This next bunch might spawn several creatures, and all will need to be renamed to avoid confusion with the rusalka in Frostburn.
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The 1999 Club Decathlon, one of the RPGA's programs to get clubs more involved in roleplaying, produced some fine entries in the various game writing categories. In the Best AD&D Monster category, these two versions of the rusalka tied for first place. Use either, or both, in your home campaigns. The rusalka is a creature out of Russian folk lore, and we encourage you to find out more about it at your library or on the web.
Rusalka
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: River banks/Shorelines
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any (Usually at dawn or dusk, or in foggy or cloudy conditions)
DIET: None
INTELLIGENCE: High (13-14)
TREASURE: W (x rusalka's age in years)
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral - Chaotic Evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 0 (8)
MOVEMENNT: 9
HIT DICE: 7
THACO: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 0
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 0
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Embrace, control water
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50%
SIZE: M
MORALE: Champion (15-16)
LEVEL/XP VALUE: 1,000
The rusalka (plural rusalki) is the spirit of a drowning victim, usually a woman, who was murdered. Most rusalki desire revenge on their murderer, and will do all in their power to gain this revenge. This is not always easy since the spirit of the rusalka is tied to the body of water in which it was drowned. If the rusalka is successful in its quest for revenge, it will cease to be bound to the Prime Material plane and will be released to rest in peace. As time passes the rusalka's alignment shifts further and further toward Chaotic Evil. Thus, a recently manifested rusalka will retain some of the memories of its former self, but a rusalka of long standing is a being of almost purely Chaotic Evil whose only thoughts are revenge on the one who put her here. Male rusalki are sometimes called Vodyanik.
Rusalki retain the general appearance they had in life, and anyone who knew them in life should be able to recognize them. They usually appear to be dressed in the clothing they were wearing when drowned, although the colors are washed out to a faded, watery green. They have pale complexions with a greenish tint and long greenishblond to green hair, which may appear to have water plants woven into it.
Combat: All rusalki will attempt to lure their victims to their deaths with siren songs, or tangle the nets of fishermen and overturn their boats, drowning them in a watery embrace. The song ofthe rusalka is enticing, and their forms are beautiful and welcoming, but neither their song nor their appearance have any magical allure. All those seeing a rusalka, except for the murderer, may choose to approach or to avoid them of their own free will. If the murderer of the mortal who has became a rusalka sees the rusalka, he must save vs. spell or be drawn into the rusalka's embrace.
Rusalki become semi-material upon contact with air, assuming human form. They must be in this form to embrace their victims. Rusalki are AC 0 while semi-material. and can only be struck by magical weapons (full damage), or by normal or magical fire (half damage). Rusalki can also be attacked on the Ethereal plane, where they are AC 8. Rusalki can be turned like regular ghosts, but holy water has no effect on them.
Anyone who touches or is touched by the rusalka is subject to its embrace. The rusalka's embrace pulls its victim beneath the water, causing a victim to drown unless a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon is made. The murderer must make this save with a -3 penalty. The victim may be revived if removed from the rusalka's embrace (and from the water) and some means of resuscitation is applied within five rounds of being drowned. Those who successfully avoid the embrace must also make a swimming proficiency check or a strength check to break free. The saving throw vs. breath weapon must be repeated each round until the victim either breaks free, is pulled under, or is released by the rusalka. Rusalki can control water within 10 feet; they can use waves to slow movement to 1/4 normal and increase chances of drowning by 10%.
As soon as the rusalka takes any damage, it will release any embraced victims, disappear back into the water, and reappear again 15 feet further out into the lake. Any who follow will be subject to the control water attack. Those who follow are slowed to 1/4 normal movement. They must also make a swimming proficiency check at -2 each round or be pulled under the water.
When a rusalka's hit points drop to 5% of its total, the rusalka will withdraw to the Ethereal Plane, where it will remain for 1 year gathering enough energy to re-manifest in the Prime Material Plane. If the rusalka is pursued into the Ethereal Plane it can be "killed" there, but the spirit thus released becomes a true, free-ranging ghost, and as such, it will do all in its power to seek out and destroy its original murderer.
Habitat /Society: Rusalki are found in any climate or region capable of sustaining open bodies of water, but seem to be more common in ponds, streams and small lakes of the more temperate climates. Rusalki usually appear within 5 feet of the shoreline, near the spot where they were murdered, but may appear anywhere in "their" body of water. They cannot come onto dry land, but can manifest in water as shallow as 1 inch deep, thus the occasional reports of rusalki who "walk" the shoreline or who sit by the edge of the water.
Ecology: Rusalki do not contribute to the environment in any way. Various coins and items of jewelry can often be found submerged in the shallows or covered with a layer of sediment near places where rusalki are known to appear. These items are all that is left of the rusalka's victims, and as such, increase with the passing of the years.
