Undead Origins

[Voadam]

Bigger Bads for 5th Edition D&D
5e
Undead: ?

 

[Voadam]

Cosy Wilds (5E Compatible)
5e
Undead: ?
Ghost, Sorrowful Soul: ?
Lonely Ghost, Lonely Spirit: ?
Ghost Rat: ?
Lich, Skeletal Figure, Undead Wizard, Good Mother: ?
Mummy: ?
Shadow, Shadowy Figure: ?
Warhorse Skeleton, Skittish Skeletal Steed, Unicorn Skeleton: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Will-o'-Wisp, Bright Light: ?
Zombie: They are also attacked by a zombie-the corpse of the horse's rider reanimated through dark magic.
The undead wizard and this family she has raised are simply out for a stroll.
Zombie, Corpse of the Horse's Rider: ?
Zombie, Small Zombie: ?

 

[Voadam]

Cry Havoc! (The Dogs of Orcus)
5e
Bloody Skeletal Dire Tiger: ?
Lich Shade: Lich shades are evil creatures who attempted to achieve lichdom but failed for whatever reason. The creature is not destroyed, nor does it become a lich, it becomes something in between — something in between mortal life and eternal unlife.
Bloody Skeletal Dire Tiger, Ferocious Bloody Skeletal Dire Tiger, Undead Mount: ?
Livonia Tols, Lich Shade: One of the Dogs of Orcus’ most unusual members, Livonia is a lich shade raised to undeath by Orcus himself.
An aging wizardess facing death, Livonia Tols — like so many others before her — sought to cheat death, surviving through the ages as an undead lich. Also like many others, Livonia failed in her quest for undeath, instead poisoning herself. As she lay dying, a vision of Orcus appeared before her, offering her the undead immortality she desired, so long as she swore to serve the demon prince. She eagerly agreed and rose as a lich shade, free to act as she wished so long as she advanced the agenda of her demonic master.
Beskevar, Flameskull: Beskevar was Livonia’s lover more than 80 years ago. In life, his adoration was without measure. Even though she never returned his love to the same degree — ignoring him for long periods, shamelessly pursuing other lovers, and sharing his company only when she had no other alternatives — Beskevar’s devotion never wavered. He worked most of his life as her obedient menial. So great was his love that he joined her in death but was raised as a flameskull so that he could continue to serve her — a cruel joke that Orcus found hilarious.
Undead, Undead Creature: ?
Undead Mount: ?
Shambling Undead: ?
Undead Bulette: Recently, Durax killed a mated pair of bulettes who settled near his home in the Stonehearts. Not one to let useful material go to waste, Durax hollowed out cavities behind the creatures’ crests. He then animated the beasts to serve as his personal modes of transport.
Evasheen, Ghost: A wealthy Bargarsport merchant, Occan sought to increase his wealth by studying necromancy and associating with the cult of Orcus — and for a time he succeeded. Unfortunately, his actions and increasing devotion to the demon estranged Occan from his wife Evasheen, who began an affair with one of her husband’s business rivals. Enraged when he learned of the affair, Occan poisoned Evasheen and her lover, then raised both as zombies.
What Occan had not anticipated was the depth of his wife’s rage, as she returned as a ghost inhabiting her own animated corpse.
Lich, Undead Lich: ?
Gunnvor, Skeletal Fire Giant, Akruel's Former General: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: Instead of a hive, his bees nest within the bodies of zombies Tomrit keeps chained within his barn (Tomrit never liked his neighbors but found a use for them after poisoning them). The bees feed on the corrupted flesh, but this mutated them into a strain with a lethal sting that turns their victims into zombies upon their deaths.
One such plan involves a flock of eight giant vultures Ismel trained to lift 10-foot-square wooden baskets packed with zombies animated by his friend Azafand.
Evasheen, Zombie, Reanimated Corpse: A wealthy Bargarsport merchant, Occan sought to increase his wealth by studying necromancy and associating with the cult of Orcus — and for a time he succeeded. Unfortunately, his actions and increasing devotion to the demon estranged Occan from his wife Evasheen, who began an affair with one of her husband’s business rivals. Enraged when he learned of the affair, Occan poisoned Evasheen and her lover, then raised both as zombies.

