Undead Origins

Book of the Righteous
3.5
Undead, Undead Creature: Wandering the world and meeting in hidden places – caves carved into temples, catacombs of lost cathedrals, dungeons from ancient kingdoms – these cultists celebrate the horror and splendor of death. They pray to Mormekar, the only power that matters, calling for his might to enter into them. They raise the undead, and their mightiest members become liches.
Unnatural Force: ?
Something Unholy: ?
Foe That the Gods Oppose: ?
Creature of Negative Energy: ?
Undead Vessel Whenever the 3rd-level or higher holy warrior with this ability turns undead and does enough turning damage to destroy the undead, she may instead call upon the spirits that once inhabited the now desecrated and undead bodies. If the person who raised the undead is in the area (one mile radius per holy warrior level) the spirits come into the undead vessels and then go to destroy the evil creature or spellcaster that has so desecrated their mortal vessels.
Ghost of a Sailor: ?
Lich: Wandering the world and meeting in hidden places – caves carved into temples, catacombs of lost cathedrals, dungeons from ancient kingdoms – these cultists celebrate the horror and splendor of death. They pray to Mormekar, the only power that matters, calling for his might to enter into them. They raise the undead, and their mightiest members become liches.
Mummy: ?
Shadow: ?
Skeleton: ?
Vampire: ?
Wight: ?
 

log in or register to remove this ad


Buccaneers of Freeport 3rd Era Web Enhancement
3.5
Scevola Hest, Hestian Spectre Corsair 7/Sea Dog 8, Skilled Strategist, Lord and Master of the Black Contessa, Universally Dreaded Ghost: During the last years of the Golden Age of Piracy, the first mate of a pirate-hunting ship led a mutiny and turned corsair himself. So began the long and bloody career of Scevola Hest, who would become one of the most feared buccaneers ever to sail this world’s seas. One unlucky day a few years later, the Black Contessa took a ship with no treasure, only religious pilgrims. When the angry captain ordered the deaths of every man, woman, and child aboard, the congregation’s high priest told Hest that the gods would witness this deed and deny him the light of Heaven. The captain mocked his words, and continued plying the sea lanes until the pilgrims’ homeland sent an entire fleet to hunt down and sink the Contessa. This they did, though at great cost.
However, this was not the final end of Scevola Hest. The Black Contessa appeared once again, a ghost ship crewed by the damned spirits of her crew, and all answering to its captain’s powerful will.
Hestian Spectre: During the last years of the Golden Age of Piracy, the first mate of a pirate-hunting ship led a mutiny and turned corsair himself. So began the long and bloody career of Scevola Hest, who would become one of the most feared buccaneers ever to sail this world’s seas. One unlucky day a few years later, the Black Contessa took a ship with no treasure, only religious pilgrims. When the angry captain ordered the deaths of every man, woman, and child aboard, the congregation’s high priest told Hest that the gods would witness this deed and deny him the light of Heaven. The captain mocked his words, and continued plying the sea lanes until the pilgrims’ homeland sent an entire fleet to hunt down and sink the Contessa. This they did, though at great cost.
However, this was not the final end of Scevola Hest. The Black Contessa appeared once again, a ghost ship crewed by the damned spirits of her crew, and all answering to its captain’s powerful will. Hest still preys on other ships, much as he did in life, but now that he and his crew are undead, these raids are motivated by sheer spite against the living rather than any desire for booty. Hest revels in the suffering of his victims, but he prefers to maximize the suffering he causes by choosing targets who will be missed: those with loved ones, or who hold key positions in temples or governments. Many of those so affected by his attacks, as well as fools hoping to make their own name by defeating the legendary captain, have attempted to rid the world of this abominable ship and crew. All have failed—and many have become trapped in the same curse, bound as unwilling minions of their intended quarry.
“Hestian Spectre” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent creature slain by a Hestian spectre and whose body was on board the Black Contessa when it vanished in daylight.
Any creature slain by a Hestian spectre, and whose body is present aboard the Black Contessa when it vanishes in daylight, rises again as a Hestian spectre when the ship next reappears.
Andre D'Medicci, Hestian Spectre Aristocrat 8, Effective Second-in-Command, First Mate: ?
Tamelia Brune, Hestian Spectre Corsair 6/Sea Dog 2: Tamelia Brune was well on her way to becoming an infamous pirate captain when her ambition blinded her common sense. She vowed to defeat the universally dreaded ghost of Scevola Hest, but instead found only death and servitude aboard the Black Contessa.
Commodore Cossimo Ulisse, Hestian Spectre Aristocrat 6/Expert 3, Little More Than a Ghostly Shell of His Former Self: Ulisse commanded the fleet that finally sunk the Black Contessa. When the ghost ship returned, the Commodore gathered a new force, equipped with holy men and silver weapons, to attempt to destroy her again. He died in the attempt, as did all he led. Hest craved further revenge, so sent divers to recover Ulisse’s corpse and bring it aboard so that his archenemy would join the ranks of his crew the next night.
Lieutenant Nicola Sansaverio, Hestian Spectre Aristocrat 3/Corsair 2: Sansaverio knew of Hest’s sedition, but failed to inform his captain before the mutiny occurred. Now he suffers eternal damnation along with the rest of Hest’s crew, and he is the only one aboard who believes he deserves it.
Cuomo Darr, Hestian Spectre Warrior 2/Corsair 2: ?
Hestian Spectre, Unwilling Minion: ?
Undead, Undead Creature: ?
Ghost: ?
 

Codex Superno
3.5
Undead, Undead Creature: ?
Ghast: ?
Ghoul: The Ring of Brimer spell.
Saturn's Seal spell.
Shade: ?
Forlorn Ghost: ?
Spirit: ?
Ghost: ?
Evil Spirit: ?
Greater Shadow: ?
Shadow: Saturn's Seal spell.
Malign Spirit: ?
Malignant Spirit: ?
Spirit of a Temperamental Epicurean Chef: ?

The Ring of Brimer
Conjuration [Summoning, Ritual]
Level: Magus 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 3 days (see below)
Range: Touch
Target: One person or creature
Duration: 6 days
Saving Throw: Will negates (see below)
Spell Resistance: No
Source: Historical, Munich Grimoire
Legal Status: D
This somewhat complex ritual magic spell enables the caster to enchant a golden ring with the power to simulate the death of a living person, or simulate life in a dead body. The spell consists of two parts, first enchanting the ring, then summoning spirits to activate it. Once the ring has been created and properly enchanted it can be used again, and the spell can be cast more quickly (only the second part of the ritual is required, reducing casting time to 1 hour).
To cast the spell, the caster must make a ring of pure gold (value at least 1 gulden), which must be inscribed with the names of six spirits, three on the outside of the ring, three on the inside. This requires someone to make an ability or skill check (Dex DC 15 or Perform: Engraving, DC 10). The engraving can be made by the caster or by someone else, but it requires skill (or luck) to engrave the names properly. However, the legal implications of putting those six names on a ring are somewhat fraught so if a second party does it must be a trusted confederate or a discrete agent.
Once the ring is engraved, it is taken to a stream or brook and immersed in running water where it must be left for five days. On the fifth day it is taken out of the stream and placed inside a tomb, where it must be left overnight. On the morning of the sixth day the caster conducts the second part of the spell, activating the ring.
The second ritual involves going to a secluded place outdoors, not in sight of any human settlement. At this place a special double magic circle is inscribed using a sword, with the names of six spirits inscribed inside of it. Then ritual invocation is made four times, at which point the spirits appear, and after another exchange of ritualistic phrases, they will enchant the ring.
Once enchanted, the ring has two powers. First, if placed on the finger of a living person, it will cause them to fall as if dead and appear to be deceased for up to six days.
If the target is unwilling a Will Save negates the spell, otherwise the effect is automatic. Second, if placed on the finger of a corpse, it will cause the corpse to rise up, transform into a ‘refreshed’ state as if living, and carry on as if it were a living person for up to six days.
For the living person affected by the spell, they will be left in a relaxed state, with no pain, able to hear what transpires around them, and to see anything that transpires directly before their eyes (if they are open, but they can neither open nor move their eyes on their own).
They will not be able to move or even breathe, but will suffer no ill effects of their immobility, no hunger or thirst, nor the effects of exposure or normal environmental heat or cold, nor any discomfort whatsoever. While under the effects of the spell they are in a partly protected form of stasis, with one of the spirits watching over them each day. If they are attacked or about to be harmed, the spirit will immediately awaken them.
If a dead body is animated, one of the six spirits will occupy it on each subsequent day. The body and it’s clothing if any will appear as if alive, with any signs of deterioration, wounds or disease vanished. The spirits are intelligent enough to feign normal activity of the deceased person, but will not possess any of their skills, and will not know any of their secrets. They can engage in conversation, move about, perform simple tasks and so on, but they will not perform hard physical labor or any complex tasks. They are compelled to present a convincing performance that the deceased person is actually alive, but they won’t do much more than that.
Material components: a golden ring worth at least 1 gulden, a sharp sword, incense.
Success and Failure
When this spell is cast, the Spellcraft roll should be made at the time of the ritual and then kept aside by the GM.
On a Critical failure the ring has been cursed. If placed on the finger of a living person, they will suffer as from the SRD 3rd level Cleric Spell Bestow Curse as if cast by the caster. If placed on the ring of a corpse it will animate as a Ghoul with 13 Hit Points, which will immediately attack the caster and anyone else nearby until it’s destroyed or turned.
On a Critical success the ring confers the effects of the SRD 1st level Cleric Spell Sanctuary on any living person wearing the ring for the duration of the spell, if placed on the finger of a corpse, before fully animating the corpse will answer questions for 1 minute / level in the manner of the SRD 3rd level Cleric Spell Speak with Dead before going on to feign life.

