[Dragonstar]Status of Unintelligent Undead

[Tetsubo]

While zombies and skeletons wouldn't be considered "trained" they would have a technical knowledge base. If you told a zombie to, "Pick up the hammer", they would know what a hammer was. So they would have some base understanding. They wouldn't be hacking code mind you but they could work in a factory environment. Take my word for it. I work in a factory (auto transmission seals). It doesn't take a lot to do most of the jobs. And seeing as a zombie won't talk back, argue, have bad days, get sick or "play" dumb they might make perfect factory workers. The Amazing Engine game Magi-Tech touched on this.

 

[hong]

That sounds like a woderfully morbid idea and just the sooooo in the Dragonstar spirit.

*yoink*

If you're blue and you don't know
Where to go to, why don't you go
Where fashion sits?

*snap snap*

Puttin' on the ritz!

Different types who wear a day coast
Pants with stripes and cutaway coat
Perfect fits

*snap snap*

Puttin' on the ritz!

 

[jaerdaph]

*snap snap*

Puttin' on the ritz!

Hee

Now that was classic

 

[paqman]

Skeleton with computer brain

IMC, my players are already familiar with the Computer controled Skeletons. I have introduced them in the second gaming session and they were rather surprised by this, but it was a good surprise.

The Skeletons are remotely controled by an AI that did not have access to factories, to build robots, but had access to a lot of cadavers. He made a pact with a mage who made the animated skeletons and together they devised a Magitek device that would interface with the functionalities of the skeletons. They became effective remotes for the AI, they are painted and equiped according to their functions and the AI delegated some sub function of is Coputerized power to manage them, so with a small speaker in the head of the skeleton, it is possible to interact with them like if they were interacting with a robot.

 

[SteveMND]

"I dunno. I've always thought that properly polished and engraved skeletons would be rather elegant servants."

Sure! Don't forget, smelly, nasty rotting zombies and walking corpses aren't necessarily any more pleasing to be around for a Necromancer than any other fellow. Morticians and coroners may work with dead bodies all day long, but that doesn't mean they want to spend all their free time around them either!

"Rotting zombie" type undead would normally be left that way for one of two reasons -- either because it's not worth it to bother cleaning them up (leaving them to guard some remote tomb? Who cares about appearances?), or because you want them to retain a more fearsome appearance (and let's face it, a shambling skeleton with rotting strips of flesh connected to it's crusted bones is scarier and more intimidating that one that's been carefully cleaned and polsihed).

If undead are used anywhere where they will be consistently interacting with either regular people or delicate machinery, you can bet they'll be cleaned up and or well-preserved.

This thread reminds me of one of my favorite 2nd ed. PCs -- he was a necromancer who took considerable pride in his craft. Each skeleton was carefully and lovingly cleaned, stained, lacquered and polished before being animated, their bodies adorned with fine brass fittings.

Of course, there's also the soulmech necromancer that I'm going to be playing soon, who animated his own corpse to serve him.

Steve M

 

[Hand of Evil]

Much like Beholder's idea...

After read Simon Green's Deathstaker books, I have been working on an AI controlled undead. In the books a central processor releases nano tech, which reanimates the dead. The processor controls the actions.

I feel this could easily be done in DragonStar.