Undead Origins

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ARMR Studios Compendium - 2015
Pathfinder 1e
Undead: ?
Spinal Lasher: Once clerics and other spellcasters devoted to gods of goodness, they fell before the eyes of the faith. Many were branded heretics and apostates and thus were killed. However, their manner of execution was boorish; they were hanged by the neck while heavy weights hung on their legs. After many days, this would cause the lower half of their bodies to be severed and plop onto the floor with a ghastly sound.
Be it the evil energies surrounding these nightmarish execution sites, or the dark powers coursing through the veins of these deadspellcasters, they return as spinal lashers to haunt, maim and kill any and all living creatures they come across.
Spinal Lasher, Torso With Spines Coming Out of Their Lower Abdomen, Hideously Formidable Foe: ?
Ghost of an Ancient Hero: ?

 

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Benetolia Gazetteer
Pathfinder 1e
Undead: A new tower being constructed in Galanatia Towers is actually a magical weapon of mass destruction that will kill everything in the city and animate them as undead.
Undead Minion: ?
Ghost: ?
Lich: ?
Greater Shadow: ?
Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Horse: ?
Vampire, True Vampire: ?
Vorigan, Elf Vampire Sorcerer 14: ?
Mordros, Elf Vampire Barbarian 6: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie: The Karazthraxians then raised the dead as zombies and used them to rebuild their ranks.
After the dragons came General Gastran (see the Battles of Noit and Flork) and his army of fiends, sorcerers, and monsters. Within mere minutes, the entire city was utterly in ruins, the survivors summarily executed and animated as zombies for the war.
Sword Wight: ?
Haunt: ?
Ghoul-Stirge: ?
Grave Risen: ?
Ectoplasm: ?
Poltergeist: ?
Vetala: ?
Minor Grim Reaper: ?
Apostasy Wraith: ?
Apparition: ?
Edimmu: ?
Cadaver Lord: ?
Manananggal: ?
Blood Wight: ?
Lich Shade: ?
Vrykolakas: ?
Bonestorm: ?

 