Saturn’s Seal
Necromancy
Level: Witch 3, Magus 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: One building or house
Duration: Until removed
Saving Throw: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: No
Source: Historical (Picatrix)
Legal Status: E
Saturn’s seal is yet another nasty household curse. To cast the spell, the caster locates a suitable secret location to cast the spell. This can be either indoors or outdoors, so long as the moon and stars are visible such as through a window or inside a courtyard, or even through an open door. The caster then waits until the day and hour of Saturn which also falls during a waxing moon. Then the they must inscribe a lead tablet with the sign of Saturn and a brief magical inscription, and recite the magic words.
The tablet must then be taken to the target household secretly, and hidden somewhere within the building or residence. This must be under the roof and physically inside the building –it cannot be buried in the ground beneath it or for example in a nearby garden or field. The head of the household (as determined by the GM) is entitled to a Will Saving Throw. If they pass, there is no effect. If they fail, all members of the household, all guests or servants, and all visitors who linger overnight are affected until the tablet is found and destroyed or removed.
The effects are as follows: Once per day, anyone engaged in conversation must make a Will Save or begin bitterly arguing. All parties involved are at -4 on any Diplomacy, Sense Motive or Bluff checks. All skill checks for anyone affected are at -2 to the die roll, and all Saving Throws are at -1. Food and beverages stored in the house spoil at twice the normal rate, and healing inside the house takes place at half the normal rate.
If the domicile has a cellar, attic, or other dark and infrequently visited space, each week on Saturn’s day roll one d10. On an 8, a Shadow of 18 HP has been spawned or has decided to visit the home. The Shadow will bide its time and attempt to attack the first isolated person it can find by surprise. If possible it will turn victims into more of its kind.
This spell is particularly dangerous for households situated near a churchyard or which include a private cemetery or crypt. In addition to the above, on each new moon while the curse remains in effect, any graves or inhumations within 500’ of the domicile or dwelling under the curse may be disturbed. Roll 1 d10 for each grave inside the proscribed distance. On an 8 the body within the grave will animate as a Ghoul of 17 Hit Points. The Ghoul will attempt to claw its way out of the grave, which it can do quickly if it’s interred in the earth. If it is in an intact stone or brick crypt it will be trapped but scratching will be audible. As soon as it is able to do so the Ghoul will attack and attempt to turn others by spreading its necromantic infection.
The tablet being ancient magic of Classical or pre-Classical origins, it is highly resistant to sacred abjuration or Holy remedies. All attempts to Remove Curse etc. with the help of Abrahamic rituals or artifacts such as Church bells are at -4 on the die roll. Even arcane remedies are of limited use, Dispel Magic is at -2 on the die roll against this noxious curse. The only sure way to break the malediction is to locate and remove or destroy the lead tablet. Once the tablet is found, through suitable magical means (such as an Identify spell) the casters identity may be determined.
Success and Failure
On a Critical Failure the curse rebounds onto the caster, who suffers the effects on communication, skill checks and Saving Throws until receiving a successful Remove Curse. On a Critical Success the curse lures a Ghast of 26 hit points and 2d4 Ghouls of 18 HP each to attack the building under the curse. The undead creatures emerge from a tunnel in the floor of the house, in basement, interior garden or equivalent at midnight on the Hour of Saturn (see Table of Hours, as the hour of Saturn changes based on the day of the week)
 

Corwyl Village of the Wood Elves
3.5
Undead, Undead Creature: ?
Incorporeal Undead: ?
Undead Plant: ?
Allip, Spirit: ?
Ghost: These are spirits who (for whatever reason) neither went on to the afterlife nor were bound to a memory tree.
Ghost, Spirit: ?
Valsoff Deloryl, Ghost, Despised Village Ghost, Elf Spirit Fighter 10/Bard 1, Restless Spirit: Endora Deloryl is the only surviving Council member from before the Dark War. It was her hatred of the drow that pushed the village into war with Dezzavold, for she convinced her nephew Valsoff to kill the drow’s messenger. His ghost now haunts her, blaming her for all that has occurred since.
Valsoff ’s spirit has been unable to rest since the Dark War, and no memory tree was planted for him. Although Valsoff generally wanders the village, he spends a great deal of time haunting Endora Deloryl and trying to influence young Gloriannel and now Pattys Dulas. He remains bitter about the events that transpired, but only because the villagers make warding signs at the mention of his name, when they should be embracing him as the village’s greatest hero, the man who saved them from enslavement by their dark kin. He believes that Endora did not do enough to ensure his place in history for his great deed. She allows the others to curse him, and never reveals her complicity in the act that caused their kin to revile him.
Orellin Byrniel, Mischievous Ghost, Elf Spirit Rogue 5/Wizard Illusionist 1, Spectral Prankster: Orellin blames Valsoff Deloryl for his death and the deaths of many other elves in the Dark War. He has chosen his ghostly afterlife to keep an eye on the spirit of his enemy and to attempt to fight his continuing influence over the rulers of Corwyl.
Eranade Dezzav, Drow Ghost Fighter 9/Rogue 2, Spectral Spy: Eranade came to Corwyl 400 years ago to gain the wood elves’ help against the encroaching Virdrae. Eranade had serious reservations about the mission, but her mother believed that logic and diplomacy could overcome the differences between their two peoples, especially in the face of a threat that could consume them both. Eranade’s plea fell on deaf ears and the Honor Meet was desecrated by death, leading to the Dark War.
But Eranade’s outrage at her murder tied her spirit to the Middle World, returning her to unlife as a ghost.
Lyassa, Lich, Undying Lich, Master: A demon bound into a sword, Bloodspiller is a sentient enchanted blade created ages ago by Lyassa, an evil gray elven warrior-wizard. Unwilling to die after a mere six centuries, the mage used dire magic to become an undying lich, and withdrew to the dark places beneath the earth to continue her arcane studies.
Spectre, Spirit: ?
Vampire: ?
Dread Wraith, Spirit: ?
Wraith, Spirit: ?
 