Swords & Wizardry
Bloody Skeletal Dire Tiger: ?
Lich Shade: Lich shades attempted to achieve lichdom but failed.
Bloody Skeletal Dire Tiger, Undead Sabre-Toothed Tiger That Drips Blood: ?
Bloody Skeletal Dire Tiger, Ferocious Bloody Skeletal Dire Tiger, Undead Mount: ?
Lich Shade, Rotting Skeletal Humanoid: ?
Livonia Tols, Lich Shade: One of the Dogs of Orcus’ most unusual members, Livonia is a lich shade raised to undeath by Orcus himself.
An aging wizardess facing death, Livonia Tols — like so many others before her — sought to cheat death, surviving through the ages as an undead lich. Also like many others, Livonia failed in her quest for undeath, instead poisoning herself. As she lay dying, a vision of Orcus appeared before her, offering her the undead immortality she desired, so long as she swore to serve the demon prince. She eagerly agreed and rose as a lich shade, free to act as she wished so long as she advanced the agenda of her demonic master.
Beskevar, Flying Flaming Skull, Flameskull: Beskevar was Livonia’s lover more than 80 years ago. In life, his adoration was without measure. Even though she never returned his love to the same degree — ignoring him for long periods, shamelessly pursuing other lovers, and sharing his company only when she had no other alternatives — Beskevar’s devotion never wavered. He worked most of his life as her obedient menial. So great was his love that he joined her in death but was raised as a flameskull so that he could continue to serve her — a cruel joke that Orcus found hilarious.
Undead, Undead Creature: ?
Undead Mount: ?
Shambling Undead: ?
Undead Bulette: Recently, Durax killed a mated pair of bulettes who settled near his home in the Stonehearts. Not one to let useful material go to waste, Durax hollowed out cavities behind the creatures’ crests. He then animated the beasts to serve as his personal modes of transport.
Evasheen, Ghost: A wealthy Bargarsport merchant, Occan sought to increase his wealth by studying necromancy and associating with the cult of Orcus — and for a time he succeeded. Unfortunately, his actions and increasing devotion to the demon estranged Occan from his wife Evasheen, who began an affair with one of her husband’s business rivals. Enraged when he learned of the affair, Occan poisoned Evasheen and her lover, then raised both as zombies.
What Occan had not anticipated was the depth of his wife’s rage, as she returned as a ghost inhabiting her own animated corpse.
Lich, Undead Lich: ?
Gunnvor, Skeletal Fire Giant, Akruel's Former General: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: Instead of a hive, his bees nest within the bodies of zombies Tomrit keeps chained within his barn (Tomrit never liked his neighbors but found a use for them after poisoning them). The bees feed on the corrupted flesh, but this mutated them into a strain with a lethal sting that turns their victims into zombies upon their deaths.
One such plan involves a flock of eight giant vultures Ismel trained to lift 10-foot-square wooden baskets packed with zombies animated by his friend Azafand.
Evasheen, Zombie, Reanimated Corpse: A wealthy Bargarsport merchant, Occan sought to increase his wealth by studying necromancy and associating with the cult of Orcus — and for a time he succeeded. Unfortunately, his actions and increasing devotion to the demon estranged Occan from his wife Evasheen, who began an affair with one of her husband’s business rivals. Enraged when he learned of the affair, Occan poisoned Evasheen and her lover, then raised both as zombies.

 

[Voadam]

Cults of Sundara (5E)
5e
Undead, Undead Creature: ?

 

[Voadam]

Everyday Heroes
5e
Vampire: ?
Vampire Fledgling: ?
Vampire Experienced: ?
Vampire Experienced Hypnotic: ?
Vampire Ancient: ?
Vampire Ancient Count: ?
Zombie, The Living Dead: Infected by an undead virus, these risen dead seek only to devour the living and pass on their terrible sickness.
Zombie Virus disease.
Zombie Runner: ?
Zombie Bloater: ?
Zombie Dog: ?
Zombie Licker: ?
Zombie Elite Warrior: This zombie has been modified and conditioned by some shadowy organization to be the perfect killing machine.
Reanimated Skeleton: Dusty bones reanimated through foul necromancy.
Ghoul: ?
Mummy: ?
Mummy Lord: ?
Vampire, Once-Human Being That Feeds on the Blood of the Living, Fiendish Horror, Supernatural Enemy: ?
Vampire Fledgling, Simple Being: ?
Zombie, Risen Dead, Fiendish Horror, Supernatural Enemy: ?
Zombie Bloater, Horrible Bloated Zombie: ?
Zombie Licker, Mutated Zombie: ?
Zombie Elite Warrior, Perfect Killing Machine: ?
Ghoul, Unliving Nightmare That Feeds on Corpses: ?
Mummy, Guardian of a Long-Lost Tomb: ?
Mummy Lord, Being of Great Power: ?
Ghost: ?