Lesser Rusalka
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Temperate shores
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Pack
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Constant
DIET: Nil
INTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7)
TREASURE: 0
ALIGNMENT: Neutral Evil
NO. APPEARING: 1-8
ARMOUR CLASS: 8
MOVEMENT: 9, Sw 12
HIT DICE: 3
THAC0: 17
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 (claw/claw/bite)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d3/1d3/1d4+1
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +2 save vs fire
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: M
MORALE: Fanatic (17-18)
XP VALUE: 250
Greater Rusalka
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Temperate shores
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Pack
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Constant
DIET: Nil
INTELLIGENCE: Average (8-10)
TREASURE: Mx2, X
ALIGNMENT: Neutral Evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOUR CLASS: 6
MOVEMENT: 9, Sw 12
HIT DICE: 5
THAC0: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 (claw/claw/bite)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d4/1d4/1d6+1
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +2 save vs fire
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: M
MORALE: Fanatic (17-18)
XP VALUE: 500
Rusalki are female undead who haunt bodies of water in temperate regions. A lesser rusalka is created when a female human or demi-human is drowned by either variety of rusalka. This new rusalka is then under the control of the pack leader (a greater rusalka, or the lesser rusalka with the most hit points). A new rusalka retains the physical characteristics she had in life. For example, an elf would be have a light build and pointed ears, a dwarf would be stout and have a beard. In undeath, the rusalka's skin becomes pale, bloated and slightly scaled. Her most noticeable feature is her eyes, which burn with green fire.
For every pack there is an 80% chance that one of the rusalka will be the greater variety. If a greater rusalka is present, she will always be pack leader. In her true form, a greater rusalka appears much like her lesser companions, but with tougher skin and a more intense fire in her eyes. The true form of a greater rusalka is rarely seen due to a permanent illusion surrounding her. This illusion causes the viewer to see an image of the fairest possible female that his or her mind can concoct, clad in only a robe of mist. True seeing, a gem of seeing, or a robe of eyes will allow the viewer to see the greater rusalka's true form.
Combat: The tactics of the rusalki vary depending on whether or not there is a greater rusalka in the pack. If the pack consists entirely of lesser rusalki, they will hide on land close to the water. There they will wait until someone passes nearby, at which time they will attack. Their first action will be to use their gaze attack on one creature with which they are engaged in melee. They can use their gaze attack once per day, with the effect of ray of enfeeblement as cast by a 3rd level mage. They will then proceed to attack with their sharp nails and teeth.
If a greater rusalka is in the pack, she will lure victims into the water where the others hide in waiting. She does this through the use of an audio illusion, a singing voice so sweet it would put an elven minstrel to shame. This song charms (save vs spell to negate) humanoids into approaching its source from up to 30' away. When they come into view of the greater rusalka, they see her (or rather the illusion) standing at the edge of the water. Those males not already charmed must make another save vs spell, with a -2 penalty, or be charmed as well. If unaffected by the charms, the viewer sees past the illusion and retains free will. Those charmed must follow the greater rusalka into the water. When the victim is waist-deep, the lesser rusalki surface behind the victim and attack. As their first attack, both variety of rusalki will attempt to overbear the closest victims and hold them underwater until they drown. If this fails, they will use their gaze attacks and engage in regular melee. The gaze attack ofthe greater rusalki has the effect of the spell eyebite cast by a 5th level mage using the sicken option. The greater rusalki can use their gaze attack 3 times per day, though multiple uses on the same target have no effect.
If a female human or demihuman drowns in the hands of a rusalka, she will rise as a lesser rusalka in six turns unless a remove curse is cast on the body. If a female dies by means other than drowning, she escapes the horrible fate. The pack leader eats all those who die and do not rise as lesser rusalki, including all males. lesser rusalki can be turned as 5 HD undead. Greater rusalki can be turned as 9 HD undead.
Habitat/Society: Rusalki are organized into packs of lesser rusalki led by a greater rusalka. Should the greater rusalka die, the lesser rusalka with the most hit points takes the role as leader. They all walk onto dry land and await a victim. The first humanoid to have the misfortune of coming across them is attacked. The carcass is then fed to the pack leader. After finishing her meal, the pack leader will begin transforming into a greater rusalka. None but the pack leader is allowed to eat at this strange ritual.
Ecology: No one knows where the rusalki menace came from. The most popular theory is that some girl long ago insulted a god. This god caused the girl to fall into a river and drown. She was then cursed to return as an undead. The girl was horror-stricken and she applied the same punishment to anyone who saw her, thus passing the curse along. Whatever their origins, rusalki are unnatural and are not a part of the natural ecology.
Originally appeared in Polyhedron Gencon Special Edition (1999).