Creature Catalog (as of 7/26/23)
3.5
Ambuchar Devayim, Tan Chin: Ambuchar Devayam was once known as Tan Chin, a powerful necromance and the emperor of the Shou Lung region of Kara-Tur. He was a cruel ruler, and his people revolted and banished him from the land. Tan Chin ventured to the region of Solon and unconvered ancient Imaskari magic, which he combined with his own potent necromancy to become a unique undead entity upon his death.
Amiq Rasol, Deep Man, Dark Man: Amiq rasol, also called "deep men" or "dark men", arise from corsairs who were marooned, murdered, or otherwise lost at sea. They now haunt the coasts or islands near the sites of their demise, existing in a state of undeath until their remains are given a proper burial.
Angreden: An angreden is the undead remnant of a being so filled with anger and hatred that its corpse cannot rest.
Angredens also arise on occasion from victims who died while under a powerful curse, and now seek to share that curse with other members of the living.
Ankou: Arising from the remains of a miserly farmer or peasant, one so debased as to have murdered his own family out of greed or to have allowed his family to perish rather than share his hoard of food with them, the ankou is now an undead abomination.
Arcane Head: Arcane heads are created by hags from previous victims.
Arcane heads are always formed in flocks of thirteen. If one is destroyed, its mistress usually creates a replacement as soon as possible. For reasons unknown, a hag never creates more than thirteen arcane heads.
Arcane Head of Mullonga: ?
Avenging Spirit: Avenging spirits are the souls of innocents whose murders went unpunished. Forever bound to the site of their deaths, avenging spirits persevere to protect their loved ones and avenge their own deaths.
Baka: A baka is a variant ghoul formed when a cannibal is transformed via necromancy into an undead creature.
Barrowe: It is unknown what event resulted in the first barrowes, but they are able to create others of their kind by draining the life forces of their living kin.
Any hill giant slain by a barrowe becomes a barrowe in 1d4 rounds.
Beholder Zombie: Beholders have a funeral custom in which they encase their fallen in a blood-red salve that hardens into a tough shell. The beholders believe that this shell contains and protects the souls of the dead within their bodies, allowing the fallen comrade an eternity of pleasant dreams. Beholder zombies are a side-effect of this process. Should the blood-red casing crack or otherwise be damaged, the dead beholder springs to unlife and attacks any interlopers within its resting place.
Bereginya, Rusalka: Although the origin of the bereginya is shrouded in mystery, the most popular theory is that some girl long ago insulted a god. This god caused the girl to fall into a river and drown. She was then cursed to return as an undead. The girl was horror-stricken and she applied the same punishment to anyone who saw her, thus passing the curse along.
Any humanoid female who dies by drowning due to the actions of a bereginya becomes a bereginya in 1d4 rounds.
Bereginy Greater, Rusalka Greater: Bereginya form packs led by a greater bereginya. Should the greater bereginya die, the lesser bereginya with the most hit points takes the role as leader. They all walk onto dry land and await a victim. The first humanoid to have the misfortune of coming across them is attacked. The carcass is then fed to the pack leader. After finishing her meal, the pack leader begins a strange ritual that transforms it into a greater bereginya. During this time, the other bereginya of the pack do not consume flesh.
Blazing Bones: Blazing bones are an extremely rare type of undead, created when magic goes awry. These unfortunate souls are the result of a poorly prepared contingency spell by a wizard or cleric, who is killed by fire. This twisted magic keeps the victim in a state of undeath, forever tormented by the fire that killed it, and hopelessly insane.
Blood Warrior: Blood warriors are a specialized form of undead created by the mighty Bhaalspawn known as Kazgaroth. Transformed by Kazgaroth's corrupting mass charm, these undead warriors serve the Beast fanatically.
He [Kazgaroth] rounds out his troops with his powerful ability to change an entire batallion of warriors into undead servants known as blood warriors.
Once per year, Kazgaroth may transform up to 500 humanoids into blood warriors. Each creature must succeed on a DC 29 Will save or immediately become a typical blood warrior (regardless of its original size or type). Blood warriors are fanatically loyal to Kazgaroth, and may only be restored to their original form by a wish or miracle spell. This is a polymorph and death effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Bloody Bones: Bloody bones arise from the remains of the most vile criminals. Cursed to continue to ply their gruesome trades in eternal undeath, bloody bones rob and murder the living with reckless abandon.
Bloody Bones Rogue 3: ?
Bole-Undead: Bole-undead are created in a special cauldron manufactured from the bole (or trunk) of a great tree befouled by evil magic. Any corporeal undead can be created in this manner, and normally mindless undead instead gain a small bit of sentience.
“Bole-undead” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal undead creature.
Bole-Skeleton Human Warrior Skeleton: ?
Bole-Zombie Troglodyte Zombie: ?
Bole-Wight: ?
Bone Tyrant Master, Bloody Bones: ?
Bone Tyrant Minion, Bloody Bones: ?
Burnbones: Burnbones are created when a chaotic evil deity infuses one of his favored priests with a portion of his dark essence. Even a small portion of the deity's power is so great to dissolve all flesh and sinew in the process, leaving only a walking pile of bones behind. This skeletal creature is continuously limned with dark fire.
The fanatical loyalty of the chosen priests becomes amplified and twisted during the transformation, leaving most burnbones half insane and highly paranoid.
After the Banedeath, Cyric granted a portion of his power to his most faithful priests. The power of the Dark Sun was so overwhelming that all that remained of these priests were their bones.
“Burnbones” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature able to cast 6th-level divine spells with a chaotic evil patron deity.
Burnbones Human Cleric 12: ?
Cairn: Cairns arise spontaneously when a stone giant dies after despoiling the earth, even inadvertently. Example occur a cave-in when using their great strength to dig huge mines, drowning while building dams, and so on. Cairns lack the ability to create others of their kind.
Canopic Shade: ?
Canopic Corpse: “Canopic corpse” is an inherited template that can be added to any corporeal undead.
The ritual that creates the canopic corpse also creates two canopic shades: the heart and the mind.
Canopic Shade The Heart: The ritual that creates the canopic corpse also creates two canopic shades: the heart and the mind.
Canopic Shade The Brain: The ritual that creates the canopic corpse also creates two canopic shades: the heart and the mind.
Canopic Corpse Human Zombie: ?
Canopic Corpse Vampire Spawn: ?
Cariad Ysbryd, Ghost Lover: A cariad ysbryd, or “ghost lover,” is the spirit of a good elven female who has chosen to remain among the living to perform good deeds.
Vampire Ch'ing Shih: Ch'ing shih arise when a body is not given the proper funeral rites, allowing the darker side of the soul to animate the body.
"Ch'ing shih" is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
Vampire Ch'ing Shih Greater: A greater ch'ing shih is created by trapping the portion of its soul aligned with the spirits of goodness within a clay jar, allowing the evil portions of the soul to have full control of the corpse.
The creation of a soul jar requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The creator must be able to cast spells and have a caster level of 7th or higher. The soul jar costs 60,000 gp and 2,400 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
Vampire Ch'ing Shih Human Barbarian 4: ?
Child of Maalpherus: The Children of Maalpherus are variant zombies created by the priesthood of Maalpherus, a god of disease and plague. These undead are often fashioned from the corpses of those who angered the deity. Large specimens represent ogres, minotaurs, and other larger races who angered the deity.
A Child of Maalpherus can be created with a create undead spell cast by an 12th-level spellcaster or by certain powerful magical curses or diseases.
Composite Mummy Crocodile: Composite mummies are specialized mummies created from the most dedicated servants of deities associated with mummification. Crocodile composite mummies are most often associated with Sobek, the Egyptian crocodile god.
Composite Mummy Hippopotamus: Composite mummies are specialized mummies created from the most dedicated servants of deities associated with mummification. Hippopotamus composite mummies are most often associated with Taweret, the Egyptian fertility goddess.
Composite Mummy Jackal: Composite mummies are specialized mummies created from the most dedicated servants of deities associated with mummification. Jackal composite mummies are most often associated with Anubis, the Egyptian death god.
Composite Mummy Typhonic Beast: Composite mummies are specialized mummies created from the most dedicated servants of deities associated with mummification. Typhonic beast composite mummies are most often associated with Set, the Egyptian god of storms, chaos and the desert.
Crypt Servant: A crypt servant can be created with a create undead spell of caster level 13th or higher. The spell must be cast within the tomb where the crypt servant is to serve. Although a crypt servant can be created from any corpse, volunteers are preferred. In fact, many ancient crypt servants originally volunteered for their posts, wishing to serve their masters in death as in life.
Cryptknight: Cryptknights are the undead remnants of fighters that were time-trapped at the moment of their deaths. This unique condition originated in the wizard Martek's tomb, but similar temporal anomalies could occur elsewhere and create similar beings.
Dark Lord: A dark lord is created when an extremely powerful creature is destroyed by a sphere of annihilation, but is spirit somehow perseveres, grown stronger and deadlier in the process. It is believed that at the moment of destruction, the dark lord's soul is transferred to the Negative Energy Plane, rather than the intended afterlife in its deity's domain. The soul is fused with the dark matter of the utter void, gaining devastatingly destructive powers. The dark lord then seeks to return to the mortal realm to torment the living.
Although most dark lords are created by contact with a sphere of annihilation, some are created from contact with the epic creatures known as umbral blots (blackballs), a sphere of ultimate destruction spell (see Spell Compendium), or even contact with a voidstone on the Negative Energy Plane itself.
Dark lord” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature whose highest base saving throw bonus is +9 or higher that has been destroyed by a sphere of annihilation or similar effect.
Dark Lord Orc Fighter 15: ?
Dhrakoth the Corrupter: Born in the heart of the Negative Energy Plane, Dhrakoth's essence was fused with a corporeal dragon through Tiamat's dark magic.
Dowagu: Created by a unique undead known as the Raja Ambuchar Devayam, the dowagu usually travel alone carrying out the Raja's orders.
Dracula, Vampire: Dracula was once a powerful, evil fighter from a Material Plane world. Upon his death, he arose as a vampire, growing more powerful over time into a lord of undeath.
Drowned Maiden, Potoplenytsia, Rusalka: A potoplenytsia, or "drowned maiden", is the spirit of a murder victim, usually a woman, who was drowned.
Skeleton Dry Bones: "Dry Bones” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system.
If the creature has more than 20 Hit Dice, it can’t be made into a dry bones by the animate dead spell.
Skeleton Dry Bones Human Warrior: ?
Ekimmu: An ekimmu is the undead spirit of a humanoid that was not given proper burial rites.
Firegaunt: Firegaunts arise from the remains of fire giants who have frozen to death, their bodies spontaneously combusting into unexpiring torches. They have also been rumored to arise from fire giants so given to rage while alive that their fiery tempers burn brighter after death.
Frostmourn: Frostmourns arise spontaneously when a dead frost giants remains completely dessicate in the intense cold. Frostmourns lack the ability to create others of their kind, and lead mostly solitary existences, never congregating in groups larger than three
Galley Beggar: Scholars believe these undead were once fey, who are now driven to torment the humanoid races who inhabit their former lands.
Skeleton Gem Eyes: "Gem eyes" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature.
Skeleton Gem Eyes Pearl Eyes Human Fighter 5: ?
Skeleton Gem Eyes Ruby Eyes Human Fighter 5: ?
Skeleton Gem Eyes Emerald Eyes Human Fighter 5: ?
Ghast-Lord: Ghast-lords were undead clerics of cannibalistic or anthropophagus tribes, who revered deities of similar pursuits.
Ghastly Creature: A creature killed by a ghast-lord rises as a form of ghast 1d4 days after death. The victim returns as a ghast if it was a humanoid with 6 or fewer HD and as a ghastly creature if it was a giant or monstrous humanoid or a humanoid with 7 or more HD.
Ghast-Lord Bugbear Adept 9: ?
Ghost Mount: Ghost mounts arise from the spirits of mistreated mounts animals, creatures so brutally handled in life that they survive after death to take vengeance on all creatures who ride them. The statistics above can cover horses, camels, and even antelopes, while those of Huge size can represent elephants and other larger mounts.
Ghost Mount Lesser: Lesser ghost mounts arise from the spirits of mounts that fell during battle, to starvation, or other premature deaths. Unlike true ghost mounts, lesser ghost mounts did not suffer cruelty from their masters, and as such harbor no ill will toward the living.
Ghost Lesser: Lesser ghosts are restless spirits whose passing on to the next world is prevented for some reason. These reasons might include an urgent need to pass on an important message to someone, to accomplish some sort of unfinished task, to seek vengeance against its killer, or to atone for misdeeds.
Ghost-Stone: A powerful, evil individual may choose to send his malicious spirit into a specially prepared stone upon his death.
Ghost-Stone Human Fighter 5: ?
Ghoul Elevated: Elevated ghouls are superior in all ways to their lesser kin. Such ghouls only arise as the result of powerful magic.
An elevated ghoul can be created by an 18th-level or higher spellcaster using create undead. Alternatively, a limited wish cast on a ghoul or a ghast elevates it, but breaks the caster's control (if any) over the undead.
Ghul Mage: Many great ghuls are gifted in the arcane arts, and these ghul mages take levels in arcane spellcasting classes. Many also become sha'irs.
Ghul Great: Great ghuls are undead formed from the cruelest, vilest members of an inferior order of janni.
Any janni slain by a great ghul becomes a free-willed great ghul in 1d4 rounds.
Lesser ghuls can be promoted to great ghuls by efreet and other powerful genies, although the methods used to do so are unknown.
Mountain Ghul: ?
Ghul Lesser: Unlike great ghuls, lesser ghuls cannot create new ghuls from slain janni. In fact, some powerful genies seem to have discovered how to create lesser ghuls from humanoids as well as jann.
Ghul Mountain Lesser: ?
Ghul-Kin Soultaker: Ghul-kin, like their great ghul cousins, are undead formed from the cruelest, vilest members of an inferior order of janni.
Any janni slain by a soultaker becomes a free-willed soultaker in 1d4 rounds.
Ghul-Kin Witherer: Ghul-kin, like their great ghul cousins, are undead formed from the cruelest, vilest members of an inferior order of janni.
Any janni slain by a witherer becomes a free-willed witherer in 1d4 rounds.
Goat Demon: Goat demons are a minor form of undead presumably created by Orcus or his artaaglith servants.
Grave Mist: Any humanoid slain by a grave mist becomes a grave mist in 1d4 rounds. Its body remains intact and inanimate, but its spirit is torn free from its corpse and transformed.
Gray Philosopher: The gray philosopher is an undead spirit of an evil cleric that died with some important unresolved philosophical deliberations in mind.
Half-Wight: ?
Headless Horseman: A headless horseman arises from the remains of cavalrymen, cavaliers, and other mounted warriors who died as a result of violence. Most often they arise from death from decapitation. Headless horseman often retain a sense of purpose in undeath, completing quests, guarding locations or objects, or patrolling roadways.
"Headless horseman" is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature with the Mounted Combat feat.
Horseman's Mount: Upon arising as an undead, the headless horseman is granted a special mount (see below). Should the mount be destroyed, 24 hours later the headless horseman can create another mount through a special ceremony that requires one minute and the skeletal remains of a heavy warhorse.
Headless Horseman Human Fighter 5: ?
Hungry Dead: “Hungry dead” is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature other than an undead
Hungry Dead Centaur: ?
Inquisitor: Inquisitors are powerful undead horrors, ancient experts in torture created by evil wizards as the ultimate in sheer terror. Most inquisitors were created hundreds, if not thousands of years ago and are cursed to exist on causing pain for eternity.
Ka: A ka is akin to a mummy, although it always arises from the remains of a noble, king, or pharoah. It perseveres in undeath to guard its tomb, attacking only when the treasures it guards are threatened.
Kada: Kada are emotional shadows left behind when a person dies, lingering as undead until they complete their unfinished business. Formed when emotions evoked by death are insufficient to form a full ghost, the deceased's soul actually moves on, leaving only this remnant behind. Kada always have a purpose related to what caused the emotion which created them. The goal is always something that was important to the person who formed the kada, but the nature of the goal can vary widely.
Ker: ?
King-Wight: A king-wight is the undead remains of a powerful evil monarch who has voluntarily entered undeath to eternally rule his kingdom.
"King-wight" is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
King-Wight Human Fighter 10: ?
Krakendraugr, Undead Kraken: An undead cephalopod animated by some evil entity to become a mindlessly malevolent servant.
Kyokotsu, Crazy Bones Flying Spirit, Crazy Bones: A kyokotsu, meaning "Crazy Bones", is an undead spirit that occasionally forms from a forgotten corpse. Its cursed existence drives it to attack living mortals. They are usually encountered near wherever they died — somewhere a corpse can lie undiscovered, such as the bottom of a well or the overgrown bank of a little-used mountain trail. Most kyokotsu are solitary, but there are very rare cursed places where groups of crazy bones roam, killing those they encounter. These are usually based around sites where a family of evil doers was murdered and left to rot.
Any humanoid slain by a kyokotsu becomes a kyokotsu if the victim's remains are abandoned. The victim becomes a normal kyokotsu at midnight on the first anniversary of its death. It is not under the control of any other kyokotsu, and does not possess any of the abilities it had in life. The victim will not become a kyokotsu if the corpse is buried, destroyed (usually by cremation), or if a simple funerary prayer is spoken over the remains - the latter requires a DC 10 Knowledge (religion) check. Furthermore, a kyokotsu can not form from a corpse that has been affected by the turn undead special ability or any spell that weakens undead or protects against decay or evil, such as hallow, gentle repose, or protection from evil.
Le Grand Zombi: It is rumored that Le Grand Zombi was once a powerful necromancer who may have tinkered with the process of lichdom to more closely resemble its favored undead.
Zombie Overmind: ?
Lich Master: A master lich is a variation of the standard lich developed from a combination of incantations, potions, and promises made to dark, extradimensional powers. An undead creature becomes a master lich until such time as it must pay the price of the promises given to the dark powers.
"Master lich" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
Lich Master Other: "Master lich" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature. Master liches of other kinds of creatures, such as dragons, might exist but use different templates.
Lich Master Human Wizard 13/Fighter 1: ?
Lich Master Human Wizard 16/Archmage 5: ?
Lost Soul: A lost soul is an amalgamation of zombie-like beings in a single entity.
Lost souls are the animated mortal remains of wanderers who die in the Nightmare Lands.