Zombie Virus
Mode of Transmission. Bodily fluid transfer, specifically saliva to blood via a bite from a host.
Infection Rate. Highly infectious, DC 20
Onset Time. Bruising and necrosis in the bite area is evident after 3 minutes. Sickness sets in after 1 hour. Onset time is 6d6 hours to full infection.
Symptoms. The victim is Sickened after 1 hour and until full infection. The victim appears pale, shows signs of skin necrosis at the wound site, and becomes feverish. They may suffer tactile hallucinations of itching and crawling skin. The victim’s eyes become bloodshot. Full infection results in extensive internal necrosis and brain death. The victim becomes a zombie and aggressively attacks living organisms with the goal of biting them and consuming their flesh and blood.
Treatment. There is no known treatment for the zombie virus, but rare victims do fight off the disease. The victim may make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw each 6 hours until full infection. First aid cannot help the victim with this saving throw.
Note. To lessen the danger of the zombie virus for play, lower the save DC to 15 or even 10.

 

[Voadam]

Monstrous Personas
5e
Mohrg: Nasty creatures, focused solely on the destruction of life, morghs are made when a particularly vile and murderous person dies and is affected by necromantic energies. I suspect that the rage they felt in life which caused them to lash out at others could not be quelled by death itself.
Mohrg, Strange Undead Gifted With an Amount of Intelligence and Reasoning That is Comparable to a Humanoid Yet the Self Control of a Wild Beast, Nasty Creature: ?
Undead, Undead Creature: When such creatures die, they leave their spirits behind. It is important to differentiate the spirit from the soul. The soul will travel on to the afterlife while the spirit will stay behind and inhabit the land. This is why you will find undead roaming the land, despite their souls having gone to Heaven or Hell or wherever else they belong. Their spirits took physical form and terrorize others.
Banshee: ?
Banshee, Vengeful Undead: ?
Flameskull: ?
Lich: ?
Shadow: “I’ll be honest with you. I don’t entirely know what shadows are. There are legends about them being embodiments of the Shadow Plane given life. That they are nothing more than the mix of light and darkness somehow given life by a wandering soul. All rumors, of course. No one is truly sure but everyone has a theory”
Shadow, Lurker in the Darkness: ?
Specter: Animancer Wraith Bond Level 2 power.
Wraith: ?
Wraith: ?

Bond Level 2: You gain the ability to use a recently slain humanoid’s life force to serve you. As a reaction when you slay a humanoid creature, or as an action targeting a humanoid that has been dead for no more than 1 minute you raise them as a specter using its default stats. The specter can be commanded as a bonus action, and follows your commands for up to a minute, at which point it dissipates. Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

 

[Voadam]

