A bit of (undead) help...

[Niccodaemus]

I would make him a Lich. His life force has been stolen against his will, but in other aspects he is "lich" like. You could limit his power, but his life force could be trapped in a gem or something that she keeps hidden, knowing it gives her power over him, but also that keeping it safe keeps him safe as well.

 

[Quickleaf]

Well, the ultimate "cold storage classics" are Vampire and Mummy, but you excluded Vampire and the culture doesn't seem right for Mummy. Of course, if you're going for comedy, it's hard to beat a Mummy Bard!

Maybe you can just make him a Ghost who has the ability to magically animate his own body to look like he's still corporeal...

Ghost kind of makes sense. Later on the PC may visit a miniature domain of dread where the three cursed loves of this sibyl NPC are bound as ghosts. So there will be ghosts aplenty later on.

I would make him a Lich. His life force has been stolen against his will, but in other aspects he is "lich" like. You could limit his power, but his life force could be trapped in a gem or something that she keeps hidden, knowing it gives her power over him, but also that keeping it safe keeps him safe as well.

How is he lich-like? I'm not following.

 

[gamerprinter]

Ghost kind of makes sense. Later on the PC may visit a miniature domain of dread where the three cursed loves of this sibyl NPC are bound as ghosts. So there will be ghosts aplenty later on.


How is he lich-like? I'm not following.

I agree with ghost too.

But, make him a lich, is also a possibility. Back in 2e Ravenloft liches could be any spell casting class: cleric, bard, psionicit, wizard... so the precedence is there, just tweak the existing lich to accomodate bards, put his soul into a masterwork musical instrument to represent his phylactery, and play him as a lich. A lich isn't really 'cold storage', but as a possible undead version of the bard, it works.

If he was an especially combative bard, he could even be a deathknight (graveknight in PF).

 

[Niccodaemus]

Ghost kind of makes sense. Later on the PC may visit a miniature domain of dread where the three cursed loves of this sibyl NPC are bound as ghosts. So there will be ghosts aplenty later on.


How is he lich-like? I'm not following.

There aren't too many undead spell casters. He can use all the spells he knew in life.
Plus, in d20 he radiates fear, and gets +8 to hide, listen, move silently among others. I'd say a lich is a pretty cool choice.

 

[S'mon]

It seems to me he should still have his in-life stat block with an undead template applied - immune to sleep/charm, turnable by Clerics, maybe an energy-drain attack etc.

 

[gamerprinter]

I almost never use undead that are not templates. Our party is at 10th level. All of our undead have class levels, none are just undead monsters, and are just as often spell casters as any other class. You can almost count on one undead opponent being a caster, every time.

 

[Viking Bastard]

Sounds like a norse ghost. They're like ghosts, except they're not incorporeal since the norse had no concept of the separation of body and mind/soul.

Draugr - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also: Yoink!

 

[gamerprinter]

Sounds like a norse ghost. They're like ghosts, except they're not incorporeal since the norse had no concept of the separation of body and mind/soul.

Draugr - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also: Yoink!

In old Japan, all undead are ghosts, except for a few types of ghoul. And most ghosts are not incorporeal, at least not so in Japan. I don't rely on the Bestiary definition of ghost, as the only kind. In fact, many ghosts in Japan don't even look dead, as they are intentionally tricking you into thinking they are alive.

 

[Viking Bastard]

In old Japan, all undead are ghosts, except for a few types of ghoul. And most ghosts are not incorporeal, at least not so in Japan. I don't rely on the Bestiary definition of ghost, as the only kind. In fact, many ghosts in Japan don't even look dead, as they are intentionally tricking you into thinking they are alive.

I'm sure that's true of a lot of folk lore around the world, but my expertise is mostly limited to norse and celtic mythology. (My post wasn't directed at yours, but the OP.)

 

[gamerprinter]

I'm sure that's true of a lot of folk lore around the world, but my expertise is mostly limited to norse and celtic mythology. (My post wasn't directed at yours, but the OP.)

I know.

I was just pointing out that Japan has similar beliefs as the one you pointed out of Icelandic lore.

And I'm expecting the OP to read all of this...