Lost Soul Large: Once a lost soul is created, it immediately searches for others of its kind with which to merge, growing ever larger and more dangerous.
Lost Soul Huge: Once a lost soul is created, it immediately searches for others of its kind with which to merge, growing ever larger and more dangerous.
Lost Soul Gargantuan: Once a lost soul is created, it immediately searches for others of its kind with which to merge, growing ever larger and more dangerous.
Lost Soul Colossal: Once a lost soul is created, it immediately searches for others of its kind with which to merge, growing ever larger and more dangerous.
Lost Soul Incorporeal: An incorporeal lost soul is an amalgamation of spectral beings in a single entity.
Lost souls are the animated mortal remains of wanderers who die in the Nightmare Lands. Different types of lost souls can be encountered in both the Terrain Between and in the dreamscapes.
Lost Soul Incorporeal Large: Once a lost soul is created, it immediately searches for others of its kind with which to merge, growing ever larger and more dangerous.
Lost Soul Incorporeal Huge: Once a lost soul is created, it immediately searches for others of its kind with which to merge, growing ever larger and more dangerous.
Lost Soul Incorporeal Gargantuan: Once a lost soul is created, it immediately searches for others of its kind with which to merge, growing ever larger and more dangerous.
Lost Soul Incorporeal Colossal: Once a lost soul is created, it immediately searches for others of its kind with which to merge, growing ever larger and more dangerous.
Lost Soul Corporeal: Lost souls are the animated mortal remains of wanderers who die in the Nightmare Lands. Different types of lost souls can be encountered in both the Terrain Between and in the dreamscapes.
Malice: A malice is a gray philosopher’s evil notion given form but not substance.
These wispy shapes are the animated evil thoughts of the gray philosopher that have taken on a substance and will of their own.
Maramet, The Undead King: Maramet was once Vestland’s last High King, but he was turned into a unique undead creature by the high priest of Gyl Erid, Axemines, to serve as a guardian of the Eridian crypt.
Memento Mori: A memento mori is created to serve as an everlasting remembrance of a dead person, and as an ever-vigilant guardian over its body.
Mist Scarlet Dancer: Scarlet dancers first appeared in the bowels of Zhentil Keep, and most still reside in the sewer tunnels beneath that dreadful locale. Rumors suggest that scarlet dancers were the result of a failed Zhentarim experiment, but no hard evidence exists to support this claim. Regardless, the lords of Zhentil Keep keep a close eye on the scarlet dancer population, fearful of an outbreak reaching the surface.
Moilian Heart: The first Moilian hearts were created by Academician Drake, a powerful necromancer of the legendary Black Academy.
The early Moilian hearts were little more than non-sentient unliving body parts that fed off the energy of living beings. That all changed when the demilich Acererak was destroyed. Acererak, now a vestige, imparted a bit of his essence into the remaining Moilian undead. Moilian hearts gained sentience, power, and a desire to further the ends of Acererak. They still maintain a small footprint of their original human memories, which translates into hatred of Orcus and his followers.
Since Moilian hearts lack the ability to create others of their kind, they constantly seek ancient tomes holding the lost lore of Moil. Within these librams they hope to find the spells needed to increase their numbers.
Moilian hearts can be created only by a lost spell known as animate Moilian, rumored to be an 8th-level arcane necromancy spell that creates undead which leech the life energy of living creatures.
Moilian Hearts, known to a few scholars in Eberron as Farlnen Hearts, were created by the Blood of Vol in necromantic laboratories deep within the frozen catacombs of Illmarrow Castle. Some whisper that the secret of their creation was found in Xen'drik, where artifacts told of a lost city called Moil and its unholy inhabitants.
In Faerûn, Moilian hearts are created by Myrkul, the former god of the dead whose essence now resides in a powerful artifact known as the Crown of Horns.
Mummy Ice: Ice mummies arise from the remains of lost travelers who succumbed to the harsh cold of icy wastes. Left to die bitter and alone, the hatred they felt for the rescuers who never came has fueled their unlife, and they now seek to punish the living who travel the same desolate terrain that brought about their ruin.
Mystaran Gargantua Spectre: ?
Mystaran Gargantua Wight: ?
Necromantic Battering Ram: Necromantic battering rams are the creations of true ghouls, used as the vanguard of their armies.
Neglected Ancestral Spirit: As long as one’s descendants make the proper sacrifices, ancestral spirits are at worst neutral, and often beneficent beings. But if an ancestral spirit is ignored, it eventually goes mad and begins preying on the living.
Neogi Undead Old Master: Neogi undead old masters are elder neogi who have transformed into undead to avoid becoming great old masters, the bloated and witless reproductive stage of their species.
Ninja Spirit Shadow, Shadow Ninja: The origins of ninja spirit shadows are mysterious. Some ninjas are thought to have transformed into these undead spirits through secret occult rites, much as a monk becomes an outsider. In other cases, they seem to be victims of a powerful curse.
Parrot Undead: Occasionally tropical necromancers craft them as servants as well.
Phantom Spider: Phantom spiders are undead arachnids first created by the drow from the essence of deadlier wraith-spiders.
Any creature slain by a phantom spider becomes a free-willed phantom spider within 1d4 rounds.
Advanced Phantom Spider: ?
Prikolic: Prikolics are dead werewolves that have re-animated as zombies.
The corpse of any humanoid or giant slain by a prikolic in hybrid form becomes a prikolic in 1d4 rounds.
Rapper: A rapper is an undead dwarf, believed to be a cursed thief or assassin who died in the act of attempting to steal something.
Resident: A resident is a tormented soul, doomed to exist among the living until it can find self-forgiveness. In life, a resident was a person who was offered true love, but lacked the courage or conviction to accept the blessing and thus lost it, becoming embittered.
Revenant-Magna: Revenant-magnas arise from innocent victims too weak to defend themselves against a violent demise. They most often arise from children and elderly. Like typical revenants, they exist only for revenge against their killers. However, their thirst for vengeance is so strong that should their killer die at the hands of another, the cannot rest until their killer's killer is slain by their own hands. This can lead to a chain of events resulting in the revenant-magna attacking someone they never met in life with unholy fury.
Reviler: Revilers are undead created from evil beings by dark deities of discord and destruction to spread terror, strife, and woe.
Saugh Dearg-Due: Dearg-due are part of the saugh, and army of the dead created by a dark fey prince.
The saugh are an army of the dead created by Loht, Prince of the Sith, to serve him when he moves against the lands of mankind.
Saugh Gossamer: Gossamers are part of the saugh, and army of the dead created by a dark fey prince.
The saugh are an army of the dead created by Loht, Prince of the Sith, to serve him when he moves against the lands of mankind.
Scavenger Spirit: Scavenger spririts arise from the spirits of tomb-raiders, graverobbers, and other looters of the dead.
Scorched One: Scorched ones arise from the remains of those who have succumbed to the perils of the desert. They now draw their power from the sun, wandering the deserts seeking out and tormenting the living.
Due to their link to the power of the sun, scorched ones have weaker ties to the Negative Energy Plane than other undead.
A scorched one can be created with a create undead spell cast by a 15th-level spellcaster. : ?
Scryxull, Zombie Snake: A scryxull, or "zombie snake", is an undead serpent created to guard evil temples, dungeons, or the labs of evil spellcasters.
A spellcaster of 12th or higher level can create a scryxull by casting create undead on the corpse of a serpent of at least Large size.
Sea Bonze: Sea bonze are the remains of monks that died of drowning.
Sea Abbot: Sea abbots were more powerful monks in life, and often seek to recreate monastic orders of sea bonze in undeath.
Semilich: A semilich arises when a lich fails to achieve the transformation into a demilich.
“Semilich” is an acquired template that can be added to any lich.
The process of becoming a semilich can be undertaken only by a lich acting of its own free will.
Semilich Human Wizard 11: ?
Seven Swords: [A] group of seven weapon masters who were transformed into unique undead by an ancient curse that binds them to a castle they once guarded in life.
The Seven Swords were the leading members of the Ito clan and lived in Ito-Jo castle. The malign influence of a krakentoa led to their rule becoming tyrannical and eventually brought down a dreadful curse upon the Swords and the entire castle, turning it into a haunted place of the damned.
Seven Swords, The General, Ito Tadahiro: The General is one of the Seven Swords, a group of seven weapon masters who were transformed into unique undead by an ancient curse that binds them to a castle they once guarded in life.
The Seven Swords were the leading members of the Ito clan and lived in Ito-Jo castle. The malign influence of a krakentoa led to their rule becoming tyrannical and eventually brought down a dreadful curse upon the Swords and the entire castle, turning it into a haunted place of the damned.
The General was once Ito Tadahiro, the widowed father of Ito Kiku (the young woman who became the Veiled Maidens). While amazing with a sword, his arrogance and lack of tactical acumen made him a poor war leader. General Ito suffered such catastrophic defeats he lost all rank and position, forcing him into the disgraceful life of a wandering sell-sword. Eventually fate – or the krakentoa's curse – drew him back home, where he became one of the undead that haunts Ito-Jo castle to this day.
Seven Swords, The Paper Warrior, Ito Chomei: The Paper Warrior is one of the Seven Swords, a group of seven weapon masters who were transformed into unique undead by an ancient curse that binds them to a castle they once guarded in life.
In life, the Paper Warrior was a steward responsible for administering the affairs of the clan and its castle. In death, it dreams of calligraphy and inventing tyrannical rules of government.
The Seven Swords were the leading members of the Ito clan and lived in Ito-Jo castle. The malign influence of a krakentoa led to their rule becoming tyrannical and eventually brought down a dreadful curse upon the Swords and the entire castle, turning it into a haunted place of the damned.
The Paper Warrior was once Ito Chomei, a notable scholar. He cared nothing about the misery of the clan's subjects so long as the paperwork was "elegant".
Seven Swords, The Reaper, : The Reaper is one of the Seven Swords, a group of seven weapon masters who were transformed into unique undead by an ancient curse that binds them to a castle they once guarded in life.
The Reaper was once a nobleman who affected the habits of a peasant. He specialized in the scythe, with which he harvested men even more eagerly than he'd harvest wheat.
The Seven Swords were the leading members of the Ito clan and lived in Ito-Jo castle. The malign influence of a krakentoa led to their rule becoming tyrannical and eventually brought down a dreadful curse upon the Swords and the entire castle, turning it into a haunted place of the damned.
Not even the Reaper can remember what its name was when he was alive, all that is known is he was a Kensei weapon master who lived in a stone gardener's hut next to the second gatehouse of the castle.
Seven Swords, The Shadow Walker, Ito Yoichi, The-One-Who-Walks-In-Shadow: The Shadow Walker is one of the Seven Swords, a group of seven weapon masters who were transformed into unique undead by an ancient curse that binds them to a castle they once guarded in life.
In life, the Shadow Walker was a master assassin and spy who performed many clandestine missions for his clan.
The Seven Swords were the leading members of the Ito clan and lived in Ito-Jo castle. The malign influence of a krakentoa led to their rule becoming tyrannical and eventually brought down a dreadful curse upon the Swords and the entire castle, turning it into a haunted place of the damned.
The Shadow Walker was once Ito Yoichi, a highly skilled ninja. He was such an expert in stealth that the Ito clan's enemies knew of him only through rumors about "the one-who-walks-in-shadow". Ito Yoichi often masqueraded as a common warrior during missions.
Seven Swords, The Veiled Maidens, Ito Kiku, Daughter of Death: The Veiled Maidens is one of the Seven Swords, a group of seven weapon masters who were transformed into unique undead by an ancient curse that binds them to a castle they once guarded in life.
In life, the Veiled Maidens was a young noblewoman expert in dancing and martial arts. In death, her spirit incarnated into seven identical bodies that move in perfect choreography to trap and destroy intruders.
The Seven Swords were the leading members of the Ito clan and lived in Ito-Jo castle. The malign influence of a krakentoa led to their rule becoming tyrannical and eventually brought down a dreadful curse upon the Swords and the entire castle, turning it into a haunted place of the damned.
The Veiled Maidens was once Ito Kiku, daughter of Ito Tadahiro. Nothing is remembered of her except for her loyalty to her father, a disgraced warrior so fearsome that Kiku became known as the "daughter of death".
Ether Shadow: Ether shadows are created in a dark ritual, forever binding part of their essence to the Material Plane on which it is conducted, while the rest is tied to the Ethereal Plane, and both are tainted with negative energy.
Shadowrath Lesser, Blackbones: Shadowraths are specialized undead first created by an artifact dedicated to a death deity. Lesser shadowraths, or "blackbones", are completely subservient to their creator or the possessor of the artifact that created them.
In the Forgotten Realms setting, shadowraths are created by the Crown of Horns, a legendary artifact created by the god Myrkul.
Shadowrath Greater, Abysskin: Greater shadowraths, also known as "abysskin", are created by powerful artifacts dedicated to a death deity.
“Greater Shadowrath” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature slain by an artifact dedicated to a death deity.
In the Forgotten Realms setting, shadowraths are created by the Crown of Horns, a legendary artifact created by the god Myrkul.
Shadowrath Greater Elite Troglodyte Fighter 8, Abysskin Troglodyte Champion: ?
Shee, Banshee Rider: ?
Shock Bones: A shock bones is a variant skeleton animated to carry an electrical charge.
Shock Bones Troll: ?
Siren Ravenloft: It is believed that they were once merfolk who were transformed by a massive burst of negative energy.
Skeleton Crystal: A crystal skeleton is a variant skeleton whose bones have been transformed into pale blue ice.
Though they are compelled to follow orders of their creator, they are not beyond independent thought. They are not passive undead, waiting motionless in a crypt or graveyard, but a restless guard, stalking an area in frustrated anger. Sages believe that crystal skeletons exist in an agitated state because they are good-aligned souls trapped in an evil union of magics. This would account for their suicidal attacks, as once destroyed, their souls are free to rest in peace once again.
A crystal skeleton may be created with animate dead, but each casting also requires the casting of chill touch and shatter.
Unlike the standard skeleton template, a crystal skeleton may only be created from a giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid base creature.
Crystal Skeleton Human Warrior: ?
Crystal Skeleton Frost Giant: ?
Skeleton Defiling: A defiling skeleton can be created with a create undead spell from a 12th-level caster with an additional material component: a gem worth 100 gp per Hit Die of the defiling skeleton to be created.
Skeleton Dust: A dust skeleton is a variant skeleton whose bones are dried almost to the point of disintegration.
Skeleton Dust Human Warrior: ?
Skeleton Dust Light Horse: ?
Skeleton Spike: Spike skeletons can be created with a create undead spell cast by a 12th-level spellcaster.
Skelter: A skelter is a special undead that arises only from a creature that possesses a bloodline. "Skelter" is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature that possesses a bloodline.
Any humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a skelter's energy drain attack becomes a zombire in 1d4 rounds. Zombire spawn are under the command of the spectre that created them and remain enslaved until its death. Creatures possessing a bloodline slain by a skelter instead become free-willed skelters.
Skelter Human Fighter 5/Major Demon Bloodline 1: ?
Skleros: Skleros are specialized skeletons animated from the remains of trained fighters.
Skleros Large: Large skleros are often created from ogres and hill giant remains.
Skotos: Skotos are spirits that have broken free of the netherworld and now roam the world of the living as undead.
Skuz: Any humanoid drowned by a skuz becomes a skuz in 1d4 rounds. Humanoids who are killed by a skuz, but not drowned, do not become skuz.
Sluagh, The Host, Host of the Unforgiven Dead: Any fey creature slain by a sluagh's envenomed arrow becomes part of the sluagh swarm.
Soul Beckoner: Any humanoid slain by a soul beckoner becomes a soul beckoner in 1d4 rounds. Its body remains intact and inanimate, but its spirit is torn free from its corpse and transformed.
Spectral Cloud: Spectral clouds are undead cloud giants.
Any giant slain by a spectral cloud's energy drain attack becomes a spectral cloud in 1d4 rounds.
Lesser Spectral Cloud: When non-giants are drained of all energy by a spectral cloud, they become a lesser spectral cloud.
Any humanoid slain by a spectral cloud becomes a lesser spectral cloud in 1d4 rounds.
Spectral Wizard: Spectral wizards are undead creatures who voluntarily entered an eternal unlife to continue their magical pursuits. This transition requires mysterious rituals and a sacrifice of arcane power to fuel the wizard's unending existence.
"Spectral wizard" is a template that can be added to any creature capable of casting arcane spells.
Spectral Wizard Human Wizard 13: ?
Spirit Psionic: Psionic spirits are incorporeal undead that were once psions.
The true origins of psionic spirits are unknown, but two theories have proven popular to explain their genesis. The first claims that they were once psionicists who somehow become trapped within a shadow form. Eventually the torment of their hideous half-existence drove them into madness, evil, and at the last into the arms of evil deities, who granted them undeath. The second theory simply asserts that psionic spirits were once evil psionicists who suffered a violent death while using their mental powers. Somehow the spirits of such psionicists remain in the world in the form of psionic ghosts.
Suicide Spirit: Suicide spirits, as their name suggests, are incorporeal undead that arise from those who took their own lives.
A suicide spirit's ultimate goal is to tempt a living being into killing itself, and thereby becoming a suicide spirit itself.
If a suicide spirit slays a humanoid with its suicidal urge attack, the suicide spirit and the victim's body will vanish, and the victim's soul is torn free of its corpse and becomes another suicide spirit 1d4 rounds later.
Sundel Bolong: A sundel bolong is an evil spirit of a female humanoid who was wronged by men during her life.
Temperament: Temperaments are undead storm giants that have become walking thunderstorms of destruction. Most arise from starvation brought on by the destruction of their nearby environment, causing their crops to fail and hunting to grow sparse.
Any giant slain by a temperament's dark lightning attack becomes a temperament in 1d4 rounds. Lesser Temperament: When non-giants are drained of all energy by a temperament, they become a lesser temperament.
Any humanoid slain by a temperament becomes a lesser temperament in 1d4 rounds.
Temporal Stalker: Any humanoid slain by a temporal stalker's energy drain attack becomes a temporal stalker in 1d4 days
Treant Hoarfrost: A hoarfrost treant is the undead embodiment of a frost treant that has succumbed to a bitter death.
Tuyewera: The tuyewera is an undead monster created by evil clerics in remote parts of the jungle. To create such a monstrosity, the cleric must find a humanoid slain by death magic. The cleric ritually severs the corpse’s tongue, and removes both legs below the knees. The cleric then uses secret spells to infuse the corpse with the ancestral spirit of a powerful spellcaster to animate it.
Tyerkow: ?