The Crow
5e
Reborn: [H]eroes returned to life and tasked with quests by one of the spirits of death.
The general term for a human brought back to life by a spirit of death.
This book includes two new classes that you can use in The Crow or any of your other adventures. The first is the Reborn, a Wise Hero that allows you to play a character that has come back from the dead, returned by a crow spirit, or one of seven other spirits of death.
You are not truly alive, yet you walk the world once more. You have been returned to the world of the living by a spirit of death to fulfill a purpose, right a wrong, or take your vengeance. This spirit accompanies you on your quest, granting you its gifts to accomplish your task. Only when your mission is complete can you finally rest.
You were returned to the world of the living by a spirit of death to right a wrong or complete an unfinished task.
Butterfly spirits are most drawn to souls that cannot move on because of a relationship that the soul is responsible for destroying. They prefer to redeem lost souls, but they sometimes also choose those whose relationships have fallen apart for other reasons, or those souls who cannot rest because of the ruined relationship of their friends or family.
You may have broken a lover’s heart or never reconciled with your parents, torn apart a family or broken up true love. You might have watched your best friend throw away a perfect romance or seen your support group dissolve, unable to reunite without your influence.
Cat spirits create Reborn from the souls of the exploited; those from which something has been taken. They are the most likely type among the spirits of death to choose souls that are unaware of the injustice done to them, who perhaps could have gone to their final rest if not for this intervention.
You may have been sick, disabled, old, or a child. You might have lost control of your life to an abusive partner or family member, or you fell victim of terrible fraud. Or perhaps it is your death that has been exploited; inheritance stolen, or your likeness used to promote evil. Whatever the case, someone has taken advantage of you, whether you know it or not.
Crow spirits choose to create Reborn from the souls of those that cannot pass because of the sadness they feel for the harm done to those they love. Such a soul may well carry its own pain, but the pain of its loved ones is what keeps it from moving on.
Most likely, you died side-by-side with someone you love, witnessing their death as well as your own. But you may also have died elsewhere, unable to prevent the suffering of someone close to you.
Mastiff spirits choose the souls of protectors who cannot pass on because of the worry they have for whoever it is they protected in life, especially those that died protecting their charges.
You might be an older sibling, a community leader, a teacher, a doctor, or someone else that takes care of others, or you might simply be someone that feels a deep responsibility toward those around you.
Moth spirits are drawn to seers and psychics, but they create Reborn from anyone who cannot rest because of their fear of the future, whether that fear is properly placed or not.
You might have been a seer in life, gifted—or cursed—with visions of a terrible future, or perhaps you learned too much and were “taken care of” for it. You might have been an outspoken scientist or safety inspector whose knowledge has been discounted. Or you might be a conspiracy theorist whose theories were all wrong; all you wanted was to save people from disaster, even if the disaster the spirit has chosen you for is different from what you envisioned.
Simply put, owl spirits choose heroes. Those that have a true, altruistic desire to help others that was not fulfilled in life. Most often, these are souls that failed in some way and carry a need to redeem themselves, but they may simply be souls with a never-ending need to do good.
You might have been a firefighter, an EMT, or an activist in life, dedicating your professional life to helping others, but you may also have simply been a good person who always did what they could to help. Or perhaps you were a vigilante, providing justice when the law would not, or could not.
Snake spirits choose souls that cannot find rest because they have been betrayed, abused, or violently murdered and seethe with rage because of it. Most often these souls desire revenge against those that killed them, but some who have died of other causes wish to bring ruin to their abusers or others who have wronged them.
You may simply be someone who was murdered in a particularly brutal, violent manner, your tortured spirit now unable to move on. Or perhaps you were a victim for a much longer time, your anger and hatred building and building until your death did nothing to abate it. Whatever the case, you need someone to pay, and pay dearly.
A spider spirit chooses souls who remain trapped between worlds by the web of fate. Most often these are the souls of those who have been cut down by supernatural forces that play at denying fate, but some simply still have a part to play in the mysterious, intricate plans of destiny.
Whether or not you know it, you had a destiny, and it did not come to pass. You shouldn’t have died, and yet you did, leaving you with a great feeling of unfulfillment. You might have been someone of great significance whose actions could change the world, or you could be a nobody, whose life was seemingly insignificant, but the part you had to play was anything but.
