HD creatures slain by a vampire becoming corpse vampires or even fleshbound vampires, using the Corpse Vampire template or Fleshbound Vampire template. Only your imagination and the metaphysics of your game world are limits.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Gnoll Corpse Vampire: ?
Dessicated: Aptly called the “horrors of the sands” or the “dried ones,” desiccated are a special type of undead created from the dried remains of creatures that have perished in the brutal environments of the world’s deserts. Skilled necromancers know how to raise desiccated.
“Desiccated” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature besides an elemental or ooze.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Duneshambler: ?
Fleshbound Vampire: Fleshbound vampires are bloodsucking undead possessing superior physical abilities. Although they are undead, they can breed with each other (or suitable humanoids) to produce young or infect humanoids by forcing them to ingest vampire blood.
“Fleshbound Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature besides an elemental, ooze, or plant.
An appropriate creature slain by a fleshbound vampire’s blood drain attack rises as a fleshbound vampire the next night after its death.
Any creature of the appropriate type that is disabled or dying and drinks the blood of a fleshbound vampire immediately stabilizes, but transforms into a fleshbound vampire over the next 24 hours.
An afflicted dhampirelike creature begins to hunger for blood, and must make a Will saving throw against drinking the blood of any sentient creature it sees bleeding (wounded in combat, and so on). If the infected creature does drink, it must make a similar saving throw to resist drinking its victim dry. Killing another sentient creature in this manner causes the dhampirelike creature to die and transform into a full fleshbound vampire (losing the Dhampire template abilities altogether) after the next day has passed into night.
As indicated in the template, fleshbound vampires can reproduce biologically. To do so requires a partner of the appropriate species that is either alive or also a fleshbound vampire. The offspring of a fleshbound vampire and a living being is a dhampire (see the Dhampire sample of the Half-Template metatemplate). Two fleshbound vampires produce another fleshbound vampire that ages like a normal member of the species until it reaches adulthood, at which point aging ceases.
An appropriate creature slain by Pavil’s blood drain attack rises as a fleshbound vampire the next night after its death.
Alternatives to vampire spawn include the possibility of low-HD creatures slain by a vampire becoming corpse vampires or even fleshbound vampires, using the Corpse Vampire template or Fleshbound Vampire template. Only your imagination and the metaphysics of your game world are limits.
Create Greater Undead spell
Pavil: A murderer, Pavil was cast out into the wilderness by his north-dwelling clan. He faired well there, preying on those unfortunate enough to cross his path and eventually falling in with similar ne’er-do-wells. This all changed when Pavil’s band took a young girl from a passing group of strangers for sport—what was good in Pavil made him protect her. When her kinsman, an immortal blood-drinker, came to find the girl, Pavil was the only man given any sort of mercy.
Paleoskeleton: Paleoskeletons are the fossilized remains of long-dead creatures animated by special rituals associated with spirits of the earth. Shamans or druids who know the proper rites can summon these undead dinosaurs as guardians. Evil clerics have necromantic arts that allow them to raise similar creations, though fossil skeletons associated with mere negative energy are much weaker.
Paleoskeleton” is an acquired template that can be applied to any dinosaur, prehistoric animal, or any other living creature appropriate for fossil remains.
Animate Paleoskeleton spell
Triceratops Paleoskeleton: ?
Skinhusk: An idea born of the vilest necromantic depravation, the skinhusk is a hollow shell of a creature’s skin, animated to undeath by rituals of unspeakable evil.
“Skinhusk” is a template that can be added to any living creature that has a skin.
Craft (taxidermy) is used to create skinhusks, taking a DC 20 Craft (taxidermy) check. Cost is the same as preparing a body for create undead. A skinhusk may be given the Hardened variant only if its creator succeeds on a DC 25 Craft (taxidermy) check.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Dire Bear Skinhusk: ?
Terror Vampire: “Terror Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature besides an elemental, ooze, or plant.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid with 5 or fewer Hit Dice that is reduced to 0 Wisdom by a terror vampire’s absorb fear attack rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. A creature with 5 or more Hit Dice instead returns as a terror vampire.
Create Greater Undead spell
Terror Vampire Spawn: A creature slain by a terror vampire’s energy drain rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. If the creature cannot qualify for the Terror Vampire Spawn template, it does not rise. Potential spawn with more Hit Dice than the terror vampire do not rise.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid with 5 or fewer
Hit Dice that is reduced to 0 Wisdom by a terror vampire’s absorb fear attack rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. A creature with 5 or more Hit Dice instead returns as a terror vampire.