Tymher-Haid, Ghost-Swarm: A tymher-haid, or “ghost-swarm”, arises when a large number of weak creatures are not given proper funerary rites. They often arise spontaneously in places of great carnage, such as gutted dungeons and bloodied battlefields. They often do not arise until years after the deaths of the once-living that become them.
Umbra: Umbra are undead shadow elves that serve a powerful banshee queen.
The umbra dwell in the domain of Keening, moving through the tunnels of Mount Lament with indifference, awaiting the commands of Tristessa. They patrol Keening in search of the banshee's baby. When Tristessa became the darklord of Keening, she had over five hundred umbra to command. Their numbers have dwindled over the years, however, so that fewer than one hundred umbra dwell in the domain currently.
Tristessa, Darklord of Keening: ?
Umibozu, Sea Bonze: It is unknown whether umibozu are a collective entity formed from monks who lost their lives at sea, or simply undead versions of an unknown gigantic yōkai.
Undead Dragon Slayer: Undead dragon slayers are creatures animated by an unquenchable urge to kill dragons. Most are created by evil dragon-fighting cults, but a few have dragged themselves back from the dead through their undying hatred of dragonkind. Those undead dragon slayers created by necromantic rites must obey the spellcasters who ushered them into unlife.
“Undead Dragon Slayer” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature that has a base attack bonus of +9 or higher or a caster level of 9th or higher.
Undead Dragon Slayer Human Ranger 2/Ex-Paladin 3/Blackguard 8: ?
Undead Mass: An undead mass is a vile undead conglomeration created by the most twisted of necromancers.
Battlefield Undead Mass: ?
Advanced Undead Mass: ?
Undead Trophy Head: Undead trophy heads are animated severed heads of giants or other large creatures.
An undead trophy head can be created with an animate dead spell by a spellcaster of at least 9th level. In addition to all the normal requirements of the spell, the caster must also cast cause fear immediately thereafter.
Variant Undead Trophy Head: Undead trophy heads can arise from any type of creature, with different forms of natural attacks. Those from rhino or bison, for example, might have a gore attack (with damage appropriate for their size) rather than a bite attack. Regardless of the original creature, an undead trophy head never possesses any special abilities of the creature from which it came. Thus, a severed medusa head might have snakes attacks, but would lack poison and the petrifying gaze.
Variant Undead Trophy Head Rhino: ?
Variant Undead Trophy Head Bison: ?
Variant Undead Trophy Head Medusa: ?
Undead Unseelie Faerie: Undead members of the Unseelie Court come into being when a faerie (of any alignment) dies in a battle between the two courts. The horror of kin slaying kin creates a ripple through the Seeming itself, preventing the deceased faerie from dissipating into it. The creature’s spirit becomes trapped, sentenced to eternally walk the Shadow World but stripped of the magical abilities it once had. It becomes an unthinking being, lashing out in anger and resentment at the living, held in check only by the Dark Queen.
"Undead unseelie faerie" is an acquired template that can be added to any fey creature.
Undead Unseelie Pixie: ?
Undead Unseelie Nymph: ?
Undead Unseelie Hoary Hunter: ?
Vampire Drow: "Drow Vampire" is a template that can be added to any drow.
If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. If the victim is a drow elf with 8 or more HD they return as a drow vampire.
Vampire Drow Rogue 2/Ranger 5/Shadowdancer 3: ?
Vampire Drow Ravenloft: ?
Vampire Goblin: Goblin vampires are a special strain of undead that primarily affects goblinoids, spread when a goblin vampire slays a goblinoid victim. More rarely, members of other races are transformed into goblin vampires as the result of a terrible curse.
“Goblin vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or living creature with the goblinoid subtype.
Any goblinoid slain by a goblin vampire rises as a free-willed goblin vampire in 1d4 days. [Other h]umanoids slain by a goblin vampire do not become goblin vampires; only a special curse can transform a non-goblinoid into a goblin vampire.
Goblin Vampire Bugbear Rogue 2: ?
Vampire Greater Arch-Lord: Vampire arch-lord is the second step in the greater vampire template progression.
"Vampire arch-lord" is an acquired template that can be added to any vampire lord that has existed in that state for 999 years of unlife.
Vampire Greater Arch-Lord Human Fighter 9: ?
Vampire Greater Arch-Prince: Vampire arch-prince is the fifth and final step in the greater vampire template progression.
"Vampire arch-prince" is an acquired template that can be added to any vampire prince that has existed for 999 years of unlife.
Vampire Greater Arch-Prince Human Fighter 15: ?
Vampire Greater Lord: Vampire lord is the first step in the greater vampire template progression.
"Vampire lord" is an acquired template that can be added to any vampire that has existed for 999 years of unlife.
Vampire Greater Prince: Vampire prince is the fourth step in the greater vampire template progression.
"Vampire prince" is an acquired template that can be added to any vampire princeling that has existed for 999 years of unlife.:[/b] ?
Vampire Greater Prince Human Fighter 13: ?
Vampire Greater Princeling: Princeling is the third step in the greater vampire template progression.
"Vampire princeling" is an acquired template that can be added to any vampire arch-lord that has existed for 999 years of unlife.
Vampire Greater Princeling Human Fighter 11: ?
Vampire Ice: Despite their name, ice vampires are not variations of traditional vampires. Rather, they are the remains of wild elven women who have taken their own lives through drowning.
On Krynn, all ice vampires are the spirits of kagonesti women.
Vampire Kender: Kender vampires, as their name suggests, are vampiric undead that were once living kender. They share certain characteristics with "normal" vampire spawn, including the inability to create more of their kind. These vile undead were created by cruel magical experimentation that left them bound to the will and domain of their creator. Kender vampires despise their creators, but the twisted magic that created them makes them unable to rebel or act in any way contrary to their masters' interests.
The foul magics that create kender vampires bind their existence to a domain. This domain is a territory at least 10 miles across, but it can be as large as a country.
Vampire Lesser: Many vampires have the ability to create lesser vampires rather than (or in addition to) vampire spawn.
Most lesser vampires were once victims who died from a lesser vampire's blood draining.
Some normal vampires have the ability to create lesser vampire thralls rather than (or in addition to) vampire spawn.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a lesser vampire’s blood drain rises as a lesser vampire 1d4 days after their death.
Vampire-Spectre, Ch'ang-Kuei: ?
Vartha: Some arise spontaneously, sacrificing their afterlives to guard some important relic or individual in the mortal world. Others are sent by nonevil deities to aid their followers in times of need, or to hunt down and punish wrongdoers.
Vartha Dark: Dark vartha often become undead through avarice, guarding their own treasure even beyond the end of their natural life. Others are cursed for a lifetime of greed.
Visceraith, Bone Spirit: A visceraith, or bone spirit, forms when the powerful yearning for life is combined with a wizard’s use of magic. As a result, visceraiths are impossible to summon or create.
Voracious Creature, Ravenous Creature: Voracious creatures arise from the remains of populations wiped out from famine and starvation.
Both animals and humanoids may arise as voracious creatures.
“Voracious” is an acquired template that can be added to any animal or humanoid.
Voracious Human Commoner 1: ?
Voracious Small Viper: ?
Vrykolakas: Vrykolakas are vampiric undead that arise when a demonic spirit from the Abyss enters and animates a corpse.
Vrykolakas Greater: Vrykolakas grow in power the longer they feed, eventually becoming the horrific greater vrykolakas after 80 days.
Zombie Walking Dead: A walking dead can be created with a create undead spell cast by a 14th-level spellcaster.
Zombie Walking Dead Half-Dead: The half-dead stat block represents the loss of a limb and heavy damage to the body.
Zombie Walking Dead Mostly Dead: The mostly dead stat block is generally a crawling, one-armed torso, and is thus smaller in size.
Watchghost, Unsleeping Guardian: Watchghosts are guardian undead, created by magic, and made to serve powerful masters.
"Watchghost" is a template that can be added to any humanoid. The creature must have a Charisma score of at least 8.
Watchghost Human Fighter 7: ?
Web-Spectre: A web-spectre is an undead arcane spellcaster who has used its magical powers to achieve a form of quasi-immortality. Such status is far easier to achieve than lichdom, so many lesser spellcasters seek to become web-spectres.
“Web-Spectre” is an acquired template that can be added to any arcane spellcaster of 6th-level or higher.
Web-Spectre Elf Wizard 6: ?
Wight Wailing: Wailing wights originally arose from the remains of several priests of Acererak in the Undertomb beneath the Tomb of Horrors.
A wailing wight can be created by a spellcaster of 15th-level or higher using create undead.
Wraith-King: Wraith-kings are the result of an unholy pact between a powerful individual and an evil deity. The mortal believed he was gaining the gift of immortality, but the gift was twisted into an eternal existence of undeath.
"Wraith-king" is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
Wraith-King Elf Fighter 5/Wizard 5/Eldritch Knight 5: ?
Wraith-Spider: Wraith-spiders are unusual undead first created by the drow, who utilized them primarily as guardians, although they have been used in battle against duergar and other Underdark foes.
Any creature slain by a wraith-spider's poison becomes a free-willed wraith-spider within 1d4 rounds. Any spider slain by a wraith-spider's energy drain arises as a free-willed wraith-spider within 1d4 rounds.
Advanced Wraith-Spider: ?
Wyrd: Wyrds are undead elves with strong ties to the Positive Energy Plane.
The origin of wyrds is unknown. The most likely theory is that they are the spirits of elves abandoned by their kin, left to die violent, solitary deaths. They tend to be most common near locales of ancient evil, ruined temples, scenes of great treachery, and battleground where evil triumphed over good. To date, all attempts by necromancers to create wyrds have failed.
“Wyrd” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid with the elf subtype. If the base creature has less than 8 Hit Dice, it becomes a lesser wyrd, while those of 8 or greater Hit Dice become greater wyrds.
Wyrd Lesser: “Wyrd” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid with the elf subtype. If the base creature has less than 8 Hit Dice, it becomes a lesser wyrd, while those of 8 or greater Hit Dice become greater wyrds.
Wyrd Greater: “Wyrd” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid with the elf subtype. If the base creature has less than 8 Hit Dice, it becomes a lesser wyrd, while those of 8 or greater Hit Dice become greater wyrds.
Wyrd Lesser Wood Elf Ranger 4: ?
Wyrd Greater Wood Elf Ranger 8: ?
Zombie Absorbing: An absorbing zombie can be created with a create undead spell from a 11th-level caster, but also requires shocking grasp and lesser globe of invulnerability.
Zombie Acid: An acid zombie can be created with the spells create undead and acid arrow. The caster level must be at least 12th.
Zombie Bloodstone: The first bloodstone zombies were created long ago by a crazed necromancer obsessed with creating undead with beauty to surpass the finest living humanoids. Through long experimentation, he created a supernatural disease that actually improved the physical beauty of those who died and arose again in undeath. The necromancer quickly succumbed to the claws of his creations, becoming a bloodstone zombie himself.
A bloodstone zombie can be created by a 12th-14th level spellcaster using the create undead spell.
Zombie Juju: Juju zombies are created when a humanoid is drained of all life levels from the effects of an energy drain spell.
"Juju zombie" is a template that can be added to any non-undead corporeal humanoid.
Zombie Juju Human Fighter 3: ?
Zombie Netherese Lesser: Any humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a Netherese zombie's natural attacks becomes a Netherese zombie in 1d4 rounds.
Any humanoid slain by a [greater] Netherese zombie's natural attacks becomes a Netherese zombie in 1d4 rounds. Those with 6 or more Hit Dice gain this [zombie Netherese greater] template, while others become lesser Netherese zombies.
Zombie Netherese Greater: “Greater Netherese zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature with at least 6 Hit Dice.
Any humanoid slain by a [greater] Netherese zombie's natural attacks becomes a Netherese zombie in 1d4 rounds. Those with 6 or more Hit Dice gain this [zombie Netherese greater] template, while others become lesser Netherese zombies.
Zombie Netherese Greater Medusa: ?
Zombie Quick: A quick zombie can be created with the spells create undead and haste. The caster level must be at least 12th.
“Quick zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system.
Zombie Quick Human: ?
Zombie Quick Dire Wolf: ?
Zombie Quick Wyvern: ?
Zombire: A zombire is a special undead that arises only from a creature that possesses a bloodline.
"Zombire" is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature that possesses a bloodline.
Any humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a zombire becomes a zombie in 1d4 rounds. Zombie spawn are under the command of the zombire that created them and remain enslaved until its death. Creatures possessing a bloodline slain by a zombire instead become free-willed zombires.
Any humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a skelter's energy drain attack becomes a zombire in 1d4 rounds. Zombire spawn are under the command of the spectre that created them and remain enslaved until its death. Creatures possessing a bloodline slain by a skelter instead become free-willed skelters.
Zombire Human Fighter 5/Major Demon Bloodline 1: ?
Undead: Created by a unique undead known as the Raja Ambuchar Devayam, the dowagu usually travel alone carrying out the Raja's orders. Only six dowagu exist at any given time, and should one be destroyed, the Raja replaces it as soon as possible. Their main duty is to wander the world and mark favorable targets with a dark tattoo know as the Stamp of Tan Chin. Marked victims become undead upon their death and march to join the Raja's army.
As a full round action, a dowagu may place a dark tattoo upon a helpless creature. This mark cannot be removed through anything short of divine intervention or the destruction of the dowagu's master, the Raja Ambuchar Devayam. Attempts to conceal the mark always fail--it is clearly visible even through armor, clothing, and makeup. Even spells, such as shapechange or alter self, cannot conceal the mark. The victim still gains the benefits of these spells, but the mark is always present in their current form. Upon the marked victim's death, it becomes a zombie (or greater undead, at the DMs discretion) under the control of the Raja Ambuchar Devayam. The new undead will immediately seek out the Raja to receive orders.
Agarat: ?
Bleakborn: Any humanoid slain by a moilian heart becomes a bleakborn* in 24 hours.
Banshee: ?
Bodak: ?
Crawling Claw: ?
Devourer: ?
Dracolich: ?
Ghast: A creature killed by a ghast-lord rises as a form of ghast 1d4 days after death. The victim returns as a ghast if it was a humanoid with 6 or fewer HD and as a ghastly creature if it was a giant or monstrous humanoid or a humanoid with 7 or more HD.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of elevated 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 the elevated ghoul or 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, not a ghoul.
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: An afflicted humanoid who dies of elevated 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 the elevated ghoul or 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, not a ghoul.
Shadow: Ether shadows are the progenitors of lesser and greater shadows.
Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by an ether shadow dies and becomes a shadow under the control of its killer within 1d4 rounds.
Greater Shadow: Ether shadows are the progenitors of lesser and greater shadows.
Skeleton: Le Grand Zombi is continuously surrounded by an aura of negative energy to a range of 40 feet. This functions as a desecrate spell centered on Le Grand Zombi, who is considered to be a permanent fixture dedicated to a deity (thus granting a –6 profane penalty on turning checks, +2 profane bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws, and +2 hit points per HD for undead in the area). Additionally, all corpses within the area arise as zombies or skeletons (depending on the freshness of the corpse), under the command of Le Grand Zombi.
A master lich possesses great power over lesser undead, and can quickly create an army of undead skeletons and zombies from any corpses it finds.
Young Adult Red Dragon Skeleton: ?
Spectre: Any humanoid slain by a gargantua spectre becomes a (normal) spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Undead Swarm: ?
Vampire: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by Dracula's energy drain or reduced to Constitution to 0 or lower through blood drain rises as a vampire 1d4 days after burial.
If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. If the victim is a drow elf with 8 or more HD they return as a drow vampire.
Vampire Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a drow vampire’s Con drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial.
If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. If the victim is a drow elf with 8 or more HD they return as a drow vampire.
Wight: Any humanoid slain by a barrowe becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Occasionally, a creature drained of all energy by a wight doesn't arise as a full wight. These unfortunate victims are known as half-wights. Until they drain enough energy from the living, the half-wight remains in this lesser state.
Living creatures hit by a half-wight’s slam attack gain one negative level. The DC is 13 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the half-wight gains 1 hit dice. When the half-wight reaches 4 HD it transforms into a wight.
Any humanoid slain by a neglected ancestral spirit becomes a free-willed wight in 1d4 rounds.
Any humanoid slain by a wailing wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Any humanoid slain by a king-wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Any humanoid slain by a Mystaran gargantua wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Wraith: Any humanoid slain by a ghost mount's drain rider ability becomes a free-willed wraith in 1d4 rounds. Its body remains intact and inanimate, but its spirit is torn free from its corpse and transformed.
Any humanoid slain by a wraith-king becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Zombie: As a full round action, a dowagu may place a dark tattoo upon a helpless creature. This mark cannot be removed through anything short of divine intervention or the destruction of the dowagu's master, the Raja Ambuchar Devayam. Attempts to conceal the mark always fail--it is clearly visible even through armor, clothing, and makeup. Even spells, such as shapechange or alter self, cannot conceal the mark. The victim still gains the benefits of these spells, but the mark is always present in their current form. Upon the marked victim's death, it becomes a zombie (or greater undead, at the DMs discretion) under the control of the Raja Ambuchar Devayam. The new undead will immediately seek out the Raja to receive orders.
Le Grand Zombi is continuously surrounded by an aura of negative energy to a range of 40 feet. This functions as a desecrate spell centered on Le Grand Zombi, who is considered to be a permanent fixture dedicated to a deity (thus granting a –6 profane penalty on turning checks, +2 profane bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws, and +2 hit points per HD for undead in the area). Additionally, all corpses within the area arise as zombies or skeletons (depending on the freshness of the corpse), under the command of Le Grand Zombi.
A master lich possesses great power over lesser undead, and can quickly create an army of undead skeletons and zombies from any corpses it finds.
Any humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a zombire becomes a zombie in 1d4 rounds. Zombie spawn are under the command of the zombire that created them and remain enslaved until its death. Creatures possessing a bloodline slain by a zombire instead become free-willed zombires.
Zombie Wyvern: ?