Not all Reborn return as physical bodies or reanimated. Carl’s notes reveal multiple times that the children were, in fact, ghosts who needed his help.
Eric Draven, Reborn 9: When local crime boss Top Dollar wanted to relocate the tenants of their apartment building as part of a plan to start a massive fire, Shelly organized the tenants against him. Top Dollar sent a gang in his employ to beat and torture her into giving up, but when Eric returned home, things escalated, and the gang killed the couple.
One year later, Eric was revived as a Reborn to take out the gang one-by-one.
Ashe Corbin, Reborn 5: In life, Ashe was an auto mechanic with a penchant for sleight of hand magic. But after he and his son Danny were killed for being witnesses to a murder, Ashe was returned to life by a crow spirit.
Omen of Disaster, Reborn 5: Some people have a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time—you wrote the manual. Life was never kind to you, but you made your way through an oblivious world, watching the pieces fall. The late-night scene after bars closed down was your stomping ground. A chance to see cities for what they really were. Then you saw something you shouldn’t. Something that connected to a larger conspiracy—and you never got a chance to tell your story. Neither did anyone associated with you, or your neighbors as the Professional did their job. The moth saw the larger picture the other spirits ignored and yanked your soul back from hell allowing you the chance to obtain your final answers—just what did you see?
You were returned to the world of the living by a spirit of death to right a wrong or complete an unfinished task.
Omen of Vengeance, Reborn 5: Life in your city was perfect. You enjoyed a great professional career, a partner or two when desired, and had a debt-free existence—a rarity in the world. Even if your family dabbled in secret societies and occult practices to pave a golden road, you didn’t mind. Floating above the muck and grime that was upon the news, you were blissfully unaware that you made the perfect patsy for a frame job. All it took was a simple fix by corrupt cops to tear everything down and blame you for murder. No amount of money saved you from the legal system. How or where you died, only you know the truth, but it doesn’t change the burning hatred in your heart for the Dishonorable. They were the ones responsible for destroying your life, and you can not rest until they have looked into your eyes once more.
You were returned to the world of the living by a spirit of death to right a wrong or complete an unfinished task.
Omen of Love, Reborn 5: Starving artists tend to put their passion before practicality. You spent your life perfecting your art by day and courting paramours in an inspiring nightlife. Sleep was something you’ve long forsaken. Each relationship you had burned brightly and exploded like a barrel of nitroglycerin, and each one was fuel for your art. Until, one-by-one, your muses and paramours started getting murdered. You never saw your killer’s face until it was too late. Obsessed with you as an icon, the Creep systematically dismantled your life one relationship at a time, and in death, you learned the truth—they were behind every case of heartbreak. All for you. Always… for you. You aren’t responsible for the Creep’s actions, but you certainly aren’t going to let them continue— and maybe you can end the last few living relationships with a little closure. To let them know it will be okay.
You were returned to the world of the living by a spirit of death to right a wrong or complete an unfinished task.
Omen of Pain, Reborn 5: You always marched to the beat of your own drum. When culture went one way, you purposely forged ahead in the opposite direction. You fell in with bad crowds at time, but always tried to curb the worst of what you saw—even if they labeled you a snitch. What you didn’t account for were the innocent souls who followed your off-beaten path getting caught in the crossfire. The Maniac lashed out when you least expected it, targeting you and the ones closest to you with their crew—for no discernible rhyme or reason. Chaos like the Maniac got to live, and you were sent to hell? How is that fair? The Crow felt your sadness and has given you a chance to send the Maniac to their grave, not for you… but for the souls you naively placed in their path.
You were returned to the world of the living by a spirit of death to right a wrong or complete an unfinished task.
Ancient Reborn: Most Reborn are recently deceased—a day, a month, a year, maybe even a decade. But sometimes, a much older soul is brought back to serve a purpose. An owl spirit is most likely to do this, returning a deceased hero to life to serve a purpose separate from that hero’s own circumstances. But some wrongs last generations, and any spirit can create a Reborn from someone long dead to end a persistent evil, or to prevent history from repeating itself.
Corpse Puppet: This corpse has been animated by fel magic, following the commands of its dark master or simply waiting to attack anything that comes near it.
When a spirit of death attempts to create a Reborn, the magic goes awry and animates the bodies of hundreds of others in a nearby cemetery, creating a horde of the undead that rampage around the immediate area.
Corpse Puppet ritual.
Undead: When a spirit of death attempts to create a Reborn, the magic goes awry and animates the bodies of hundreds of others in a nearby cemetery, creating a horde of the undead that rampage around the immediate area.
Undead Companion: ?