Terror vampire spawn are creatures with fewer Hit Dice than the terror vampire that created them, most often 4 or fewer Hit Dice.
A creature slain by a terror harpy’s energy drain rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. If the creature cannot qualify for the Terror Vampire Spawn template, it does not rise.
A creature with 5 or fewer Hit Dice that is reduced to 0 Wisdom by a terror harpy’s absorb fear attack rises as a terror vampire spawn (see the Terror Vampire Spawn template, page 170) 1d4 days after death. A creature with 5 or more Hit Dice instead returns as a terror harpy.
Create Greater Undead spell
Terror Harpy: A creature with 5 or fewer Hit Dice that is reduced to 0 Wisdom by a terror harpy’s absorb fear attack rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. A creature with 5 or more Hit Dice instead returns as a terror harpy.
True Mummy: The true mummy is the pinnacle of the embalmer’s art—a sentient undead as powerful as many liches. The problem with becoming one is that almost all the vital work for the creation of the true mummy occurs after the death of the person to be preserved, and no guarantees can be had that the embalmer will do the job correctly or that he will not steal the immortal power of the true mummy for his own, leaving the mummy as a nearly mindless automaton of the gods of death.
“True Mummy” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with an Intelligence score greater than 3, other than an elemental, an ooze, or a plant.
A true mummy is always created via a long ritual that is planned before the aspiring mummy’s death. This ritual requires the sacred vessels detailed here.
The core element of becoming a true mummy is the removal of the organs during the embalming process and placing them into specially prepared sacred vessels, which in turn store the true mummy’s essential soul and persona. Unless the true mummy is separated from these sacred vessels, no mere physical attacks can ever slay it due to its fast healing.
Each would-be true mummy must make (or have made) three sacred vessels. The sacred vessels are usually small stone or clay jars (sometimes metal) just large enough to contain the fresh organs to be placed within. Many also have rings mounted upon their top so they may be hung from a rope or cord. A sacred vessel has a hardness of 12 and 30 hit points, with a spell resistance of 12 + the creator’s level.
The sacred vessels contain some of the essential energies of the embalmed true mummy. Each jar contains one or more organs, and each organ is linked to a specific ability. The liver is linked to Intelligence, stomach and small and large intestines to Wisdom, and spleen and lungs to Charisma. If any are destroyed, the true mummy can be killed, and only a wish or miracle can restore the creature. Destruction of one or more of the jars also causes the mummy to lose her former self over the course of 39 days divided by the number of jars destroyed. She begins to forget things, lose class abilities, and act erratic and aggressive. Once this process is complete, the mummy is a desecrated true mummy and the sacred vessels become nonmagical (except for their hardness and hit points).
Desecrated True Mummy: Destruction of one or more of a true mummy’s sacred vessel jars causes the mummy to lose her former self over the course of 39 days divided by the number of jars destroyed. She begins to forget things, lose class abilities, and act erratic and aggressive. Once this process is complete, the mummy is a desecrated true mummy and the sacred vessels become nonmagical (except for their hardness and hit points).
If the true mummy’s sacred vessels are destroyed, the creature loses all memories of its former life and becomes an abomination. A desecrated true mummy usually has a true mummy as its base creature, but this variant can be applied to any creature that qualifies for the True Mummy template.
Kaminheni the Traveler: Though her true name is known only to her, it is rumored
the Traveler was once a princess—one gifted with the final power of eternal life.
Exoskeleton: The Skeleton template can be applied to creatures with exoskeletons as much as those with internal bones.
Greater Undead: Greater undead can be created using the versions of create undead or create greater undead found in this book.
Greater Skeleton: Use the Skeleton template in the MM, but a greater skeleton can have any amount of Hit Dice, limited only by the base creature’s Hit Dice.
The only limit on a greater skeleton’s potential Hit Dice is the caster level of the spellcaster who creates them.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Greater Zombie: Use the Zombie template in the MM, but a greater zombie can have any amount of Hit Dice, limited only by the base creature’s Hit Dice.
Do not double racial Hit Dice. The only limit on a greater zombie’s potential Hit Dice is the caster level of the spellcaster who creates them.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Hardened: Hardened undead are corporeal undead specially treated to be tougher and more resilient.
