-
NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
Special Conversion Thread: Moldvay's Undead
- Thread starter Shade
- Start date
- Status
demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
I prefer Shade's higher numbers.
demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
Looks good!
Shade
Monster Junkie
Oriental vampires
The ch'ing shih is a kind of Chinese vampire. Like the vrykolakas, the corpse is actually animated by a sort of demon who preserves the corpse from decay so that it can prey on the living. Unlike the vrykolakas, however, the demon animating the corpse is not entirely alien.
The Chinese believed that a person has two souls: the Hun, or superior soul which is aligned with the spirits of goodness; and the P'o, or inferior soul, which is aligned with the spirits of evil. If a body is not given the proper funeral rites, the P'o can seize control and animate the corpse. A particularly evil person may become a ch'ing shih by purposely separating the two souls. The superior soul can be stored someplace outside the body (much like in the magic jar spell) while the inferior soul is given free reign. When the person dies, he will return from the grave to work evil. This type of ch'ing shih cannot be destroyed until the superior soul is first liberated from whatever physical object it occupies (usually a clay vase). The physical object must be broken to free the superior soul.
G. Willoughby-Meade, in Chinese Ghosts and Goblins, relates a story about four travelers who meet a ch'ing shih. The same story is also told by Pu Sung Ling in the book Liao Chai.
Four travelers arrived late one night to the village of Tsaitien in Shantung province. They were extremely weary, wanting only to sleep for the night. But the village inn was completely filled. After some lengthy discussion and a bit of bribery, the travelers persuaded the innkeeper to find them some indoor sleeping place, out of the foul weather.
The innkeeper reluctantly led the four travelers to the only place available: a small, lonely house a little distance away where, he told the travelers, his daughter-in-law had recently died. In the one-room cottage, behind a heavy curtain, lay the uncoffined body of the woman. While the circumstances were somewhat gruesome, at least the house was warm and dry. The innkeeper gave the travelers straw pallets and blankets which were comfortable enough. Within minutes, three of the four travelers were fast asleep.
A strange sense of evil seemed to oppress the fourth traveler. In spite of his fatigue, fear prevented him from shutting his eyes for some little while. Yet he was so tired that he could not resist long and had just about fallen asleep when he heard an ominous rustling behind the curtain, which sounded as though somebody was stirring very softly.
Cold, with horror, he peered out from half-closed eyes and he distinctly saw a horrible, stealthy hand thrust itself from behind the curtain, which was noiselessly drawn aside. There stood the livid corpse gazing into the room with a baleful glare. It approached softly and, stooping over the three sleepers, seemed to breathe upon their faces.
The man who was awake buried his head under the quilt, horror-stricken. He felt that the corpse was bending over him, but after a few minutes, as he lay in an agony of terror, he heard the same gentle rustling as before. This time the sound, made by the movement of the stiff graveclothes, moved away from him. When he cautiously peeped out he noticed that the corpse had returned to its bier and was stretched out stark and still.
He crept from his place and, not daring to even whisper, shook each of his comrades. But he could not make them move. He then reached for his clothes, but hearing the gentle rustling sound once more, he realized that he had been seen.
In a moment, he flung himself back on the bed and drew the coverlet tightly over his face. A few minutes later he felt the awful creature was standing by his side. However, after looking him over, it seemed to retire again. At length, half mad with fright, the man grabbed some clothes which he threw on and rushed barefoot from the house.
He again heard the corpse stirring, but now it sprang from its bier with a rush of speed. The man was able to bolt and bar the door just as the corpse leaped at it with demoniacal fury, As the man ran at full speed under the light of a waning moon, desperate to put as great a distance between himself and the haunted house as possible, he chanced to glance back and shrieked aloud to see that the corpse was not only following him -- it was hard at his heels and gaining rapidly. In desperation, he fled behind a large willow which grew by the side of the road. As the corpse rushed at him in one direction, he darted rapidly in the other.
Fires burned in the corpse's red eyes as it strove to catch its terrorized prey. Finally, as it suddenly swooped upon him with hideous violence, the traveler swooned and fell senseless to the ground. The corpse missed its aim so that it struck the tree, not the man, with all of its might.
At daybreak, both corpse and man were found. When the corpse was pulled away, it was found that it had embedded its taloned fingers so deeply into the tree that it could not free itself. The traveler, after many months of rest, recovered his health -- but his companions were found lying dead, poisoned by the fetid breath of the ch'ing shih.