Corpse Puppet
This powerful ritual allows the caster to animate the bodies of the dead, controlling them like puppets. When cast successfully, the caster animates one human corpse they touch, which becomes a Corpse Puppet. The puppet obeys the caster’s verbal commands to the best of its limited ability.
Research. Difficult. By spending a week of research, or a single day if you have access to an occult library, you can learn that only one known necromancer can teach you this spell. But this necromancer is corrupt and selfish and asks you to perform a task for them before teaching the spell. This task will most certainly be deeply immoral.
Requirements. The spell requires the blood sacrifice of a Small or larger animal, whose blood is used to inscribe runes upon the chosen body, which takes an hour to apply. The incantation requires another hour to perform and must begin at midnight. Once cast, you must repeat the invocation, though not the sacrifice or runes, each night at midnight or lose control of the puppet, causing it to attack you. You can use the same invocation to retain control of up to four puppets at once.
Casting Difficulty. Complex. This spell has a DC of 15. If you fail by 5 or more, the body rises, but does not obey you, and instead attacks anything and everything nearby in a rage.

 

[Voadam]

The Fomor Folio
5e
The Sluagh Host: They are slain and rise again, and thus are undead...but they serve the fomor and take on something of a fey nature as well.
Lone Sluagh: A humanoid slain in this way [by a lone sluagh's tear and rip and drink attack] rises the next round as a lone sluagh.
A humanoid slain in this way [by a sluagh host's tear and rip and drink attack] rises the next round as a sluagh, immediately joining the swarm.
They are slain and rise again, and thus are undead...but they serve the fomor and take on something of a fey nature as well.
Efnysien, Champion of Bones, Cauldron-Born, Eldest of the Cauldron-Born: Efnysien, half brother of the ancient king of Prydain, Bran the Blessed, once gave his life to destroy the Cauldron. In this interpretation, it only seemed to work, and Efnysien was bound forever to the will of the Cauldron and its master by his own evil deeds and heart.
In life, Efnysien was the half-brother of High King Bran, who was himself, it is said, brother to Mannannan. He gave his life to destroy the Black Cauldron, long ago, to save his people from the warriors it revived. But he himself had caused the war they were in, between Prydain and Eriu, between Britons and Irish, and his selfish evil was not redeemed by this one act. In stead, his soul was bound to the Cauldron, and when the Three Queens corrupted it to raise Balor...he returned with the Eyeless One, and in his service.
But that was not the end of Balor's story. For Cethlenn did not fall, and she took his corpse away with her, and she and her fellow Fomor Queens worked long and arduous magics on the stolen Cauldron of Rebirth, and twisted its magic to their will. And they used it to bring Balor back, now undying, and Efnysien came with it, and many more Cauldron-Born have been made since.
Balor of the Evil Eye Reborn, Old Balor, Old One-Eye, Greater Fomor, Immense Rotting Hulk of a Giant Goat-Man, Undisputed High King of the Fomor, Grandfather: Three Queens have the Fomor, three queens has old Balor, three brides, three companions. Three witches, three hags. One, the Fair One Cethlenn, first among equals, greatest of Fomor druids. The second, the giantess Beara, the Cailleach Bheur, sorceress and near deity of winter's chill. Third, Sgian Arran, the Bean Bron, greatest of all annis hags, barbaric warrior, mistress of Shadows. Together, they achieved the impossible, and corrupted the Cauldron, and brought Balor back to a shambling semblance of life.
Cethlenn is the beautiful fair one Queen of the Fomor, one of three brides of Balor, and first among equals. She is a mighty druidess, and the one who corrupted the Cauldron of Rebirth to bring Balor back from the dead, and create the Cauldron-Born in their current form. She was aided in this by her coven mates, Beara, the Cailleach Bheur and Sgian Iarran, the Bean Bron.
Cauldron-Born, Cauldron Born: Cethlenn is the beautiful fair one Queen of the Fomor, one of three brides of Balor, and first among equals. She is a mighty druidess, and the one who corrupted the Cauldron of Rebirth to bring Balor back from the dead, and create the Cauldron-Born in their current form. She was aided in this by her coven mates, Beara, the Cailleach Bheur and Sgian Iarran, the Bean Bron.
But that was not the end of Balor's story. For Cethlenn did not fall, and she took his corpse away with her, and she and her fellow Fomor Queens worked long and arduous magics on the stolen Cauldron of Rebirth, and twisted its magic to their will. And they used it to bring Balor back, now undying, and Efnysien came with it, and many more Cauldron-Born have been made since.
The Black Cauldron artifact.
The Sluagh Host, Teeming Masses of the Unseelie Host, Angry Swarm of the Fey, Host of the Fomor: ?
Lone Sluagh, Fallen Angel, Unforgiven Dead, Horrific Humanoid Raven,: ?
Lone Sluagh, Beautiful Woman With Dark Avian Features: ?
Lone Sluagh, Beautiful Man With Dark Avian Features: ?
Cauldron-Born, Silent Undead: ?
Undead: ?
Penardunn, Cliodhna, First of the Banshee: ?
Spriggan, Ghost of a Giant: ?
Vampire Spawn: A humanoid slain in this way [by a glaistig's bite] and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn under the glaistig's control.
Vampire: The goat-legged glaistig is a seductive, blood drinking fomor, that may well be the original source of vampires.
A humanoid slain in this way [by a leannan sidhe's addictive bite] and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire under the Leannan Sidhe's control.
Their [the Leannan Sidhe's] victims return from death with a similar hunger for life, but lacking the true immortality of the Fomor . . . they are vampires.