Preparing a skeletal corpse for animation involves removing all skin and flesh by boiling but preserving cartilage and ligaments in place for proper range of motion of the animated bones. It also hardens foot and hand bones for greater durability. Preparing a fleshy corpse for animation preserves it from quick decay, keeping the flesh intact by draining the most easily corrupted fluids and removing unnecessary organs (such as the lungs and intestines) that are often the first site of rot. A corporeal undead creature successfully prepared with the embalming skill gains the Hardened variant.
A skinhusk may be given the Hardened variant only if its creator succeeds on a DC 25 Craft (taxidermy) check.
Undead vampires: ?
Variant Vampire Spawn: A creature slain by a variant vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the creature cannot qualify for the Vampire Spawn template it does not rise. Potential spawn with more Hit Dice than the vampire do not rise.
If the variant vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice or as a vampire if it had 5 or more Hit Dice.
Vampire spawn are humanoids or monstrous humanoids (and other creatures you allow) with fewer Hit Dice than the vampire that created them, most often 4 or fewer Hit Dice.
Alternative Vampire Spawn: Alternatives to vampire spawn include the possibility of low-HD creatures slain by a vampire becoming corpse vampires or even fleshbound vampires, using the Corpse Vampire template or Fleshbound Vampire template. Only your imagination and the metaphysics of your game world are limits.
Incorporeal Undead: Preparing a skeletal corpse for animation involves removing all skin and flesh by boiling but preserving cartilage and ligaments in place for proper range of motion of the animated bones. It also hardens foot and hand bones for greater durability. Preparing a fleshy corpse for animation preserves it from quick decay, keeping the flesh intact by draining the most easily corrupted fluids and removing unnecessary organs (such as the lungs and intestines) that are often the first site of rot. A corporeal undead creature successfully prepared with this skill gains the Hardened variant. An incorporeal undead prepared with this skill gains +1 hit point per Hit Die from the respect shown its body.
Skeleton: Any living creature with a skeletal structure that dies from the Constitution drain of a desiccated creature rises as a skeleton within 1d4 rounds. Its flesh turns to dust and sloughs off. A desiccated creature can only create skeletons from creatures that have fewer Hit Dice than it does.
Any living creature with a skeletal structure that dies from the Constitution drain of a duneshambler rises as a skeleton within 1d4 rounds. Its flesh turns to dust and sloughs off. A duneshambler can only create skeletons with 14 or fewer Hit Dice.
Vampire: If a variant vampire drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice or as a vampire if it had 5 or more Hit Dice.
Vampire Spawn: A creature slain by a variant vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the creature cannot qualify for the Vampire Spawn template it does not rise. Potential spawn with more Hit Dice than the vampire do not rise.
If the variant vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice or as a vampire if it had 5 or more Hit Dice.
Animate Paleoskeleton
Necromancy
Level: Animal 8, druid 7, shaman 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One set of fossils
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You summon a primal spirit to occupy the fossils of a deceased prehistoric beast. The fossils include most of the upper portion of the creature’s skull and 20% of the creature’s other bone mass, but the power of the spell creates the missing parts of the skeleton out of the local rock. The raised paleoskeleton must have no more Hit Dice than your caster level, or the spell automatically fails. The created paleoskeleton is not under your control, but you can attempt to command it and secure its loyalty with a wild empathy check. See the Paleoskeleton template.
Material Component: Volcanic ash, obsidian, and amber worth at least 50 gp per Hit Die of the creature raised.
Create Greater Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Cleric 7, Death 7, sorcerer/wizard 9
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell must be cast at night. You create even more potent undead than those created with create undead, limited to devourers, fleshbound vampires, ghosts, greater desiccated, mohrgs, mummies, spectres, terror vampires, vampires, and wraiths. You can raise 4 Hit Dice of these types of undead +2 Hit Dice per level you are over 13th. You may also use this spell to create undead listed in the create undead spell, starting at 7 Hit Dice and gaining +2 Hit Dice per level over 13th. Created undead are not automatically under your control. You may attempt to command the undead as it forms with a turning check. A wish or miracle spell puts a creature of the types listed in this spell under your control.
Material Component: A jet gem worth 50 gp per Hit Die of the raised creature.