Create Watchghost
Necromancy
Level: Clr 8, Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 rounds
Range: Touch
Target: One corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell creates a watchghost from the corpse of a humanoid. The subject must have been dead no more than five years. This spell will animate the corpse with that being's spirit and intelligence restored, and bind its will into the service of the caster. This servitude will last until the death of the caster, and the watchghost will remain in its undead state until destroyed.
While the spell is being cast, the caster must issue his chosen commands to the new watchghost. These commands involve only one specific task that the watchghost will be required to do while in the service of the caster, and the terms must be specifically defined. This task must be explained as far as what it is and how it must be done, and it allows for one exception. For example, the caster may order the watchghost to "Guard my chambers against all intruders except for myself, and kill any who try to enter." This spell binds the watchghost to a lawful alignment and unquestioning servitude, but the watchghost retains a good or evil alignment.
Material Components: 1,500 gp worth of diamond dust, four of the caster's teeth ground into powder, and a handful of the caster's hair. These components tie the lifeforce of the caster to the watchghost, binding it into the caster's service for life.

3.0
Apparition: A creature slain by an apparition will rise in 1d4 hours as an apparition.
Banshee: The banshee is the undead spirit of an evil female elf.
Blazing Bones: Blazing bones are an extremely rare type of undead, created when magic goes awry. These unfortunate souls are the result of a poorly prepared contingency spell by a wizard or cleric, who is killed by fire. This twisted magic keeps the victim in a state of undeath, forever tormented by the fire that killed it, and hopelessly insane.
Bog Mummy: Wherever a spark of unlife or negative energy touches a corpse naturally preserved by swamp mud, the result is a bog mummy.
In the Great Swamp, the Witch of the Fens, Thingizzard, provides the spark of negative energy needed to create bog mummies.
Any humanoid that dies from bog rot becomes a bog mummy in 1d4 days unless a remove disease is cast (within one day after death) or the creature is brought back to life (raise dead is ineffective, but resurrection or true resurrection works).
Great Swamp Bog Mummy: Bog mummies from the Great swamp carry a particularly virulent form of bog rot. A character slain by this disease rises as a Great Swamp bog mummy.
Bone Naga: Bone nagas are undead created by dark nagas, or the occasional evil wizard.
Undead Chimera: ?
Coffer Corpse: The coffer corpse is an undead creature formed as the result of an incomplete death ritual.
Crypt Thing: Create Crypt Thing spell.
Variant Crypt Thing: ?
Death Knight: Doomed to devastate the world they once cherished and sought to protect, death knights are the result of damning curses visited upon once noble paladins who fell from grace at the moment of death.
The death knight is a template that may be applied to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid paladin.
Death Knight Paladin 9: ?
Demilich: The demilich (the name is a misnomer, for it is not a lesser form of a lich, but the waning soul of a lich, centuries old) appears as nothing more than a human (or humanoid skull), dust, and a few bones.
Desert Wraith: The desert wraith is a desiccated corpse, animated through a small portion of the malevolent spirit of the skriaxit that killed it. These creatures are called wraiths, but other than being energy draining undead, they have little in common with the creatures commonly known as wraiths.
Skriaxits spend most of their time in their dormant form, a scattered pile of black dust mixed with desert sand. In this form, they cannot be affected by any being or force, and will only awaken when they hunger. When they become active, they take this dust and sand of the earth and whirl it into a 10 foot tall cone of wind. As a pack, they generate the terror that they feed off of, with their flesh-rending sandstorm. This attack is single-handedly responsible for filling the deserts with the undead known as desert wraiths.
Dracolich: The dracolich is the undead form of a powerful and evil dragon. Legends say that a mystical cult engendered the first dracolich.
“Dracolich” is a template that can be added to any dragon creature.
Dread: Dread are animated humanoid skeletal arms created to be guardians. Wizards and clerics may create these undead using magic that gives them a specific set of instructions on how and where to operate.
Vampiric Dread: Certain specimens of dread have been enspelled in a way that requires them to slay a living creature at least once a year.
Haunt: The haunt is the spirit of a person that died before completing some vital task.
Huecuva: Huecuva are the undead spirits of clerics who were unfaithful to their faith and turned to evil before death. As punishment, their god condemned them to roam the earth as an undead creature.
Hungry Dead: “Hungry dead” is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature other than an undead.
Hungry Dead Centaur: ?
Inquisitor: Inquisitors are powerful undead creatures, created by evil wizards as the ultimate in sheer terror and torture.
Most inquisitors were created hundreds, if not thousands of years ago and are cursed to cause pain for eternity.
Living Wall: ?
Living Wall Victim: Living wall victims are the unfortunate individuals that have been absorbed by a living wall.
Any creature that dies within 100 yards of a living wall are animated as per the animate dead spell cast by an 8th level sorcerer. Such undead are incapable of combat, and head directly for the wall to be absorbed by it.
Musical Spirit: Musical spirits lack any knowledge of their previous life, as well as their purpose for existence and their exact origin. Some say these sprits were either sent to the Material plane by the gods or simply remained there after death, to protect their forest and the creatures therein.
Musical Spirit Elven Bard 4: ?
Penanggalan: Penanggalan is a template that can be added to any female humanoid creature.
A female victim [of a penanggalan] will rise from the grave in three days as a penanggalan, as a free–willed undead. Should an attempt to raise the victim succeed, the victim will be unable to do anything other than rest for a week, after which all damage done by the penanggalan is healed. Failure means that no further attempt can be made; the process by which the victim becomes a penanggalan is then inexorable. If a penanggalan kills a male victim, he does not return as undead.
Shee, Banshee Rider: ?
Shoosuva: The shoosuvas are undead guardian creatures created by Yeenoghu, the Demon Prince of Gnolls. These creatures are a special form of demonic undead, created for use as an liaison between the demon lord and his Gnoll priests, and also to serve as sentinels for himself and some of his more worthy followers. The name shoosuva means "returner" in the Gnoll tongue, referring to the priests' belief that these beings are the manifestations of the spirits of their departed predecessors.
Skeleton Warrior: The skeleton warrior is a lich-like undead lord that was once a powerful fighter of at least 10th level. Legend tell that the skeleton warriors were forced into their undead lich-like state many ages ago by a powerful demigod that trapped each of their souls in a golden circlet.
“Skeleton Warrior” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
When a fighter is transformed into a skeleton warrior his soul is trapped in a golden circlet.
Skeleton Warrior Human Fighter 12: ?
Skuz: Any humanoid drowned by a skuz becomes a skuz in 1d4 rounds. Humanoids who are killed by a skuz, but not drowned, do not become skuz.
Slow Shadow: Any humanoid slain by a slow shadow becomes a slow shadow under control of its killer within 1d100 rounds. If remove curse is cast on the body before the elapsed time, the creature will not rise as a slow shadow.
Snake Flying Deathfang: Deathfangs are flying snakes that have become undead, either through being attacked by a greater undead (such as a vampire), or through secret evil magic.
Soul Beckoner: ?
Troll Spectral: “Spectral troll” is a template that can be added to any troll.
Troll Spectral Troll: ?
Undead Beast: The undead beast is a mindless killer of unknown origin, compelled to destroy the living.
Undead Beast Stahnk: ?
Undead Beast Gholor, The Feaster: ?
Undead Beast Anhkolox: About 10% of all undead beasts have enchanted bones that glow green. Such undead beasts are called anhkolox.
Undead Beast Aquatic: ?
Visage: It is believed that the demon lord Orcus first created the undead visages from the spirits of his deceased tanar’ri servants. He created them while in an undead state himself (while he was known as Tenebrous), and they all served him as a result.
Wolf Dread: Dread wolves are awful undead wolves, originally created by an evil renegade wizard. Word of their creation spread quickly and they are now in wide use among powerful evil wizards.
These magically created undead begin to decay soon after they are created.
Wolf Vampiric: Vampiric wolves are the result of foul ceremonies used by evil clerics on normal wolf pups.
Zombie Juju: Juju zombies are created when a humanoid is drained of all life levels from the effects of an energy drain spell.
"Juju zombie" is a template that can be added to any non-undead corporeal humanoid slain by an energy drain spell.
Zombie Juju Human Fighter 3: ?
Zombie Sea, Drowned One: Sea zombies, or drowned ones, are the animated corpses of humanoids who died at sea. Though similar to normal zombies in many ways, these zombies are somewhat intelligent and many believe them to be animated by the will of the god Nerull.
Zombie-Lord: “Zombie-Lord” is a template that can be added to any humanoid.
Zombie-Lord Human Fighter 6: ?
Undead: Orcus is known as the Prince of the Undead, for it is said in secret that he alone invented the first undead that walked the worlds.
Allip: ?
Bodak: ?
Ghost: ?
Lich: ?
Mohrg: ?
Nightshade: ?
Shadow: ?
Spectre: Any humanoid killed by a spectral troll will rise 1d3 days later as a free-willed specter unless a cleric of the victim’s religion casts bless on the body and performs a proper burial.
Vampire: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: As a free action, the demilich can animate its crumbled remains as a wraith-like shape.
Zombie: Any humanoid slain by a desert wraith’s energy drain attack becomes a zombie within 48 hours, even if raised from the dead, though this can be prevented if the body is washed in holy water.
A zombie-lord may direct its animate dead ability at a single living creature that is within 30 feet. If the creature fails a Will save, it is instantly slain, and will rise as a zombie under the zombie-lord’s command in 1d4 rounds.
Orcus, Tenebrous: ?