The Black Cauldron (Pair Dadeni: The Original Cauldron of Rebirth) Wondrous Item, Legendary/Artifact (requires attunement)
This massive black cauldron, also known as the Black Crochan, has the power to return the dead to a semblance of life.
Any corpse placed in it becomes one of the Cauldron-Born, silent undead bound to the will of its owner. The cauldron is big enough to hold up to four corpses at once. The corpses must boil in the Cauldron for several minutes before they animate. See below for generic stats, although the Cauldron-Born actually retain all the skills they had in life.
Once, this cauldron belonged to the Tuatha de Danaan, also known as the Sons of Don, and could return the dead to true life. It could also produce food for hundreds of warriors every day. It has long since been stolen and corrupted by the Fomor, twisted by the mighty enchantments of the mighty Fomor hag Cethlenn of the Fair, Balor's first wife.
The cauldron can reanimate 81 (nine times nine) corpses per day, but there is no limit to the amount of Cauldron-Born the owner of the Crochan can control. No Cauldron Born can be permanently slain by any means while the Cauldron endures.
Minor Properties:
While attuned to the Cauldron, whether or not it is in your possession, you have Resistance to Necrotic Damage, and may cast Animate Dead 3/day.
Major Properties:
While attuned to the Cauldron, you can cast Finger of Death 1/day.
Detrimental Properties:
While attuned to the Cauldron, all animals within 30' become hostile to you, you spoil holy water within 10', and the Cauldron twists your mind, slowly corrupting you to evil, making the defeat of the Tuatha and their followers your only goal, the supremacy of the Fomor. Make a Charisma save, DC 15, every night that you are attuned to it, or move one step toward Chaotic Evil. While it is in your possession, you must make a Charisma save, DC 15, every night, or attempt to become attuned.
Destroying the Cauldron: It can only be destroyed by the willing sacrifice of a living creature, who must throw themselves into the cauldron in full knowledge that the act will cost their life, and that not even a wish spell can restore them.

 

[Voadam]