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Bestiary of Loerem (Sovereign Stone)
Pathfinder 1e
Crypt Guardian: Ironically enough, one of the most potent threats these Void mages face comes from the Void itself—crypt guardians. These creatures have been imbued with Void energy through a burial rite believed to originally have been used by the Ancients.
Most people believe crypt guardians to be evil undead abominations. This is only partially true. Though they are undead and have been created by the Void, they are not evil, making them different from other Void creatures, such as the Vrykyl.
“Crypt Guardian” is an acquired template that can be added to any nonmagical animal or vermin.
Crypt Guardian Cat: ?
Ghoul Lord: The ghoul lord, however, is one who has made a dark pact with the Void to extend its own existence. How they manage this is not known, for no ghoul lord will reveal the secret. It is generally believed that any person who has given himself to the Void in life may possess the ability to become a ghoul lord after death.
Qabalta: Qabalta are Void mages who have sacrificed their lives to the Void, becoming undead pellcasters whose mastery of Void magic is nearly unparalleled—even by the Vrykyl. The Qabalta were once a cult of human Void worshippers working in secret to forge a bond with the “forbidden element.”
Calling themselves the “Qabalta” (an ancient Vinnengaelean word meaning ‘one who rejects the path’), they were the bane of the Vinnengaelean Church. Some say the Inquisitors were first formed to hunt down this cult—which they did decimate quite rapidly.
In desperation, the Inner Circle (comprised of the nine most powerful Void mages of the cult) performed a ritual that would strengthen their tie to the Void and enable them to cast their spells cooperatively over vast distances. The resulting release of Void magic killed most of the Inner Circle and left the rest of the cult members without guidance. The Inquisitors made quick work of the surviving cult members, who were captured, tried, and convicted. The Inquisitors believed they were triumphant in stamping out the cult. They were wrong.
The magic of the ritual transformed the Inner Circle into undead abominations—“living” skeletons capable of performing powerful Void magic.
The process of becoming a Qabalta is unspeakably evil and can be undertaken only by a character’s own free will. New Qabalta are carefully chosen from the most dedicated Void mages. The Qabalta observes these prospects for years and when a prospective member is close to the point of death, the Qabalta appear, offering “immortality” and power, so long as the mage agree to bind himself to a coven of Qabalta. If the mage agrees, he is taken to a location attuned to the Void, where he undergoes the Rite of Sacrifice and Rebirth.
An integral part of becoming a Qabalta is the process of inscribing the Void-Eye, which serves as the conduit between the Qabalta and the Void.
“Qabalta” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature
provided that he or she is capable of joining in on the Rite of Sacrifice and Rebirth; that is, able to cast Void magic and possessing the Magical Attunement (Void) feat.
Seawraith: A seawraith that successfully grapples and pins an opponent locks it in a kiss and blows seawater into the humanoid’s lungs. The humanoid must make a Constitution check each round in the seawraith’s embrace to avoid drowning. The seawraith offers those failing the check a chance to “live forever” by giving their souls to the Void. Those who consent to the proposition die, their bodies taken over by the Void and become seawraiths themselves.
Seawraiths are animated, waterlogged corpses that prey upon shipwrecked sailors and pearl divers.
Seawraiths are drowning victims who choose at their dying moment to give themselves to the Void for what they believe is eternal life. They find out too late that they have been tricked by other seawraiths into becoming undead zombies.
Seawraiths often follow seagoing vessels in order to lure more souls to the Void. When a ship flounders and the sailors are cast into the sea, a seawraith visits each one as he is drowning, offering the Void as an alternative to a painful end.
Void Serpent: Void serpents are often created to serve as guardians for some location or treasure. They are created by a ritual and will always obey its last given order.
Crypt Guardian, Animal That Has Been Empowered By the Void to Guard the Rest of Those Who Have Passed Beyond: ?
Crypt Guardian, Protector of Burial Grounds: ?
Crypt Guardian, Protector of Ancient Tombs: ?
Crypt Guardian, Evil Undead Abomination: ?
Avian Crypt Guardian: ?
Crypt Viper: ?
Crypt Guardian Cat, Stray Cat, Animal: ?
Ghoul Lord, More Powerful Version of the Ghoul, Ghoul Who Has Made a Dark Pact With The Void to Extend Its Own Existence: ?
Ghoul Lord, Rival: ?
Qabalta, Skeletal Undead, Undead Spellcaster Whose Mastery of Void Magic is Nearly Unparalleled, Undead Abomination, Living Skeleton, Skeleton: ?
Judge of Doom, Qabalta: ?
Bringer of Decay, Qabalta: ?
Heart of Shadows, Qabalta: ?
Mistress of Dark and Death, Qabalta: ?
Seawraith, Humanoid Creature, Waterlogged Corpse With a Bloated Body Swollen Eyes and Tongue, Animated Waterlogged Corpse, Undead Zombie, Water-Logged Zombie: ?
Void Serpent, Enormous White Snake Shrouded in Impenetrable Darkness, Enormous Undead Snake, Enormous White Snake, Creature of the Void: ?
Void Serpent, Guardian: ?
Undead, Undead Creature: ?
Ghost of a Little Girl: ?
Ghost: ?
Ghoulish Form of a Powerful Mage: ?
Ghoul, Normal Ghoul, Standard Ghoul: The ghoul lord is a more powerful version of the ghoul, able to drain the life from its victims and create ghoul slaves from the corpses left behind.
A humanoid victim slain by a ghoul lord or its minion but not completely consumed or destroyed will rise as a ghoul in 1d6 days. The gentle repose spell delays this effect by its duration.
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
As victims of Void magic or other ghouls, ghouls are creatures to be pitied.
Ghoul, Ghoul Slave: ?
Ghast: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Zombie: A gravedigger can channel the power of the Void through its gaze. Any target of 3 HD or less that meets the gravedigger’s gaze must succeed on a Fort save (DC 15) or be instantly slain and become a zombie under the control of the gravedigger. A target with 4 HD or greater, or succeeds on the Fort save, suffers 3d6 points of damage. This ability only works on humanoids (such as humans, orks, dwarves, elves, pecwae, and taan).
Gravediggers have the ability to channel the Void directly through their bodies. Their glare can slay lesser humanoids and transform them into zombies.
A slough can animate the corpse of any creature it kills and inhabit it as a new body. Treat the new body as an animated zombie, with the slough retaining all its abilities except for dissipate life and engulf.
Zombie Slave: ?
Vrykyl, Void Creature, Dreaded Knight of the Void, Powerful Undead: ?