Create Crypt Thing
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 7, Death 8, Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. +5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You may create a crypt thing with this spell. This spell must be cast in the tomb, grave, or corpse that the crypt thing is assigned to protect.
A crypt thing can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones (so no oozes, worms, or the like). If a crypt thing is made from a corpse, the flesh falls from the bones. The statistics for the crypt thing depend on its size; they do not depend on what abilities the creature may have had while alive. Only one crypt thing is created with this spell and it will remain in the tomb where it was created until destroyed.
Material Component (for Crypt Thing): A black pearl gem worth at least 300 gp. The gem is placed inside the mouth of the corpse. Once animated into a crypt thing, the gem is destroyed.

CREATING A DREAD WOLF
Dread wolves can only be created by wizards of 9th-level or greater. They are created as a whole pack all at once, and there must be between 3 and 12 fresh wolf carcasses present at the creation. The spellcaster speaks an incantation over the wolves that combines specially modified versions of animate dead and dismissal, and requires the wizard to summon an undead shadow. When the shadow appears, the magic of the incantation breaks the shadow up into equal parts that are then infused into the wolves, reanimating them as dread wolves.
If the hour-long ritual is interruption, the raw energy of the split-apart shadow is unleashed, dealing 3d10 points of negative energy damage to the caster and anyone else present. If the ritual is undisturbed, the wizard will have a dread wolf pack as servants, with the special link as described above.
For some unknown reason, this ritual will not work on any other canines or animals, other than wolves of any type. A wizard who attempts this spell on dogs or any other species of canine suffers damage as if the spell were interrupted, as above.