Create Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Cleric 5, Death 5, Evil 5, sorcerer/wizard 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell must be cast at night. You can create powerful kinds of undead: corpse vampires, desiccated, ghasts, ghouls, greater skeletons, greater zombies, shadows, skinhusks, and wights. You can raise 3 Hit Dice of these types of undead +1 Hit Die per level you are above 9th. Thus, a 12th-level character could raise any of these undead that have 6 Hit Dice or less. Other created undead are not automatically under your control, but you may attempt to command the undead as it forms with a turning check. A limited wish or small miracle spell puts the creature under control automatically.
Material Component: A jet gem worth 50 gp per Hit Die of the raised creature.
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Legend
Bestiary Malfearous
Bestiary Malfearous:
3.5
Death Beater: It is unknown what event creates a death beater, but they are often found in mines, dungeon hallways and tombs where many beings have lost their lives in previous accidents.
Ghargoyle: The ghargoyle is a horrid construct created by necromantic wizards as guardians.
It costs 1,000 gp to properly prepare the dead body of a gargoyle for transformation into a ghargoyle. It takes a DC 13 craft (taxidermy) or DC 13 (leatherworking) check to create the body.
Caster Level 9; craft construct; Animate Dead, Confusion, Enervation, Geas/Quest; Price: 15,000 gp; Cost: 8,000 gp + 320 XP.
Karrock: The bite of a karrock spreads a deadly plague to its victim. Those bitten that fail a Fort save are infected (Injury; Fort DC 15; incubation: Instant; Init: 3d8 Con, Sec: 1d8 Con). Those who die from the disease fall to the ground lifeless, becoming a blackened, bloated corpse in but a single round. In a short span of time (1d4+1 rounds) later, the deceased victim rises as a karrock.
Keeper: Keepers are undead constructs, but the exact procedure to create them is unknown, and there do not seem to be any known procedures to spawn new keepers.
It is thought that the deceased god Teeth, The Master Vampire, passed the secret of creation of these creatures to his priests. With the god’s destruction, the secret to creating new keepers has become lost.
Gray Render Zombie: ?
Human Warrior Zombie: ?
Cloud Gant Skeleton: ?
Living Dead: The Living Dead are beings that have been infected with a deadly disease that stops the living processes (heartbeat, need for rest), yet sustains the body in a semblance of life.
The bite and claw attacks of the Living Dead carry the disease that transforms victims into the Living Dead. Those struck by a claw or bite attack must make a Fort Save (DC 15; Infection: Injury, Incubation: 1 hour, Damage: Transformation). Failure on the save causes the victim to transform into a living dead within an hour. When the transformation occurs, the victim appears to drop dead, only to awaken as a ravening Living Dead a round later.
It is thought that the living death disease is a creation of Lepornunse, who in some way wanted to emulate his father Teeth, lord of the undead.
Living Dead Human Commoner: Wracked with the horrid disease that makes the victim like a walking zombie, the living dead is a being cursed to feed on human flesh and spread the terrible disease to others.
The bite and claw attacks of the Living Dead carry the disease that transforms victims into the Living Dead. Those struck by a claw or bite attack must make a Fort Save (DC 15; Infection: Injury, Incubation: 1 hour, Damage: Transformation). Failure on the save causes the victim to transform into a living dead within an hour. When the transformation occurs, the victim appears to drop dead, only to awaken as a ravening Living Dead a round later.
Living Dead Plaguebearer: ?
Living Dead Lord of Disease: ?
Redbones: Redbones are undead created by powerful spellcasters using a deadly spell to effect their creation.
Redbones are created with the use of a special spell.
Redbones are the specialty creations of the Red Cabal of Barbed March. The Red Cabal keeps the secret of their creation a jealously guarded secret.
Redifre Death spell
Skeleking: Skelekings are foul necromantic constructs animated from the fallen bodies of powerful Aesir warriors. Their endless years of battle give them great skill, and the foul magic that binds them back to a corporeal body also enslaves them to the evil being who has raised them.
A skeleking template may be applied to any formerly good warrior-type of 6th level or better. Once animated, the flesh is consumed in an unholy fire and the incantation that raises them from the dead burns a crown of ashes into their skull, forever marking them as servants to their animator.
Only spellcasters of an evil alignment who worship a devilish power can create a skeleking. Creating a skeleking requires the corpse of a deceased warrior with a Base Attack Bonus of +6 or better. The caster then uses the spell Create Greater Undead and requires the expenditure of a fire opal (instead of a black onyx gem) worth 50 gp per hit dice of the skeleking to be created. A caster cannot create a skeleking whose hit dice are greater than ¾ the level of the caster.