 

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Book of Elves
Pathfinder 1e
Vampire, Daerg-Due, The Red Hunger, The Red Thirst: ?
Vampire, Great Evil: ?
Very Young Vampire: ?

 

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Children of the Wode
Pathfinder 1e
Undead: ?
Felashuran the Wraith Lord: ?
Wraith: Lady Y’Draah’s fateful vision led her, alongside her followers, to build the Bilröst Gate so that they could travel the Great Tree in search of the gods. Later, when they opened the gate, the ælves realized the irony of their actions. For the Thrall Lords, most evil of the ancient giants, had twisted her visions, and everything she designed carried a fell purpose. An unprecedented blend of rune lore and nascent clockwork technology, when the Gate was opened it consumed the life force of nearby ælves in an uncontrolled wave of runic magic. Some survived, hideously changed and separated from their true nature. These became the Ash Elves. Others perished utterly and in the ensuing years it became clear that their fate was darker than any natural death. Rather than progress to the Halls of the All-Father, as had all previous ælves killed by misadventure or war, the spirits of those killed by Lady Y’Draah’s gate were trapped in Midgard. The spirits of the fallen did not progress to their promised afterlife, instead became beings of loss and darkness, ill-fated wraiths haunting the once fair city of Summer Night.
Many also believe that the runes carved into jotunstone to create storm-tech engines harm the ælven race’s connection to their spiritual afterlife in the same way as the Bilröst Gate. Every stormtech engine created binds the ælven ghosts more strongly to cursed unlife on Midgard. Each new human factory or dwarven siege engine makes it harder for slain ælves to pass on to the celestial halls. This increases their rage and loss, empowering the dark powers that haunt Summer Night, the shadowed ælven city of the dead. Many also believe that further progress in runic technology will only harm the ælves’ natural cycle of birth and death—further widening their cultural gap.
Many ælves died when Lady Y’Draah activated the Bilröst Gate and their spirits did not depart Midgard. Instead, powerful runic magic ties them to Midgard as darkling wraiths.
Wraith, Being of Loss and Darkness, Ill-Fated Wraith, Aelven Ghost, Dark Wraith, Darkling Wraith: ?

 