The story shows several aspects of the ch'ing shih. It is not especially intelligent but is extremely persistent. It is not a true vampire, as it kills with its poisonous breath, not by draining blood. It attacks with a terrible, berserk fury which temporarily gives it increased strength.
A ch'ing shih can normally be destroyed by physical attacks. If the superior soul is, however, hidden in some magic container, then the creature will continue coming back to life to stalk its attackers. Normal means of destruction only temporarily destroy the body. Even if it is cremated and the ashes are scattered, the ch'ing shih will regenerate a new body after a day or so and return to the attack. If all else fails, it will take possession of some other corpse. If the magic container holding the superior soul is broken, then the ch'ing shih will return no longer. Whether or not a particular ch'ing shih is the type that has a hidden superior soul is, of course, left to the DM.
CH'ING SHIH
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-8
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVE: 12" (15" when berserk)
HIT DICE: 7
% IN LAIR: 10%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 (2 with breath)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poisonous breath, berserk attack
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT! Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
The main attack of the ch'ing shih is its poisonous breath, which can affect any one person within 10' of the creature. At the same time, the ch'ing shih can physically attack, doing 2-12 hp damage with a clawed hand.
During its berserk attack, which may be used once per night for 3-12 melee rounds, the ch'ing shih's strength is considered to be 18/00 (adding +3 to hit and +6 to damage with its claws), although the creature's normal strength is15.
A cleric has the same chance to turn a ch'ing shih as he would a spectre. An exorcism spell can also drive out the evil P'o animating the corpse, returning the corpse to its formerly inactive state.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #126 (1987).
The ch'ing shih is a kind of Chinese vampire. Like the vrykolakas, the corpse is actually animated by a sort of demon who preserves the corpse from decay so that it can prey on the living. Unlike the vrykolakas, however, the demon animating the corpse is not entirely alien.
The Chinese believed that a person has two souls: the Hun, or superior soul which is aligned with the spirits of goodness; and the P'o, or inferior soul, which is aligned with the spirits of evil. If a body is not given the proper funeral rites, the P'o can seize control and animate the corpse. A particularly evil person may become a ch'ing shih by purposely separating the two souls. The superior soul can be stored someplace outside the body (much like in the magic jar spell) while the inferior soul is given free reign. When the person dies, he will return from the grave to work evil. This type of ch'ing shih cannot be destroyed until the superior soul is first liberated from whatever physical object it occupies (usually a clay vase). The physical object must be broken to free the superior soul.
G. Willoughby-Meade, in Chinese Ghosts and Goblins, relates a story about four travelers who meet a ch'ing shih. The same story is also told by Pu Sung Ling in the book Liao Chai.
Four travelers arrived late one night to the village of Tsaitien in Shantung province. They were extremely weary, wanting only to sleep for the night. But the village inn was completely filled. After some lengthy discussion and a bit of bribery, the travelers persuaded the innkeeper to find them some indoor sleeping place, out of the foul weather.
The innkeeper reluctantly led the four travelers to the only place available: a small, lonely house a little distance away where, he told the travelers, his daughter-in-law had recently died. In the one-room cottage, behind a heavy curtain, lay the uncoffined body of the woman. While the circumstances were somewhat gruesome, at least the house was warm and dry. The innkeeper gave the travelers straw pallets and blankets which were comfortable enough. Within minutes, three of the four travelers were fast asleep.
A strange sense of evil seemed to oppress the fourth traveler. In spite of his fatigue, fear prevented him from shutting his eyes for some little while. Yet he was so tired that he could not resist long and had just about fallen asleep when he heard an ominous rustling behind the curtain, which sounded as though somebody was stirring very softly.
Cold, with horror, he peered out from half-closed eyes and he distinctly saw a horrible, stealthy hand thrust itself from behind the curtain, which was noiselessly drawn aside. There stood the livid corpse gazing into the room with a baleful glare. It approached softly and, stooping over the three sleepers, seemed to breathe upon their faces.
The man who was awake buried his head under the quilt, horror-stricken. He felt that the corpse was bending over him, but after a few minutes, as he lay in an agony of terror, he heard the same gentle rustling as before. This time the sound, made by the movement of the stiff graveclothes, moved away from him. When he cautiously peeped out he noticed that the corpse had returned to its bier and was stretched out stark and still.
He crept from his place and, not daring to even whisper, shook each of his comrades. But he could not make them move. He then reached for his clothes, but hearing the gentle rustling sound once more, he realized that he had been seen.