According to legend, the Dark One found a way to steal away the dead from Asgard and bind them into these skeletal frames, and passed this knowledge to his dark armies of the Skyland Hold.
Since the Skyland Hold fell, devils have continued to pass the knowledge on to those wizards and clerics who prove their allegiance to the Dark One.
Skeleking Duke: This skeleking is formed from the body of a fallen warrior of good.
Skeleking Baron: ?
Skeleking Warrior-King: ?
Skulleon: A skulleon is the undead remnants of a drake, orm or dragon brought to life by unknown magical powers. Legends often ascribe them as rising from the remnants of a draconic creature that was slain in battle and its hoard stolen from it.
Skulleons are often ascribed to being remnants of dragons slain during the First Dragon War in Amberos’s past. The draconic remains often linger in desolate areas, killing all that come near.
Skeleton: Those slain by the effects of the skulleon’s bite rise as skeletons under the control of the skulleon, their flesh sliding from their bodies as they are animated.
Redfire Death
Necromancy (Evil, Fire)
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Short (25 ft. +5 ft./2 levels)
Area: 20-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
Casting this spell release a furious ball of flame that detonates with a low roar and deals 1d6 points of fire damage per caster level (maximum 10d6) to every creature within the area. The spell does no damage to objects. The explosion creates no pressure.
Perhaps most insidious about this spell is that any humanoid victim reduced to -10 hit points or less by the spell is immolated by the flame, transforming the slain individual into a redbones (regardless of original form or HD).
You cannot create more HD of redbones than twice your caster level with a single casting of Redfire Death. Any additional corpses slain but not raised by the spell are consumed to ash and cannot be the target of Animate Dead or another casting of Redfire Death.
The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. (You choose which creatures are released.) If you are a cleric, any undead you might command by virtue of your power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.
Material Component: You must possess a ruby worth 125 gp per redbones you animate. The magic of the spell turns the gem into worthless powder.
Bestiary Malfearous:
3.5
Death Beater: It is unknown what event creates a death beater, but they are often found in mines, dungeon hallways and tombs where many beings have lost their lives in previous accidents.
Ghargoyle: The ghargoyle is a horrid construct created by necromantic wizards as guardians.
It costs 1,000 gp to properly prepare the dead body of a gargoyle for transformation into a ghargoyle. It takes a DC 13 craft (taxidermy) or DC 13 (leatherworking) check to create the body.
Caster Level 9; craft construct; Animate Dead, Confusion, Enervation, Geas/Quest; Price: 15,000 gp; Cost: 8,000 gp + 320 XP.
Karrock: The bite of a karrock spreads a deadly plague to its victim. Those bitten that fail a Fort save are infected (Injury; Fort DC 15; incubation: Instant; Init: 3d8 Con, Sec: 1d8 Con). Those who die from the disease fall to the ground lifeless, becoming a blackened, bloated corpse in but a single round. In a short span of time (1d4+1 rounds) later, the deceased victim rises as a karrock.
Keeper: Keepers are undead constructs, but the exact procedure to create them is unknown, and there do not seem to be any known procedures to spawn new keepers.
It is thought that the deceased god Teeth, The Master Vampire, passed the secret of creation of these creatures to his priests. With the god’s destruction, the secret to creating new keepers has become lost.
Gray Render Zombie: ?
Human Warrior Zombie: ?
Cloud Gant Skeleton: ?
Living Dead: The Living Dead are beings that have been infected with a deadly disease that stops the living processes (heartbeat, need for rest), yet sustains the body in a semblance of life.
The bite and claw attacks of the Living Dead carry the disease that transforms victims into the Living Dead. Those struck by a claw or bite attack must make a Fort Save (DC 15; Infection: Injury, Incubation: 1 hour, Damage: Transformation). Failure on the save causes the victim to transform into a living dead within an hour. When the transformation occurs, the victim appears to drop dead, only to awaken as a ravening Living Dead a round later.
It is thought that the living death disease is a creation of Lepornunse, who in some way wanted to emulate his father Teeth, lord of the undead.
Living Dead Human Commoner: Wracked with the horrid disease that makes the victim like a walking zombie, the living dead is a being cursed to feed on human flesh and spread the terrible disease to others.