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Codex Mysterium (Sovereign Stone)
Pathfinder 1e
Undead, Undead Creature: Death mages are Void spellcasters specializing in the creation of and mastery over undead, reviving grotesque parodies of life from the grave and using them for their own selfish ends.
Necromancy: Spells that deal with death, dying, the dead, decay, despair, disease, communication with spirits beyond the grave, the manipulation of bodies (living or dead), the transference of life essence, and the creation of undead.
There is no power [in Loerem] (short of the reclusive gods) able to restore life to a living being that has died. Attempts to raise the dead always fail. The reunion of a dead physical form with the soul that once inhabited it creates an undead creature, which has limited memory of its previous life, but enough comprehension to know that it is an abomination and to hate the still-living (especially those who disturbed its well-deserved rest).
Constructs, elementals, and undead type creatures may be created through spells.
Only Void magic can compel undead, force souls to inhabit dead bodies for the creation of undead, or enable the mind of one being to possess the body of another.
Create Undead Necromancy power.
Grotesque Parody of Life: ?
Abomination: ?
Corporeal Undead Creature: ?
Incorporeal Entity: ?
Ghost, Incorporeal Entity: ?
Ghoul: A 7th-level death mage gains the ability to create ghouls. The death mage must obtain a corpse that has been dead for one week or less. The ritual for creating the ghoul lasts for 1 hour, during which time the death mage must implant a jet stone worth no less than 75 argents in value into the corpse’s chest. If the death mage is disturbed during the ritual, he must start all over again. The ghoul is not automatically under the control of the death mage, who must attempt to command it in order to bring it under his influence.
Skeleton: At 2nd level, the death mage may animate 2 HD worth of skeletons or zombies. To do so, the death mage must spend an hour uninterrupted, performing the dark rites that will bring undeath to the corpse(s). The bodies that are to be animated must be appropriate for the sort of undead the death mage wishes to create. For instance, corpses that are still fleshy cannot be animated as skeletons, while skeletal corpses cannot be animated as zombies.
The death mage may animate up to 4 HD worth of undead at 4th level, 6 HD at 6th level, 8 HD at 8th level, and 10 HD at 10th level. Undead animated by the death mage in this way last 1 week per level in this prestige class. Afterward, the undead quit functioning and cannot be animated again.
Wight: At 9th level, a death mage is able to create wights. The corpse that is to be used cannot have been dead more than 3 days. The ritual for creating the ghast is the same as for creating the ghoul (except the jet stone must be worth 100 argents). The wight is not automatically under the control of the death mage, who must successfully command it in order to gain control.
Wraith, Incorporeal Entity: ?
Zombie: At 2nd level, the death mage may animate 2 HD worth of skeletons or zombies. To do so, the death mage must spend an hour uninterrupted, performing the dark rites that will bring undeath to the corpse(s). The bodies that are to be animated must be appropriate for the sort of undead the death mage wishes to create. For instance, corpses that are still fleshy cannot be animated as skeletons, while skeletal corpses cannot be animated as zombies.
The death mage may animate up to 4 HD worth of undead at 4th level, 6 HD at 6th level, 8 HD at 8th level, and 10 HD at 10th level. Undead animated by the death mage in this way last 1 week per level in this prestige class. Afterward, the undead quit functioning and cannot be animated again.
Create Undead Necromancy power.
Intelligent Undead Minion Skeleton: Skeletons and zombies created by a death mage of at least 5th level have a 3 Intelligence and can follow more complex orders than undead of normal manufacture.
Intelligent Undead Minion Zombie: Skeletons and zombies created by a death mage of at least 5th level have a 3 Intelligence and can follow more complex orders than undead of normal manufacture.
Vrykyl, Magic-Using Undead: ?

Create undead: This necromancy power makes possible the creation of an undead creature. The cost for the power is per Hit Die of the undead created. (For the undead’s stats, see “Size” above.) Since undead are created by Hit Die, the Hit Dice may be separated into individuals or combined for a single creature. For instance, if a spell can create 6 HD worth of zombies, you can create six 1-HD zombies, or three 2-HD zombies, or two 3-HD zombies, or any combination thereof. However, size still plays a part in the HD of undead as explained earlier in this chapter. An undead creature with less than 1 HD (1/8 HD, 1/4 HD, etc.) has a minimum cost of 2 to create. Cost: 2 per Hit Die.

 

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Crimson Heroes: Pregenerated Characters
Pathfinder 1e
Aurelia Khyle, Ghost: ?
Ghost: ?

 

