Why don't spawning undead take over the world?
I'm A Banana
Potassium-Rich
So you turn them into mummies?
Numion
First Post
I don't think one should make his game world subject to these kind of rules very strictly. There may well be a non-rules related reason for the shadows (or whatnot) not overrunning the world.
If you blindly stick to the rules your world will be mostly extinct in a generation or so anyway, because nowhere in the rules does it say how and if the normal races procreate
If you blindly stick to the rules your world will be mostly extinct in a generation or so anyway, because nowhere in the rules does it say how and if the normal races procreate
s/LaSH
First Post
Numion said:If you blindly stick to the rules your world will be mostly extinct in a generation or so anyway, because nowhere in the rules does it say how and if the normal races procreate
Didn't someone come out with rules for those a while ago...?
Anyway, that aside, I see no reason not to have a Mighty Undead Blight sweeping the landscape. These things aren't natural; they're not supposed to be part of an ecosystem. They didn't evolve alongside other species and find a niche.
The only tricky part here is that it demands the undead appeared very recently, or were almost completely obliterated time and time again in the past. Then again, that's not so difficult; putting monsters and goblin hordes into an ecology can benefit from the same 'yesterday' effect if you've wondered why they haven't taken over the world yet. It also makes it easier to wipe out the monsters without worrying about destroying the ecosystem, because they ain't supposed to be there.
In this case, tomorrow really is uncertain. The world is in peril. Things have changed. Will they ever be the same again?
Cheiromancer
Adventurer
A wraith trapped inside a magic item was released by the party last night, and the cleric turned it. Since the party was in the middle of the city of Scornubel, I had to think if it would go on a rampage of minion creation.
My thoughts:
1. Undead are not driven to reproduce their kind. That is reserved for living things. (Who seem to take great pleasure in initiating the process of reproduction...)
2. Undead *do* hate the living, and will attack them on sight; but will really only fight to the death if their lair is invaded.
So I decided that the wraith would wander about, draining life from the city folk, but not enough to slay them. But keeping an eye open for a lair. The party tracked it down (the wizard's raven familiar was keeping an eye on it- lucky thing it glowed), and it only slew a citizen to get a quick cohort to help in the fight.
What made it easy was that a wraith doesn't kill with one touch. Wights would be more problematic, but even then #1 would take priority.
My thoughts:
1. Undead are not driven to reproduce their kind. That is reserved for living things. (Who seem to take great pleasure in initiating the process of reproduction...)
2. Undead *do* hate the living, and will attack them on sight; but will really only fight to the death if their lair is invaded.
So I decided that the wraith would wander about, draining life from the city folk, but not enough to slay them. But keeping an eye open for a lair. The party tracked it down (the wizard's raven familiar was keeping an eye on it- lucky thing it glowed), and it only slew a citizen to get a quick cohort to help in the fight.
What made it easy was that a wraith doesn't kill with one touch. Wights would be more problematic, but even then #1 would take priority.