The bite and claw attacks of the Living Dead carry the disease that transforms victims into the Living Dead. Those struck by a claw or bite attack must make a Fort Save (DC 15; Infection: Injury, Incubation: 1 hour, Damage: Transformation). Failure on the save causes the victim to transform into a living dead within an hour. When the transformation occurs, the victim appears to drop dead, only to awaken as a ravening Living Dead a round later.
Living Dead Plaguebearer: ?
Living Dead Lord of Disease: ?
Redbones: Redbones are undead created by powerful spellcasters using a deadly spell to effect their creation.
Redbones are created with the use of a special spell.
Redbones are the specialty creations of the Red Cabal of Barbed March. The Red Cabal keeps the secret of their creation a jealously guarded secret.
Redifre Death spell
Skeleking: Skelekings are foul necromantic constructs animated from the fallen bodies of powerful Aesir warriors. Their endless years of battle give them great skill, and the foul magic that binds them back to a corporeal body also enslaves them to the evil being who has raised them.
A skeleking template may be applied to any formerly good warrior-type of 6th level or better. Once animated, the flesh is consumed in an unholy fire and the incantation that raises them from the dead burns a crown of ashes into their skull, forever marking them as servants to their animator.
Only spellcasters of an evil alignment who worship a devilish power can create a skeleking. Creating a skeleking requires the corpse of a deceased warrior with a Base Attack Bonus of +6 or better. The caster then uses the spell Create Greater Undead and requires the expenditure of a fire opal (instead of a black onyx gem) worth 50 gp per hit dice of the skeleking to be created. A caster cannot create a skeleking whose hit dice are greater than ¾ the level of the caster.
According to legend, the Dark One found a way to steal away the dead from Asgard and bind them into these skeletal frames, and passed this knowledge to his dark armies of the Skyland Hold.
Since the Skyland Hold fell, devils have continued to pass the knowledge on to those wizards and clerics who prove their allegiance to the Dark One.
Skeleking Duke: This skeleking is formed from the body of a fallen warrior of good.
Skeleking Baron: ?
Skeleking Warrior-King: ?
Skulleon: A skulleon is the undead remnants of a drake, orm or dragon brought to life by unknown magical powers. Legends often ascribe them as rising from the remnants of a draconic creature that was slain in battle and its hoard stolen from it.
Skulleons are often ascribed to being remnants of dragons slain during the First Dragon War in Amberos’s past. The draconic remains often linger in desolate areas, killing all that come near.
Skeleton: Those slain by the effects of the skulleon’s bite rise as skeletons under the control of the skulleon, their flesh sliding from their bodies as they are animated.
Redfire Death
Necromancy (Evil, Fire)
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Short (25 ft. +5 ft./2 levels)
Area: 20-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
Casting this spell release a furious ball of flame that detonates with a low roar and deals 1d6 points of fire damage per caster level (maximum 10d6) to every creature within the area. The spell does no damage to objects. The explosion creates no pressure.
Perhaps most insidious about this spell is that any humanoid victim reduced to -10 hit points or less by the spell is immolated by the flame, transforming the slain individual into a redbones (regardless of original form or HD).
You cannot create more HD of redbones than twice your caster level with a single casting of Redfire Death. Any additional corpses slain but not raised by the spell are consumed to ash and cannot be the target of Animate Dead or another casting of Redfire Death.
The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. (You choose which creatures are released.) If you are a cleric, any undead you might command by virtue of your power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.
Material Component: You must possess a ruby worth 125 gp per redbones you animate. The magic of the spell turns the gem into worthless powder.
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Voadam
Legend
Bane Ledger I
Bane Ledger:
3.5
Angiaks: During lean times, tribal peoples are forced to make hard decisions about who can eat and who cannot. Newborn babies that cannot be fed are left to die in the wilderness. Angiaks are the restless souls of these children killed by their fellow clansmen.
The naming of a child imbues it with a spirit. If a child must be sacrificed in this way, avoid naming it and you will be safe from the vengeful angiaks.
Bay-kok: ?
Civatateo: When a woman of royal status dies while giving birth, she sometimes returns from the dead as a fiendish civatateo.
Impundulu: Necromancers create these fell creatures to be both servants and lovers.
Bane Ledger:
3.5
Angiaks: During lean times, tribal peoples are forced to make hard decisions about who can eat and who cannot. Newborn babies that cannot be fed are left to die in the wilderness. Angiaks are the restless souls of these children killed by their fellow clansmen.
The naming of a child imbues it with a spirit. If a child must be sacrificed in this way, avoid naming it and you will be safe from the vengeful angiaks.