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Echelon Reference Series: Alchemist (3pp+PRD)
Pathfinder 1e
Undead, Undead Creature: ?
Uncontrolled Undead: Create Undead extract.
Create Greater Undead extract.
Corporeal Undead: Create Undead extract.
Create Greater Undead extract.
Undead Harmed By Sunlight: ?
Organic Undead, Organic Mindless Subject Creature: ?
Small Undead: ?
Medium Undead: ?
Tiny Undead: ?
Large Undead: ?
Diminutive Undead: ?
Huge Undead: ?
Servitor Undead: ?
Mohrg: The hermetic morlock is the most evolved of a devolved race and views its kin as a lost cause in their current state. It seeks a way to advance the morlocks back out of barbarism by any means necessary. It is obsessed with altering the body and mind but realizes such changes take time. It has started with itself and has become something more than a mere morlock—somewhere between living and dead. In the meantime, it seeks a way to turn fallen morlocks into an unstoppable force and has become an expert in bringing the dead back from life in a variety of morbid states. It always retains a retinue of animated creatures and delights in turning the bodies of enemies into weapons against their former allies. It carries a variety of syringes filled with animating elixirs and injects them into fallen creatures to create mohrgs.
Zombie: Alchemical Zombie discovery.
Variant Zombie: Simple Reanimation extract.
Zombie, Alchemy-Powered Zombie:
Zombie, Mindless Creature: ?

Simple Reanimation 7
Replaces Bomb damage (1d6)
At 7th level, a reanimator adds lesser animate dead to his formula book as a 3rd-level extract. When he uses that extract, rather than drinking it, he injects it into the corpse he intends to animate, which rises as an undead creature under his control 1 hour later. The extract can only create zombies (including variant zombies). This ability replaces the increase to bomb damage at this level.

Create Undead 13
Replaces Bomb damage (1d6)
At 13th level, a reanimator adds create undead to his formula book as a 4th-level extract. When he uses that extract, rather than drinking it, he injects it into the corpse he intends to animate, which rises as an uncontrolled undead 1 hour later. The extract can only create corporeal undead. This ability replaces the increase to bomb damage at this level.

Create Greater Undead 15
Replaces Bomb damage (1d6)
At 15th level, a reanimator adds create greater undead to his formula book as a 5th-level extract. This otherwise acts similarly to a create undead extract. This ability replaces the increase to bomb damage at this level.

Alchemical Zombie Su
Reanimate corpse as alchemy-powered zombie.
The alchemist gains the ability to animate a relatively complete corpse as an alchemy-powered zombie. This process takes 1 hour and costs 100 gp in alchemical reagents per HD of the corpse being animated; the dead creature gains the zombie template. Zombies that are created in this manner count as undead created by animate dead for the purposes of determining how many undead the alchemist can control. An alchemist must be at least 8th level before selecting this discovery. The created zombie is a creature, not a supernatural effect.

 

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Echelon Reference Series: Alchemist Extracts Compiled (3pp+PRD)
Pathfinder 1e
Undead, Undead Creature: ?
Small Undead: ?
Medium Undead: ?
Tiny Undead: ?
Large Undead: ?
Diminutive Undead: ?
Huge Undead: ?
Sentient Undead: ?
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: ?
Vampire: Culture Monster VI extract.
Zombie: Culture Monster I extract.