CREATING A VAMPIRIC WOLF
These wolves are transformed into undead by a corrupting ceremony performed by an evil priest of 9th level or higher. The cleric must capture 3-18 wolf pups that are close to being weaned, but have not yet tasted raw meat.
Once he has the proper pups, the cleric performs a ritual using magic that is essentially the opposite of an atonement spell. Every day for three months, he must hand-feed them food that contains either a few drops of human blood, or dust from a dead vampire that has had the bane spell cast upon it, or the pups will die. At the end of these three months, the pups are fully grown. To complete the ritual, the cleric must then slay the wolves with poison, and they will then arise as vampiric wolves. If they are not slain in this way at the proper time, they must each make a Will save (DC 18) or die; success results in the wolves living out the rest of their days as weak, but abnormally bloodthirsty, normal wolves.
 
Last edited:

Cults of Freeport 3rd Era Web Enhancement
3.5
Undead, Undead Creature: ?
Ritual Ghoul: The Cannibal Ritual ritual.
Ritual Ghoul, Undead Corpse-Eater: ?
Euglenus Cleaves, Ritual Ghoul Expert 9/Cultist 3: Eldest Child power.
Slim William the Pleaser, Ritual Ghoul Necromancer 8: When Lucinda is under the influence of the Cannibal Ritual.
Horrible Lucinda Penmark, Ritual Ghoul Cultist 1, Child-Ghoul: When Lucinda is under the influence of the Cannibal Ritual.
Sly Simon Midwich, Ritual Ghoul Cultist 2, Child-Ghoul: When Simon is under the influence of the Cannibal Ritual.
Gross Billy Eggbert, Ritual Ghoul Commoner 1, Child-Ghoul: When Billy is under the influence of the Cannibal Ritual.
Ritual Ghoul Commoner 1, Child-Ghoul: When under the influence of the Cannibal Ritual.
Shadow: Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the control of its killer within 1d4 rounds.
Enslaving the Dead ritual.
Dread Shadow Normal Shadow: Enslaving the Dead ritual.
Gallus Vickers, Shadow Wizard 9, Undead Wizard, Ghost: Gallus Vickers is a shadow of his former self—quite literally. Xyrades used his newfound black magic to bind his dead companion’s spirit to his will, and set him to translating shards.
Ghoul: ?
Reanimated Dead: ?

The Cannibal Ritual
By ritually consuming the bodies of the dead, the Charnel God’s followers come closer to their god. This incantation transforms those partaking in the unholy feast into ghouls for a limited time. If perfected, the incantation could make this transformation permanent, and give the Charnel God’s followers a manner of immortality—as undead. The most complete copy of this incantation is found in the dreaded Ghoul’s Manuscript, long thought destroyed by witch hunters in their crusade against necromancy.
School: Necromancy
Level: 6th
DC: 24 (34 + 4 multiple targets - 6 duration -2 F -1 XP -5 B)
Components: V, S, M, B, XP
Material Component: A fresh humanoid corpse, and tools to butcher and cook it.
Backlash: All subjects of this incantation must make a Will saving throw (DC 16 + caster’s Cha modifier) or have their alignment changed to chaotic evil permanently. The caster and any willing participants in the Cannibal Ritual automatically fail this roll. (A caster who is already chaotic evil may take 10 on the Knowledge roll.)
XP Cost: 100 XP
Casting Time: 10 minutes per check; 6 successes required
Range: Close (55 ft.)
Target: One or more creatures
Duration: 12 hours (one night)
Saving Throw: None (or Will negates)
Spell Resistance: No
Success: If the ritualist succeeds on his Knowledge (forbidden) check, every character who ate the specially prepared flesh is transformed into a ghoul for the remainder of the night (no save allowed), gaining the strength and hunger of an undead corpse-eater. Apply the Ritual Ghoul template (see below) to each recipient.
Failure: If the ritualist fails his check, none of the subjects are transformed, but all are afflicted by an unholy craving for human flesh that lasts for 10 minutes times the margin of failure. (For example, if the check failed by 6, then the hunger lasts for 60 minutes.) This compulsion may be resisted for 10 minutes with a successful DC 15 Will save.

Enslaving the Dead
This incantation traps the soul of the deceased in a bodiless undead state, under the command of the caster.
School: Necromancy
Level: 9th
DC: 30 (34 - 2 range -1 M - 1 B)
The caster must be trained in the Knowledge (religion) skill. If he is not, the DC of the Knowledge (forbidden) check increases by +4.
Components: V, S, M, B
Material Component: The corpse of the dead creature to be enslaved, and a black onyx gem worth at least 50 gp per HD of the deceased creature.
Backlash: When the shadow is created, everyone present must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or gain 1 Insanity Point. In addition, the caster automatically acquires 1 Insanity Point for the blasphemy of creating and enslaving an undead.
Casting Time: 10 minutes per check; 9 successes required.
Range: Touch
Target: One dead creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Success: If the caster succeeds on his Knowledge (forbidden) check, a shadow is created. This shadow has as many HD as the deceased character did.
(If the GM owns the Advanced Bestiary, apply the dread shadow template instead, with the modifications listed in the “Creating a Normal Shadow” sidebar.)
This shadow is compelled to serve its creator (no saving throw). Threatening the shadow does not cancel this effect—the spirit is truly at the mercy of the caster’s whims.
Failure: If the caster fails his check, the incantation fails, and the corpse can never again be subject to any form of necromantic spell or effect.

Eldest Child (Sp) Between his regular performance of the Cannibal Ritual and the voice of the Charnel God in his head, Cleaves gains a +2 competence bonus with that incantation. He may also assume the form of a ritual ghoul at will.
 




Similar Threads

MNblockhead
Cosmology of the Ember Setting
Replies
0
Views
878
MNblockhead
MNblockhead
Abstruse
Homebrew Campaign Site Tabletop Mirror Acquires RPG Chat Service Role Gate
Replies
2
Views
4K
Invisible Poles
Invisible Poles
Egg Embry
RPG Crowdfunding News – Monster Vault 2, Terror from the Underdeep, White Box: Cyclopedia, and more
2
Replies
15
Views
5K
Nightfly
N
Egg Embry
RPG Crowdfunding News – MythCraft, .DUNGEON, Xcrawl Olympics, and more
Replies
5
Views
5K
Lalato
Lalato
Egg Embry
RPG Crowdfunding News – Grim Hollow, Conan, Broken Empires, and more
2 3 4
Replies
32
Views
8K
dbm
dbm

Trending content

Remove ads

Top