Bay-kok: ?
Civatateo: When a woman of royal status dies while giving birth, she sometimes returns from the dead as a fiendish civatateo.
Impundulu: Necromancers create these fell creatures to be both servants and lovers.
Last edited:
Voadam
Legend
Frost and Fur
Frost and Fur:
3.5
Corpse Shroud: In Slavic lands, corpses are wrapped in shrouds and then buried. The spirits that have unfinished business arise at night in graveyards and terrorize the living.
Draugr: It is animated out of sheer jealousy. The draugr misses its old life and envies the living.
Haugbui: The ketta (she-cat) is considered the “mother” of haugbui in the sense that the creature can create such spawn by inhabiting mounds. Haugbui are stirred to undead life by a ketta’s presence.
Mummy Aleutian: The Aleuts have considerable knowledge of human anatomy because they mummify the corpses of important people. They achieve mummification by removing the viscera, washing the body in a cold stream, and stuffing it with oiled sphagnum moss for preservation. The bodies of children are also treated in this way. Mummies are wrapped in sealskins, tightly tied, and laid to rest in caves or even in a special compartment of the family dwelling.
Rusalka: These beautiful longhaired maidens were once girls who drowned, were strangled, committed suicide, or didn’t receive a proper burial.
Ruskaly: Ruskaly are believed to be the unborn souls of children who were not baptized or claimed by a particular religion. Their souls lost and without guidance, they roam the cold forests of Torassia.
Snow Angel: Snow angels are formed from the thrashings of good-aligned creatures that succumb to the cold. The snow around them becomes a mist that is shaped like an angel.
Snow angels haunt places of avalanches, icefalls, and glaciers—where they died and were left without a proper burial. There are many corpses that are lost deep in ice and snow, only a select few create snow angels.
Yek: When a person dies by drowning, he turns into an otter that becomes a werewolf-like creature bent on drowning other humans.
Any humanoid slain by a yek becomes a yek in 1d4 rounds.
Frost and Fur:
3.5
Corpse Shroud: In Slavic lands, corpses are wrapped in shrouds and then buried. The spirits that have unfinished business arise at night in graveyards and terrorize the living.
Draugr: It is animated out of sheer jealousy. The draugr misses its old life and envies the living.
Haugbui: The ketta (she-cat) is considered the “mother” of haugbui in the sense that the creature can create such spawn by inhabiting mounds. Haugbui are stirred to undead life by a ketta’s presence.
Mummy Aleutian: The Aleuts have considerable knowledge of human anatomy because they mummify the corpses of important people. They achieve mummification by removing the viscera, washing the body in a cold stream, and stuffing it with oiled sphagnum moss for preservation. The bodies of children are also treated in this way. Mummies are wrapped in sealskins, tightly tied, and laid to rest in caves or even in a special compartment of the family dwelling.
Rusalka: These beautiful longhaired maidens were once girls who drowned, were strangled, committed suicide, or didn’t receive a proper burial.
Ruskaly: Ruskaly are believed to be the unborn souls of children who were not baptized or claimed by a particular religion. Their souls lost and without guidance, they roam the cold forests of Torassia.
Snow Angel: Snow angels are formed from the thrashings of good-aligned creatures that succumb to the cold. The snow around them becomes a mist that is shaped like an angel.
Snow angels haunt places of avalanches, icefalls, and glaciers—where they died and were left without a proper burial. There are many corpses that are lost deep in ice and snow, only a select few create snow angels.
Yek: When a person dies by drowning, he turns into an otter that becomes a werewolf-like creature bent on drowning other humans.
Any humanoid slain by a yek becomes a yek in 1d4 rounds.
Last edited:
Voadam
Legend
Last edited:
Voadam
Legend
Hallows Eve
Hallows Eve:
3.0
Manumit: these spirits are the remains of petty, worthless men. The tattered souls go abandoned and unwanted, languishing in their graves as they lament their wasted lives. On the night of Hallows Eve however, the barrier between the physical world and the spirit world is at its weakest; and the spirits of the dead are freed to roam the earth.
Hallows Eve:
3.0
Manumit: these spirits are the remains of petty, worthless men. The tattered souls go abandoned and unwanted, languishing in their graves as they lament their wasted lives. On the night of Hallows Eve however, the barrier between the physical world and the spirit world is at its weakest; and the spirits of the dead are freed to roam the earth.
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