Culture Monster I
School transmutation
Level alchemist 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (remains worth 25 gp, see text)
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 round/level
This extract imparts one of several bonuses based on the component used to create it.
Dwarven beard +2 Con, stability
Elven ear +2 Dex, elven immunities
Gnomish nose +2 Cha, gnome magic
Halfling breath +2 Cha, halfling luck
Human heart Component human’s most iconic feat
Orc bone +2 Str, ferocity
Snake venom Bite (2d4 plus poison), poison (Ex) bite-injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 your HD + your
Con modifier, frequency 1/round for 6 rounds, effect 1d2 Con, cure 1 save
Zombie ashes DR 5/slashing
CR 1/4 or higher creatures of the appropriate type that died no more than 24 hours ago (aside from halflings, whose breath must be captured as they die) provide suitable components for the effects listed above. A successful DC 6 Craft (alchemy) check allows you to harvest enough components from a creature’s remains for one extract. Failure ruins a creature’s components. The process of extraction takes 1 minute. It is imprecise and practically ruins the creature’s remains; only one component may be collected from a given creature, even if that creature’s remains consist of multiple components. The strength (CR) of a component must be noted prior to storage. A human’s most iconic feat must also be noted prior to the storage of their heart. The amount of matter required varies by component but is never more than would fit inside a handheld jar. If a storage requirement is violated, that component is ruined.
The components of culture monster I are extremely rare and it is nearly impossible to find them among the stores of even the most well-stocked alchemists or apothecaries. However, demand tends to be nonexistent, which makes it very difficult to sell the components under normal circumstances.
Min. CR Creature Component Effect Storage Requirements
¼ Dwarf Beard (woven) +2 enhancement bonus to Con, stability None
¼ Elf Ear +2 enhancement bonus to Dex, elven immunities 2 hours of direct sunlight every day
¼ Gnome Nose +2 enhancement bonus to Cha, gnome magic May not touch pollen
¼ Halfling Last breath +2 enhancement bonus to Cha, halfling luck Must be sealed in an air-tight container
¼ Human Heart Creature’s most iconic feat (determined by GM) 6 oz. of fresh human blood must be administered daily
¼ Orc (or half-orc) Bone (ground) +2 enhancement bonus to Str, ferocity Must remain dry
¼ Snake Venom Bite (1d6 plus poison), poison (Ex) bite-injury; save Fort DC 10 + ½ your HD + your Con modifier, frequency 1/round for 6 rounds, effect 1d2 Con, cure 1 save
May never be exposed to music
¼ Zombie Ashes DR 5/slashing Must remain dry

Culture Monster VI
School transmutation
Level alchemist 6
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (remains worth 5,400 gp, see text)
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 round/level
This extract functions exactly like culture monster V, except that the following components may also be used:
Dragon bile Immunities (as the dragon), leather wings, fly 40 ft. (poor), breath weapon (1d6 per 2 HD, DC equal to the DC of culture monster VI)
Vampire dust Vampire template (minus special attacks and abilities), become Evil for the purpose of spells and effects
CR 8 or higher creatures of the appropriate type that died no more than 24 hours ago provide suitable components for the effects listed above. A successful DC 41 Craft (alchemy) check allows you to harvest enough components from a creature’s remains for one extract. Failure ruins that creature’s components. The process of extraction takes 1 minute. It is imprecise and practically ruins the creature’s remains; only one component may be collected from a given creature, even if that creature’s remains consist of multiple components. The strength (CR) of a component must be noted prior to storage. The amount of matter required varies by component but is never more than would fit inside a handheld jar. If a storage requirement is violated, that component is ruined.
The components of culture monster VI are extremely rare and it is nearly impossible to find them among the stores of even the most well-stocked alchemists or apothecaries. However, demand tends to be nonexistent, which makes it very difficult to sell the components under normal circumstances.
An alchemists that knows culture monster V may attempt a DC 44 Craft (alchemy) check to learn this formula for free upon reaching alchemist level 16 and every three alchemist levels thereafter.
Min. CR Creature Component Effect Storage Requirements
8 Dragon Bile Immunities (as the dragon), leather wings, fly 40 ft. (poor), breath attack (as the dragon, except it deals 1d6 damage per 2 CR of the component dragon and the DC is equal to the DC of culture monster VI)
None; dragons can sense dragon bile (including the type, color and HD of the dragon slain) in a creature’s possession and react accordingly
8 Vampire Dust Gain the vampire template (minus its special attacks and special qualities), your alignment becomes Evil for the purpose of spells and effects that rely on alignment
May never be exposed to direct sunlight, 1 oz. of fresh blood must be administered daily

 

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Echelon Reference Series: Barbarian (3pp+PRD)
Pathfinder 1e
Undead, Undead Creature: ?
Ancient Undead Creature: ?
Rawbone Bugbear, Bloody Skeletal Champion Bugbear Barbarian 4, Hideous Rawbone Bugbear: Created by a powerful necromancer as a murderer and enforcer, the rawbone bugbear travels far and wide slaying its master’s enemies.
Rawbone Bugbear, Skeletal Being Covered in Gore and Clumps of Sinew Muscle and Flesh, Murderer, Enforcer, Relentless Killer: ?