The Frigid World of Illambria: an original ice age setting for 5th edition fantasy
5e
Bog Mummy: One of the great mysteries of Gatia is a vast peat bog known as the Lonely Bog. The bog contains the remains of many a soul who perished seeking fortune or refuge in its depths: for the Lonely Bog is said to be ruled by a winged woman who can provide either to those she deems worthy.
This is true: at the heart of the Lonely Bog dwells the Tar Witch, a woman who cannot be found unless she wills it. She is a relic of a bygone age: a seven foot tall hunched, pterodactyl-like figure whose body oozes black tar. A mantle of dark feathers rests across her shoulders. If someone is trapped in the bog who was truly alone in life, she frees them and offers them a second chance. Those she rescues share some characteristics of undead, making her a perfect patron for an Undying or Undead warlock.
Those who were not truly alone in life (which is most people) are left to die and linger in the bog as bog mummies.
Ice Mummy, Notorious Ice Mummy: The creature's hit point maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse [after being cursed with ice mummy's chill] as the cold permeates its very form. If the target's hit point maximum is reduced to 0 in this way, the target dies and its body freezes solid. After 1d4 hours the body thaws and rises as a new ice mummy.
If a creature's maximum hit points would be reduced to 0 in this way [from an ice mummy's chill], the creature dies. The creature's corpse reanimates 1d4 hours later as a hostile Ice Mummy under the GM's control.
If a person is bitten by an ice mummy and escapes, often their fate is already sealed. A strange affliction takes hold, and the person slowly freezes to death. When their body thaws, they stir and wake again as an ice mummy.
Eight years ago, the alligatoi of Gatia welcomed a heavily scarred mammutida and her lover into their midst. The woman identified herself as a disgraced Prime Warrior named Nima, who along with her lover Cara was the only survivor of an ice mummy attack near the Sea of Lost Souls. With all her people dead, she was unable to see out her exile and return to them, and so she sought refuge among the alligatoi.
The alligatoi welcomed and sheltered the couple. The next morning, the remaining alligatoi woke to find that half their number had vanished into thin air along with their guests. There was no blood nor signs of struggle.
Though the alligatoi of Gatia hear more tales than anyone else, they have yet to learn what happened to their comrades.
Some theorise that the couple were unusually lucid ice mummies, and coerced the missing alligatoi to join them in unquiet death. Perhaps the couple didn’t realise they’d also perished in the ice mummy attack, and genuinely believed they were helping people by leading them away from the alligatoi village.
Fearsome Ice Mummy: ?
Nima, Unusually Lucid Ice Mummy: Eight years ago, the alligatoi of Gatia welcomed a heavily scarred mammutida and her lover into their midst. The woman identified herself as a disgraced Prime Warrior named Nima, who along with her lover Cara was the only survivor of an ice mummy attack near the Sea of Lost Souls. With all her people dead, she was unable to see out her exile and return to them, and so she sought refuge among the alligatoi.
The alligatoi welcomed and sheltered the couple. The next morning, the remaining alligatoi woke to find that half their number had vanished into thin air along with their guests. There was no blood nor signs of struggle.
Though the alligatoi of Gatia hear more tales than anyone else, they have yet to learn what happened to their comrades.
Some theorise that the couple were unusually lucid ice mummies, and coerced the missing alligatoi to join them in unquiet death. Perhaps the couple didn’t realise they’d also perished in the ice mummy attack, and genuinely believed they were helping people by leading them away from the alligatoi village.
Cara, Unusually Lucid Ice Mummy: Eight years ago, the alligatoi of Gatia welcomed a heavily scarred mammutida and her lover into their midst. The woman identified herself as a disgraced Prime Warrior named Nima, who along with her lover Cara was the only survivor of an ice mummy attack near the Sea of Lost Souls. With all her people dead, she was unable to see out her exile and return to them, and so she sought refuge among the alligatoi.
The alligatoi welcomed and sheltered the couple. The next morning, the remaining alligatoi woke to find that half their number had vanished into thin air along with their guests. There was no blood nor signs of struggle.
Though the alligatoi of Gatia hear more tales than anyone else, they have yet to learn what happened to their comrades.
Some theorise that the couple were unusually lucid ice mummies, and coerced the missing alligatoi to join them in unquiet death. Perhaps the couple didn’t realise they’d also perished in the ice mummy attack, and genuinely believed they were helping people by leading them away from the alligatoi village.
Fal the Devoted, Bog Mummy: A man who ventured into the Lonely Bog to rescue his son. In exchange for his son's life, he was transformed into a bog mummy.
Older Bog Mummy: ?
Undead: ?
Banshee, Ghost: ?
Flameskull: ?
Ghost: ?
Skeleton: ?
Specter: ?
Wraith, Malevolent Ghost: ?
Zombie: ?

 

[Voadam]

The Haunting of Myrtle Cottage (5E Adventure)
5e
Poltergeist: ?
Swarm of Undead Rats: ?
Zombie: ?
Swarm of Undead Rats, Masses of Tiny Skeletal Creatures, Rats: ?
June Myrtle, Mama June, Spirit, Ghost: ?
Reginald Myrtle, Poltergeist, Spirit, Ghost: ?
June Myrtle, Zombie, Animated Corpse: ?
Angry Poltergeist: ?
Undead: ?