In a moment, he flung himself back on the bed and drew the coverlet tightly over his face. A few minutes later he felt the awful creature was standing by his side. However, after looking him over, it seemed to retire again. At length, half mad with fright, the man grabbed some clothes which he threw on and rushed barefoot from the house.
He again heard the corpse stirring, but now it sprang from its bier with a rush of speed. The man was able to bolt and bar the door just as the corpse leaped at it with demoniacal fury, As the man ran at full speed under the light of a waning moon, desperate to put as great a distance between himself and the haunted house as possible, he chanced to glance back and shrieked aloud to see that the corpse was not only following him -- it was hard at his heels and gaining rapidly. In desperation, he fled behind a large willow which grew by the side of the road. As the corpse rushed at him in one direction, he darted rapidly in the other.
Fires burned in the corpse's red eyes as it strove to catch its terrorized prey. Finally, as it suddenly swooped upon him with hideous violence, the traveler swooned and fell senseless to the ground. The corpse missed its aim so that it struck the tree, not the man, with all of its might.
At daybreak, both corpse and man were found. When the corpse was pulled away, it was found that it had embedded its taloned fingers so deeply into the tree that it could not free itself. The traveler, after many months of rest, recovered his health -- but his companions were found lying dead, poisoned by the fetid breath of the ch'ing shih.
The story shows several aspects of the ch'ing shih. It is not especially intelligent but is extremely persistent. It is not a true vampire, as it kills with its poisonous breath, not by draining blood. It attacks with a terrible, berserk fury which temporarily gives it increased strength.
A ch'ing shih can normally be destroyed by physical attacks. If the superior soul is, however, hidden in some magic container, then the creature will continue coming back to life to stalk its attackers. Normal means of destruction only temporarily destroy the body. Even if it is cremated and the ashes are scattered, the ch'ing shih will regenerate a new body after a day or so and return to the attack. If all else fails, it will take possession of some other corpse. If the magic container holding the superior soul is broken, then the ch'ing shih will return no longer. Whether or not a particular ch'ing shih is the type that has a hidden superior soul is, of course, left to the DM.
CH'ING SHIH
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-8
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVE: 12" (15" when berserk)
HIT DICE: 7
% IN LAIR: 10%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 (2 with breath)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poisonous breath, berserk attack
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT! Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
The main attack of the ch'ing shih is its poisonous breath, which can affect any one person within 10' of the creature. At the same time, the ch'ing shih can physically attack, doing 2-12 hp damage with a clawed hand.
During its berserk attack, which may be used once per night for 3-12 melee rounds, the ch'ing shih's strength is considered to be 18/00 (adding +3 to hit and +6 to damage with its claws), although the creature's normal strength is15.
A cleric has the same chance to turn a ch'ing shih as he would a spectre. An exorcism spell can also drive out the evil P'o animating the corpse, returning the corpse to its formerly inactive state.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #126 (1987).
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
A few interesting things here.
The poisonous breath almost seems to be a ranged attack ("can affect any one person within 10' of the creature"), but cloth seems to stop it according to the story.
One (or two if we feel like it) claw attack.
A rage ability, maybe like barbarian.
+2 turn resistance, like a spectre.
A variant with something that functions essentially like a phylactery.
Most of the original text reads like a monster, but I could see a template for the people who want to turn themselves into one. Opinions?
The poisonous breath almost seems to be a ranged attack ("can affect any one person within 10' of the creature"), but cloth seems to stop it according to the story.
One (or two if we feel like it) claw attack.
A rage ability, maybe like barbarian.
+2 turn resistance, like a spectre.
A variant with something that functions essentially like a phylactery.
Most of the original text reads like a monster, but I could see a template for the people who want to turn themselves into one. Opinions?
Shade
Monster Junkie
True, although that seems odd. A 10-foot cone seems more appropriate, doesn't it?
It could be an inhaled poison, but even those don't appear to be stopped by clothing.
I'd go with two.
Probably similar, but make it Cha-based for duration.
Agreed.
Agreed again.
I think most undead lend themselves better towards templates. Heck, most of the ones in the monster manual were later templated in other sources.
demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
Make it contact poison. If the man in the tale was completely covered, the poison would hit the cloth, not him, so he'd be unaffected. The entry doesn't actually say what the poison does... Con damage? Paralysis?
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
That's an idea, a 10 ft cone of contact poison. Since the 3 victims in the tale die, I'd say some reasonable amount of Con damage. Maybe 1d6 Con, 1d6 Con? Or start lower and give 1d6/1d6 to the variant with the phylactery?
- Status
Similar Threads
